Sony launches PXW-Z100 4K Handheld XDCAM

[Jack Zhang]

The codec is awesome, but the sensor is the same as in the Xperia Z1, a cell phone. There is guaranteed to be noise at 0db no matter what with a cell phone sensor.

Slap the RX100's sensor in a 1'' adapted lens in an ENG form and that's actually a winner. The pro version of the recently announced AX100 will surely be better than the Z100 by a longshot.

[Douglas Call]

I'm also waiting for the Sony FDR-AX100/B with a one inch sensor. I also own the Canon 1DX and was hoping their most recent firmware change would include the ability to shoot small (limited time because of overheating) 4K clips at 24fps. Oh well. I'll have to use my Sony FS700 for that.

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Originally Posted by Jack Zhang

The pro version of the recently announced AX100 will surely be better than the Z100 by a longshot.

... and by several thousand $$$, too :)

Seriously though, if Sony is indeed releasing a new, pro 4K model soon, it needs to have the Z100 codec, media and lens but a larger sensor. Whether it should be the still photography derived one (as in the AX100) is an open question; it probably won't be the S35 (this department is already populated quite densely by other Sony models), so it might be a '1 inch-type' as they put it, but it better have 16x9 aspect and fewer pixels, all used for 4K and - by being larger - offering yet greater S/N and sensitivity...

I know, I know - this would mean releasing an all new sensor, which would inevitably mean higher price. But I guess that within the 4k realm there is a place for this kind of sensor - smaller than S35 for larger DOF, but larger than Z100/A1 and populated by fewer/larger pixels for better sensitivity.

Such a camera - if only the price is held lower than say the FS700+any 4k recording solution available today - would certainly be my favorite toy for the retirement days (sigh :().

[Ron Evans]

I believe the sensor is the same as in my HX30V. I do not see noise on my FDR-AX1 compared to my NX5U which has to be my reference or for that matter to my CX700 or NX30U. Sony have various sensors at roughly this size so may not all be exactly the same. For instance the new AS100V is also this size but the old AS30 is also roughly the same size but with slightly different pixel counts.

How did you view the output ? Downscaling in software using Laczos 3 produces a better picture than internal HD output from the HDMI. At least that is what I have found for my FDR-AX1. The file can take a lot more post corrections too than AVCHD and retain its resolution. My reason for the FDR-AX1 was also to crop and pan. Crops I have done in the theatre are as good as the image from the CX700 or NX30 with similar high gains so I too wish it was more light sensitive but so far it does work for me. For really dark situations it is not as clean as the CX700.

I would like 60P so the AX100 may not fit the bill . Will see when the review appear.

[Robert Turchick]

I viewed footage through my editing rig which is Premiere CC on a Mac Pro with Quadro 4000 to a Dell 27" IPS display. I do photography editing on this setup too and it shows every flaw which is why the 1Dx and 5D mk3 are my workhorses…super clean! The XF300 was not perfect but showed significantly less noise.

Will report today's findings as I want to try a couple more things.

[Phil Goetz]

#SonyPro 4K Road Trip: Footage from the PXW-Z100 camera by Chuck Fishbein

Sony 4K Road Trip - YouTube

[Robert Turchick]

Well, I ended up sending the camera back. In my studio which has a green screen cyc wall, I just could not get a clean, easy to key video from it. This was under proper lighting that has worked on many of my cameras as well as various client's cameras for the past three years. Tried just about every iteration of setting on the camera and none worked for what I need. Just too noisy even at 0db. Bummed but moving on… 4K will have to wait.

[Jack Zhang]

Originally Posted by Robert Turchick

Well, I ended up sending the camera back. In my studio which has a green screen cyc wall, I just could not get a clean, easy to key video from it. This was under proper lighting that has worked on many of my cameras as well as various client's cameras for the past three years. Tried just about every iteration of setting on the camera and none worked for what I need. Just too noisy even at 0db. Bummed but moving on… 4K will have to wait.

I personally am waiting for the camera that's going to be released after the AX100 and it's pro variant. If Sony adopts MFT or updates their APS-C video line, (NEX-EAxx line) that's going to be where a balance of sensor size and price could hit the sweet spot. For those that can't afford S35 and RAW recording, it could be the next best thing.

[Andrew Clark]

This might have been discussed already as I may have overlooked this in this massive thread ... but upon reading the "Overview" section of this camera on the Sony website, it states:

"With current NLEs, spanned clips cannot be combined. Depending on NLE, audio may be discontinuous at the breaks."

Not having experience myself with recording to a two card setup, is this normal?

And if so, is it just an adjustment (to re-connect the footage seamlessly together again) that is done manually in the NLE?

AC

[Andrew Clark]

Originally Posted by Robert Turchick

Well, I ended up sending the camera back. In my studio which has a green screen cyc wall, I just could not get a clean, easy to key video from it. This was under proper lighting that has worked on many of my cameras as well as various client's cameras for the past three years. Tried just about every iteration of setting on the camera and none worked for what I need. Just too noisy even at 0db. Bummed but moving on… 4K will have to wait.

Robert, does this include your DSLR's regarding your "many cameras"?

[Ron Evans]

Originally Posted by Andrew Clark

This might have been discussed already as I may have overlooked this in this massive thread ... but upon reading the "Overview" section of this camera on the Sony website, it states:

"With current NLEs, spanned clips cannot be combined. Depending on NLE, audio may be discontinuous at the breaks."

Not having experience myself with recording to a two card setup, is this normal?

And if so, is it just an adjustment (to re-connect the footage seamlessly together again) that is done manually in the NLE?

AC

With my AVCHD cameras and the FDR-AX1 I always use the Sony transfer software not NLE. This brings the files across without problems and for AVCHD will combine into a single file renamed by date and time . I was disappointed with the transfer of XAVC-S from my FDR-AX1 in that the files still stay named C0001 etc and just get put in folders of the correct date taken. Clips spanning cards are not joined either, unlike AVCHD, but do butt together with no loss of video or audio on the timeline. I hope that in future updates this will be changed back to renaming the files like AVCHD . I think these 4K cameras have been rushed to market and should be viewed as pre-release really until their firmware update makes all the features work. In good light the FDR-AX1 gives, for me, a lovely image compared to my other cameras. I too wish its low light was better but for the few shoots I have done it has worked as I expected as I had no illusions as to its performance from the specs.

Something has to give to shoot 4K with a 20x zoom etc and the competing products with this spec cost many times more dollars so better be a superior performance !!! Sony are now giving some choices. FDR-AX100 ( XAVC-S 8bit at 30P 12x zoom ), FDR-AX1 ( XAVC-S 8 bit 60P 20x zoom ), PXW-Z100 ( XAVC 10bit 20x zoom ), FS700R + ( your choice...), F5/F55 ( your choice) and I expect even more choices. It would be nice but unlikely to get a $2000 camera to compete successfully with one that cost over $10,000. Or for $5000 against something that costs more for the body before one buys any lenses !!!



Ron Evans

[Andrew Clark]

Many thanks for that info. Ron!!

This cam seems awesome (spec wise).

[Robert Turchick]

Originally Posted by Andrew Clark

Robert, does this include your DSLR's regarding your "many cameras"?

I have shot with my 1Dx, 5Dmk3 and a 5D mk2 and 7D as b-cams on the green screen with no issues. Not for broadcast use though…web delivery. The XF300 worked great for broadcast.
BTW, picked up a C100 with Ninja 2…whole different world of clean, crisp video…and with bokeh if I want it!

[Andrew Clark]

WOW ... that's quite disappointing to hear that cams with 4:2:0 can pull a cleaner image for keying (green screen) than this cam that is 4:2:2.

Thanks for the info. Robert!!

[Ron Evans]

Originally Posted by Andrew Clark

WOW ... that's quite disappointing to hear that cams with 4:2:0 can pull a cleaner image for keying (green screen) than this cam that is 4:2:2.

Thanks for the info. Robert!!

Why would you think that? Those DSLR's have sensors more than 5 times larger in area so I would be very disappointed if they did not out perform a sensor less the 1/2" and likely with lenses that may cost a lot more than the whole PXW-Z100 if you want anything close to 20x !!! I am not defending these Sony's but pointing out that one needs to compare apples to apples. B&H prices are $5499 for PXW-Z100, a Canon EOS 1DX is $6799 just for the body no lens and if one wants 4K one needs to go to the C version at $11999 still no lens and needs external recorder too. C500 $20K and still needs lenses and external recorders as the internal recorder is only 50Mbps !!! If you want high performance then these ( FDR-AX1 and PXW-Z100) may not be the best choices but they do work within their useful ranges very well in my limited experience and at prices less than a good lens for a high end camera !!! If you do not need 4K then that is a totally different discussion and these cameras will be the wrong ones to use for a comparison.

Ron Evans