Sony PXW-X70 announced: Pro XDCAM version of AX100

[Jack Zhang]

Originally Posted by Ron Evans

Maybe the 4K upgrade is not just software but hardware upgrade to XQD card slots etc !!! Justifying the cost.

Ron Evans

Let's hope so for a X70R, I think they didn't even put UHS-II in the AX100, so to lessen complexity, may as well carry that over for the launch X70. By then ASICs would be powerful enough to do 4k60p while drawing low energy and outputting less heat.

[Dan Carter]

A longer preview and "Shooting With" video by Alister Chapman are here:

http://www.sony.co.uk/pro/article/br...-pxw-x70_video

[Anthony Lelli]

is the handle attached ON the MI shoe?

[Troy Lamont]

Alister,

In your preview article here: preview, you say "You can shoot at up to 60fps in 60i mode and 50fps in 50i mode. In 60i mode you also have 24fps."

I'm not sure if that's a typo but does this camera shoot in 'interlaced' format really?? I'm thinking that was meant to be a 'p'.

Thanks for the insight.

[Hans Stephan]

http://www.sony.co.uk/pro/product/br...-x70/features/
this Sony site tells:

Multi-format recording and 4K ready

The PXW-X70 records XAVC Long GOP 422 10-bit

1920 x 1080 50p/60p/50i/60i/ 30p/25p/24p at 50 Mbps and 35 Mbps,

1920 x 1080 50i/60i at 25 Mbps, as well as
1280 x720 50p/60p at 50 Mbps.
It is also possible to record AVCHD 420 8-bit at 1920 x 1080 and 1280 x720 and DV.
The PXW-X70 is also 4K ready and can handle 4K recordings with a future upgrade.

he can imho both .... FHD with 50/60p and 50i/60i

but not clear (but logic) ... is 50i/60i limited to 35 Mbit/s ??
but not clear (but logic) ... is 30p/25p/24p limited to 35 Mbit/s ??

Hans

[Alister Chapman]

I no longer have the camera but, yes it does shoot 50i and 60i, but I didn't check on the bit rates for every mode option, there are so many! However I think it will do 50i and 60i at 50Mbps.

It WILL shoot 24fps, 25fps, 30fps, 50fps and 60fps at 50Mbps 10bit 422 long GoP, so I see no reason why that wouldn't include 25fps/50i (more correctly 25i) or 30fps/60i (30i) at 50Mbps.

[Hans Stephan]

Alister write .... 25fps/50i (more correctly 25i)

LOL...yes if you know the EBU standards ...available since some years
but http://www.sony.co.uk/pro/product/br...-x70/features/ ... know it not..

additional question: outside from EBU ....in USA or Japan
it is the sam change to 1080i 25 instead of 1920x1080 50i to notice in the standards .. or not ??

Hans

[Alister Chapman]

Yes the correct EBU term is to use the frame hight, followed by i/p then frame rate in frames per second.

So, 1080i25, 1080p25, 2160p24 etc.

50i has never really made sense as the frame rate is 25fps, not 50fps. It's confusing to have 50i and 50p mean two different frame rates under the SMPTE system. The EBU system makes much more sense but even amongst EBU countries the SMPTE 50i standard still gets used. Fortunately interlace is slowly going the way of the dodo so 50i/60i is becoming less and less common anyway and I doubt we will ever see a 50 or 60fps interlace system, so i50 and i60 will probably never need to be used.

[Ron Evans]

I think the real problem is that there is a difference between exposure rate ( the rate at which the camera takes pictures ) and time code frame rate. 50i or 60i have the same temporal motion as their progressive versions 50P or 60P they just have half the vertical resolution. So to me exposure rate makes a lot more sense rather than time code frame rate. 50i or 60i says that the exposure rate is 50 or 60 but it is interlaced meaning only half the vertical resolution ( a field ) is recorded or transmitted. Time code is 25fps or 30fps ( 29.97 NTSC ), two fields is a frame. So in a progressive only world someone who likes the smoother motion of a faster exposure rate needs 50P or 60P not covered in some of the disc specs at 1920x1080 for instance but the interlaced exposure rate is in the spec. Shoot at 50 or 60 progressive then convert to go to Bluray for instance and throw away half the information and let the player or TV fill in the missing fields !!!.

I just hope the X70 4K version manages to shoot 50/60P like my AX1 even if that means a factory upgrade to change to XQD cards.

Ron Evans

[Gabor Heeres]

Alister,

This camera leaves no space for the PMW-100 imho? Can we see it as a PMW-100 successor? Will the PMW-100 remain available after this release?

[Robert Young]

I notice that the camera is now available for preorder at B&H for Sept delivery @ $2,299.00.
Seems like an attractive price for such a feature rich camera

[Mark Fry]

Originally Posted by Ron Evans

... Shoot at 50 or 60 progressive then convert to go to Bluray for instance and throw away half the information and let the player or TV fill in the missing fields !!!....

Aye, there's the rub. And if most of your potential audience are still only able to play DVDs or watch mega-compressed YouTube on not-very-broad-at-all broadband...?

However, I do rather like the look of the X70 as a very competant, compact HD camera. I'm looking forward to reading a decent back-to-back review with the Canon XF200.

BTW - are you a regular visitor to the Watercress Line, Alister? I'll be working in Ropley signalbox on Sunday 24th. Pop in and say hello if you happen to be around.

[Mark Fry]

Originally Posted by Robert Young

I notice that the camera is now available for preorder at B&H for Sept delivery @ $2,299.00.
Seems like an attractive price for such a feature rich camera

Suggests a street price of below $2k by the end of the year. Very competitive!

[Dan Carter]

Originally Posted by Mark Fry

Suggests a street price of below $2k by the end of the year. Very competitive!

Received the same notice from B&H today. Considering the advanced feature set of X70, I too am surprised by the competitive $2,299 price.

[Ron Evans]

Other than my NX5U which cannot shoot at 60P in 1920x1080 the other cameras I use ( CX700, NX30U and FDR-AX1 ) all shot at 60P. I just use a 60i project in Edius and mix them all just fine for export to BLuray or DVD. But I at least have all progressive files at source. I will get a X70 and maybe a X160 to replace my NX5U too. I will keep the NX30 for its wonderful image stabilizer though. I really do not like slow frame rates so hope the 4K upgrade for the X70 isn't just 30P.

Ron Evans