Sony PXW-X70 Pro's and Con's Review

Mark Morreau · March 2nd, 2015, 01:25 PM

Thanks so much for the comprehensive review, Rob.
Can you please tell me what the "bits" you need are to connect the camera to a pan-bar controller? Are those LANC controllers you're using?

Thanks

Mark

Josh Bass · March 2nd, 2015, 03:53 PM

There doesn't seem to be anything close to this price range with same feature set and especially possibility for 4K (I know people are whining about 8 bit 4:2:0 etc. but unless that looks really terrible--and I'm betting it doesn't---many of us would probably be fine with that). Next price point up with comparable features seems to be about $3500.

That said, I did get to play with this cam and record some footage. Seems generally nice, two things I didn't like were the amount of time it takes to go from one end of focus to the other in manual (very long), and I would swear the image is a little soft compared to an EX1 or similar cam. Maybe I set something wrong, but it just seems a little less crisp. The lens, maybe?

Craig Seeman · March 2nd, 2015, 07:52 PM

Closest competitor would be JVC HM200
JVC Pro Specifications

I suspect 4K is 4:2:0 but it's at 150mbps.
HD is 4:2:2 50mbps
Lens apature range is F1.2 to F3.5 (curious how it performs in low light compared to X70)
I'd bet the recording work straight in FCPX and Vegas.
Price is $2695 feature complete at B&H (preorder).

Josh Bass · March 2nd, 2015, 11:38 PM

My mistake, didn't think of JVC. Can I bring up the elephant in the room and say that JVC generally seems unpopular as a professional brand? Maybe it's a Houston thing but I've only ever known of one guy that even used one. Everyone else is Canon, Sony, Panasonic products (and usually the Canons are only of the large sensor variety, with a few exceptions I've run into over the years).

Paul Anderegg · March 3rd, 2015, 12:49 AM

IMHO......

JVC is all about the "connectivity" and features, such as being able to make a 1/3" CCD camera become a triax studio camera, at the expense of quality, pretty much the WORST picture quality available on most of their ProHD gear.

Sony is exactly the opposite, the are all about the quality, and charge you up for little mods and hardware, such as buying a 50pin output for our PMW320 if you want a 2x digital extender, 24p paid options etc, but quality and chip size is better across their range.

Panasonic is right in the middle, making mid range products that can be used effectively for more than they were intended, like HPX370's shooting for ABC 20/20. Their top end products are just that, top tier, but most of the time a bit less than Sony with more "included" useful options.

The HM200 looks nice, I was considering replacing my X70 with one for the iris ring and gain/w-b machanical switches, but then I saw it is rated at f5.6! That is 3 1/2 stops SLOWER than my last 4:2:2 30p SD camera, a Panasonic SPX800 from 2005, which rang in at f13@2000. :-\

Paul

Josh Bass · March 3rd, 2015, 12:52 AM

Interesting.

The other cam that's caught my attention (that I all but ignored when it came out) is the Canon XF200/205. Although of course that is ONLY HD, no 4K option. And $1200 more than the Sony. But generally gets good reviews.

Paul Anderegg · March 3rd, 2015, 01:42 AM

I looked at the XF205 as well, the reviews I read all said excessive noise even at 0db gain, and very poor in low light. I really wish they put another dial and flip switches on the X70, those are the main reasons I want to ditch mine.

Paul

Josh Bass · March 3rd, 2015, 01:44 AM

ah, too bad about the canon. what do you mean about the x70 switches etc.?

Paul Anderegg · March 3rd, 2015, 02:19 AM

I now feel I REQUIRE quicker ways to select gain and iris, than toggling buttons that all control the same dial. The gain is the worst, as if I need to go from 0db to 33db, say from a nigh SOT to a zoom in across the street, I need to press so many buttons it's ridiculous. To set to 1/30th, then open the iris if not already wide pen, then scroll 3db per step all the way to max. I LOVE the JVC and Canon controls and the basic size of the rigs, but great control of crap is still just crap. You can't put 20's on a Pinto, but it's still junk.

Paul

Josh Bass · March 3rd, 2015, 02:28 AM

sigh. just no winning at these lower price points is there?

Tobias Meinken · March 3rd, 2015, 09:51 AM

Hi Rob, nice summary of the pro's and con's. Two things, that bug me big time:
A) As soon I monitor through the smartphone, I loose pretty much all of the controls on the camera. So, it's either way control with a smartphone or get an external monitor. Just having the image on the phone's display for a 3rd person watching would be nice.
B) The eye sensor on the EVF can't be switched off. At least I haven't found a way to do it. In run and gun situations, I like to have both options, the LCD screen and the EVF, always available. But shooting from a low angle close to my body always switches off the LCD screen. Very annoying.
Otherwise, great little camera, I'd say.

March 2nd, 2015, 01:25 PM	#16
Mark Morreau Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Kentish Town, London, UK Posts: 157	Re: Sony PXW-X70 Pro's and Con's Review Thanks so much for the comprehensive review, Rob. Can you please tell me what the "bits" you need are to connect the camera to a pan-bar controller? Are those LANC controllers you're using? Thanks Mark __________________ Adobe Certified Expert Premiere Pro CS6 and CC Adobe Community Professional

March 2nd, 2015, 03:53 PM	#17
Josh Bass Slash Rules! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,472	Re: Sony PXW-X70 Pro's and Con's Review There doesn't seem to be anything close to this price range with same feature set and especially possibility for 4K (I know people are whining about 8 bit 4:2:0 etc. but unless that looks really terrible--and I'm betting it doesn't---many of us would probably be fine with that). Next price point up with comparable features seems to be about $3500. That said, I did get to play with this cam and record some footage. Seems generally nice, two things I didn't like were the amount of time it takes to go from one end of focus to the other in manual (very long), and I would swear the image is a little soft compared to an EX1 or similar cam. Maybe I set something wrong, but it just seems a little less crisp. The lens, maybe? __________________ The Bass' camerawork The Bass on IMDB

March 2nd, 2015, 07:52 PM	#18
Craig Seeman Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Brooklyn, NY, USA Posts: 3,841	Re: Sony PXW-X70 Pro's and Con's Review Closest competitor would be JVC HM200 JVC Pro Specifications I suspect 4K is 4:2:0 but it's at 150mbps. HD is 4:2:2 50mbps Lens apature range is F1.2 to F3.5 (curious how it performs in low light compared to X70) I'd bet the recording work straight in FCPX and Vegas. Price is $2695 feature complete at B&H (preorder).

March 2nd, 2015, 11:38 PM	#19
Josh Bass Slash Rules! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,472	Re: Sony PXW-X70 Pro's and Con's Review My mistake, didn't think of JVC. Can I bring up the elephant in the room and say that JVC generally seems unpopular as a professional brand? Maybe it's a Houston thing but I've only ever known of one guy that even used one. Everyone else is Canon, Sony, Panasonic products (and usually the Canons are only of the large sensor variety, with a few exceptions I've run into over the years). __________________ The Bass' camerawork The Bass on IMDB

March 3rd, 2015, 12:49 AM	#20
Paul Anderegg Trustee Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: San Diego, Califonia Posts: 1,559	Re: Sony PXW-X70 Pro's and Con's Review IMHO...... JVC is all about the "connectivity" and features, such as being able to make a 1/3" CCD camera become a triax studio camera, at the expense of quality, pretty much the WORST picture quality available on most of their ProHD gear. Sony is exactly the opposite, the are all about the quality, and charge you up for little mods and hardware, such as buying a 50pin output for our PMW320 if you want a 2x digital extender, 24p paid options etc, but quality and chip size is better across their range. Panasonic is right in the middle, making mid range products that can be used effectively for more than they were intended, like HPX370's shooting for ABC 20/20. Their top end products are just that, top tier, but most of the time a bit less than Sony with more "included" useful options. The HM200 looks nice, I was considering replacing my X70 with one for the iris ring and gain/w-b machanical switches, but then I saw it is rated at f5.6! That is 3 1/2 stops SLOWER than my last 4:2:2 30p SD camera, a Panasonic SPX800 from 2005, which rang in at f13@2000. :-\ Paul

March 3rd, 2015, 12:52 AM	#21
Josh Bass Slash Rules! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,472	Re: Sony PXW-X70 Pro's and Con's Review Interesting. The other cam that's caught my attention (that I all but ignored when it came out) is the Canon XF200/205. Although of course that is ONLY HD, no 4K option. And $1200 more than the Sony. But generally gets good reviews. __________________ The Bass' camerawork The Bass on IMDB

March 3rd, 2015, 01:42 AM	#22
Paul Anderegg Trustee Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: San Diego, Califonia Posts: 1,559	Re: Sony PXW-X70 Pro's and Con's Review I looked at the XF205 as well, the reviews I read all said excessive noise even at 0db gain, and very poor in low light. I really wish they put another dial and flip switches on the X70, those are the main reasons I want to ditch mine. Paul

March 3rd, 2015, 01:44 AM	#23
Josh Bass Slash Rules! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,472	Re: Sony PXW-X70 Pro's and Con's Review ah, too bad about the canon. what do you mean about the x70 switches etc.? __________________ The Bass' camerawork The Bass on IMDB

March 3rd, 2015, 02:19 AM	#24
Paul Anderegg Trustee Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: San Diego, Califonia Posts: 1,559	Re: Sony PXW-X70 Pro's and Con's Review I now feel I REQUIRE quicker ways to select gain and iris, than toggling buttons that all control the same dial. The gain is the worst, as if I need to go from 0db to 33db, say from a nigh SOT to a zoom in across the street, I need to press so many buttons it's ridiculous. To set to 1/30th, then open the iris if not already wide pen, then scroll 3db per step all the way to max. I LOVE the JVC and Canon controls and the basic size of the rigs, but great control of crap is still just crap. You can't put 20's on a Pinto, but it's still junk. Paul

March 3rd, 2015, 02:28 AM	#25
Josh Bass Slash Rules! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,472	Re: Sony PXW-X70 Pro's and Con's Review sigh. just no winning at these lower price points is there? __________________ The Bass' camerawork The Bass on IMDB

March 3rd, 2015, 09:51 AM	#26
Tobias Meinken New Boot Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Hamburg, Germany Posts: 18	Re: Sony PXW-X70 Pro's and Con's Review Hi Rob, nice summary of the pro's and con's. Two things, that bug me big time: A) As soon I monitor through the smartphone, I loose pretty much all of the controls on the camera. So, it's either way control with a smartphone or get an external monitor. Just having the image on the phone's display for a 3rd person watching would be nice. B) The eye sensor on the EVF can't be switched off. At least I haven't found a way to do it. In run and gun situations, I like to have both options, the LCD screen and the EVF, always available. But shooting from a low angle close to my body always switches off the LCD screen. Very annoying. Otherwise, great little camera, I'd say.