New PMW-350, EX1R camcorders and SxS media announced

[Tim Polster]

Originally Posted by Dan Brockett

Also, the promotion that Panasonic is running for the AJ-HPX2700 is at the same list price although this new Sony includes the lens so it is really much cheaper. I know that the 2700 is probably a better camera, but I probably would need to figure on another $8k for an even halfway decent used or cheap HD lens.

If it streets at around $17 to $18k, Sony will sell a ton of these, looks to be a great deal.

Dan

Wow this space is really hotting up!

The Sony 350 price without a lens will be what I am watching.

Even though the Varicam is a great deal @ $20,000 the 350 will be less money and has a color viewfinder.

The only decision will be CMOS vs CCD. It is nice to have a CCD camera though.

What does this do to the HPX-2000? kind of in no-man's land.

[Gabor Heeres]

Both are great new Cameras. The only thing what the PMW-F350 is missing in my opinion is the abillity to record in MPEG IMX, as the F530, F700 and F800 do. But I think it is because there shoul remain a difference. Will the PDW-F355 now going to be discontinued? I don't see many people investing in disc-based workflow only.

[Gary Leach]

Hi, I'd been hearing rumors about this new 2/3" EX codec camera coming, but hadn't seen anything. Its posted now.. here's the link:

Sony : PMW-350K (PMW350K) : Product Overview : United Kingdom

Pretty exciting, now if we can just find out how much $?

Regards, Gary

[Bruce Schultz]

I don't know why they decided to call it an "R" version when the single most important improvement they could have made was to replace the Exmor chips with the new Exmor R backlit CMOS chips for improved low-light sensitivity.

I'll not be trading out my older EX1 for this new unit as the improvements, as important and useful as they are are not enough to consign the original, trusty EX1 to the dustbin of camera history - yet.

[Tom Roper]

I am so IN for the PMW350k! I'm putting in my preorder asap.

I cannot stand, it looks so great.

[Alister Chapman]

Discovery already accept the EX1 at 35mbps so I see no reason why they would not accept the pmw-350.
I'm not sure if it is even possible to add cache record to the original EX1 so I wouldn't hold your breath waiting for it as a firmware update.

[Mitchell Skurnik]

Sony Product Detail Page - PMWEX1R
I love it when people hide things on websites :)

The XDCAM EX PMW-EX1R is the direct successor to Sony’s first entry into memory recording – the PMW-EX1. The PMW-EX1R features a range of ergonomic enhancements of the EX1, including an improved hand grip, a one-push S & Q switch and a one-push Auto Iris button. Other enhancements include SD recording in DVCAM, a Cache Recording Function, an Image Inversion Function and an IR remote control receptor on the rear of the camcorder’s handle allowing remote control from both the front and the rear of the camcorder. The PMW-EX1R utilizes three 1/2-inch type Exmor™ CMOS sensors, each with an effective pixel count of 1920 (H) x 1080 (V). This technology delivers superior picture performance with full-HD resolution and allows the camcorder to provide an excellent sensitivity of F10 and a remarkable signal-to-noise ratio of 54dB. The PMW-EX1R produces truly exceptional images in 1080p, 720p and 1080i HD. The PMW-EX1R is equipped with a high-quality, high-definition Fujinon 14x zoom lens specifically designed to offer optimum picture performance and unprecedented functionality. The full Sony XDCAM EX line-up provides stunning HD picture quality and efficient nonlinear operation, expanding the creative possibilities in every type of HD video production.

[Mitchell Skurnik]

Found 2 More :)
Sony Product Detail Page - PMW350L
Sony Product Detail Page - PMW350K

[Gary Leach]

Alister, thanks for the nice review on Youtube. I currently have an EX3 in house for evaluation against the other solid state cams out there.

Is there any idea what the new SxS cards will cost?

How about an actual release date for the 350?

By the way, was it awkward using the LCD viewing to the side like that? I've liked some of the other models (JVC HM700 for ex.) that had a nice big LCD that flipped around from front to back and such.


I want to buy an HD cam soon, and have been waiting for just such a cam to come along from SONY.

[Darren Ruddock]

Ahhh, and to think all those hours of burning discs trying to find the best method of down-converting EX1 footage to SD! Then they give you a new camera with SD recording grrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!

Just hope original EX1 owners don't get forgotten. We will get any updates??

[Bruce Schultz]

Any specifics for the newer SxS cards yet? Would love to see some kind of specs comparison between the old and the new.

[Tom Roper]

Originally Posted by Gary Leach

Alister, thanks for the nice review on Youtube.

Me too, thanks :)

[David Heath]

Originally Posted by Dan Brockett

Not sure where BBC, PBS and Discovery stand with long GOP and 35mbps? Does anyone know?

In a speech a while ago, the head of BBC HD specifically mentioned the EX1 as desirable when more run of the mill programming starts to go HD, and budgets simply won't run to the most expensive cameras. At the moment, for the BBC, HD=top quality and by and large that channel only screens high budget programming such as drama and studio/OB material which is recorded straight to HDCAM-SR. (Dramas more likely to be something like an Arri D20.)

There's no question that to currently tick all the desirable boxes a camera in this range needs to have 1920x1080 chips of 1/2" or above and be 50Mbs MPEG2. (Or AVC-Intra 100.) Unfortunately, there's only really the HPX3000 series from Panasonic and the Sony PDW700/800 which fully do that.

As others have already said, it's perfectly easy to put such as a nanoFlash on this new camera, record XDCAM 422, and tick all the boxes that way. You can't hang 1/2" chips on an HPX300.

My suspicion is that it's not an isolated camera, but more likely the start of a range, and I fully expect to see a more expensive version in due course with further goodies, including XDCAM422. But for the lower end of the HD broadcast market (news, sport etc) the camera as it stands may be just what's needed. The more I look at the spec, the more impressive it gets.

[Emmanuel Plakiotis]

dear Alister
You said that the 350 is about 1 stop more sensitive than the 700. Does that mean it can be rated over 1000ASA?

[Mitchell Skurnik]

Nice that they are offering new memory cards too.