PMW-EX1 Details

[Steve Mullen]

The EX1 uses three "newly designed" 1/2-inch type Exmor™ CMOS sensors, each with an effective pixel count of 1920 x 1080. I haven't yet heard if they use the diagonal designed used by the V1. (With 1920x1080, and thus no need for interpolation, there may be no need for a diagonal system.) Even if not, it seems Sony is moving to CMOS whenever possible.

The 1/2-inch type image sensor provides a sensitivity of F10, a signal-to-noise ratio of 54 dB, and horizontal resolution of 1000 television lines. That's a significant increase over the V1's 750+ TVL/ph.

The camcorder is switchable between 1080p, 1080i and 720p, with a multiple frame recording capabilities of 59.94i, 50i, 29.97P, 25P and native 23.98P. The SXS card will record at either 35 (HQ) or 25Mbps.

The HQ mode supports both 1920 x 1080 and 1280 x 720 resolutions. So it looks like we have a 1080p60 camcorder that can also record 720p60. What will JVC do?

The SP mode supports 1440 x 1080 resolution at 25Mb/s, which provides compatibility with HDV 1080i products. Footage recorded in the SP mode edited by connecting the camcorder through its i.LINK digital interface.

The PMW-EX1 camcorder has a Fujinon 14x zoom lens. The lens offers a wide angle of view of 5.8 mm (equivalent to 31.4mm on a 35 mm lens). Finally a real WIDE lens!

The new camcorder offers a “Slow and Quick Motion” capability -- also commonly known as “overcranking” and “under-cranking” in the traditional film world -- for creating unique “looks” or special effects of slow and fast motion. Other creative capabilities include Slow Shutter, Interval Recording, a Picture Profile™ feature, and a histogram indicator, as well a 3.5-inch color LCD screen (viewable area, measured diagonally).

The PMW-EX1 camcorder is expected to be available in November at a suggested price of less than $8,000.

Looks like a big brother to the V1 -- with the V1 possibly working as B camera. But possibly not given the huge increase in chip performance.

[Mike Marriage]

Originally Posted by Steve Mullen

Looks like a big brother to the V1 -- with the V1 possibly working as B camera. But possibly not given the huge increase in chip performance.

...Or you can see the EX1 as a smaller brother of the higher end models, for which it looks like this might make a perfect B cam. Testers are suggesting that it produces a very comparable picture to the F350.

[Douglas Spotted Eagle]

It looks very much like a 350 with a lower-quality lens on it. It's a great cam, perfect sizing for indie work, and very fast and easy to get a great image. Great glass (arguably the best in class).

[Chris Hurd]

Thread moved from the V1 / FX7 forum to the XDCAM EX forum.

[Alister Chapman]

The lens on the EX1 is extremely good with very little CA and almost no flare or ghosting. In some respects it is better than my Canon 1/2 HD lens that I have on my F350, a lens that costs more than an EX1. It makes an excellent B camera to either XDCAM HD or HDCAM. The cameras all share the same gamma curves and colorimetry. I'll be doing some more shooting with an EX1 next week and hope to do some more in depth testing.

[Michael Mann]

Alister, you don't happen to have a demo frame, have you?
(CA has become one of my main concerns after buying my Canon A1.)

[David Heath]

After seeing it in the flesh there was one little detail that quite impressed me, and which seems to have got little mention amongst all the talk of pixel counts etc. Not only is it 1/2" chips and a true manual lens, but the grip rotates. That may not sound much, but it lets you hold it with the wrist straight, which I found substantially more comfortable than cameras like the Z1 or HVX200. I'd have preferred to see it as a shoulder mount at this size and weight, but this mod is a big step forward.

[Steve Collins]

"So it looks like we have a 1080p60 camcorder that can also record 720p60."

I believe this camera can only do 30p in 1080 mode. In 720 mode it can do 60P.

[Chris Hurd]

It's 1080i60, 1080p30, 1080p24 as well as 720p60, 720p30 and 720p24.

European settings are 1080i50, 1080p25 and also 720p50, 720p25. Hope this helps,

[Piotr Wozniacki]

There is no European model of the EX1; "one world, one camera" type of machine.

[Steve Mullen]

Originally Posted by Mike Marriage

...Or you can see the EX1 as a smaller brother of the higher end models, for which it looks like this might make a perfect B cam. Testers are suggesting that it produces a very comparable picture to the F350.

This post was moved from the V1/FX7 Forum so it was aimed at these folks. In this Forum, the EX1 is indeed a "smaller brother of the higher end models, for which it looks like this might make a perfect B cam."

PS: "I believe this camera can only do 30p in 1080 mode." That's too bad as the Region 50 countries need 50p and also desire 1080.

[Piotr Wozniacki]

I believe it doesn't lack any format, Steve - both 50i and 25p are there.

[Stephen Armour]

from the EX1 brochure:

"The imaging devices used in the PMW-EX1 camcorder are three newly designed 1/2-inch type “Exmor”™ CMOS Sensors, each with an effective pixel count of 1920 x 1080,which produce images in 1080P, 720P and 1080i HD resolutions. It is switchable between 1080P, 1080i and 720P with a multiple frame recording capability such as 59.94i, 50i, 29.97P, 25P and native 23.98P*."

[Stephen Armour]

Originally Posted by Alister Chapman

...I'll be doing some more shooting with an EX1 next week and hope to do some more in depth testing.

We'll be anxious to see how the zoom speeds compare to standard 1/2" Fujinon lenses! Be nice to have something with decent extreme slows.

Now, if they just make a way to use existing lense controllers, we'll be in line for one come Nov. (and maybe even if they don't...)

[Alister Chapman]

Very slow zooms are not a problem. The lens on the EX1 behaves exactly like the expensive canon lens I have on my F350.

It will shoot 1080P upto 30fps, above 30fps it is 720P at any frame rate upto 60fps, so 50P and 60P are both available.