First XDCAM EX3 Review

Phil Bloom · April 13th, 2008, 12:08 PM

dont worry its all cool. It's a shame it all came out in such a mess. It should have been really simple. Sony press conference at 3pm in Vegas. Nigel, me and anyone else then are free to post out stuff. Simple embargo. Due to the early publishing by Nigel it got all messy hence we are over 100 posts into this thread before the review is posted. Ideally I wanted my first post to have the proper link in it!

George Kroonder · April 13th, 2008, 12:36 PM

I think you can ask Chris Hurd to update your inital post. Anyway, lots of hype already; that's not that bad for a new product launch.

George/

P.S. The more I think about it, the more I like the cover over the audio level controls! I guess I am a geek!

Leonard Levy · April 13th, 2008, 12:58 PM

This camera sounds great, but Sony's marketing strategy doesn't feel very user friendly here. They posted plenty of information about their other new cameras but kept this under wraps till the last second. As a result many of us who would have waited for the EX-3 bought the EX-1 assuming that we would have at least a year till its replacement came out.

So now I'll probably take a loss along with lots of people who dump their 3 month old cameras to upgrade. I guess i'd feel better if I had made money off this thing already.

Oh well that's the modern age. My local rental shop - a long time Sony house - recently sent a letter to Sony pleading with them to slow down the rate at which new technology comes out because it is running them out of business.

By the way nobody has mentioned the plugs for Time code in and out on the back. That's a big deal for multi-camera work. When will this be available? Immediately?

Lenny

Phil Bloom · April 13th, 2008, 01:02 PM

Lenny, the EX1 is still a fantastic camera. I shot some footage yesterday using it and the new Letus Ultimate. I cannot tell you just how utterly jaw dropping the footage is. The sharpness and detail is breathtaking.

Mark David Williams · April 13th, 2008, 01:10 PM

Phil.

Do you the EX-3 with the new letus adapter plugging straight into the camera will take better pictures than the EX-1 that has the old Letus extreme attached to the fixed lens?

I would assume the EX-3 Would be best if used this way? Perhaps though they may be so close as to be inconsequential?

What are your thoughts?

Dennis Joseph · April 13th, 2008, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phil Bloom

Lenny, the EX1 is still a fantastic camera. I shot some footage yesterday using it and the new Letus Ultimate. I cannot tell you just how utterly jaw dropping the footage is. The sharpness and detail is breathtaking.

Thank god Phil can bring everybody back down to earth right when they are about to abandon their EX-1's as if the EX 3 is 2/3 inch chip size, global shutter, 4-2-2, and 80MBS vbr.

Would you dump your pretty wife after 3 months if your wifes twin came over with a bigger set of knockers? :)

Phil Bloom · April 13th, 2008, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark David Williams

Phil.

Do you the EX-3 with the new letus adapter plugging straight into the camera will take better pictures than the EX-1 that has the old Letus extreme attached to the fixed lens?

I would assume the EX-3 Would be best if used this way? Perhaps though they may be so close as to be inconsequential?

What are your thoughts?

hard to say without trying it out. Depends on how good the glass is that Letus use...

Oyvind Stokkan · April 13th, 2008, 01:14 PM

I'd enjoy the smaller knockers because they won't bounce between the knees after a few years ;-)

I'm more excited about the EX1 firmware than the EX3. But the EX3 with the letus ultimate sounds cool.. Getting the pdw-700 at work so that too will be cool. The 700 and the EX3 with letus ultimate as B-cam will be cool!

Looking forward to your review, Phil!

Phil Bloom · April 13th, 2008, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dennis Joseph

Would you dump your pretty wife after 3 months if your wifes twin came over with a bigger set of knockers? :)

Yes I would

Oyvind Stokkan · April 13th, 2008, 01:23 PM

Will the press release be covered live somewhere?

And does somebody know of a blog that covers NAB in depth with all the new stuff? Videos?

Phil Bloom · April 13th, 2008, 01:25 PM

i dont think the press release will be live.

Mark David Williams · April 13th, 2008, 01:40 PM

How Im seeing it at the moment.

The new LCD screen with magnifier. I think a monitor for my needs is essential and would be better.

The fast and slow motion button is not neccesary as its an effect that I wont use very often.

TC in and out Again not neccesary

Hard drive For me is not neccesary when footage can easily be dumped on a laptop for my needs.

Interchangeable lenses? Well the type of lenses for this camera are often more expensive than the camera itself Like the Canon style cameras not many used this function.. But for me it would be nice with the new letus adapter and there is another expense.

BUT does the standard glass allow more defination already than the camera can resolve? So will this actually make any difference?

Also Sony will be bringing out new full size versions of its XDCAM range that will have 50mb a sec.

The EX-1 being lighter cheaper may still be the better way to go. Although it doesnt have a shoulder mount I find I can hand hold it for a while and its easy to buy a cheap shoulder mount.

Has Sony marketing got this wrong? Perhaps they should have introduced this one first. Buying this camera could be a price to high for indie filmmakers and a price to low for pros?

I guess if I had a choice I would have gone for the EX-3 And then watch as the latest XDCAM cameras kick it into touch.

A lovely looking Complete Camera that is so right and yet?

Brian Cassar · April 13th, 2008, 01:53 PM

After analysing the pictures, it seems that although the lens is interchangeable, there is no flange back setting knob on the Fujinon lens (just like the EX1). Am I right to assume that the electronic back focus is still present in the menu? And so what happens if a 1/2" pro lens is attached to the EX3 that have such a flange back setting?

Dean Sensui · April 13th, 2008, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phil Bloom

thanks Sami, I have found a copy that I had backed up thankfully, still recreating it all now though!

Speaking of making backups:

There was a joke about Satan and Jesus competing to see who was better at computer work. They were given an hour to see what they could do. After 55 minutes of furious effort the power suddenly went out and Satan was cursing!

Jesus sat smiling until the power came back on, and he proceeded to print out reports, pie charts and diagrams.

Satan complained saying Jesus somehow cheated. He screamed, "How can you output all of that when the power went out? I lost everything!"

At that point, Christ replied, "Because Jesus saves."

Pietro Impagliazzo · April 13th, 2008, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leonard Levy

As a result many of us who would have waited for the EX-3 bought the EX-1 assuming that we would have at least a year till its replacement came out.

I don' think the EX3 is a replacement for the EX1. It's got the same features as the EX1, plus some broadcast essentials, it's just a more industry-oriented product. It's not like the EX1 is obsolete now.

PS: Can the EX1 flip the image on the LCD via menu?

April 13th, 2008, 12:08 PM	#106
Phil Bloom Trustee Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: London UK Posts: 1,939	dont worry its all cool. It's a shame it all came out in such a mess. It should have been really simple. Sony press conference at 3pm in Vegas. Nigel, me and anyone else then are free to post out stuff. Simple embargo. Due to the early publishing by Nigel it got all messy hence we are over 100 posts into this thread before the review is posted. Ideally I wanted my first post to have the proper link in it! __________________ Philip Bloom Cinematographer, Director, Filmmaker www.philipbloom.net

April 13th, 2008, 01:02 PM	#109
Phil Bloom Trustee Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: London UK Posts: 1,939	Lenny, the EX1 is still a fantastic camera. I shot some footage yesterday using it and the new Letus Ultimate. I cannot tell you just how utterly jaw dropping the footage is. The sharpness and detail is breathtaking. __________________ Philip Bloom Cinematographer, Director, Filmmaker www.philipbloom.net

April 13th, 2008, 01:14 PM	#113
Oyvind Stokkan Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Grimstad, Norway Posts: 112	I'd enjoy the smaller knockers because they won't bounce between the knees after a few years ;-) I'm more excited about the EX1 firmware than the EX3. But the EX3 with the letus ultimate sounds cool.. Getting the pdw-700 at work so that too will be cool. The 700 and the EX3 with letus ultimate as B-cam will be cool! Looking forward to your review, Phil! __________________ PMW-EX1 and Letus Extreme user www.oyvindstokkan.no

April 13th, 2008, 01:23 PM	#115
Oyvind Stokkan Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Grimstad, Norway Posts: 112	Will the press release be covered live somewhere? And does somebody know of a blog that covers NAB in depth with all the new stuff? Videos? __________________ PMW-EX1 and Letus Extreme user www.oyvindstokkan.no

April 13th, 2008, 01:25 PM	#116
Phil Bloom Trustee Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: London UK Posts: 1,939	i dont think the press release will be live. __________________ Philip Bloom Cinematographer, Director, Filmmaker www.philipbloom.net

April 13th, 2008, 12:36 PM	#107
George Kroonder Major Player Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Utrecht, NL \| Europe 3rd Rock from the Sun Posts: 612	I think you can ask Chris Hurd to update your inital post. Anyway, lots of hype already; that's not that bad for a new product launch. George/ P.S. The more I think about it, the more I like the cover over the audio level controls! I guess I am a geek!

April 13th, 2008, 12:58 PM	#108
Leonard Levy Trustee Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: USA Posts: 1,684	This camera sounds great, but Sony's marketing strategy doesn't feel very user friendly here. They posted plenty of information about their other new cameras but kept this under wraps till the last second. As a result many of us who would have waited for the EX-3 bought the EX-1 assuming that we would have at least a year till its replacement came out. So now I'll probably take a loss along with lots of people who dump their 3 month old cameras to upgrade. I guess i'd feel better if I had made money off this thing already. Oh well that's the modern age. My local rental shop - a long time Sony house - recently sent a letter to Sony pleading with them to slow down the rate at which new technology comes out because it is running them out of business. By the way nobody has mentioned the plugs for Time code in and out on the back. That's a big deal for multi-camera work. When will this be available? Immediately? Lenny

April 13th, 2008, 01:10 PM	#110
Mark David Williams Major Player Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Hertfordshire UK Posts: 414	Phil. Do you the EX-3 with the new letus adapter plugging straight into the camera will take better pictures than the EX-1 that has the old Letus extreme attached to the fixed lens? I would assume the EX-3 Would be best if used this way? Perhaps though they may be so close as to be inconsequential? What are your thoughts?

April 13th, 2008, 01:40 PM	#117
Mark David Williams Major Player Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Hertfordshire UK Posts: 414	How Im seeing it at the moment. The new LCD screen with magnifier. I think a monitor for my needs is essential and would be better. The fast and slow motion button is not neccesary as its an effect that I wont use very often. TC in and out Again not neccesary Hard drive For me is not neccesary when footage can easily be dumped on a laptop for my needs. Interchangeable lenses? Well the type of lenses for this camera are often more expensive than the camera itself Like the Canon style cameras not many used this function.. But for me it would be nice with the new letus adapter and there is another expense. BUT does the standard glass allow more defination already than the camera can resolve? So will this actually make any difference? Also Sony will be bringing out new full size versions of its XDCAM range that will have 50mb a sec. The EX-1 being lighter cheaper may still be the better way to go. Although it doesnt have a shoulder mount I find I can hand hold it for a while and its easy to buy a cheap shoulder mount. Has Sony marketing got this wrong? Perhaps they should have introduced this one first. Buying this camera could be a price to high for indie filmmakers and a price to low for pros? I guess if I had a choice I would have gone for the EX-3 And then watch as the latest XDCAM cameras kick it into touch. A lovely looking Complete Camera that is so right and yet?

April 13th, 2008, 01:53 PM	#118
Brian Cassar Major Player Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Malta Posts: 306	After analysing the pictures, it seems that although the lens is interchangeable, there is no flange back setting knob on the Fujinon lens (just like the EX1). Am I right to assume that the electronic back focus is still present in the menu? And so what happens if a 1/2" pro lens is attached to the EX3 that have such a flange back setting?