First hand encounters of XQD uses for the EX1, EX3 and EX1R?

James Kreitner · November 8th, 2013, 06:10 PM

It's hard to believe that the S series would be discontinued unless Sony already has a (faster) replacement in the wings; I'm sure that Nikon wouldn't have committed to put a card slot in their D4's unless they had a firm commitment from Sony to continue supplying the fastest memory that camera could use; Sony has already previously announced their roadmap for faster memory than the S series, so this may be the prelude to it's release. The S series has been selling for about $60- $70 less that it originally was released at for the last 6 months, and this is the same thing that happened when the H series was the only version out prior to the S series release.

Jack Zhang · November 8th, 2013, 07:01 PM

The only new announcement is the N series cards, and those are slower.

On the B&H page the reccomendation for the Z100 is the S series, so I'm baffled as to why they'd choose to discontinue the 64GB card of the S series.

James Kreitner · November 12th, 2013, 07:59 AM

Hello Jack,

check out this link:

Sony Global - Memory Media & External Hard Drive Portal - Sony XQD™ Memory Card

<New S series and N series>

The new XQD S series ultra-fast transfer speed up to 180MB/s* (read/write) is achieved through the combination of a new intelligent controller, the use of high speed flash memory and a Speed-Degradation Avoiding Function that promotes efficient data-writing, in addition to using the industry-standard PCIe platform as an interface.

The new XQD S series supports Sony’s professional 4K camcorder, the PXW-Z100, at “XAVC 4K Intra 422” (4096×2160/60p, 600Mbps) and “AVC HD Intra 422” (1920×1080/60p, 223Mbps).

New cards, same name, more speed is good! Bring your credit card, I'm sure the speed increase doesn't come without an increase in price.

Jack Zhang · November 12th, 2013, 06:24 PM

Actually, the new S series, combined with a XQD adapter costs just as much as a 64GB SxS-1. I think XQD may be more future-proof than SxS so I may be willing to take that hit for 4K future proofing.

James Kreitner · November 12th, 2013, 06:37 PM

I haven't seen any prices yet, how much does the new S-series 64GB cost? List, of course; are you comparing that to the list price of the 64GB SxS-1, or the street price?

Jack Zhang · November 12th, 2013, 07:44 PM

My local dealer got a quote, and combined with the QDA-EX1, it would be around the same price to get that combination as getting a SxS-1 64GB: around $500.

But, if the next 4K cam after the Z100 is XQD as well, I think Sony is moving away from SxS.

James Kreitner · November 12th, 2013, 10:05 PM

Jack, I paid $29 US each for my QDA-EX1's (delivered); are you saying that you were quoted a price of $471 each for the XQD S-series 180 MB/s cards? That's more than I expected... are we talking US dollars here? Even with an exchange rate factored in though, $471 still seems higher than I would expect; I would have expected between $350- 400 US with the price going down to $325 US after 6 months or so.

I'm with you on Sony moving toward an XQD future for cameras like the Z100, but I think SxS will be around for the F5- F55 class cameras in the foreseeable future. As discussed before, I have the added incentive to buy XQD cards because they're common to my Nikon D4...

James Kreitner · November 13th, 2013, 08:05 AM

The new cards showed up on Amazon.com... not in stock yet, but available for pre-order:

The new 180 MB/s card number: QD S64 E (QD-S64/E) is listed at $369.99 US (This is close to where the 'T' cards cost when they first appeared on Amazon)

The old 168 MB/s card number: QD-S64/T is currently $309.99 - $313.80 US

That brings the price for the combo QD-S64/E and QDA-EX1 to approx. $400 US

I would guess that the price for 'E' cards would decrease when the cards have been available for a while to much closer to the current 'T' card prices.

Jack Zhang · November 14th, 2013, 06:46 PM

It is totally the exchange rate and duties up here. The QDA-EX1 costs $50 still up here and the rest of the cost I was quoted is close to what you described, in terms of Canadian Dollars.

I may go tomorrow to place my order for the adapter. I'm still short for the actual card itself, due to the higher price in Canada.

Mark Sudfeldt · November 15th, 2013, 06:06 PM

New Sony 64-GB card(180MB/s) now available at B & H for $319.95

James Kreitner · November 15th, 2013, 06:24 PM

That was fast... and at a good price! I'm glad I put off my purchase a couple of days, on order with BH now.

Thanks

Will post again after they arrive and I test them with the PMW-EX3 if anyone is interested.

Jack Zhang · November 15th, 2013, 07:09 PM

Well... Looks like I have to update my quote for my local retailer. If I can pay beneath the price of a SxS-1 to get very similar performace, I'll be happy.

Keep us updated to see if they actually work in a EX3. New and Old sometimes don't mix.

James Kreitner · November 16th, 2013, 07:51 PM

I should get 2 cards of the 'E' variety from BH on or about Tuesday, hope to have results for PMW EX3 by end of week. From the technical info I have read about the cards there are definite differences in the physical architectures of the new cards. Hopefully they will work OOB without a firmware update.

James Kreitner · November 20th, 2013, 01:31 PM

I received two Sony 64G S-series180MB/s (QD S64 E) cards from B&H last night. I haven't had time to do any extensive testing, but I did put them in the QDA-EX1 adapters and stick them in the PMW-EX3; they formatted normally, I recorded color bars and shot some video outdoors, everything played back normally, no anomalies were noted. Sorry, I didn't have time to over-crank or shoot in different video standards at this time.

Jack Zhang · November 20th, 2013, 04:19 PM

Just bit the bullet. Paid $504CAD with taxes included for both the adapter and the new S series 64GB. I'll do my own testing once I receive the adapter and card.

November 8th, 2013, 06:10 PM	#31
James Kreitner New Boot Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 22	Re: First hand encounters of XQD uses for the EX1, EX3 and EX1R? It's hard to believe that the S series would be discontinued unless Sony already has a (faster) replacement in the wings; I'm sure that Nikon wouldn't have committed to put a card slot in their D4's unless they had a firm commitment from Sony to continue supplying the fastest memory that camera could use; Sony has already previously announced their roadmap for faster memory than the S series, so this may be the prelude to it's release. The S series has been selling for about $60- $70 less that it originally was released at for the last 6 months, and this is the same thing that happened when the H series was the only version out prior to the S series release.

November 8th, 2013, 07:01 PM	#32
Jack Zhang Inner Circle Join Date: May 2005 Location: Burnaby, BC, Canada Posts: 3,053	Re: First hand encounters of XQD uses for the EX1, EX3 and EX1R? The only new announcement is the N series cards, and those are slower. On the B&H page the reccomendation for the Z100 is the S series, so I'm baffled as to why they'd choose to discontinue the 64GB card of the S series.

November 12th, 2013, 07:59 AM	#33
James Kreitner New Boot Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 22	Re: First hand encounters of XQD uses for the EX1, EX3 and EX1R? Hello Jack, check out this link: Sony Global - Memory Media & External Hard Drive Portal - Sony XQD™ Memory Card <New S series and N series> The new XQD S series ultra-fast transfer speed up to 180MB/s* (read/write) is achieved through the combination of a new intelligent controller, the use of high speed flash memory and a Speed-Degradation Avoiding Function that promotes efficient data-writing, in addition to using the industry-standard PCIe platform as an interface. The new XQD S series supports Sony’s professional 4K camcorder, the PXW-Z100, at “XAVC 4K Intra 422” (4096×2160/60p, 600Mbps) and “AVC HD Intra 422” (1920×1080/60p, 223Mbps). New cards, same name, more speed is good! Bring your credit card, I'm sure the speed increase doesn't come without an increase in price.

November 12th, 2013, 06:24 PM	#34
Jack Zhang Inner Circle Join Date: May 2005 Location: Burnaby, BC, Canada Posts: 3,053	Re: First hand encounters of XQD uses for the EX1, EX3 and EX1R? Actually, the new S series, combined with a XQD adapter costs just as much as a 64GB SxS-1. I think XQD may be more future-proof than SxS so I may be willing to take that hit for 4K future proofing.

November 12th, 2013, 06:37 PM	#35
James Kreitner New Boot Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 22	Re: First hand encounters of XQD uses for the EX1, EX3 and EX1R? I haven't seen any prices yet, how much does the new S-series 64GB cost? List, of course; are you comparing that to the list price of the 64GB SxS-1, or the street price?

November 12th, 2013, 07:44 PM	#36
Jack Zhang Inner Circle Join Date: May 2005 Location: Burnaby, BC, Canada Posts: 3,053	Re: First hand encounters of XQD uses for the EX1, EX3 and EX1R? My local dealer got a quote, and combined with the QDA-EX1, it would be around the same price to get that combination as getting a SxS-1 64GB: around $500. But, if the next 4K cam after the Z100 is XQD as well, I think Sony is moving away from SxS.

November 12th, 2013, 10:05 PM	#37
James Kreitner New Boot Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 22	Re: First hand encounters of XQD uses for the EX1, EX3 and EX1R? Jack, I paid $29 US each for my QDA-EX1's (delivered); are you saying that you were quoted a price of $471 each for the XQD S-series 180 MB/s cards? That's more than I expected... are we talking US dollars here? Even with an exchange rate factored in though, $471 still seems higher than I would expect; I would have expected between $350- 400 US with the price going down to $325 US after 6 months or so. I'm with you on Sony moving toward an XQD future for cameras like the Z100, but I think SxS will be around for the F5- F55 class cameras in the foreseeable future. As discussed before, I have the added incentive to buy XQD cards because they're common to my Nikon D4...

November 13th, 2013, 08:05 AM	#38
James Kreitner New Boot Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 22	Re: First hand encounters of XQD uses for the EX1, EX3 and EX1R? The new cards showed up on Amazon.com... not in stock yet, but available for pre-order: The new 180 MB/s card number: QD S64 E (QD-S64/E) is listed at $369.99 US (This is close to where the 'T' cards cost when they first appeared on Amazon) The old 168 MB/s card number: QD-S64/T is currently $309.99 - $313.80 US That brings the price for the combo QD-S64/E and QDA-EX1 to approx. $400 US I would guess that the price for 'E' cards would decrease when the cards have been available for a while to much closer to the current 'T' card prices.

November 14th, 2013, 06:46 PM	#39
Jack Zhang Inner Circle Join Date: May 2005 Location: Burnaby, BC, Canada Posts: 3,053	Re: First hand encounters of XQD uses for the EX1, EX3 and EX1R? It is totally the exchange rate and duties up here. The QDA-EX1 costs $50 still up here and the rest of the cost I was quoted is close to what you described, in terms of Canadian Dollars. I may go tomorrow to place my order for the adapter. I'm still short for the actual card itself, due to the higher price in Canada.

November 15th, 2013, 06:06 PM	#40
Mark Sudfeldt Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: New Zealand Posts: 63	Re: First hand encounters of XQD uses for the EX1, EX3 and EX1R? New Sony 64-GB card(180MB/s) now available at B & H for $319.95

November 15th, 2013, 06:24 PM	#41
James Kreitner New Boot Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 22	Re: First hand encounters of XQD uses for the EX1, EX3 and EX1R? That was fast... and at a good price! I'm glad I put off my purchase a couple of days, on order with BH now. Thanks Will post again after they arrive and I test them with the PMW-EX3 if anyone is interested.

November 15th, 2013, 07:09 PM	#42
Jack Zhang Inner Circle Join Date: May 2005 Location: Burnaby, BC, Canada Posts: 3,053	Re: First hand encounters of XQD uses for the EX1, EX3 and EX1R? Well... Looks like I have to update my quote for my local retailer. If I can pay beneath the price of a SxS-1 to get very similar performace, I'll be happy. Keep us updated to see if they actually work in a EX3. New and Old sometimes don't mix.

November 16th, 2013, 07:51 PM	#43
James Kreitner New Boot Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 22	Re: First hand encounters of XQD uses for the EX1, EX3 and EX1R? I should get 2 cards of the 'E' variety from BH on or about Tuesday, hope to have results for PMW EX3 by end of week. From the technical info I have read about the cards there are definite differences in the physical architectures of the new cards. Hopefully they will work OOB without a firmware update.

November 20th, 2013, 01:31 PM	#44
James Kreitner New Boot Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 22	Re: First hand encounters of XQD uses for the EX1, EX3 and EX1R? I received two Sony 64G S-series180MB/s (QD S64 E) cards from B&H last night. I haven't had time to do any extensive testing, but I did put them in the QDA-EX1 adapters and stick them in the PMW-EX3; they formatted normally, I recorded color bars and shot some video outdoors, everything played back normally, no anomalies were noted. Sorry, I didn't have time to over-crank or shoot in different video standards at this time.

November 20th, 2013, 04:19 PM	#45
Jack Zhang Inner Circle Join Date: May 2005 Location: Burnaby, BC, Canada Posts: 3,053	Re: First hand encounters of XQD uses for the EX1, EX3 and EX1R? Just bit the bullet. Paid $504CAD with taxes included for both the adapter and the new S series 64GB. I'll do my own testing once I receive the adapter and card.