Sony announces the XDCAM EX

Nate Weaver · April 15th, 2007, 07:36 PM

Well, the next step would be 1/2" interchangeable lenses. They start at $7500 just for a lens.

This seems to really be closing a lot of gaps:

-V1 at $4k

-XDCAM EX at $8k-$10k

-XDCAM HD at $14k (plus lens)

Paulo Teixeira · April 15th, 2007, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate Weaver

-XDCAM EX at $8k-$10k

Maybe 10 grand but that’s the lowest I see Sony selling this thing for. Even 12,000 dollars is a steal when you consider the ½ inch images and a fixed lens of that size.

Heath McKnight · April 15th, 2007, 07:53 PM

The lens for the Z1 is for the camera's 1/3" chips; the EX will have a different kind of lens and maybe not quite as wide, for the 1/2" sensors.

heath

Ron Evans · April 15th, 2007, 08:08 PM

The obvious competitive move would be to offer it at about the same price as the HVX200. More of a replacement for the Z1 or the 250 especially if DV/DVCam could also be recorded. Maybe we will see the same technology move down to the prosumer 1/3" and 1/4" models. Could be a good year!!!!

Ron Evans

Greg Boston · April 15th, 2007, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin James

It being xdcam, will it use the discs or the cards?

It will use cards. It's not physically large enough to accept the discs.

Slightly smaller than the HVX200. It's under glass so I can't pick one up or anything.

They also have the next generation 2/3 XDCAM 422 50mb on display. Looks like an F900 got together with the F350, body wise.

-gb-

Heath McKnight · April 15th, 2007, 08:20 PM

And the next gen XDCAM HD shoots full 1920 x 1080!

Greg, does the EX have CMOS or CCD sensors?

heath

Tyson Perkins · April 15th, 2007, 08:23 PM

how is the 'next gen' xdcam different to the old one (the 350) and Heath are you reffering to the EX when you say 'And the next gen XDCAM HD shoots full 1920 x 1080!'

Greg Boston · April 15th, 2007, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heath McKnight

Greg, does the EX have CMOS or CCD sensors?

Don't know just yet, Heath. I've been stuck in presentation rehearsal all day today. Briefly saw the camera yesterday evening, and this morning.

-gb-

Tyson Perkins · April 15th, 2007, 08:30 PM

ill be more happy with CMOS sensors i have to say

Paulo Teixeira · April 15th, 2007, 08:35 PM

This reminds me of a rumor I started spreading along time ago about Sony releasing a tape less version of the Z1u with either AVCHD at 24mbps or XDCAM-HD at 35mbps and surprisingly the rumor became true except its using solid state instead of Mini Blu-Ray discs. This really is a home run for Sony. Even if Sony releases an HDV replacement for the Z1u, I will still consider this a true replacement. Its like when Panasonic released the HVX200, it was considered a replacement for the 100a but Panasonic still released the 100b.

Tim Le · April 15th, 2007, 08:39 PM

Wow, what an interesting camera. I was hoping that someone would start making cameras with large imagers and fixed lenses. The lens, although fixed, seems to have the same features as a regular ENG lens. The focus ring has distance markings so maybe it has stops? The zoom and iris rings look like they came straight off an ENG lens. The gear teeth would seem to suggest that they are being driven by the same type of servo grip on an ENG lens. Can't quite make out the focal length marking so we don't know how wide or telephoto it goes. According to the press release, the frame rates it does are: 1080/60i and 720/60P, and be capable of recording 1080/50i/30P/25P/24P and 720/50P. The camera will also have slow and quick motion functionality. I wonder if that means it can do true single frame intervolometer recording for time lapse work. If so, that would seal the deal.

Peter Jefferson · April 15th, 2007, 08:43 PM

Wow...

this looks like Sonys answer to the JVC models... the XDCam workflow is also a godsendSeems sony are playing the smart game as they did with the PD150 and DSR200/250 units...

The fixed lens shouldnt be an issue IMO... weve all been working with them for long enough to accept that its cost vs choice.
This is somethign weve needed to consider when tossing these cameras up for all these years.. and this is no different.

IMO a camera of this nature is worth every cent. Its what weve been wating for.. It does what the HVX can do but offers existing workflow solutions for every NLE on the market without the bullshit politics and workarounds. It offers a larger CCD which we've all been bitching for and an ergonic design which has been proven time and again.

IMO THIS is what weve been waiting for... no more whinging abotu HDV formats and compression, no more complaining about low light inabilities, no more complaining about what we CANT do...
Now we have a tool which can virtually let us do anything we want in virtually any environment.

My hat is off to Sony..

Nate Weaver · April 15th, 2007, 09:30 PM

Sony has really switched up their philosophy it seems. We can credit Panasonic for that, I think.

It used to be no alternate frame rates, and no camera models/price points besides that which the market had already defined.

I'm a little scared of what the bitrate has to be to fit an hour of video on an 8gb card, but hopefully that spec/blurb is skewed for running time. In other words, I sure hope there is at LEAST 25mbs available for this camera. That means a runtime of more like 35 minutes on 8gb, but that would be fine.

Heath McKnight · April 15th, 2007, 09:33 PM

Nate,

It's a 16 gb card, so much higher bit rate.

heath

Heath McKnight · April 15th, 2007, 10:35 PM

I've been hunting around for more info, and even Sony isn't saying a price, imaging sensor types (CMOS or CCD) or any other information. There's even speculation it's a prototype right now, like the next generation of XDCAM HD.

heath

April 15th, 2007, 07:36 PM	#16
Nate Weaver Wrangler Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 2,100	Well, the next step would be 1/2" interchangeable lenses. They start at $7500 just for a lens. This seems to really be closing a lot of gaps: -V1 at $4k -XDCAM EX at $8k-$10k -XDCAM HD at $14k (plus lens) __________________ My Work: nateweaver.net

April 15th, 2007, 07:53 PM	#18
Heath McKnight MPS Digital Studios Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Palm Beach County, Florida Posts: 8,531	The lens for the Z1 is for the camera's 1/3" chips; the EX will have a different kind of lens and maybe not quite as wide, for the 1/2" sensors. heath __________________ My Final Cut Pro X blog

April 15th, 2007, 08:20 PM	#21
Heath McKnight MPS Digital Studios Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Palm Beach County, Florida Posts: 8,531	And the next gen XDCAM HD shoots full 1920 x 1080! Greg, does the EX have CMOS or CCD sensors? heath __________________ My Final Cut Pro X blog

April 15th, 2007, 08:35 PM	#25
Paulo Teixeira Trustee Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 1,773	This reminds me of a rumor I started spreading along time ago about Sony releasing a tape less version of the Z1u with either AVCHD at 24mbps or XDCAM-HD at 35mbps and surprisingly the rumor became true except its using solid state instead of Mini Blu-Ray discs. This really is a home run for Sony. Even if Sony releases an HDV replacement for the Z1u, I will still consider this a true replacement. Its like when Panasonic released the HVX200, it was considered a replacement for the 100a but Panasonic still released the 100b. __________________ https://www.youtube.com/user/PhotoVi...esEtc/featured https://www.pond5.com/artist/paulot

April 15th, 2007, 09:30 PM	#28
Nate Weaver Wrangler Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 2,100	Sony has really switched up their philosophy it seems. We can credit Panasonic for that, I think. It used to be no alternate frame rates, and no camera models/price points besides that which the market had already defined. I'm a little scared of what the bitrate has to be to fit an hour of video on an 8gb card, but hopefully that spec/blurb is skewed for running time. In other words, I sure hope there is at LEAST 25mbs available for this camera. That means a runtime of more like 35 minutes on 8gb, but that would be fine. __________________ My Work: nateweaver.net

April 15th, 2007, 08:08 PM	#19
Ron Evans Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Posts: 4,220	The obvious competitive move would be to offer it at about the same price as the HVX200. More of a replacement for the Z1 or the 250 especially if DV/DVCam could also be recorded. Maybe we will see the same technology move down to the prosumer 1/3" and 1/4" models. Could be a good year!!!! Ron Evans

April 15th, 2007, 08:23 PM	#22
Tyson Perkins Major Player Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: sydney, australia Posts: 221	how is the 'next gen' xdcam different to the old one (the 350) and Heath are you reffering to the EX when you say 'And the next gen XDCAM HD shoots full 1920 x 1080!'

April 15th, 2007, 08:30 PM	#24
Tyson Perkins Major Player Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: sydney, australia Posts: 221	ill be more happy with CMOS sensors i have to say

April 15th, 2007, 08:39 PM	#26
Tim Le Major Player Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 350	Wow, what an interesting camera. I was hoping that someone would start making cameras with large imagers and fixed lenses. The lens, although fixed, seems to have the same features as a regular ENG lens. The focus ring has distance markings so maybe it has stops? The zoom and iris rings look like they came straight off an ENG lens. The gear teeth would seem to suggest that they are being driven by the same type of servo grip on an ENG lens. Can't quite make out the focal length marking so we don't know how wide or telephoto it goes. According to the press release, the frame rates it does are: 1080/60i and 720/60P, and be capable of recording 1080/50i/30P/25P/24P and 720/50P. The camera will also have slow and quick motion functionality. I wonder if that means it can do true single frame intervolometer recording for time lapse work. If so, that would seal the deal.

April 15th, 2007, 08:43 PM	#27
Peter Jefferson Inner Circle Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Aus Posts: 3,884	Wow... this looks like Sonys answer to the JVC models... the XDCam workflow is also a godsendSeems sony are playing the smart game as they did with the PD150 and DSR200/250 units... The fixed lens shouldnt be an issue IMO... weve all been working with them for long enough to accept that its cost vs choice. This is somethign weve needed to consider when tossing these cameras up for all these years.. and this is no different. IMO a camera of this nature is worth every cent. Its what weve been wating for.. It does what the HVX can do but offers existing workflow solutions for every NLE on the market without the bullshit politics and workarounds. It offers a larger CCD which we've all been bitching for and an ergonic design which has been proven time and again. IMO THIS is what weve been waiting for... no more whinging abotu HDV formats and compression, no more complaining about low light inabilities, no more complaining about what we CANT do... Now we have a tool which can virtually let us do anything we want in virtually any environment. My hat is off to Sony..

April 15th, 2007, 09:33 PM	#29
Heath McKnight MPS Digital Studios Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Palm Beach County, Florida Posts: 8,531	Nate, It's a 16 gb card, so much higher bit rate. heath __________________ My Final Cut Pro X blog

April 15th, 2007, 10:35 PM	#30
Heath McKnight MPS Digital Studios Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Palm Beach County, Florida Posts: 8,531	I've been hunting around for more info, and even Sony isn't saying a price, imaging sensor types (CMOS or CCD) or any other information. There's even speculation it's a prototype right now, like the next generation of XDCAM HD. heath __________________ My Final Cut Pro X blog