Sony announces the XDCAM EX

Heath McKnight · April 18th, 2007, 05:07 PM

I'd think HDMI, but keep in mind, it's flash-based, so maybe only firewire. But Sony is pushing HDMI in their new HDV units.

heath

Joe Lawry · April 18th, 2007, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teodor Miljevic

Is it mentioned what kind of outputs it will have (component, hd-sdi, hdmi)?

The photos of the Unit shown at NAB show it has HD-SDI.

You can see that in this photo which Chris attached in another thread. - http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/attachmen...1&d=1176712062

Keep in mind this unit is still only a mockup unit however.

Paulo Teixeira · April 18th, 2007, 06:28 PM

So Sony does have a portable XDCAM drive, the PDW-U1. I know it reads and writes to the discs by using a computer but does anybody know if I would be able to hook up the XDCAM EX to this without a computer to transfer the footage from memory card to Blu-ray?

Joe Lawry · April 18th, 2007, 06:34 PM

idearly, what sony should do, is a P2 store like device that is effectively the PDW-U1, that has an SxS card reader in it. One touch transfer from SxS to XD disc would be very nice.

A possible future XDCAM EX product for the line up? i can only dream.

Paulo Teixeira · April 18th, 2007, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Lawry

idearly, what sony should do, is a P2 store like device that is effectively the PDW-U1, that has an SxS card reader in it. One touch transfer from SxS to XD disc would be very nice.

A possible future XDCAM EX product for the line up? i can only dream.

That’s what I said to
http://dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.ph...181#post662181

If Sony doesn’t have such a unit already planned then they better work on one. I predict a big percentage of people who plan on buying the XDCAM EX will also buy this unit.

Tyson Perkins · April 19th, 2007, 09:00 PM

I sincerely hope that we can get our hands on this camera before at least November

Greg Boston · April 20th, 2007, 08:24 AM

I posted on another thread about this camera. I had one in my hands yesterday for about 10 minutes. This iS NOT a mockup. I powered up the camera and worked it for a few minutes but I had no media to record on. It is subject to being tweaked before final release so I would call this a pre-production unit. IIRC, I saw 81.5mm on the barrel for full tele.

The only thing I noticed (again this is a pre-production unit), was that it seemed to take longer than expected from flicking on power until the camera was ready to go.

Weight wise, about the same as a Z1. Very well balanced. I did the one finger under the handle trick and the camera sat perfectly level. It also looks like Sony crammed as many switches and controls on the body as they could to avoid having to go into menus.

This is an excellent b-camera to the bigger size disc cameras. The idea is to record on flash, then archive to Professional Disc.

Exciting times, these are!

-gb-

Todd Giglio · April 20th, 2007, 08:36 AM

Thanks Greg.

I definitely hope that this comes out in Sept. (I go into filming in Oct. for a feature film using the V1U... I'd much rather go the XDCAM EX way).

I need to ask the guys over at Redrock Micro if their M2 will work with a 1/2" sensor (I know they didn't 'support' 2/3" cams, but that's a different topic anyway...).

Todd

Boyd Ostroff · April 20th, 2007, 09:02 AM

Well in the presentation they said it would be available "by the end of the year." Unfortunately, that rarely means November or September but I guess we'll just have to wait and see...

Todd Giglio · April 20th, 2007, 09:51 AM

Yeah, I figured their release time would be more like Dec. I remember that the V1U was supposed to be released earlier than it did (I got mine in Mid-Dec.), but I guess there's no harm in hoping...

Kevin Shaw · April 20th, 2007, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paulo Teixeira

I’m going to also add that this portable recorder should not only have a memory card slot for immediate transfers to an XDCAM disc but also to standard Blu-Ray discs so that you can play it on your Blu-Ray player.

Better yet, how about an external USB card reader for the SxS cards? Take a card out of your camera, connect it to a computer with a high-resolution monitor and watch full-quality rushes instantly at XDCAM HD quality. Or just do that on a laptop using a built-in ExpressCard slot, which seems to be what they have in mind.

P.S. If this is like previous Sony camera releases, I'd guess we'll see early shipments in late November or early December with volume shipments the following Spring.

Theodore McNeil · April 20th, 2007, 12:21 PM

I saw this camera just yesterday at NAB. Here were my notes from the demo:

1) 1/2' CMOS chips. Better low light performance using less power.
2) The camera had "cinealta" written on the side, does that just mean 24 fps(?) or is that some proprietary sony thing(?)
3) The cards. Panasonic has proprietary cards the Sony people said that their system will not be. possible to use third-party cards in their camera.
4) HDV
5) HD-SDI out
6) Bulky, has fixed lens but has all the manual controls.
7) 1080p
8) under $8,000!
9) aimed at the wedding video, event and crash cam market. But they think that some news outlets will use them as B-roll cams.
10) no mention of indie filmmakers.

I liked it. Looks like a sony version of HVX200. I thought it was a bit bulky. They didn't really have that much footage to show.

It's not coming out until the end of the year, so I would look for the Panasonic response. I have a feeling it was making them anxious. While I was in line to see the HVX200, I mentioned it to the guy in the line ahead of me. A panasonic guy overheard and read me the riot act.

He told me all the problems with sony HDV, 4:2:0 sampling, if needed I needed camera now there's no choice but Panasonic, Apple work flow... etc... etc... I don't want to overstate it, but they were a bit touchy about the subject.

Thomas Smet · April 20th, 2007, 12:49 PM

Are there even any express card adapters for desktop based computers? Newer laptops have the slots but what options will we have for our main editing systems?

Thomas Smet · April 20th, 2007, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Theodore McNeil

He told me all the problems with sony HDV, 4:2:0 sampling, if needed I needed camera now there's no choice but Panasonic, Apple work flow... etc... etc... I don't want to overstate it, but they were a bit touchy about the subject.

35 mbits/s mpeg2 is not HDV. Panasonic is trying to play down the format and make other people think it is as good as HDV which it is not. That would be like trying to call DVCPRO50 just DV because they are both the same exact style of compression. All DVCPRO50 is is a form of DV that has a higher bitrate and better chroma detail. XDCAMHD is a higher bitrate form of mpeg2 then what HDV is.

In almost every situation you could ever shoot in the 35mbit XDCAMHD footage is just as good if not better then the current style of DVCPROHD running at 100mbits. For that level of quality you get almost 3X the amount of video per gigabyte in terms of storage space.

About the only advantage Panasonic still has with the HVX200 is that it records 4:2:2 color which unless you plan on doing any keying isn't going to blow you away. Yes 4:2:2 can have slightly better color precision but most people with real world footage would never notice. If 4:2:0 is done well it can look very good.

Now if SONY would have added the 50 mbit 4:2:2 mode to this new camera it would totally blow away the HVX200. I can see why Panasonic would be a bit touchy.

Joel Brooks · April 20th, 2007, 01:06 PM

From the pictures I have seen it looks like the LCD placement is similar to the Z1 & FX1 cameras; a feature I really liked. I talked to a sony rep & he said that it was undisclosed at this time as to what type of sensors it will have ie. CCD's or CMOS. I wish they would have put a DV tape transport along with the card slots for easy cheap recording; but oh well.

Joel brooks
Moments in Time Video Productions

April 18th, 2007, 05:07 PM	#91
Heath McKnight MPS Digital Studios Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Palm Beach County, Florida Posts: 8,531	I'd think HDMI, but keep in mind, it's flash-based, so maybe only firewire. But Sony is pushing HDMI in their new HDV units. heath __________________ My Final Cut Pro X blog

April 18th, 2007, 06:28 PM	#93
Paulo Teixeira Trustee Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 1,773	So Sony does have a portable XDCAM drive, the PDW-U1. I know it reads and writes to the discs by using a computer but does anybody know if I would be able to hook up the XDCAM EX to this without a computer to transfer the footage from memory card to Blu-ray? __________________ https://www.youtube.com/user/PhotoVi...esEtc/featured https://www.pond5.com/artist/paulot

April 20th, 2007, 01:06 PM	#105
Joel Brooks Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Weatherford, Texas Posts: 79	Sony XDCam EX's LCD screen & Chip Imagers From the pictures I have seen it looks like the LCD placement is similar to the Z1 & FX1 cameras; a feature I really liked. I talked to a sony rep & he said that it was undisclosed at this time as to what type of sensors it will have ie. CCD's or CMOS. I wish they would have put a DV tape transport along with the card slots for easy cheap recording; but oh well. Joel brooks Moments in Time Video Productions

April 18th, 2007, 06:34 PM	#94
Joe Lawry Major Player Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Auckland, New Zealand Posts: 418	idearly, what sony should do, is a P2 store like device that is effectively the PDW-U1, that has an SxS card reader in it. One touch transfer from SxS to XD disc would be very nice. A possible future XDCAM EX product for the line up? i can only dream.

April 19th, 2007, 09:00 PM	#96
Tyson Perkins Major Player Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: sydney, australia Posts: 221	I sincerely hope that we can get our hands on this camera before at least November

April 20th, 2007, 08:24 AM	#97
Greg Boston Wrangler Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: DFW area, TX Posts: 6,117 Images: 1	I posted on another thread about this camera. I had one in my hands yesterday for about 10 minutes. This iS NOT a mockup. I powered up the camera and worked it for a few minutes but I had no media to record on. It is subject to being tweaked before final release so I would call this a pre-production unit. IIRC, I saw 81.5mm on the barrel for full tele. The only thing I noticed (again this is a pre-production unit), was that it seemed to take longer than expected from flicking on power until the camera was ready to go. Weight wise, about the same as a Z1. Very well balanced. I did the one finger under the handle trick and the camera sat perfectly level. It also looks like Sony crammed as many switches and controls on the body as they could to avoid having to go into menus. This is an excellent b-camera to the bigger size disc cameras. The idea is to record on flash, then archive to Professional Disc. Exciting times, these are! -gb-

April 20th, 2007, 08:36 AM	#98
Todd Giglio Major Player Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 265	Thanks Greg. I definitely hope that this comes out in Sept. (I go into filming in Oct. for a feature film using the V1U... I'd much rather go the XDCAM EX way). I need to ask the guys over at Redrock Micro if their M2 will work with a 1/2" sensor (I know they didn't 'support' 2/3" cams, but that's a different topic anyway...). Todd

April 20th, 2007, 09:02 AM	#99
Boyd Ostroff Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 11,800	Well in the presentation they said it would be available "by the end of the year." Unfortunately, that rarely means November or September but I guess we'll just have to wait and see...

April 20th, 2007, 09:51 AM	#100
Todd Giglio Major Player Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 265	Yeah, I figured their release time would be more like Dec. I remember that the V1U was supposed to be released earlier than it did (I got mine in Mid-Dec.), but I guess there's no harm in hoping...

April 20th, 2007, 12:21 PM	#102
Theodore McNeil Major Player Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Centreville, Maryland Posts: 258	I saw this camera just yesterday at NAB. Here were my notes from the demo: 1) 1/2' CMOS chips. Better low light performance using less power. 2) The camera had "cinealta" written on the side, does that just mean 24 fps(?) or is that some proprietary sony thing(?) 3) The cards. Panasonic has proprietary cards the Sony people said that their system will not be. possible to use third-party cards in their camera. 4) HDV 5) HD-SDI out 6) Bulky, has fixed lens but has all the manual controls. 7) 1080p 8) under $8,000! 9) aimed at the wedding video, event and crash cam market. But they think that some news outlets will use them as B-roll cams. 10) no mention of indie filmmakers. I liked it. Looks like a sony version of HVX200. I thought it was a bit bulky. They didn't really have that much footage to show. It's not coming out until the end of the year, so I would look for the Panasonic response. I have a feeling it was making them anxious. While I was in line to see the HVX200, I mentioned it to the guy in the line ahead of me. A panasonic guy overheard and read me the riot act. He told me all the problems with sony HDV, 4:2:0 sampling, if needed I needed camera now there's no choice but Panasonic, Apple work flow... etc... etc... I don't want to overstate it, but they were a bit touchy about the subject.

April 20th, 2007, 12:49 PM	#103
Thomas Smet Trustee Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Milwaukee, WI Posts: 1,719	Are there even any express card adapters for desktop based computers? Newer laptops have the slots but what options will we have for our main editing systems?