Sony PMW-EX1 (aka XDCAM EX) Official Thread

Mr Cryptic strikes again.

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DeanB

Hi all,

Latest:

The XDCAM EX is expected to feature::

3 x 1/2" Sensors

Professional Grade integrated 14x Fujinon zoom lens

24p & 25p with Cine Gamma support

1080/50i and 720.50p support

MPEG-2 HD recording at 25 / 35Mb/s

Variable frame rate recording at 1-60 fps

2 x ExpressCard Slots (up to 800Mb/s for 8 & 16GB cards)

Expresscard SxS Memory manufactured by Sony & Sandisk

Pricing is not confirmed, but expect a list price of around £5,000+VAT in the UK. There'l be package deals available to include the all-essential SxS media cards and at launch it is expected that a 16GB card will cost around £400. At the maximum 35Mb/s data rate that gives around 45minutes of broadcast quality XDCAM HD capture per card.

Hope this is not old news...

There is a XDCAM seminar featuring the EX being held soon..I'm trying to get more details if anyones interested...

Dive safe

DeanB

Anyone know what size the filter thread is likely to be?

Does this format still do temporal compression? Anyone know how long the GOPs are?

Does this man speak any plain english...All I hear is

Blah, Blah, Blah de Blah wobble dobble whip, whip...

Dive safe

DeanB

If I am right, the XDCAM HD is still an HDV variant, but at a higher bit rate. And it will record only in 4:2:0 to the cards.

The XDCAM HD 18 and 35mbps codec is a MPEG2 based VBR which means it is long GOP and uses temporal compression= interframe.

Strangely, the 25mbps code is supposedly CBR so it is essentially HDV in bitrate.The difference is in audio, where HDV is lossy MPEG.

I knew he'd know what i meant

Anyone know what size the filter thread is likely to be?

 

Does this format still do temporal compression? Anyone know how long the GOPs are?

Sony's XDCAM HD format is already out there for a while (two years?) used in up-market shoulder camcorders for broadcasters. Nothing new. Find all the tech stuff on Sony's pro websites. The "EX" camcorder does not use a new or unknown format at all, the only difference is that they use cards to record because a compact camcorder is not possible with the XDCAM Professional Discs as recording medium. The 25 Mbit/sec recording mode is just like HDV, the 35 Mbit mode is more upmarket because it has a variable data rate.

The interesting thing about this camcorder is not any new fancy compression stuff, but the fact that it provides the shooter with three 1/2" sensors, a real mechanical lens, a huge selection of modes (1080 and 720 in all relevant flavors) plus over/undercranking with correct in-camcorder playback, and all in a handful of camcorder without sacrificing compatibility to the XDCAM HD broadcast infrastructure. That's the big news.

God I'm good...O.k it wasn't me

Dive safe

DeanB

I knew he'd know what i meant

I understood the Blah and Whip bit....

Roger

Instead of blar blar here is a pic....

Well it won't fit in the BlueFin

and it won't fit in the Phenom

Ok have started the official thread.

Incidentally, Discovery HD has accepted XDCAM 35mbps as a full acquisition format since last year. BBC HD hasn't but since they do a lot of co-productions, I can't see why they'd refuse.

Well that good news Drew.

The larger 1/2 sensor is going to be really good and so is the VBR to 35mbps to help with those hard to encode bits that normal HDV can fall down on. I wonder if you can set it to CBR 35mbps.

Just still not sure about dumping to media instead of tape....I think it needs to prove itself first.

Imagine you got the shot of a lifetime only to get home and find the card got corrupted...yikes...

Wags,

Where did you get those housing shots with the XD Cam?

shawn

From me

More info..

it will apparently be approx. 2.2kg, almost same as the Z1.

- A rumored Sony source said that the chipset will be "new" and "low-power" which implies CMOS. This would tie in with the "3CMOS" seen on a publicity shot a little while ago.

- it is rumoured that it has a different imaging system from other XDCAM products like the PDW-F350 and might be 1920x1080 and not 1440x1080.

- nice Fujinon 14x optical lens with manual focus and aperture ring etc

Oh yes ... it might have a MSRP closer to US$6000 than US$8000. So the story goes.

This is unofficial info gathered from other places.. so do not take it as gospel as its currently unverified etc. IBC should reveal all on Sept.8th.

lens barrel f1.9 max.ap

rear of the cam "card select" button for A or B and the menu button, and also the audio level channels 1 and 2 level rotay controls.

Assign buttons 1 to 3, and a 4th assign button below the lens.

- Zebra patterning and peaking dedicated buttons.

- 3-way switches for Gain and White-Balance

- Focus and Iris Manual/Auto toggles

- Zoom : Manual or servo toggle

- Macro : On/Off toggle

- Push AutoFocus button - huge rocker zoom control

Dive safe

DeanB

Now why couldn't they fit that all into an A1 size???!!!

Cheers, Simon

Now why couldn't they fit that all into an A1 size???!!!

 

Cheers, Simon

One day my friend... one day

Until then we live with what we've got...

hope you and the lovely Zoe are well...

Dive safe

DeanB

Simon,

Be carefull what you wish for.

You should be able to check this out at IBC next week.

AVCHD

Here's a quote from another forum about the monster that is HDCAM EX: All sounds good... I've high-lighted the Lux report...Please god please...

- It uses 2 x cards, 16Gb cards is the largest available i think. Un the 35Mbps VBR mode, each 16Gb card will record up to a minimum of 50minutes. So thats 100minutes if you're using 2 16Gb cards. This is in the highest quality 35Mbps mode - due to the VBR, the file sizes will actually vary according to the subject matter that you're shooting.

- Files on the cards will be MP4 files

- The 3 x 1/2in. sensors are CMOS after all. Sony is calling them "Exmor" sensors, and they certainly appear to be physically 16:9 aspect ratio.

- Lens is Fujinon 14x optical zoom and at max. wide is 31.4mm (expressed in 35mm-equivalent). This is pretty good - shouldnt need any attachment lenses for 95% of shots, even IF an attachement lens existed (i don't think there will be one - who'd want to compromise in any way that Fujinon lens?)

- So lens focal range is 31.4mm-440mm.

- LCD screen is 3.5in and resolution quoted as being 921,000pixels. (i'm sure the 1920x480 in the PDF is an error - completely wrong aspect ratio for a start. Someone typing the docu got confused between recorded res and LCD res i'd think).

- two batteries - smallest is good for about 2hours and larger "U60" one is good for about 4hours. power consumption of the cam is about 10watts.

- Return of the roating hand-grip !! Just like my HC1000, the hand-grips rotates forward to whatever position you like. I've always thought this was an excellent idea and works really well. It means you don't have to have your wrist bent back at an extreme angle - you rotate the grip forward and keep your wrist much more straight. Important considering this is a hevyish camera (2.2kg it seems - that would make it i think same weight as Z1, although Alistair Campbell said it felt heavier than a Z1. I would think that this 2.2kg is *without* the "U60" larger battery and i'd think that bigger battery probably weighs really quite a lot.)

EDIT: Yes the U60 battery weighs 350grams.

- Weight is 2.4kg for the camera body (no batt). With the lens hood, eyecup, the smaller (220g) U30 battery and 1 Express card, it's 2.8kg.

With the larger U60 battery (in place of the U30), that would take it to about 2.9kg.

- Viewfinder is 250,000pixels and 16:9aspect ratio. Selectable colour or B/W.

- Uncompressed audio, sample rate 48Khz, 16bit.

- Frame rates from 1fps to 60fps. Frame rates over 30fps are at a lower res of 1280x720.

- Max.aperture is f1.9 Slightly surprised its not a little bigger than that, but these are big 1/2in sensors.

- lowlight ...well its undoubtedly very good. I fully realise lux level quotes are largely meaningless, but for the record, Sony quotes 0.14lux (!!) at max-aperture, 18db gain but they lose me with their "with 64-frame accumulation". Its to do with slow-shutters, so i'd imagine the quoted lux is at a v slow shutter speed.

You can select any of the clips you've shot on the LCD screen and play it back instantly - of course no tape to cue-up after you've done this :

Dive safe

DeanB