Sony PMW-EX1 (aka XDCAM EX) Official Thread

A few preview/reviews:

Alistair Chapman's First Impressions

Simon Wydham's Preview

Sony's official site

It's strange they use the MP4 file wrapper for the XDCAM HD codec which is based on MPEG-2 Long GOP compression. More interesting is that it shoots 1080/50/60i, 1080/24,25,30P, 720/60/50/30/25/24P. So it's basically NTSC and PAL compatible like the HVR-Z1.

Looks like Sony is upping the ante and with the new interchangeable lens HDV 3x 1/3" camera, they are pushing to fight the RED One's impending dominance in the under $50k camera market.

Interesting times ahead. Although it will be anyone shooting this camera will have to bring along a RAID disk array for backup.

OH MY GOD, I'M IN LOVE !!!

Please Drew buy me one for Xmas....PPPLLLLLLEEEAASSSSSEEEE !!!!

Dive safe

Dean(credit card at the ready)B

I love that they are talking of a 32gig card, now, that would be practical for uw shooters. Ooops, orgasm time.

Steve B)

Actually memory based media is more impractical for the travelling shooter. One has to have 2 big hdd to backup the files. With 16GB, you get at least 60mins of XDCAM HD at 35mpbs VBR. With 2 it's 120 mins. Unless it's saturation diving, I don't see how more recording time is needed. Let's say one does shoot 32GB of data a day... after 14 days, one would need 448GB of hdd X 2. It's not a godsend by any means.

Always trying to put a cold fish on my dreams...

This is the golden fleece Drew admit it...

All bow to the EX...EX, EX, EX, EX...The new god.

Dive safe

Dean(did I mention EX)B

It sure sounds orgasmic!

The only downsides I can see are the sold state media and the problems of storing it while traveling which has already been mentioned, the size of the dam thing if you want to remain reasonably compact and what kind of editing system spec and what editing software would support the footage captured at maximum quality? I can see a lot of upgrades around the corner!

Even with all of the above its still dam sexy though!

Cheers, Simon

Hmm, im thinking of making a deposit on one....

We had all the similar worries when HDV and the Z1's came out...

Sod it...Lets buy, buy , buy...

Dive safe...Spend safer

DeanB

What about housings ? Any thoughts on what manufacturers will be making housings and how long before they are released ?

What about housings ? Any thoughts on what manufacturers will be making housings and how long before they are released ?

Unfortunately it will takes at least 3-6 six month for smaller manufacturers, and 6-10 months for the biggers.

I am still hesitating between the V1 and this. I would buy it, however, I will go for shooting in next March to Wakatobi, and without a housing... Maybe an Ewa-marine...

Actually memory based media is more impractical for the travelling shooter. One has to have 2 big hdd to backup the files. With 16GB, you get at least 60mins of XDCAM HD at 35mpbs VBR. With 2 it's 120 mins. Unless it's saturation diving, I don't see how more recording time is needed. Let's say one does shoot 32GB of data a day... after 14 days, one would need 448GB of hdd X 2. It's not a godsend by any means.

Drew....that's why we carry portable external hard drives, they are small and hold a good amount. Its still better than a tape based system

Steve B)

What about housings ? Any thoughts on what manufacturers will be making housings and how long before they are released ?

With any luck the manufacturers will be on top of this a.s.a.p as the broadcasters will hopefully be hot on this as well..

Its a pro cam and interest is apparently huge...

Lets see

I would definately use this topside for the time being...Add a 1.7x or 2x converter and away we go...

Dive safe

DeanB

Unfortunately it will takes at least 3-6 six month for smaller manufacturers, and 6-10 months for the biggers.

 

I am still hesitating between the V1 and this. I would buy it, however, I will go for shooting in next March to Wakatobi, and without a housing... Maybe an Ewa-marine...

Given a choice between a V1 in a proper housing with good optics and using a plastic bag with cheap glass, I would choose the housing anytime. At Wakatobi, you'll need excellent macro optics anyhow. There are rarely any pelagics and if the viz is bad, WA is dead.

Drew....that's why we carry portable external hard drives, they are small and hold a good amount. Its still better than a tape based system

Steve B)

I had the HVX200 and I love the P2 workflow. I carried 3x 3.5' 500GB hdd for backup for the P2 files.

The largest 2.5" is 250GB now. Would you trust that 1 drive holding the info will not fail? So you'll need 2 and so 250GB will get you 8 days of data. So for extended trips, you need to use two 3.5" hdd. 1 TB 3.5" drives are easily available now. For production shoots, it's a no brainer.

For the hobbyist, then it's another story. I'm just reminding people out there to look at the logistics of the filebased cameras vs tape based.

Drew,

Headed back to Lembeh this Xmas to do a fam at 3 different places. Question for you regarding Wakatobi.

Though I've never been there, every year at Dema we are offered fams to go there prior to bringing guests. I've never taken them up on the offer because I hear nothing but terrible things about the 'Nazi' type diving they expouse. Grounding you from diving if you even lay on the sand to shoot something, everyone following in a line and things of that nature. How true is all that?

Steve B)

For shooting / storage issues I think that by the time this camera is ready for underwater use, mid '08 by most opinions here, that you'll be looking at much greater card capacities. That said the dumping to HDD's will still obviously be an option. For those with deeper pockets take a shoe box of cards with you on shoots and dump it all when you get home. HDD's in the field have been known to crap out because of vibration and shock during transportation etc.

Cheers,

Mark.

Mark, I know its an obvious answer but for anything electronic, it is another thing to carry on board with you. Wouldn't send a hard drive in checked luggage any more than I would send my camcorder. It kills me enough just to check in a housing.

Steve B)

I hear ya Steve, but as airlines tighten the lid for carry on there will eventually come a time when we will be required to put our beloved HDD cams or storage units into our checked luggage. Leaving Palau soon I have 2.5TB of LaCie 7200rpm HDD's full of stock, two Maxtor 260GB 3600rpm drives full of admin and data etc, then there's the Gates Z1 Housing and Camera which as a bare bones unit I normally take as carry on.....which out of that lot would you want to check in? Somethings gotta give, I'm not walking that lot through. I'll end up with legs more bowed that John Wayne!!

Cheers,

Mark.

If you guys have not already seen this then here's a link to the Sony brochure for the EX1

http://www.sonybiz.net/res/attachment/file...87079501109.pdf

From a quick flick through I noticed that the EX1 ships with a plug in for FCP to allow the files to be edited without any further FCP updates.

Cheers, Simon

Not sure if you folks have seen the dvuser review yet:

http://www.dvuser.co.uk/content.php?CID=171

I think it's safe to say he likes it!

Now all I need to do is to put a couple of my less used organs on ebay....

apologies if this has already been posted.

Cheers

Fergus

Thanks to Mr Peter Mooney of ScubaPix for providing Wetpixel with the schematics of the PMW-EX1, we can now see what the actual dimensions of the camera are. The same schematics have been provided to the big housing manufacturers already:

EX_with_hood_and_battery_.pdf

The most interesting aspect of this camera is the separate remote control for the lens, which will allow great control of transition shots.

Also the WA lens from Sony seems not to be too huge, a boon for the port optics housings.

Ex_with_wideconverterlens.pdf

Now all we need is an EX with 4:2:2 color XDCAM HD 50mpbs.

Any housing manufacturer who hasn't got these dimensions please feel free to use them. And please make a good housing with all the tidbits.