PDW EX1 is here!

DGates wrote on 9/6/2007, 4:05 AM

Looks really sweet! There's so much anticipation for the camera. I'm sure they'll sell quite well.

Even though it has the 3.5 flip-out LCD, it's usually easier to focus with the regular viewfinger. But in this case, it has a measly .5 inch LCD. Anyone's who's looked through a Betacam viewfinder never has to guess if they've got proper focus, with their 2 inch CRT's. Is it that much of a hassle to have at least a 1 or 1.5 inch B&W CRT on these professional/prosumer cameras?

farss wrote on 9/6/2007, 5:51 AM

Certainly with a camera like this getting focus right is going to be even more critical / difficult than on the Z1 however it has a number of focus assists.
In the end I think this is one case of no matter what Sony did someone would find something to complain about. Already someone is saying it's too heavy. Sure a better viewfinder would be nice but the damn things cost a lot of money, like some cost more than this camera. Then again if you feel you need it I think it's easy enough to add something on. I'd rather the dollars went on things you can't change, like the lens.

One thing in the fine print that could be a source of confusion:

In HQ mode it records 24fps, in SD mode it's 23.98fps with pulldown.

Really for the price this is a remarkable camera, to get HD/SD SDI as well is pretty remarkable. Guess we'll have to wait for the hands on reviews.

Oh and if anyones wondering why Sony Oz jumped the gun. Well Sydney is in lockdown thanks to APEC, tomorrow (Friday) is a public holiday for Sydney just so GWB can go sightseeing. After $160M spent on security The Chaser managed to deliver 'Bin Laden' in a black limo almost to the front door of GWB's hotel. Their fake motorcade was flagged through two checkpoints without anyone checking anything ot anyone.

Bob.

RBartlett wrote on 9/6/2007, 6:14 AM

It appears to be capable or perhaps this camcorder always builds MPEG-2 longGOP inside an MP4 file container format with uncompressed audio. Where MXF only exists when you do the conversion in post using the software tools? Or is this just when in SP 25Mbps mode?

MP4 without the MXF hoop-jump ought to make this format more editable across all or certainly many more editors.

The way this reads makes XDCAM EX look like quite a departure from XDCAM HD. For my thinking, this seems good if I'm reading this correctly?

DGates wrote on 9/6/2007, 6:14 AM

I'm not finding fault with it, just mentioning what I'd like to see. I just don't see how a silly little 2 in CRT costs that much anyway. I must be missing something. CRT's have been around for half a century.

If you've ever looked through a pro viewfinder, you can't believe how sharp everything looks, especially compared to the 1/2 inch screens found on most cameras.

I'm actually hearing a lot of positive buzz with this unit. People can't wait to buy one, especially in the event market.

DJPadre wrote on 9/6/2007, 6:16 AM

yet to get a decent idea baout price though..

i wonder if theyre targeting teh ENG DSR market, or whether theyre looking at highr end HDV users...
I dotn see this being less than $12k AUD, if the XLH1 is anythng to go by

FrigidNDEditing wrote on 9/6/2007, 6:21 AM

"The lens adopts a newly developed and unique focus ring mechanism,which offers two types of manual focus, plus an auto focus operation. The PMW-EX1 camcorder is equipped

HOT DANG - THEY DID IT RIGHT :)

Dave

FuTz wrote on 9/6/2007, 6:39 AM

!!!! NO KIDDING !!!!!
!0_0!

apit34356 wrote on 9/6/2007, 6:54 AM

Farss, thanks for the link; Sony did a great job on the PDF, it's done very well. This camera should be a winner.

Tom Pauncz wrote on 9/6/2007, 6:58 AM

Hmmm ... anyone notice that any mention Vegas is conspicuously absent in the section on "Application Software"??
Tom

BrianStanding wrote on 9/6/2007, 7:23 AM

"...anyone notice that any mention Vegas is conspicuously absent in the section on "Application Software"??"

Maybe that's because Vegas handles XDCAM natively and doesn't need the plug-in, like FCP does?

It would have been nice to see a bundle with Vegas added, though.

megabit wrote on 9/6/2007, 8:33 AM

Vegas IS mentioned (see here:
http://www.sonybiz.net/biz/view/ShowContent.action?site=biz_en_EU&contentId=1187079496418)

Per1 wrote on 9/6/2007, 8:41 AM

Sharrow DOP... Not proofed?
What else is not proofed? ;)

megabit wrote on 9/6/2007, 9:10 AM

LCD being 1920x480, for one:)

Per1 wrote on 9/6/2007, 9:17 AM

I also like the non-existing image of the wide conv. lense... They prob. have longer pages in Japan and the translator solved that "problem" perfectly... :)

Quryous wrote on 9/6/2007, 12:33 PM

Actually, the 1920 x 480 reflects their new way of counting. They list 921,600 pixels, which is 640 by 3(R-G-B) by 480. The 640 by 3 give the 1920. Ingenious, no? Three times better than any comparable unit in the world, instantly. Don't you just love marketing?

By the way, does anyone know just how loud the "Cooling Fan" on the EX1 is? Spot? Anyone?

RBartlett wrote on 9/6/2007, 3:44 PM

On the MP4 front, I've made some enquiries and MP4 is the wrapper format for XDCAM EX (at least for this SxS based MPEG2 MP@HL and MP@14 incarnation).

The belief of the Sony engineers appears to be that for NLEs, this will be wholeheartedly more playable, editable and openstandards in format than MXF would have been. MXF becomes an option if you use the provided video tool to rewrap the source.

Time will tell if Vegas prefers MP4 or MXF from this camcorder.
I can't wait to find some clips to see how this works out and whether the MP4 subsystem needs any tweaks from the installation discs for this to kick-in correctly on Windows and OSX.

I'm pleasantly surprised that Sony has broken it's internal ranks on the subject of format. They really don't seem to want there to be any reason for this platform to be given negative praise.