XDCAM HD

Spot|DSE wrote on 2/25/2006, 9:11 PM
All I can say is "wow."
Just spent 48 hours with this cam in my hands, shooting in Montreal. Had the weather been only slightly more cooperative, I'd have stayed outside with it for some length of time. There is only so much you can shoot indoors, but this sucker really rocks.

The menus are easily configured, simple to understand, setup, and implement. I'm sure some folks will find faults with the cam somewhere, but after seeing it projected huge, seeing it on a Luma monitor, and seeing it on an SXRD 60" display with static shots, shoulder shots, and pans at various speeds, it would be hard to convince me there are problems in the image. The overcrank and undercrank modes are pretty stupendous, ranging from 4 to 60 in 24p and 60i.
If you get a chance to see these in your area, check em' out.

Comments

GGman wrote on 2/25/2006, 9:44 PM
Hi Douglas,
I just missed the demo here in Detroit last Monday. Can you share some footage to download? What is the workflow? How do we capture,edit and then deliver?

Gary G
PS, I emailed you a few times over the last four months and did not hear from you. Possibly an old email addy you don't use anymore? I was interested in your opinions on that new Sony 50" projection set (1920 x 1080) you said you put in your bedroom? I am at ggman2006 at comcast dot net
Spot|DSE wrote on 2/25/2006, 10:37 PM
I've been asked to not share my footage at this point, but will likely be able to soon. I will have some stills, once they're cleared. Bear in mind, this is still a preproduction unit. Has "Do not allow across borders" on big stickers on the side of it. :-)

Workflow for any NLE right now? Capture via HDSDI or shoot as HDV, capture via firewire. Edit as you normally would. I'm sure NAB will be filled with "We now support XDCAM HD" banners, but for the time being...HDSDI.
One thing you definitely want to check out is the Fuji lens vs the stock Canon lens. Also, I think most high end users will want the 2"viewfinder vs the 1.5, which is really more like 7/8's when you factor in the smaller viewfinder being 4:3...showing letterboxed HD.

Click my name here to mail. If you're mailing at the Spottedeagle.com addy those all changed a few months back as they've become spam magnets.
GGman wrote on 2/25/2006, 10:51 PM
Thanx for the quick reply. I emailed u.

GG
SimonW wrote on 2/26/2006, 7:06 AM
Still awaiting my test unit <jealous> ;-)

From what I saw of the camera recently it does have a very clean image. Has a nice 'smoothness' to it.

Menus were as per most Sony cameras these days as they are making them the same on all models now for the most part. They had changed the gamma settings though from the current XD's and made them a bit more limited. But overall I'm itching like hell to take this camera out for a test run!
Coursedesign wrote on 2/26/2006, 7:28 AM
Spot,

The XDCAM HD cameras are on my shortlist for this year. Sony really understands signal processing for video, that's what I like the most about my current BC camera.

What do you mean by "stock Canon lens"? Are they selling it with a lens???

I'm also (like everybody else) searching for a low cost HD zoom (<$15K), but know nothing about 1/2" HD lenses as this is a new field.
Spot|DSE wrote on 2/26/2006, 7:40 AM
They have a package with a lens, yes. They also have an adapter to put 3/4 lenses on the 1/2 mount, that provides full image thruput with no distortion of the image.
Jay_Mitchell wrote on 2/26/2006, 11:00 AM
Spot, 3/4? Do you mean 2/3 on a 1/2?

Jay Mitchell