Sony: Improving a well-known theme
Sony will continue to attack the professional HD production market with the HVR-Z5U, a sub-$5,000 camcorder that follows in the tradition of the famous Z1 and V1, but including the ability to record 24p/30p footage and the option to use compact flash cards to implement tapeless workflows using the same recording device as the HVR-Z7U or HVR-S270U, the HVR-MRC1K – which costs just under $1,000.
The Z5U uses 1/3" ClearVid CMOS sensors with real resolution of 1920x1080 that allow to obtain an image of excellent quality when recorded on HDV tapes at 1440x1080 and also significantly improve its sensitivity in low light conditions. This camcorder includes a 20x zoom lens and certainly has all the facilities of its predecessors, such as XLR connectors, timecode inputs and outputs and a good repertoire of DSP tools for color and contrast management, including a couple of predefined gamma settings with very pleasant results for the freelance photographer.
A few days before NAB, Sony announced the new features of the XDCAM SERIES HD422 that include lower and higher frame rate than playback, 24P recording capability in standard definition and linear editing.
The new PDW-F800 CineAlta camcorder and PDW-F1600 deck extend the capabilities of the MPEG HD422 codec. Both offer, as standard, a native frame rate of 23.98P in 1080 mode, and multi-format recording flexibility, including standard definition recording to ensure compatibility with legacy formats (MPEG IMX, DVCAM and 4:2:0 HD content). These provide multi-format recording (1080i/720P), as well as HD/SD conversion and cross-conversion between 1080i and 720P during playback.
Find out more about these new features here.
The market tends to order...
NAB 2009 will bring other novelties in the world of cameras. Two or three new camera options for digital cinematography of really low cost will make their appearance. In addition to the new camcorders we can expect announcements regarding new prices and offers of times of crisis that can make the old models more attractive.
A trend to take into account: Although it is evident that ENG cameras are tied to recording formats, and that recording formats are tied to brands, this year we find interesting phenomena: JVC will record files using SONY formats. Ikegami sponsors an open platform system. Hitachi has no problem offering a P2-HD attachable recorder that will most likely support AVC-Intra recording in the near future. What does all this mean? That – for a change – the options of recording formats in the ENG world are being reduced, and that will make our lives easier in the next two or three years.
| RED, the absent camera | ||
All right, RED cameras won't be at NAB 2009... but they are still in the news. Although at this moment the real offer of this firm is still reduced to the RED ONE, its accessories and updates, the company continues to handle with great skill the expectation of its followers. - Publicidad -
At this point there is no definite date for the release of the first version of RED EPIC, the 5K camera with a base price of $28,000 that was announced at NAB 2008. The website www.red.com includes very specific information on the rules of the game so that current users of RED ONE cameras can upgrade their equipment to EPIC versions, and also establishes a very defined position vis-à-vis the future of the industry, which includes the announcement of upcoming models with resolutions of 6, 9 and up to 28K. On the other hand, RED continues to "cook" the launch of SCARLET, its pocket camera with 3K resolution at a base price that will apparently also be around 3 kilo dollars. Finally, some loose data: The first MODELS of RED EPIC will support frame rates of up to 100fps in 5K/6K resolutions and up to 350fps in 2K. And the SCARLET specification offers up to 120fps with real possibilities of reaching 180fps in burst mode.
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