PMW-200
The new Sony PMW 200
June/20/12 12:50 Filed in: Video Cameras
It’s pretty bitchin’
People have been complaining that they aren't putting pro codecs in these awesome cameras they're coming out with - like the FS100 and 700. Why a so-so AVCHD onboard codec, and not an established pro codec like XDCAM? Even the EX1 and EX3 are XDCAM EX 4:2:0 at 35 Mbps. This little unit is XDCAM 4:2:2 at 50 Mbps! Cool!
Again, though, I would like to see what this (new, I think) sensor looks like. Assuming it doesn't suck, the camera looks like a sure-thing-type good investment. TC in/out, Genlock in/out, SDI out…. it will likely get a lot of use in multi cam shoots due to the connectivity alone.
The big question is, "Where is the PMW-EX5?". Many expect that to be the next thing to drop.
People have been complaining that they aren't putting pro codecs in these awesome cameras they're coming out with - like the FS100 and 700. Why a so-so AVCHD onboard codec, and not an established pro codec like XDCAM? Even the EX1 and EX3 are XDCAM EX 4:2:0 at 35 Mbps. This little unit is XDCAM 4:2:2 at 50 Mbps! Cool!
Again, though, I would like to see what this (new, I think) sensor looks like. Assuming it doesn't suck, the camera looks like a sure-thing-type good investment. TC in/out, Genlock in/out, SDI out…. it will likely get a lot of use in multi cam shoots due to the connectivity alone.
The big question is, "Where is the PMW-EX5?". Many expect that to be the next thing to drop.
Comments
Sony FS100
August/31/12 12:46 Filed in: Video Cameras
This is some interesting footage.
http://nofilmschool.com/2012/08/sony-fs100-vs-blackmagic-cinema-camera-low-light-showdown/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+nofilmschool+%28NoFilmSchool%29
Unfortunately, it reminds me somewhat of the first Zacuto Shootout, where they set up a really difficult-to-image scene so you could see where the cameras/codecs broke. It doesn't tell you a whole lot more than that. In this situation, they both look pretty bad - except that you can see that RAW has a lot more latitude than the other codecs (no surprise there).
Based on this and other footage I've seen from the FS100, I would want to record to an external recorder. I still haven't seen anything really great from it even though it has a big sensor. But it seems like people are always posting torture tests or bad grades, and we're supposed to figure out what the cameras can do from that? That was what was so interesting about the recent Shootout, where they let people who work with the various cameras every day do what is necessary to make it look good. And they pretty much ALL looked good.
So it seems to me the biggest factors when buying a camera now are: What's it REALLY going to cost you to do the workflow the camera sets you up for, and does the camera have the functionality you need for working with it all day to do the type of shooting you do?
I would not want to give up all the standard, pro-camera type controls you get on a unit from one of the major manufacturers for the promise of potentially better images. Functionality is a big deal. As an example, a (former Oprah) guy that works for me on occasion, who does a lot of run-n-gun is bummed that all these cool cameras coming out are not standard broadcast-shoulder-mount style cameras. He just can't see having to put together some sort of rig just to be able to use it on his shoulder - and then he probably couldn't one-hand it!
Most of the new cameras are intended for cinema-style shooting. They are large-sensors to compete with DSLRs. That's why it's nice to see stuff like the PMW-200. Though it's not like the Sonys of the world have stopped making old-school cameras. It's that the technology in the new cameras is not immediately showing up in a familiar form.
http://nofilmschool.com/2012/08/sony-fs100-vs-blackmagic-cinema-camera-low-light-showdown/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+nofilmschool+%28NoFilmSchool%29
Unfortunately, it reminds me somewhat of the first Zacuto Shootout, where they set up a really difficult-to-image scene so you could see where the cameras/codecs broke. It doesn't tell you a whole lot more than that. In this situation, they both look pretty bad - except that you can see that RAW has a lot more latitude than the other codecs (no surprise there).
Based on this and other footage I've seen from the FS100, I would want to record to an external recorder. I still haven't seen anything really great from it even though it has a big sensor. But it seems like people are always posting torture tests or bad grades, and we're supposed to figure out what the cameras can do from that? That was what was so interesting about the recent Shootout, where they let people who work with the various cameras every day do what is necessary to make it look good. And they pretty much ALL looked good.
So it seems to me the biggest factors when buying a camera now are: What's it REALLY going to cost you to do the workflow the camera sets you up for, and does the camera have the functionality you need for working with it all day to do the type of shooting you do?
I would not want to give up all the standard, pro-camera type controls you get on a unit from one of the major manufacturers for the promise of potentially better images. Functionality is a big deal. As an example, a (former Oprah) guy that works for me on occasion, who does a lot of run-n-gun is bummed that all these cool cameras coming out are not standard broadcast-shoulder-mount style cameras. He just can't see having to put together some sort of rig just to be able to use it on his shoulder - and then he probably couldn't one-hand it!
Most of the new cameras are intended for cinema-style shooting. They are large-sensors to compete with DSLRs. That's why it's nice to see stuff like the PMW-200. Though it's not like the Sonys of the world have stopped making old-school cameras. It's that the technology in the new cameras is not immediately showing up in a familiar form.
Sony PMW 200
September/01/12 12:44 Filed in: Video Cameras
Some pros and cons on the new Sony camera
$7,800 list price. The EX-1 listed for around that but sold for $6,500. I think the earlier numbers were guesstimates of the street price.
Yeah - not exactly cheap. B&H is listing it for $6,300. Plus cards and batts and etc. But it's the same price as the EX-1 was back when I bought it, so not terrible. And you don't have to buy a lens, and can likely get by without an external recorder.
The only thing that's a bit of a bummer (for me, if I was to consider it as a replacement for my EX-1) is that it is essentially the same chips and lens as the EX-1 with some added features and better on-board recording. So it's not like I would be getting better quality from the main guts of the thing. Yes, the recordings going to the cards would be better, but with the Samurai, I am already getting 4:2:2 AND even higher-bitrate ProRes, so I can technically make better recordings with my existing camera.
If I didn't already own the EX-1, though, I would definitely put it high on the consideration list.
The integration with 'pro' XDCAM stuff will be big for a lot of folks. It should make it easier to do dailies and archives to BD, which I would really like. I'm finding myself wishing I had an easy way to burn discs of the raw footage I shoot on the thing. I have already lost some original footage by mistakenly erasing the wrong hard drive (the one with the ONLY backup on it - AFTER I had re-used the cards).
So just having it on hard drives still makes me nervous, even if I have two copies. After a year or so, you start looking back through the HDs and going, "hey there's a bunch of space on this one, what if I moved this over here, blah blah…" and pretty soon you don't know what you've got or where it is. Clearly I need better data management skills. If it's burned to a shiny disc though, it's locked down for at least a decade - it's more like having a tape master backup. I think a lot of pro environments are still using DLT tape, but unless that has changed significantly, it takes forever. I guess you just leave it running overnight.
$7,800 list price. The EX-1 listed for around that but sold for $6,500. I think the earlier numbers were guesstimates of the street price.
Yeah - not exactly cheap. B&H is listing it for $6,300. Plus cards and batts and etc. But it's the same price as the EX-1 was back when I bought it, so not terrible. And you don't have to buy a lens, and can likely get by without an external recorder.
The only thing that's a bit of a bummer (for me, if I was to consider it as a replacement for my EX-1) is that it is essentially the same chips and lens as the EX-1 with some added features and better on-board recording. So it's not like I would be getting better quality from the main guts of the thing. Yes, the recordings going to the cards would be better, but with the Samurai, I am already getting 4:2:2 AND even higher-bitrate ProRes, so I can technically make better recordings with my existing camera.
If I didn't already own the EX-1, though, I would definitely put it high on the consideration list.
The integration with 'pro' XDCAM stuff will be big for a lot of folks. It should make it easier to do dailies and archives to BD, which I would really like. I'm finding myself wishing I had an easy way to burn discs of the raw footage I shoot on the thing. I have already lost some original footage by mistakenly erasing the wrong hard drive (the one with the ONLY backup on it - AFTER I had re-used the cards).
So just having it on hard drives still makes me nervous, even if I have two copies. After a year or so, you start looking back through the HDs and going, "hey there's a bunch of space on this one, what if I moved this over here, blah blah…" and pretty soon you don't know what you've got or where it is. Clearly I need better data management skills. If it's burned to a shiny disc though, it's locked down for at least a decade - it's more like having a tape master backup. I think a lot of pro environments are still using DLT tape, but unless that has changed significantly, it takes forever. I guess you just leave it running overnight.