New stuff from Sony at NAB?

[Thomas Gregory]

Anyone have any insight as to what Sony might be bringing to NAB in regards to the EX series? (maybe the EX5 full size camera?????) {i wish}

[Thomas Diehl]

or a 50 mbit/s update for ex1/3
a lot of broadcasting stations want at least 50mbit/s and panasonics new camera AG-HPX301E even does 100mbit/s (4:2:2, 10bit) for a similar price as the ex3.
tempting. inspite of only 1/3inch chips. isn't it?

[Doug Jensen]

Tempting? Not really.

AVC-Intra is not nearly as efficient as MPEG, and even at 100Mbps I don't think it will look as good as 35 Mbps on the EX cameras. AVC-Intra would have to be up around 140 to equal HQ on the EX cameras. Any client who just looks as the raw amount of data recorded per second is missing the bigger picture. For example, would you rather have a pro SLR with 6 megapixels or a little point and shoot with 12?

Factor in the price of P2 cards (vs. MxR), the reduced record capaicity on equivalent sized P2 cards, the 1/3" sensors, the tiny viewfinder, and you've got a camera that I wouldn't care to own.

Also, I'm pretty sure that AVC-Intra has to be converted to ProRes before you can even edit in FCP. That's what I've heard. Never tried it myself.

The only thing about the 300 that appeals to me is the shoulder-mount design.

[Markus Klatt]

Just a naive question:
would it be possible to make the EX1 shoot in 1080/50p (or 60p) by firmware update? Or are there any hardware limitations prohibiting this?
It just comes in my mind, if we need a NAB for a new cam or if we could somehow wait and hope for a firmware update ;)

[Alister Chapman]

At the Sony EX-perience events last week the UK XDCAM product manager said that the current Sony XDCAM 50Mb 4:2:2 encoder chip set consumes something like 14 watts of power. Because of that he felt it was unlikely that we will see an EX1 sized product working at 50Mbps due to excessive power consumption and heat.

[David C. Williams]

That doesn't sound right, or includes some other hardware. The NanoFlash use 2 of those chips and draw 7.5 watts?

[Michael Wisniewski]

Originally Posted by Doug Jensen

... AVC-Intra is not nearly as efficient as MPEG, and even at 100Mbps I don't think it will look as good as 35 Mbps on the EX cameras ... Also, I'm pretty sure that AVC-Intra has to be converted to ProRes before you can even edit in FCP. That's what I've heard. Never tried it myself.

My understanding is that AVC-Intra is way more efficient than MPEG-2. In fact, at the same bit rates, Panasonic Broadcast is touting the image as better than XDCAM. And at higher bit rates, they're comparing to their D5 standard, which is in the same league as Sony's HDCAM SR. Of course I got this information at a public relations conference, so take it with a grain of salt.

By the way, here's the software you need to natively edit AVC-Intra in Final Cut Pro.

[Michael Wisniewski]

And Sony has said that they will eventually move to AVC. Just a question of when, but in the long term that's where their R&D is headed.

[Ivan Snoeckx]

Here is a white paper on the performance characteristics of MPEG-2 Long
GoP vs AVC-I video compression techniques.

MPEG-2 vs AVC-Intra

I don't know much about these codec things, but after reading this paper, to me it looks that AVC-Intra isn't more efficient at all.

[Heath McKnight]

Traditionally, Sony has announced new products at the last few NABs, however the V1u and FX7 were announced in the fall of 2006 (I was able to use a prototype of the V1u while we were shooting my last film that October).

At NAB 2004 it was the FX1/Z1 (shipped Fall 04 and Feb 05, respectively), NAB 07 it was the EX1 (shipped fall 07), NAB 08 it was the EX3 (shipped fall 08).

heath

[Randy Panado]

General question about NAB, do manufacturers release ALL info the first day as far as new products or does the info trickle out during the weekend? thanks

[Heath McKnight]

It was the Sunday before the show started that Apple (2007) and Sony announced new products (2007 and 08).

heath

[Chris Hurd]

This year Sony's press conference happens on Sunday, April 19th, one day prior to the opening of the NAB show floor.

[Heath McKnight]

Chris,

I believe I saw you at last year's Sony Press Conference, briefly, but I got lost in the crowd. I won't be attending this year, so have a cold one on me and say hey to everyone!

heath

[Chris Hurd]

Will do on both accounts, several times over. Sorry we won't see you there this year.