Sony HXR-MC50E

[Ozzy Alvarez]

Originally Posted by Chuck Fadely

The one they had on display had no xlr inputs - 1/8" only. Nor did I see any manual audio control in a quick pass through the menus. I have an HVRA1U and was expecting something similar. This looked like a consumer cam with a big mic to me.

The Sony guys on the stand knew little about it and there was no signage for it but it was on the rail alongside the NX5U.

Thanks for the information. It's disapointing to find out that there are no XLR inputs. Perhaps, I'm hopeful they find a way to add XLR inputs before the release date. If not, then if whatever extras this camera has over the consumer cams are worthwhile, and assuming it comes out on this side of the Atlantic, I might still consider the cam with an XLR adapter. But, I'll just wait and see until I know more.


Ozzy

[Dave Blackhurst]

Not likely it has 1/2" sensors, should have the same 1/2.88 (IIRC) or roughly 1/3" EXMOR R, same as the XR500, CX500, and the XR & CX550. Not that it's a bad sensor by any stretch - still a significant step up in performance from the SR series, and keeps up pretty well with the 3 chippers with much bigger glass.

[Erik Phairas]

DUH, you are right. I saw the 1/2 and totally ignored the .88. Nevermind, just another camera. Nothing to see here. :)

[Shufiyan Shukur]

Doesn't seem to have XLR connectors ...

[Ozzy Alvarez]

Originally Posted by Dave Blackhurst

I'm in the exact same boat, very happy with the XR500 and CX500 right now, I can live without total manual control if I'm getting good results from the "autopilot" and minimal adjustments... still the CX550 with the 3.5 LCD and various other minor tweaks and improvements is on my list to upgrade at least one camera. It's not as compelling as the change between the SR11 and the XR500, as it's still the same sensor and basic camera in many respects.

$2K is a logical price point, but unless the firmware adds peaking, zebras, gain control, more audio control, and alternate frame rates and PAL/NTSC formats... that's a big jump for a $35 lens hood and a shotgun mic you can probably replicate or improve upon for $125 or so... and who isn't going to buy a big backup battery anyway? The stock one is always good enough for a backup!

I'm just waiting to see what if anything they really add to this new "pro" version of their top of the line pocket rocket - the firmware possibilities are certainly interesting, but will they deliver?

According to a blogger who was at NAB and saw this camcorder, she said the Sony reps she talked to said that the HXR-MC50 will be at a MSRP of $2,300, but, they expect it will retail at stores between $1,600 and $1,800. I'm now convinced that it will come out on this side of the Atlantic since it's being mentioned on Sony's Video Online Network.

Ozzy

[Dave Blackhurst]

I'm sure it will release here, just hasn't shown up yet on the Sony web site. In many ways it makes sense as a small cam for discrete professional shooting, but unless it really has some cool tricks up its sleeve in the firmware, they will have a tough time selling a $1200 cam with a $10 lens hood and a $150 mic/mount for anything close to $2k IMO.

At a minimum, alternate frame rates and maybe a higher bitrate CODEC? Zebras, peaking, gain control (both audio and video)... going to have to have SOMETHING really different to make the camera unique, or people will by the CX550 and tack on a hood and a Rode... like a lot of people already do!

OTOH, I suppose that this camera would serve well handing it to a "novice" and telling 'em to "point it at anything interesting" - you'd still probably get usable footage, and it you hire monkeys, you could pay 'em in bananas... could offset the higher up front cost for news gathering...

[Jos Svendsen]

Seems that the US price is more gonna be approx 50% more than the consumer version.
Creative Video ( Creative Video Sony HXR-MC50E (HXRMC50E, HXR MC50) compact handheld AVCHD Solid State Camcorder - Includes 2 Year Sony Warranty) is listing a price of 1,558 USD for the european version.

I talked to a Sony rep at NAB. He stated that they are tweeking the firmware, and that was the reason for the lack of specs online. He mentioned cine gamma curves and exposure control.

Cheers

[Dave Blackhurst]

Depending on the firmware "tweaks", this could turn out to be a nice package. With the CX550 selling at $1199, a $400 premium for the pro version with a 2 year warranty/support starts to become an interesting offering. The main outstanding question is exactly what "pro" features will be enabled when the firmware is done "baking"...

[Ron Evans]

Independent gain, iris and shutter speed control as well as better audio control would make it very attractive.

Ron Evans

[Paulo Teixeira]

European prices are usually more money even before the taxes so I wouldn't be surprised seeing this sell in the US for around $1,400 or less which should help make the XC550v a bit more affordable. That's assuming that place is a reputable dealer.

[Mike Beckett]

That's assuming that place is a reputable dealer.

I have to stand up for Creative Video (CVP/Mitcorp) - they are one of the UK's best known and most reliable pro video gear suppliers, authorized Sony dealers etc. They are the closest the UK comes to having a B&H.

As said above, the UK prices will be much higher than the USA ones, even before tax (VAT). A US$2000 camcorder will cost pretty close to UK£2000 here before tax, whereas the exchange rate alone would suggest it should cost £1400.

[Bill Koehler]

Looking at the by now updated product page, I think it is pretty clear:

As the HVR-HD1000 is to the HDR-HC7/9,
So is the HXR-MC50E to the HDR-CX500/550

Except the HXR-MC50E even looks like they took a HDR-CX550, slapped a lens hood and microphone on, and called it a day. Take those two things off, and to my eye it looks exactly the same!

[Dave Blackhurst]

Exchange rates at the moment are in a bit of "flux", so I wouldn't necessarily rely on them for cross currency pricing... things ain't what they were, and they likely won't be tomorrow either!

As far as the changes to the camera, it's obviously based on the CX550V, a darn good small camera very much in the lineage of the HC1/A1U, and I'd argue significantly more useful than the HD1000 (reboxed HC7 guts). Admittedly a lens hood and shotgun mic mount do not a "pro" camera make, but that's where the firmware is going to be the big unanswered question until they finalize it.

Sony (and everyone else for that matter) have the ability to add (or at least provide accessibilty) to many "internal" features, and potentially enable "new" ones via firmware. The A1U had quite a few capabilities the HC1 consumer model did not, and it's been around quite a long time. Logically, this camera will take over that position in the Sony lineup, so it follows that the firmware will be a bit more capable and feature enhanced over the "consumer" version.

There's already been some good guesses here - audio control is a logical capability, "Cine" modes, quite possibly including 24p and 30p would certainly shut up a lot of Sony critics. The ability to more finely control various settings is almost a given. I suspect peaking and zebras could well reappear, or at least they should. Possibly other recording format options, given the prototype carrying an MPEG label rather than AVCHD... We really won't "know" until they firm up the final "firmware".

Whatever the final feature set, if the price isn't too much above the consumer version, it could prove very attractive. Once you know how to operate these little cameras, they can do a whole lot of what a "big" camera can do, and the image that you can acquire is very hard to argue with - for the price, I don't think you'll find a cleaner picture. I'm shooting the predecessors to the CX550 (XR500 and CX500), and am still impressed at how clean and sharp an image these little guys can produce. They are under-rated, and I'm looking forward to the 550 version (hands on, on Friday, with any luck!), and watching for finalized specs to come out on the MC50....

[Stu Holmes]

So Dave did you get the CX550 yet?

Impressions compared to the XR520 etc would be great.

thanks

[Dave Blackhurst]

Yep - in hand, only briefly played with, but so far, like it very much, will do a little "review" after I've had a bit more time with it. These are "first impressions"

Definitley has the upgraded OIS, maybe even a bit better than the CX500/520, which have significantly improved control of the "roll" axis.

Repro'd the infamous "blue dot", it's lens flare, have to see about calculating how much hodd it will take to prevent it, but zooming in a bit took care of it as well.

Liking the wide lens, long ends seems to be OK, need to do some shooting to see what the final verdict is.

It's lighter than the XR500, felt more comfortable to my hand. It's slightly longer with a FV70 battery mounted, about 1/4", but it fits in my hard case with the stock battery (FV50).

The big LCD is really nice, menu system is similar to the CX500/520 (meaning VERY different from the XR500/520). If they were to expand the capability of "my menu" function so you could do 2-3 custom screens, I could see it being possible to have all the adjustments you need on the fly be pretty quick to access... I'd like a crack at the MC50 firmware, could make for a very capable camera.

Overall, I'm pretty impressed, don't see any major "gotchas" so far, the VF is tiny, but would do in a pinch, tripod mount placement is a bit odd - very "forward" and offset (seems to be a trend in Sony cameras this year, my HX5V has HORRIBLE tripod socket placement) everything else seems well laid out, no zebras or peaking, but focus is significantly improved in speed.

That's a long "first take", but hoepfully I can add more, or if you have specific questions