New Sony PMW-150 XDCAM 422

[David Dwyer]

Originally Posted by Doug Jensen

If you're moving up from the Z1, you'll be very happy with any of the three new cameras. The features , functions, XDCAM workflow, and picture quality are light years ahead of what you are used to.

Yeah I was just reading comments about the PMW-100 where users were saying its not fit to sit in the PMW range and the image quality isn't as good as a second hand EX1 (Wasn't expecting it to be on that level) But it'll be miles better than my Z1.

Then its just the size of the PMW-100 compared to the Z1 and or 150/200.

ND filters would be a little of an issue as well.

[Alister Chapman]

I think you would be disappointed with the PMW-100. It's a single sensor camera using essentially what is just one of the sensors from the 150. So resolution etc is quite noticeably lower than the 150/200. No ND filters, not the best of lenses etc. IMHO it's a waste using 50Mb/s XDCAM to record the below par output from the 100. The best codec in the world will never make up for a lesser quality lens and sensor. The 150/200 are in a different league to the 100. An EX1 is a far better camera than the PMW-100.

[Anthony McErlean]

Originally Posted by Doug Jensen

Not quite right. The PMW-150 is PAL only, but the PMW-160 does PAL and NTSC.

Thanks David and Doug.

[David Heath]

Originally Posted by David Dwyer

Fair enough. I can't make my mind up between all three models PMW-100, PMW-150 and PMW-200


PMW-150 price is so close to the PMW-200 but a long way from the 100.

Personal view. I think the gap between the 150 and the 200 is big - more than you'd think from the price difference. Two big features stand out - difference in chip size (1/2" v 1/3"), and the fact that the PMW200 has the "true manual" lens, in other words the focus has end stops. Consequently, I'd try very hard to find the extra to get the PMW200 over the 150, it's worth it IMO.

I also suspect the PMW200 is likely to have better resale potential than the 150.

The PMW100? Obviously not as good as the PMW200 by a big margin - but we're now at a very different price point. I'd try to go for the 200 if you can afford it, the 100 if you can't.

[Doug Jensen]

Originally Posted by Alister Chapman

An EX1 is a far better camera than the PMW-100.

Agree 100%. There's no question about that.

[Dale Sexauer]

Originally Posted by David Heath

Personal view. I think the gap between the 150 and the 200 is big - more than you'd think from the price difference. Two big features stand out - difference in chip size (1/2" v 1/3"), and the fact that the PMW200 has the "true manual" lens, in other words the focus has end stops. Consequently, I'd try very hard to find the extra to get the PMW200 over the 150, it's worth it IMO.
.

I don't get this--are you saying that the PMW200 costs more that the PMW150 in Europe?
Here in the U.S. the B&H price for the PMW200 is 6,299, but for the PMW160 (150 equivalant) the price is 7,790. That's nearly $1,500 more for the PMW150. Does anybody have a clue about this price difference?

[David Heath]

Originally Posted by Dale Sexauer

I don't get this--are you saying that the PMW200 costs more that the PMW150 in Europe?

I read your post and thought you must have made a mistake - but no, the B&H prices are as you say.

I'd say the PMW200 was a better specced camera than the PMW150, for the reasons above, so the PMW200 costing more didn't surprise me.

As reference, then in the UK expect to pay £4,650+VAT for the PMW200 (Sony PMW-200 (PMW200) Full HD XDCAM EX 1/2inch CMOS camcorder with 50Mb/s recording) and £4,000+VAT for the PMW150 (Sony PMW-150 (PMW150) 3 x 1/3inch CMOS HD Camcorder with 50Mb/s internal recording)

The B&H pages do say the PMW160 isn't available yet - I wonder if the price currently given is recommended price, street price to be confirmed?