Sony's new PD 175 (replaces PD 170)
 

Here the Babelfish from an German Website:


Übersetzung für http://www.slashcam.de/news/single/Sony-bringt-Retro-Knaller--DSR-PD175P-DVCAM-Camcor-7817.html

Its an Z5 HDV-Camcorder as an original DVCAM Modell !

Sony: DSR-PD175P (DSRPD175P): Product overview: Germany

I think that this URL might be more useful, since it's off the Sony site.

Why have Sony done this?

I've had a close look at the spec sheet and it seems to be a Z5 in everything but HDV capability. I was hoping that as it only shoots in SD it might have matched the legendary PD170 in the low-light stakes but no - it's the same as the Z5, suggesting that the CMOS chips are in fact the Z5's - 1440 x 1080 (effectively).

So what are the advantages over the Z5 if you only want to shoot SD? Do we presume Sony get better SD out of it than out of an internal downconvert from the Z5 in HDV mode?

tom.

As was mentioned in the Area 51 thread on this topic a while ago, this makes no sense. The Z5 already does DVCAM and SD, so it's obviously just a firmware hack to remove HDV ability. Makes no sense at all to me, unless they're pricing it dirt cheap as a loss leader, then "upgrade" users to HDV via firmware later on at exorbitant cost.

Just don't get it, myself.

It is really bizarre. The PD-175 is not on the US site, but if you look at the PD-170 page you will see that it has been discontinued: http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/cat-bro...duct-DSRPD170/

So evidently Sony feels they need a replacement in order to still have a low-cost DVCAM model. I have edited the title of this thread to reflect this. Well, the PD-150/170 had quite a long run. Hail and farewell!

No, they just want CMOS everywhere so nobody will remember how good was the picture of a CCD.

Bizarre, a good word. Might have better served us by being called the Z3 as that Sony alpha-numeric was up for grabs and appears to have been missed.

Anyway, looks like the camera is in permanent down-convert mode (between chips and tape). Good job it isn't locked off in the 4:3 mode as well, or people would notice how the PD170 gives far better pictures.

My personal journey has been VX-2000 > PDX-10 > Z-1 > EX-1. Still getting used to the EX-1, but so far I am really happy with CMOS and have no interest in going back to CCD. But I don't shoot weddings or other things which would be a problem with the rolling shutter.

I needed to edit some old VX-2000 footage last week and crop it to 16:9 to match the rest of the project. It looks better than I expected, but I've gotta say I don't miss that camera at all today. OTOH, the PDX-10 footage in 16:9 looks terrific.

The PD-150, PD-170, VX-2000 and VX-2100 were great cameras in their day, but a 4:3 native camera is a bit of an anachronism today.

Product page from Sony UK is here: Sony : DSR-PD175P (DSRPD175P) : Product Overview : United Kingdom

Still no listing at Sony US or B&H photo. I wonder if they will release this product in the US?

Since the other thread was closed I'll post my question here:

Maybe I'm missing the big picture here. Someone care to explain why they'd release this camera now?

My thoughts:
1) is this a European model only? Maybe there is a market for these things there that doesn't exist here in the states.
2) the strength of the pd150's/170's was their legendary low light performance. why muck around with that if you're going to release an "upgrade"
3) uhhhh.... uhhhh.... what? why?
4) I've got a FX7, if I open it up, snip a few magic HDV wires and rebrand it as the FX7.5 which of you would buy it?

Sony's corporate philosophy seems to be: "Market domination through infinite segmentation."

How many models do they have these days?

Sony is the only one who could do that. I don't get it either. But I'm wondering, is there some kind of spec for a government contract (BBC?) which calls for a standard definition DVCAM camcorder at this price point? Sometimes companies will position a product so it fits the description of an item the government is buying in large quantities.

I've got no clue about that, but it's a darn good theory. I can't think of many other scenarios that make sense.

I tend to buy Sony products but is it just me or does Sony get ripped more in the forums than other camera manufactures? Is that just my perception or do the rest of you guys think so too?

I think (considering the vast numbers of cameras Sony has in production at any given time) that they get little stick really. I find it's JVC that gets more bad press per camera produced.

I would agree that JVC gets the bad rep more than Sony, but that's also because I come mainly from BMX/skate video boards, where kids think that a VX1000 is superior to everything...