Sony is releasing a new HDCAM SR based camera. It'll be shoulder mount like the XDCAM series but recording to HDCAM SR Tape. It'll output 1-60 fps in 1080 with some option boards installed. Check out the link below for more information.

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Watch this site for more info when they post it - Welcome to the NAB 2009 Virtual Press Kit (http://news.sel.sony.com/assets/NAB_2009/)

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SONY UNVEILS FIRST CAMCORDER BASED ON HDCAM SR FORMAT


LAS VEGAS (NAB Booth #C11001) April 19, 2009 – Sony is unveiling the next generation of digital 24P technology, the SRW-9000 HDCAM SR™ camcorder. Designed for television, commercial and motion picture production, the new model combines the format’s image quality with the versatility of a one-piece camcorder.

The full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution camcorder uses 2/3-inch CCDs with a 14-bit A/D converter and digital signal processing to capture up to 1080/60P images with a high level of detail. In standard configuration, the camcorder is capable of 4:2:2 10-bit recording at 1080/23.98P, 24P, 25P, 29.97P, and 1080/50i/59.94i. It can also record 4:2:2 1080/50P/59.94P.

“The HDCAM SR format is proven in the most demanding digital cinematography applications,” said Rob Willox, director of marketing, Sony Electronics’ content creation group. “Applying that legacy into a compact one-piece body design adds more flexibility to location work and is more ‘Steadicam®-friendly’ as a B-camera complement to the F23. This mobile and cost-effective acquisition tool can further expand the use of HDCAM SR technology to a much broader audience.”

A range of option cards are available for additional performance and features. The HKSR-9001 option board adds dual-link HD-SDI outputs and an extra AUX input port for connectivity to an external audio multiplexing device.

A picture cache board (HKSR-9002) will allow the camcorder to capture and record images with variable speed (SR Motion™ capability) from 1 to 60 fps. It also allows the camcorder to continuously record up to three seconds of video while the camcorder is in stand-by mode. When the record button is pushed, the stored images are recorded to HDCAM SR tape and the camcorder can continue recording in real time.

With the optional HKSR-9003 RGB 4:4:4 processing board, the camcorder offers full-bandwidth digital 4:4:4 high-definition RGB recording and output capability. The option also offers S-LOG Gamma, which is essentially a “digital negative,” allowing users to flexibly tailor their images during post-production in the same way they would in a film-based workflow.

Complementing all HDCAM SR technologies is Sony’s line of BCT-SR Series HDCAM SR digital videocassettes. These cassettes are designed and co-engineered to fully maximize the benefits of 4:4:4 RGB recording technology.

HDCAM SR recording media uses ultrafine high performance metal particles 50 percent smaller than those in Sony’s HDCAM tape applied in the thinnest magnetic coating, to enable wavelength recording to 0.29mm. The result is up to +7dB higher output than HDCAM tape.

The SRW-9000 is compatible with a wide range of accessories for Sony’s HDW-F900 and F23 cameras, SRW-1 deck, and ARRI camera systems. Its physical size is equivalent to Sony’s original HDW-F900 camcorder.

In addition, the SRW-9000 accepts the new HDVF-C30WR viewfinder, which is specially suited for Sony’s F series cameras, and offers the new Focus Assist Function. The new viewfinder also provides pre-installed viewing look-up tables (LUTs) for S-Log Gamma, enabling easy focus adjustment and intuitive photo-shooting operation.

The SRW-9000 HDCAM SR camcorder is planned to be available in December, with suggested list pricing to be announced.

It doesn't get any awards for beauty! Has to be the ugliest camera I've seen in ages.

Ah haaah! The lightbulb has gone on. I reckon this syncs with my idea that they have now started the gradual phase out of normal HDCAM and explains the PDW-800 nicely.

I overheard someone from BandPro saying that people will be shocked how low the price will be. Really. Does that mean instead of $150K it'll be $125K? *Roll Eyes*

The PDW-800 is $42,000. I'm sure the SRW-9000 will be stratospheric in price.

I'm sure you're right, partly because it's the tape part that tends to be expensive, one of the reasons why solid state cameras can be made relatively cheaply.
Also, I get the feeling the price will be released as a base camera and then there will be all the add ons at an extra charge - so for example 1-60fps overcranking and 4:4:4 recording boards may well be £10,000 each!
Steve

Steve is correct. The base camera is 4:2:2 and missing a few other options. I overheard the figure of $125k for the basic camera being mentioned at NAB, but that might not be correct.

Steve is correct. The base camera is 4:2:2 and missing a few other options. I overheard the figure of $125k for the basic camera being mentioned at NAB, but that might not be correct.

Sony seem to be pushing it as a B camera to the F23, but for most productions SRW 9000 would make more sense as the A camera.

Not sure why they are pushing it as a B camera to the F23 too. It shares the same front end so there should be no difference in picture quality. The SRW 9000 will certainly be a good camera for stedicam use and perhaps in that situation they would regard it as a B camera. Where it would be a good B camera is with an F35.

Makes me chuckle as when I think of B cameras I normally think of EX1's and lower priced cameras, while the 9000 is a camera many would aspire to have as their A camera!

Not sure why they are pushing it as a B camera to the F23 too. It shares the same front end so there should be no difference in picture quality. The SRW 9000 will certainly be a good camera for stedicam use and perhaps in that situation they would regard it as a B camera. Where it would be a good B camera is with an F35.

Makes me chuckle as when I think of B cameras I normally think of EX1's and lower priced cameras, while the 9000 is a camera many would aspire to have as their A camera!

I suspect it's for those productions that need a second camera of the same quality shooting multi camera or as the backup camera on a feature film.

I'd imagine a similar version of the F35 is not far behind, apparently there's no difference behind the sensor stage between the F23 and the F35.

For most work I can't see the F23 staying around in the longer term. The old dockable camera/VTR Betacam SP kits slipped away from the scene when the BVW200-400 camcorder series came out.

I've updated Andy's post with the full text of the Sony press release and an image (unfortunately very low-res, but the only one available at the moment).

There is a short video blog about the SRW-9000 on the sonybiz.net site:

Sony : NAB : United Kingdom (http://www.sony.co.uk/biz/view/ShowContent.action?logicalname=ssw-nab08-0308)

Scroll through the blogs and you'll find it.

There is also some text about it:

Sony : Introducing SRW-9000 HDCAM SR Camcorder : United Kingdom (http://www.sony.co.uk/biz/view/ShowContent.action?site=biz_en_GB&contentId=1239029935058&parentFlexibleHub=1175002583339)

I've heard that base price may be around $80k but that is just a rumor. I think the F23 is a very pretty camera, and with all the options installed the 9000 is basically the same thing. And the 9000 should fit in many more productions than the F23, with a much more portable form factor. Finally a F900 killer has arrived.

I've heard that base price may be around $80k but that is just a rumor. I think the F23 is a very pretty camera, and with all the options installed the 9000 is basically the same thing. And the 9000 should fit in many more productions than the F23, with a much more portable form factor. Finally a F900 killer has arrived.

Seemingly it has a F900 optical block, so perhaps it's more a F900 recording onto HDCAM SR and perhaps that would expect why Sony regard it as a B camera to the F23.

That excellent HDC-1500 block is finding it's way into many cameras including this one and the PDW-700

Also the same block as the F23 and the PDW-F800

Also the same block as the F23 and the PDW-F800

Could be that person involved in reporting this was worried about losing that 12 stops range and jumped to a conclusion. I expect any visual quality differences will be revealed once people test the new camera.

I've heard that base price may be around $80k but that is just a rumor.

That actually sounds "reasonable" - relatively-speaking! BUT, it's still tape, so it still has a dinosaur-like feel, and of course you need expensive machines to play it.
I think it'll be a fairly short-lived thing (isn't everything these days?), and that a good 1080/60P solid state machine can't be too far off.
Steve

We must not forget that tape is still the only feasible archive method, and to have your original footage on tape is not such a bad thing at all.
Nevertheless if the camera block is the same in all Sony Hi End cameras
(CAN SOMEONE CONFIRM THIS PLEASE),
then the combination of a 700/800 camera and a Digital Recorder (wafian, XDR, Kipro, etc) has an outstanding value compared to the to the 9000 or F23+recorder.

We must not forget that tape is still the only feasible archive method, and to have your original footage on tape is not such a bad thing at all.
Nevertheless if the camera block is the same in all Sony Hi End cameras
(CAN SOMEONE CONFIRM THIS PLEASE),
then the combination of a 700/800 camera and a Digital Recorder (wafian, XDR, Kipro, etc) has an outstanding value compared to the to the 9000 or F23+recorder.

The original reference mentioned only to the optical block itself, not the camera head. The person who made the comment on CML thought he'd prefer to use the F23 camera head into a S two uncompressed recorder rather than the new camera, but again I suppose that could depend on the new camera basically only having a F900 camera head rather than a F23 camera head.

The in value terms the combination the those recorders would make sense, although you wouldn't be getting the extra visual information from the F23's cine mode menus.

the combination of a 700/800 camera and a Digital Recorder (wafian, XDR, Kipro, etc) has an outstanding value compared to the to the 9000 or F23+recorder.

Except with the 9000 you get 1080/60P 4:4:4 which is as good as anyone will need!

Steve

I believe the PDW-700, PDW-F800, HDC-1500 all share the same optical block and sensors while the F23 uses the same sensors but with a prism designed to give a wider gamut. The exotic glass used in the prisms makes up a substantial part of the cameras cost as in many cases the glass is actually grown as a crystal in a vacuum at high temperatures.

I believe the PDW-700, PDW-F800, HDC-1500 all share the same optical block and sensors while the F23 uses the same sensors but with a prism designed to give a wider gamut. The exotic glass used in the prisms makes up a substantial part of the cameras cost as in many cases the glass is actually grown as a crystal in a vacuum at high temperatures.

I believe this was why the reference to the prism was made because it was a means of reducing the cost of the SRW900 compared to the F23.

A basic SRW-9000 is missing much of the stuff thats standard on the F23. Stock 9000 is 4:2:2 not 4:4:4 for a start and has no over or undercrank. When you add all the options to bring it up to F23 spec I think the price will be much closer.