"The PMW-200 camcorder is armed with a 14x zoom lens with auto focus and image stabilizing capabilities. The lens is also equipped with three independent rings for zoom, focus and iris adjustment, plus greater precision through indications of ring positions on the LCD screen to give users a high level of operational comfort and control. Focusing on subjects and reviewing recorded footage is made easy with the full-color 3.5-inch WVGA (852×480) LCD panel."

Full press release located at:

Sony Brings HD 4:2:2 Workflow to XDCAM Camcorder Line at DV Info Net (http://www.dvinfo.net/news/sony-brings-hd-422-workflow-to-xdcam-camcorder-line.html)

It is already on the web in Europe see: Sony PMW-200 (PMW200) Full HD XDCAM EX 1/2inch CMOS camcorder with 50Mb/s recording (http://www.creativevideo.co.uk/index.php?t=product/sony_pmw-200) - hope this isn't taken down as they are not a sponsor but certainly not competitive with US companies.

After reviewing specs and trying to compare with EX1R - looks like all the same features with same sensors (at least the specs are the same), similar low light capability, can't find S/N ratio in specifications under "Documentation" for the new camera. Big new feature is 50 mbps 422 but for those of us who use the Nanoflash that is irrevelant. The other biggie (for some people) is to be able to control zoom, iris, recording, and FOCUS from your iphone or android.

I suspect that picture quality between the EX1R and PMW-200 will be nearly identical for people who use the Nanoflash and record at 50 or higher. Sounds like the EX1/R hasn't been totally outmoded.

Any Idea how big this camera is? Is it the same size as an EX

PMW-EX1 : 2.4 kg (5 lb 4 oz) (body) Dimensions: 179 x 199 x 308 mm
PMW-200 : 2.3 kg (5 lb 1.1 oz) (body) Dimensions: 172 mm × 164 mm × 419 mm

Unfortunately it appears you cannot rotate the handgrip on the 200 like you can on the EX1R :(

The size?

Here is a very rough idea compared between and PMW 200 and an EX1.

Not a scientific test but an interesting example.

Sony PMW 200 vs. EX1 in size - YouTube

is this 1 chip or 3 chip?

'1/2-inch triple chip “Exmor” CMOS image sensor' according to the specs in the user manual.

Unfortunately it appears you cannot rotate the handgrip on the 200 like you can on the EX1R :(

Pity they are listening to the wrong folks. I just spent 3 days with my EX1R bouncing around in the cab of a Land Cruiser filming in Haiti. The rotating handgrip is the single most feature that made the project doable. No PMW-200 in my future.

Pity they are listening to the wrong folks. I just spent 3 days with my EX1R bouncing around in the cab of a Land Cruiser filming in Haiti. The rotating handgrip is the single most feature that made the project doable. No PMW-200 in my future.

That's one design no no. Another is the Flip open LCD vs the Flip under LCD. With flip under, you can keep your light secured without having it's battery obscuring the path of the LCD closing or opening. (Flolight Microbeams are notorious for this problem if a 970 battery is attached)

I'm also curious if they balanced it out despite it being lighter. Remember that the EX1 and EX1R are known for being front heavy with the Fujinon lens.

At $1000 more than the EX1R, I'm thinking a EX1R+Nanoflash combo is still a better route to go down. Unless proof of improved sensors emerges, there's no rush to get this if you already on the EX1/EX1R and Nanoflash.

No breakthroughs with this camcorder. Sony is at least 2 years behind Canon's XF305.

According to the PDF manual, at its widest, the lens on this PMW-200 achieves 31mm.

That defeats the entire purpose of buying and using such a camcorder. It's small size lends itself for use in close quarters and small spaces. But Sony seems to be aiming for the bird-watching demographic.

So instead of moving the lens down to the 24mm range, for example, Sony has pushed the telephoto end up.

I'll wait to see what BBC has to say about the PMW-200 - hope it won't go the PMW-100 way!

DC input is inside the battery compartment, so it won't take other manufacturers big batteries?

No interchangeable lenses, only 60 fps for slow motion. Once again the wildlife and nature community is left standing in the hallway.

I'm disappointed. Was really hoping for a bit more...

A few notes of interest from the manual.

Pg. 30 of manual:
"Slow Motion recording by the Slow & Quick Motion recording function (page 50) cannot be made with a
“Memory Stick” or an SDHC card."
“Memory Stick” media and SDHC cards do not
support recording with UDF." -I guess that means no 50mbs 422 with card adapters.

Pg. 21
"The AC adaptor cannot be connected to the camcorder while the battery pack is inserted." -I guess no third party batteries with power cables like the four I have.

Pg.58
"HG4 -A gamma table for turning 460% D-range input into 109% output." -Interesting..

Well Im sure I missed a few good new things along with some bad. Overall Im really not impressed unless the S/N ratio is way better then the EX-1. I might be wrong but just from what I've read, The PMW-200 doesnt seem to have much of a advantage over my EX1 and Samurai combo. At least not a $8,000 one. I really wanted it to though.

DC input is inside the battery compartment, so it won't take other manufacturers big batteries?

PMW-100 had this as well, so we should have seen this coming. This would mean that the only way to mount third-party batteries like Switronix, Swit, or Etc is a shoulder rig. (provided the pigtail cable is long enough)

That might just defeat the purpose of those third party BP-U batteries altogether since people using shoulder rigs would most likely use IDX or Anton Bauers.

Pg. 30 of manual:
"Slow Motion recording by the Slow & Quick Motion recording function (page 50) cannot be made with a
“Memory Stick” or an SDHC card."
“Memory Stick” media and SDHC cards do not
support recording with UDF." -I guess that means no 50mbs 422 with card adapters.

The EX1R manual said you couldn't overcrank with the memory stick adapter, but the SDHC adapter as of this firmware still allows S&Q. This might change though, so I would be cautious about updating the firmware on your cameras.

No 50Mbps on SDHC just was the dagger in the heart of me wanting one. This is Sony subtlely forcing back SxS cards onto everyone. I'd rather deal with CF and SDHC than SxS for now, being budget conscious.

Interesting,

Look at both, the PMW 100 and the 200.

The PMW 200 is literally the exact same manufactured body from the front handle column moving back but with an EX1r lens assembly up front. You can even see the plastic design seem that allows for the camera to be manufactured as a 100 or 200. This prolly saves allot of manufacturing cost. Even the rocker is the same.

Just saw a review on YouTube that stated that the Fujinon lens zoom servo control is finally fixed. The PMW 200 can supposedly do very slow crawl zooms now. (unlike the EX1r's "# 8 speed" firmware setting) That's a big deal to me as I like extremely slow creeping zooms at times.

I will prolly buy this thing but I think the EX1r has a more "Pro" looking body. (not that it matters that much in the end)

When will we see a new next-gen removable lens PMW 300. We all know it's on it's way. NAB 2013?

CT

Bye bye XDCAM EX 4:2:0 MPEG 2,...Looks like Sony is done with it. Over the years, you served us well. (I'm expecting a 4:2:2 F3 next year too...it's the last camera that needs it)

First Video: Sony PMW-200 Review - YouTube

I warned you, I would have won a lot of money on my bet on this so called "big news" empty hype that I knew would be nothing.

Full review here: 50 Megabits for the masses, the new Sony PMW-200. | (http://www.xdcam-user.com/2012/07/50-megabits-for-the-masses-the-new-sony-pmw-200/)

Great review Alistair, but what about the ergonomics? Did you any hand hold work?

The XF300 feels like its going to break your wrist after a couple hrs shooting with it because of its lack of rotational handgrip.

How did you find the balance of the PMW-200 in your hands?

Cheers

Forget those last questions, i see its all answered in your video ;)

Great review!

Full review here: 50 Megabits for the masses, the new Sony PMW-200. | (http://www.xdcam-user.com/2012/07/50-megabits-for-the-masses-the-new-sony-pmw-200/)

Alister, your links to the full resolution images are dead. You mind fixing these up?

I think the handgrip is a give and take. The rotation really benefited the EX1 for unique camera positions, but it threw the balance of the camera off. With a stationary grip and good balance, that kind of mitigates the front heavy problem.

One thing (if I were to go an use one of these) that I would miss is the battery as a pseudo shoulder brace. Having the narrow side of the battery to be a brace is less comfortable than the flat/wide side.

Thanks for the broken links heads up. All fixed now.

No 50Mbps on SDHC just was the dagger in the heart of me wanting one. This is Sony subtlely forcing back SxS cards onto everyone. I'd rather deal with CF and SDHC than SxS for now, being budget conscious.

For 50Mbps you can now use the new XQD cards from Sony/SanDisk/Nikon as well as the SxS cards ... you'll need an adapter

“Memory Stick” media and SDHC cards do not
support recording with UDF." -I guess that means no 50mbs 422 with card adapters.

It should be possible to format SDHC cards as UDF - whether that means they could be made to work at 50Mbs with a PMW200 is another matter. Alister.....?

If you have an Ex1 and nonoFlash, thn I'd agree not much point in ruhing out to reequip. If you were about to buy an XF305, a very different story. The 1/2" chips versus 1/3" is a huge difference.

I'll wait to see what BBC has to say about the PMW-200 - hope it won't go the PMW-100 way!

BBC don't approve camcorders any more. It's now all via the EBU (European Broadcast Union), here is their camcorder recommendation tiering .... https://tech.ebu.ch/docs/r/r118.pdf

PMW-200 suitable as the main camcorder :)

No way to get SDHC cards to work at 50 Mb/s in any of the Sony PMW camcorders. The camera simply rejects the card. UDF has to be used for 50Mb/s as there is no file size restriction as with FAT. There can be performance and reliability issues when you format an SD card using anything other than FAT. The cards are designed specifically for FAT32 (SDHC) and the wear levelling systems work specifically with the block sizes used by FAT32. If you use UDF on an SDHC card you run a higher risk of corruption and performance issues and that's probably why Sony won't allow it.

I have not tried XQD in the PMW-200 so I cannot comment.

I think this is a good update from Sony (albeit with a few backward steps like the power in location behind the battery and the non-rotatable handgrip). I love that pre-record cache is of a useful time duration for the sorts of reasons Alister mentions in his review plus not needing to go through the time consuming Camera to Media functions for anything more than last clip reviewing. And of course that lovely codec.

Still no burning need for me to upgrade my EX3 though - phew! Surely, there must be a EX3 type 'PMW-300' in the works for the future - that's the one I'm after!

I have a couple of questions.

1. I see some ventilation grills. Sure, I know why they are there and have read the stuff about them having an internal baffle to prevent raindrop ingress. However, what about dust? I know my EX3 is not dust proof but I've used it in some pretty inhospitable industrial/factory environments. Just wondering if there are any foam filters or other protection to stop particle ingress into the optical area (or is that block all completely sealed internally anyway?)

2. Will the EX1r still be in the range (as a 4.2.0 only camera) or is it now discontinued? It's quite a bit cheaper than this new offering and still a great cam, and with an external recorder offers essentially the same 4.2.2. performance - baring the PMW-200 sensor's very slight noise improvements that Alister commented upon in his review.

The camera is covered in ventilation grills, most off them on the rear of the camera body and underside. I would hope that the sensor area is separated from the rest of the camera to prevent dust ingress, I don't think Sony would release a camera with this many vents without protecting the sensor area somehow.

Don't know about the EX1R.I suspect it will be discontinued in the not too distant future, but that is speculation. Currently it looks like a £1k price hike for the PMW-200 over an EX1R, but the 200 is new so maybe the price will get squeezed down over time.

As well as the noise reduction I'm also noticing that skin tones are a little better. Some of the "muddy" look that the EX1R can exhibit with mid tones at times appears to have been reduced. I think Sony have done quite a bit of work on the image processing. The interviews in the video review were shot with a pre production PMW-200 and I think they look quite nice.

http://youtu.be/qQoDRNinmss

Thanks Alister. Skin tones do indeed look good in that video of yours.

One other question. I read (on another website) that the PMW-200 has lost the Shot Transition feature. I hardly ever use it on my Sony cameras but I'm just keen to clarify what all the differences are between the EX1R and the PMW-200, as indeed I guess many people will be - especially those about to buy a new camera in this category.

One other comment. What was Sony's design reasoning behind the silver coloured door over the SxS media slots? Anyone know? I presume so it's easier to see when you need to open it in a dark environment? Looks a bit naff though and I imagine some nature/bird shooters will hate it's distraction/light catching potential (on opening). I know exactly where my media is on my EX3 by feel alone/could change it blindfolded if I needed to.

[BTW, I don't really care what the camera looks like, just its images, ruggedness, flexibility in control features and ergonomics for the kind of shooting I do - this PMW-200 seems to tick most of the boxes].

Just noticed the potential 4 channel/24kHz audio options too (albeit two of those channels would just be the internal stereo mics). Details below.

Yes, shot transition has gone, but you will be able to use a CBK-WA01 (wifi dongle, same as used on PDW cameras) to remotely control some functions like zoom, rec start and stop and focus remotely via an iOS or Android device. I believe you will also be able to use XM-Pilot for logging and metadata management.

I'm not sure about the silver SxS card cover either. All the pre-production cameras have it, but perhaps it will be black on the production cameras.

The ability to record from both the internal and external mic's is nice. Gives you a backup audio recording.

Hi Alister,

Just a side question, not specifically regarding the PMW-200 but important if I do step up. Does the older PMW-EX30 deck read SxS cards that are recorded at 422 50 Mbps? Because this older deck was already on the market evenbefore the PMW-500 was realeased it might be a concern? This deck is intalled in my main client's MCR and SNG (I do news).

Two more questions about the PMW-200 itself: The audio controls-door looks a lot more fragile (just as it is on the NX5) than on the EX1R. What's your impression about that? The NX5 than has 3 different ND filters, what's Sony's motivation to build only 2 in an even more professional and more expensive camera?

Hope you've some answers to these 3 issues.

Thanks

Gabor

Not to interrupt the discussion - but I'd like to throw out this information I just received. I'm being told that the PMW-200 will have a list price around $7,700 in the US (not sure if this is old news -haven't seen pricing online anywhere yet). That price may be subject to change - I believe it is still being finalized along with release date.

Also - we are starting our $200 deposit pre-orders today on our website later this morning.

Allan Barnwell
Omega Broadcast Group - Professional Video Sales, Rental & Services (http://www.omegabroadcast.com)

Our team needs a cam just like this be, but we will never buy a camera that forces us back into proprietary media that is unnecessarily expensive. There is no reason that high end standard cards could not work in this camera.

@ Alister,

Have you been able to confirm the SDI out is true 10bit?

Also, in your quick noise test, you compared it to EX1 images using +9db. When looking at +12db or even at the +18db top,... what were your findings? (I think you used the phrase "slight improvement")

The 4:2:2 difference is not huge to me. I can shoot 4:2:2 with my EX1r and outboard Hyperdeck 2 when I want it. The biggest factor for me to sell my EX1r for this would be noise performance and if the gain is worth it.

Will an EX1r be just as clean when I use my Neat Video NR in my editor.

All the other bells and whistles are a "nice to have" but not "need to have" for me.

Thanks Alister!

Cliff

Oh,...one think I didn't like when I handle a PMW 100 demo was it's "plasticy" feeling in my hands. I felt like I was holding a "Star Wars" toy or something. How does the PMW 200 build quality feel?

Control by iPhone opens up new possibilities for steadicam work.

Our team needs a cam just like this be, but we will never buy a camera that forces us backi into proprietary media that is unnecessarily expensive. There is no reason that high hend standard cards could not work in this camera.

You should buy a Canon XF300 if you want to use non-SxS media. I for one enjoy being able to buy robust professional media. It's better, who cares if it's proprietary?

When the media is cheap, I seem to buy much more than I need. When it is expensive, I buy just what I need. In the end I spend the same amount with each type of media. Beware of your spending habits.

The dimensions of the PMW 200 camera are interesting - nearly 16 1/2" long compared with the EX 1/R 12 1/4". I have a Nanoflash setup attached behind my EX1 with the elegant baseplate/side bracket from Olof Ekbergh and the total length measures 16". It works extremely well and also helps me steady the camera with my shoulder. Certainly can't see upgrading to this new model - now when 4K and 60p come around in another couple of years it might be a different story.

The EX30 only plays 35Mb/s 1920 x 1080 SxS media, so will not work with any 50 Mb/s media.

The door to the audio controls is quite thin, but it is also quite flexible and this might make it less prone to damage. Only time will tell.

Bigger sensors mean that diffraction blur will small apertures will be much less pronounced on the EX's or PMW200 than on a NX5. So in effect the EX1/PMW-200 has a greater usable aperture range, so you don't need such fine steps of ND to compensate. That might be why they are different.

The XDCAM HD422 format allows clips to be any length up to the capacity of the card without breaking the file into chunks. So, to retain compatibility with all the other XDCAM HD422 cameras a file system other than FAT32 with it's 4GB file limit had to be used. Sony chose UDF as that's what the optical disc XDCAM cameras use. While you can format SD cards with UDF if you do, you will often experience a performance hit and you may also run into reliability issues. SDHC cards are designed specifically to work with FAT32. The wear levelling process used in the cards is designed to work with the block sizes used by FAT32. If you use another format you can get corruption caused by the incorrect block size. You can use XQD for UDF and this is cheaper than SxS.

Of course you can always continue to use the camera in FAT mode with 35Mb/s 420 for everyday non broadcast projects with SD cards and just switch up to XQD and SxS when you need 422 and UDF. You'll still have the benefits of the slightly improved picture quality either way.

The camera is covered in ventilation grills, most off them on the rear of the camera body and underside. I would hope that the sensor area is separated from the rest of the camera to prevent dust ingress, I don't think Sony would release a camera with this many vents without protecting the sensor area somehow.


This is a major worry for me as I film in VERY dusty conditions!

If we're at the limit of sensor technologies, I'd be tempted to upgrade for more focusing and metering aids as well as a bump in the LDC and Viewfinder resolution. Is a higher density display (like Apple's Retina display in 2010) not possible for Sony in 2012?

I notice the shotgun mic holder sticks up quite a bit more than the EX1 does. Is it removable?

I took mine of my EX3 as soon as I got it. Two crosshead scews and 10 seconds. I would be surprised if it was any more complicated on this new cam but someone who has handled it better confirm.

The Sony mic mount, even if this one is more robust that what we've seen before, is no substitute for something decent from Rycote like the excellent Invision Video or maybe Rode offerings, both of which are easily removable.

Downside is that these better mic mounts (typically) occupy the front shoe so you are no longer able to get that "rabbit caught in the headlights" look so easily from your talent, if you want to use an on-camera light, for example ;-)

I found taking off my EX3's Sony mic mount also enabled me to much more easily get the cam in a Petrol bag for overhead airplane storage on some big international jobs that I was doing.

Over to someone who has seen the method of attachment.

I'm convinced - I have put my deposit in with Omega Broadcast. I've been a loyal Panasonic P2 user (HVX-200, then HPX-170), but I was not impressed with the HPX-250, and since I shoot mostly indoor sports, I was concerned about the lower sensitivity of the XF-300. If nothing new came out, I was planning to go with the EX-1R in September, but this unit really fits my needs. Thanks Sony !

Removing the EX shotgun mount and replacing it with a shoe or something is not without headaches. I removed mine which helps packing but there's still the matter of packing the ungainly and space wasting replacement holder rig. The PMW-200 mount appears to have a sturdy riser and perhaps there's a release of some sort to detach the actual mount mechanism?

The more I learn about the PMW-200, the less impressive it becomes. Putting the power port inside the battery compartment means OEM batteries that have D-TAP ports for accessories like lights and external recorders cannot be used. The PMW-200 is left with few reasons to buy it over competitive camcorders and barely any reasons to upgrade from the EX1 or EX1R. Pity.

You should buy a Canon XF300 if you want to use non-SxS media. I for one enjoy being able to buy robust professional media. It's better, who cares if it's proprietary?

Just sold our Xf100, it and the Xf300 do not have low light capacity. Loved grading their output when I could shoot at low dB.

The PMW-200 is left with few reasons to buy it over competitive camcorders and barely any reasons to upgrade from the EX1 or EX1R. Pity.
The obvious competitors to the PMW200 are the Canon XF305 and the Panasonic HPX250. Compared to both of them the obvious advantage the PMW200 has is 1/2" chips versus 1/3" and that's a BIG point in the PMW200s favour. That means better native sensitivity, more control (a full stops worth) over depth of field, and the ability to stop down further without diffraction limiting. Compared to the HPX250 it additionally has true manual control of focus and iris, not the servo system of the HPX250.

As far as upgrading from an EX1R goes, then the obvious difference is the fully approved codec. If your clients insist upon that, then the PMW200 means they can be satisfied without the need for an external recorder. That may not be enough to make somebody upgrade from an EX1 - but if you're looking to upgrade from something else it makes the PMW200 the obvious choice in this price point.

Yep, two screws to remove it. Microphone holder that is!

I'm sure the battery manufactures will figure out a way to construct a battery with a plug that pops up into the socket after the battery has been inserted. Might end up as a more elegant solution than the flying cable.