It's standout shiny new feature is being the first camera with footage authentication via embedded digital signatures. Just the thing for combatting "misinformation" and AI shenanigans.

Optical zoom is 17x with the ability to do an additional 1.5x in 4K mode and 4x in HD mode via the digital extender function.

"And now for DVinfo's resident Sony camera expert Doug Jensen. Doug, what can you tell us about this new camera?" :-)

Andrew

I've been involved in the development of the Z300 for almost a year, and a couple of the Japanese engineers even brought a prototype to my house in Florida last December to get my feedback. And then I saw it again at NAB. It is going a great camera, with one huge flaw . . . no viewfinder. I couldn't convince Sony that a lot of us older, successful, experienced, professional shooters still insist on a viewfinder!!!!

They are hoping to rely on 3rd-party accessory makers to fill that gap with an optical loupe to clamp onto the LCD, but there's nothing available yet from Zacuto or any of the other major players. To Sony's credit, though, the LCD mount is quite robust (unlike the FX6) and should handle the weight of a good viewfinder loupe when those accessories become availalble.

I left Florida at the end of June for a 4-month road trip through the Canadian Rockies and Alaska, and I was supposed to have a pre-production Z300 to bring with me, but it ended up not being ready in time. And I don't want to receive it in the middle of my trip -- especially without a viewfinder solution already figured out.

But I do look forward to getting my hands on one in November and putting it through it's paces. The Z200 has already become the camera I use most frequently, and I expect the Z300 might replace both my Z280 and Z200. I think they'll sell a ton of them. No other camcorder from any manufacturer can match it's specs or features.

That's my take on the Z300. Thanks for asking.
(currently in Haines, AK)

Thanks for all that, Doug.

How do you rate the 'AI empowered' advancements in autofocus on the camera? Would you be prepared to trust it in real life?

Andrew

AF should be fantastic. My Z200 uses AI and I rarely ever need to focus the lens manually. Somehow it just knows what is supposed to be in focus. And if I do focus manually, it takes that information and says"okay, that's what is important, so I'll track focus on that object". It just works.

I can say that the Z200 has the best AF of any video camera ever made. So, the Z300 will just build on that.

I agree with Doug. I recently returned from a two-week trip to Botswana. I used the Canon XF605 to film the wildlife and believe me, I used the EVF 90% of the time. At my age I would never buy a camcorder/cinema camera that did not have an EVF, although it looks like all camera manufacturers are dropping the EFV. Trust me, bouncing around in a safari vehicle while having the LCD monitor and hood deployed all the time is just not practical. I agree it does have very impressive specs but at this point of my life I really have no use for footage authentication via embedded digital signatures.

Doug, safe travels.

Here is Zacuto’s solution to the lack of an EVF.

https://www.cined.com/zacuto-z-finder-introduced-for-the-sony-pxw-z300/

And that adds another $500. to the price.

Doug, after reading some comments from people on another site, what are your thoughts about the clarity of the lens in this camera when it comes to the 4K resolution? And is this "the same sensor block" etc or are there new developments or advances here that are being brought to market?

Also, I note that this camera doesn't use the expensive SxS cards for storage media. Is this from your feedback to Sony engineers?

Andrew

Everything I've seen from the camera looks great, but since I have not had the chance to put it through it's paces on my own, I will defer all specific comments about it until I have the opportunity to do so. In particular, I look forward to comparing it head to head with my Z280 and Z200. Unfortunately, as I have noted before, I am on the road until November and do not foresee getting my hands on my Z300 until then. Rotten timing for the release of a new camera.

Any chance the camera will be able to record 32-bit float audio?

If you don't see it in the product specs, then I'd say no. As far as I know, there are no Sony cameras that have that feature, nor do I think it is it necessary.