PXW-X70 Frimware v2.0 is released!

[Cliff Totten]

Here is a link to the new X70 firmware version 2.0:

https://www.servicesplus.sel.sony.co...el-PXWX70.aspx

All you need to do now is pay for the 4k upgrade key to unlock the 60Mbp/s.

After doing so you will have a camcorder that has the LOWEST 4K bitrate in the entire camcorder industry. Yes,..far lower than ALL 4K Panasonic, Canon, JVC and any other Sony 4K cameras too!

Sony, please give this professional XDCAM camera the industry standard 100Mbp/s codec that ALL other cheap consumer 4k entry level cameras have.

btw,..the camera now rights XAVC-L files that have proper metadata that Sony Vegas can FINALLY read!

[Clayton Moore]

60Mbp/s ? Really - Hmmm

What are they charging for this?

[Cliff Totten]

The firmware is free. This gives you a number of new features like live IP streaming and FTP. (and some others)

You must have this firmware installed before you can buy the 4K upgrade. You can purchase the 4K upgrade for around $500 USD. However, it will give you only the rock bottom UHD bitrate of 60Mbp/s.

As you might know, no other 4K camcorder on the market today has a maximum bitrate that low. It's literally sits at the BOTTOM of the industry list. It's sub-par to even the cheapest entry level consumer 4K camera. (Panasonic, Canon JVC and Sony ALL use 100Mbp/s or higher) It's even lower than Sony's 4K ActionCam. (Sony's "GoPro")

Freaky decision huh? I'm still just shocked to Hell about it.

[Paul Hardy]

Don't forget to save your camera profile settings to SD card before updating as your camera will be completely reset to factory!

and just to stay on topic........
Damn you Sony for charging for a lowly 60mbps - Boo!

[Mike Griffiths]

And it now goes straight into FCPX, no problem, but not into Premiere Pro CS6

[Tom Grushka]

Have any of the wacky color/highlight issues been fixed with this firmware update, i.e. yellow faces, harsh highlight clipping, cyan skies, inability to get fully accurate colors on the scope, etc.?

[Mike Griffiths]

Sorry Tom, don't recognise what you are referring to. Have you upgraded and tried it?

[Mike Buckhout]

Originally Posted by Mike Griffiths

And it now goes straight into FCPX, no problem, but not into Premiere Pro CS6

I would not expect for it to ever work in CS6 natively. Transcode could work, but if there is time to transcode then perhaps there is money to go up to CC?

[Ricky Sharp]

Originally Posted by Mike Griffiths

And it now goes straight into FCPX, no problem, but not into Premiere Pro CS6

At least for me, only the first recorded clip comes in to FCP X. Remaining clips will only come in with their audio. You can see my recent posts starting on page 7 of the thread entitled 'Any word on XAVC-L plugin for FCP X?'

[Mike McKay]

I hope they fixed so you can have time-date-stamp in progressive mode, not just interlace and also not lose the histogram when its on.

Color accuracy and highlight handling improvements would be nice but somehow I doubt that's going to have changed.

Is there an English version of change log, the link seems to be in Japanese only?

As for low bit rate 4K, I'm trying to keep an open mind, bit rate is not always everything. People seemed to like the sample provided. I guess if you really push in post then its not the best, but I wouldn't use this cam with that kind of project in mind. Can it output anything higher into an external recorder?

[Ricky Sharp]

Originally Posted by Mike McKay

Is there an English version of change log, the link seems to be in Japanese only?

As for low bit rate 4K, I'm trying to keep an open mind, bit rate is not always everything. People seemed to like the sample provided. I guess if you really push in post then its not the best, but I wouldn't use this cam with that kind of project in mind. Can it output anything higher into an external recorder?

If you're speaking of the file 'PXWX70V200_manual.pdf' that comes with the firmware update, it's a multi-language file. The English section starts on physical page 24.

The SDI being only 3G will max out at 1080p. So one would need to use the HDMI out for 2160p. Sadly, I don't see any details on chroma subsampling for 2160p HMDI output. For internal recording, the PDF mentions 4:2:0. I'm going to assume that is 8-bit. *sigh* when will camera manufacturers just provide all the specs? Each cam should always mention bit-depth, chroma subsampling, codec, bit-rate, etc. for both internal and external recording.

Rant asside, the HDMI output should at least be 8-bit 4:2:0. But I think it would be very helpful to folks should that actually be 4:2:2


Side note: There are other limitations if wanting to use the X70 to capture 4K. For example, the PDF outlines these functions as being unavailable for 4K recording:

* Color Bar
* Date Rec
* D. Extender
* S&Q Motion
* Face Detection
* Intelligent Auto
* Scene Selection

Proxy Recording (which thankfully I don't need) also renders some of those functions unavailable as well:

* AVCHD recording
* DV Mode
* Color Bar
* Date Rec
* S&Q Motion
* Streaming

[Mike Buckhout]

(from Page 26/GB4 of the new PDF):

• When you connect with an SDI cable, the output
of a 4K (QFHD) movie is converted to that of an
HD movie, even if the monitor/TV is compatible
with 4K.
• For more details on the setting of output
resolution when outputting movies in 4K
(QFHD), see “Output resolution in 4K (QFHD)”
on page 17.
• While recording a 4K (QFHD) movie, output to
HDMI/SDI/VIDEO OUT is not available.

and on Page 39/GB17:
Output resolution in 4K:
60i 2160p/1080p/480i SDI-1080p, HDMI-2160p, Video Out(composite)- 480i

So it's not clear to me if you can actually record at 2160p via HDMI to an external recorder while the camera is also recording.

[Ricky Sharp]

Originally Posted by Mike Buckhout

It doesn't look like you can do any external recording or even monitoring while recording in QFHD mode,
(from Page 26 of the Updates PDF):

• When you connect with an SDI cable, the output
of a 4K (QFHD) movie is converted to that of an
HD movie, even if the monitor/TV is compatible
with 4K.
• For more details on the setting of output
resolution when outputting movies in 4K
(QFHD), see “Output resolution in 4K (QFHD)”
on page 17.
• While recording a 4K (QFHD) movie, output to
HDMI/SDI/VIDEO OUT is not available.

Although we might assume that you could still record via HDMI/SDI as long as the camera itself is not recording, but still only at 1920x1080.

The X70's SDI is only 3G, so it's limited to HD. That's outlined correctly in the addendum guide. One would need dual 3G SDIs or a single 6G SDI or better to output 4K over that.

Interesting that one cannot simultaneously record internally and send out a 4K signal over HDMI. I imagine then that the unit is being maxed out in terms of dealing with 4K. Just look at the features you lose.

All in all, still extremely happy with the X70. I'm only ever going to shoot HD on it and there it really shines. To include being able to record internally while outputing a signal over SDI or HDMI. That was critical for me since if I ever get an external recorder, they typically only have one media slot. I would want to do a simultaneous recording in that scenario.

[Paul Hardy]

If anybody's interested, Sony have posted the instructions on how to perform the 4K upgrade when it's available.

Brochures: CBKZ-X70FX Installation Guide : Brochures & Data Sheets : United Kingdom : Sony Professional

[Mike Buckhout]

I just edited my previous post after reading more about it- my last sentence may or may not be wrong anymore. I'm not sure.