Sony NXCAM -- Announcement Coming November 18th
 

Note from Admin: Skip ahead to post #35 if you want to bypass all the speculation and go straight to the real thing.

Inter BEE 2009
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Sony : Sony news from Inter BEE 2009 : United Kingdom

On November 18th, Sony will be announcing another exciting new development for the professional videography market. The official announcement will take place during a Sony press conference at the Inter BEE event in Chiba City, Japan, and all the latest news from the event will appear on this website. Return here on November 18th or subscribe to our RSS feed to get the breaking news as it happens. Product prototypes will also be available for demonstration at selected Power Of Images events in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. To register your interest in these events, please visit the Power Of Images website now.

http://www.sony.co.uk/res/images/ima...7476931724.jpg

Based on that "graphic": probably a solid state AVCHD 3-chip cam.......wonder??????
Or better yet- finally a HD capable Alpha DSLR!

Retro DVCAM?

Hdv cam that uses sxs or compact flash cards?

compact flash cards from Sony?

I would hope it's a GH1 competitor. That will at least increase the chances of Panasonic giving GH1 users a good firmware update.

All the rumours on the web are that it WILL BE a GH1 competitor, i.e a HD video capable DSLR. I posted about this yesterday in Area 51 (which is where I thought speculation should be posted, not in this News Section) ...but now I see my post has been removed by the Mods. No idea why!

Sorry Andy, it was withdrawn by policy -- absolutely no "camera rumor site" links are tolerated here, not even in Area 51. We're not in the business of driving traffic to those types of web sites. They bear absolutely no credence whatsoever and they're worse than useless, and not appropriate for DV Info Net at all. Meanwhile Wolfgang's source above is straight from Sony and is therefore perfectly legitimate, which is what we prefer to see here. Plus, Wolfgang's source is *news* and not a rumor, therefore it certainly belongs in this forum. Thanks for understanding.

OK, got it Chris - No problem! Thanks for clarification.

The first sentence on the Sony web page says "On November 18th, Sony will be announcing another exciting new development for the professional videography market."

That makes me think it's primarily designed for video use. If it was a DSLR with video capability, would they have been so specific about "professional videography market"?

My money would be on a solid state camcorder priced below the Ex1. Something like a solid state only Z5.

You may well be right...but don't forget that people are using Lumix GH1s and Canon 5D/7Ds for professional use already (me included!) so it would n't rule out that type of offering either (under the "professional" label).

After all, I would not be surprised if Sony were losing some camcorder sales to this new area in camera technology/capability/price point and so would try and re-capture some sales back from Panasonic & Canon.

None of us know right now (and anyone who does will have signed a NDA so won't tell) but it'll sure be interesting to see what gets announced on the 18th!

I'm with David on this one. It seems like the next step. Something in quality between the Z7/5's and EX1/3's that records only to some kind of memory cards. I just hope it is in the $3500 price point. I'm getting close to selling my Z7U's and getting something new. I'm also glad that they announced the announcement with only a few days to wait. I hate the "We have something really cool to show you......in 3 months" announcements.

Well, the image is obviously a "video camera" format, so perhaps a HMC150 competitor, "R" sensors, AVCHD and MS Duo (it is Sony after all) or HDD recording or both...

WOULD be nice to see a DSLR-V as well... long overdue, on both counts!

A GH1 competitor or a Mini EX1 using the XDCAM codec(since Sony doesn't consider AVCHD professional) would be good guesses but I remember when the EX3 first came out, a lot of people complained a lot after buying the EX1 so maybe Sony doesn’t want the same thing to happen again and announce an EX3R right away.

All I can say is that some of the speculations in this thread are more accurate than others. I think a lot of folks will be pleased with what's coming, but that's just my opinion.

-gb-

OK, as long as we're guessing.... I'd say a 2/3" CMOS handheld XDCAM EX....

I would say the biggest threat from Panasonic HMC150 or even the 170 would be to the Z5. Also if Sony feel that Canon will enter with a Xl1 replacement then a Solid State Z5 would be the answer. AVCHD for the Prosumer and a version with EX codec for the pro market. The DV and DVCam equivalent today.

At least that's what I would like !!!! Will have to wait a few days to see how much money my possible Christmas present is going to be!!!!! I really like the XR500 that makes my FX1 look dated now so a 3chip version in a Z5 body would be perfect for me.

Ron Evans

Why not? It's the professional space, not consumer, and the HVR-MRC1K uses CompactFlash, so there is some precedent.

If you watched the EX1-R/PMW 350 press launch, the Sony rep mentioned that there would be announcements "in the next few weeks" regarding 3D acquisition. This could be it.

Id prefer improvements to the 2D stuff first but Sony have a lot invested in 3D tech so we're going to get it sooner or later, like it or not.

Xdcam codec, sub 2/3" cmos sensors. Solid state only. Handheld. Just my guess.

Cant be 2/3" I think.. the Jap Sony manager said the EX1 is already a marvel to have such a small form factor with 1/2" chip.

Could be a 1/3" with XDCAM Codec or AVCHD to pit against the Panny 152 in my opinion. If it is a 1/3" XDCAM long GOP it would make a good companion to XDCAM EX owners. Form factor looks like a Z5 thou.

I really doubt it's an xdcam ex product, if it was wouldn't they have announced it with the EX1-R and PMW 350? That would be the logical thing to do wouldn't it?

Can't be 1/2 inch (they just revised it) and if it is 2/3 inch or bigger it must be single sensor (actually Sony had an excellent 2/3 inch Hi8 back in the early 90s).

My guess: 1/3inch 3chip, Xdcam codec, CF to rival the Jvc cameras and a death nail to HDV.
Alternative but less probable: APS single chip Xdcam codec, CF
There is a slight chance that instead of CF we will see MStick but my bet is on CF

Woah, APS-C with XDCAM CODEC would be quite a killer if the lens are fast enuf. Good guess n I hope its true. Oh well, one more day to go!

"APS-C with XDCAM CODEC" - yep, sounds about right....in which case anyone want to buy my 2 week old Canon 7D! We'll know soon enough - but that would just be my (bad) luck if this got announced tomorrow!

Ok guys, I'm gonna bite on this one. If it is a APS-C with XDCAM CODEC then how much would you guess that puppy will cost? Considering the EX3 (with lens) is $8,300 then I'd guess an APS-C cam will be $12,000 with lens.

Also, would said camera accept anything other than Sony lenses?

An APS-C chip in a true video camera format has made too much sense and that's exactly why I think that Sony isn't going that route quite yet. My guess is something smaller in scope and size, like others have tossed out there maybe a 1/3" FX1 sized XDCam.

Or we all could be wrong and it could be a copy machine that interfaces with PDF's. Revolutionary.

My guess:

1. New APS-C global-shutter CMOS sensor
2. Raw output plus HDMI
3. Frame rates up to ≥ 60p, including 24p, 25p, and 30p
4. High ISO (think Canon 1D Mark IV)
5. Price: ≤ $3,000

If it's anything less (or costs more), don't buy it.

I don't see those options coming anywhere near that price. Global shutter, 60p and 1D Mark IV ISO performance for $3000 or under... oh I get it, you were making a joke right?

Yup. I don't see Sony offering those options at any price.

New PMWF350 with 2/3" sensors:
Link

The PMW-350 was announced last month.

The 350 was already introduced. The announcement tomorrow is for something else.
EDIT: too slow...

350 with 2/3.5" sensors? You know how Sony likes incremental changes.

With my budget right now, I'm hoping for a really big announcement in the cybershot dept.

http://www.sony.jp/professional/News...b20091118.html

http://translate.google.com/translat...n%26safe%3Doff

Horray! It's Here! It's NXCAM!

So I guess Sony doesn't think that AVCHD is strictly a consumer format any longer.

Now all we need is the price. I'm not so sure it'll be nearly as cheep as the HMC150.

There should be a camera test between this, the EX1 and the Panasonic HMC40 in good lighting.

[Good news for the Z1/Z7 crowd that have been waiting for a "tapeless" replacement.

Not a lot of new tech. 1/3 inch chips, same as in Z5, no tape drive, Avchd. Non-interchageble lens in this model. But a lot of frame rates, including 60p for slowmotion potential. The 7D does that too, though at $ 1,700. You would think to be competitive it will come in under in the 3k range... but this is Sony... I am guessing about $ 4200 MSRP.

Um, pretty cool... waaay out of my Christmas tree league... oh well... maybe if they do an "NFX" version for the prosumer!

Since it sounds like a Z5 core, maybe they'll have something like the FX1000 for the new economy class?

And I guess if this was "it", we won't see a GH1/5DMk2/7D competitor... sigh.

Close to what I expected. Wish it had big hard drive and no mention of if the sensors are the 'R" variety like the XR500/520. The price really has to be close to the competition of HMC150.

Ron Evans