Sony HXR-NX5U and HDR-AX2000 Camcorder

[Michael Murie]

Originally Posted by Michael Liebergot

I originally saw the price of the AX2000 at Sony listed as $3,199, so I wouldn't be surprised if the AX2000 came down to that price.
EDIT: Just a not that Sony has seem to have taken down it's pricing on the AX2000 on their site. So a new price might very well be in the works before it's released.?

I think you might have confused your Sony pages! I'm pretty sure the page @ Sony Style never had a price (or if it did, it was $3,499.)

I think where you saw the $3,199 price - and it's still there - was the Sony business to business site. Though I don't know who can get that price...

Sony | For Business | HDR-AX2000

[David Heath]

Originally Posted by Michael Murie

Hmm...well I'm still trying to get my head around it.

I think the ClearVid CMOS page is actually not that relevant, as it's about a single chip, whereas these are three chip cameras.

That's true - but the diagram of the 45 degree rotation is still valid - just ignore the references to red, green and blue. That's applicable to the single chip version, but not here. Here there are three identical sensors, the colour splitting done via a beam splitter, and each sensor has about 1 million photosites.

So they must be offset from each other (but still overlapping.) Are all three offset from each other, or is it two and one (perhaps Red and Blue aligned while Green is offset?) This would give you accurate brightness for a 1920 x 1080 grid, but color would not be as accurate as a true 1920 chip.

No offset, no overlap of any colour w.r.t. any other - any given photosite on the red chip has an exact equivalent on both the green and blue chips. That's very important since it means that colour resolution is equal to luminance resolution (unlike the situation with a single chip or pixel shifting). You may not think it matters as the chroma resolution gets reduced for recording anyway, but a problem with Bayer or pixel shifting is that either luminance resolution or colour aliasing has to be compromised.

Another way to look at it (with reference to the 45 degree diagram in the above link) is to try counting across a row. You either count pixels touching corner to corner (and get 960) or count right-down, right-up, right down, etc to get 1920. Do it the latter way and it's obvious there's a horizontal overlap, which is why the resolution must be less than 1920 - even though it lends itself to 1920x1080 processing. Same happens for all three chips, (to get r, g, b images) then final output is derived in the normal way.

As far as the Canons go, then if they are full 1920x1080 1/3" then yes, the resolution will be better than such as these cameras - but each photosite will be half the size, with a corresponding effect on sensitivity. That's why I previously said that IMO 1 megapixel is a good compromise for 1/3" chips. 1920x1080 is a good thing in principle, but it really needs to be matched with bigger chips - as with the EX.

[Bill Koehler]

Originally Posted by Robert M Wright

They also cut the price of the 128GB recoding memory thingy by $50 (to $750) and now there's a $500 mail-in rebate on it, making it a whole whopping $250 when all is said and done. That's cheaper than using SDHC cards even.

This is probably a good explanation of why the price dropped.

TOSHIBA TO LAUNCH WORLD'S FIRST 64GB SDXC CARD

Granted, SDXC will be expensive initially, but the price will drop over time.
Two 64GB SDXC cards and you don't need the HXR-FMU128 Flash Memory Unit.
Which ends up meaning the HDR-AX2000 folks don't really miss the HXR-FMU128.

[Robert M Wright]

Even if the price was the same, I'd much prefer using that memory module to little postage stamp size cards. SDHC cards are just plain too small for my liking.

I sure hope it was a typo, and Toshiba means "minimum" where they talk about "maximum" write speeds.

[Michael Liebergot]

Bill very true about the upcoming release of 64GB cards, which was inevitable.
But one thing to remember about the 128GB recording unit, is that it enables you to have redundancy with your recording. As well as the ability to record in 2 different formats if you desire AVCHD and SD) Something that you can't get with the AX2000.

This was what was nice about the Z5U, in that you had the peace of mind knowing that you have redundant backup of tape (which is most likely the backup source) of CF card in case of recording failure.

[David Clark]

It's funny how tape now seems like a safer bet. =)

[Bill Koehler]

Originally Posted by Robert M Wright

Even if the price was the same, I'd much prefer using that memory module to little postage stamp size cards. SDHC cards are just plain too small for my liking.

I bet you'll still take the price cut ;-)

Originally Posted by Robert M Wright

I sure hope it was a typo, and Toshiba means "minimum" where they talk about "maximum" write speeds.

I don't think so. Reading the fine print yields this:

"Supports UHS104, a new ultra high speed interface in the new SD Memory Card Standard Ver. 3.00, which provides 104MB per second bus speed on the SD interface, and realizes maximum write speed of 35MB per sec., with a read speed of 60MB per sec. "

My reading of that is that the limits are baked into the bus interface specification.

[Michael Murie]

I got some answers to questions I had about the HXR-NX5U from Sony.

The HDMI is 4:2:2, and the 24p is native (not interleaved). The 60i/50i upgrade was done to prevent gray market sales, and will cost about $300. I was also interested to learn that the reason the Active Steadyshot mode crops part of the image is because of vignetting - the lens moves much further than in regular Steadyshot - not because it's doing any kind of electronic stabilization.....

I wrote up the details here: Notes On Video: HXR-NX5 Q & A

[Brian Rhodes]

$500.00 mail in rebate on the HXR-FMU128 Flash Memory Unit Brings the price to approx. $249.00

[Ron Evans]

I like the comments that the imager actually records 1920x1080@60P. I can see an upgrade coming in the future for a full 1920x1080P60 output. I am hoping that Sony have the same FMU promotion in Canada

Ron Evans

[Robert M Wright]

For anyone interested, you can get the NX5U manual (PDF) here:

http://pro.sony.com/bbsccms/assets/f...Ops_Manual.pdf

[Andrew Gyles]

Originally Posted by Ron Evans

I like the comments that the imager actually records 1920x1080@60P. I can see an upgrade coming in the future for a full 1920x1080P60 output. I am hoping that Sony have the same FMU promotion in Canada

Ron Evans

I notice on the B & H page about the Sony HDR-CX550V under "Specifications":

"Video Format High Definition

MPEG AVC/H.264
1,920 x 1,080 (60 fps)"


And under "Features":



"1920 x 1080 High Definition Video Recording
1920 x 1080i high definition resolution lets you record your memories in exceptional high definition quality. Capable of 1080/60p playback via HDMI and compatible HDTV providing stunning clarity and incredibly detailed playback of your memories"

Further down under "Features":

"1080/60p Playback Via HDMI and Compatible HDTV

1080/60p playback via HDMI and compatible HDTV providing stunning clarity and incredibly detailed playback of your memories"

Could the NX5U and the CX550V have the same video format?

I guess the information on the B & H site comes from Sony. Perhaps the author got mixed up between 1080i and 1080p.

Andrew Gyles

[Ron Evans]

I think that the latest Sony cameras start off as 60P from the sensors but then are formatted after by the DSP and recorded as 60i. So I think B&H are technically correct but it is recorded as 60i. However the playback at 60P over HDMI is likely correct, conversion taking place in the camera from 60i to 60p. I would just like the recorded file to be 60p !!!! By implementing 60i to 60p in camera Sony are potentially avoiding poor deinterlacing in the TV.

Now more information is starting to appear it will be more difficult for me to decide whether the AX2000 or NX5 is for me. I would like the ring assigned exposure control on the AX2000 ( not on the NX5) if it can also set gain and iris limits with shutter set to manual. This may be a better solution for me rather than the smooth gain change on the NX5. Will have to see a comparison in detail. At first the NX5 looked the most attractive but now I am not so sure !!

Ron Evans

[Michael Liebergot]

Well the pricing rollercoaster is still in full force.

Did anyone notice yesterday that the price of the NX5 went back up. Went from $3,995.00 to $4,295.00.

Sony | HXR-NX5U NXCAM Professional Camcorder | HXR-NX5U | B&H

[Michael Dontigney]

Hmm... now it's

Price : $ 3,995.00