The Sony website confirms that you are correct This new addition to Sony's professional "NXCAM" line will be available in the middle of 2011. so probably at least 9 months away. I think this announcement is just spoiling tactics to counter the Panasonic AF100/101 launch.

Looks interesting, although why is there what looks like a hot shoe on the front of the lens housing? Or is that some other kind of mount (microphone)?

Shame it's so far away though, definitely smacks of a little spoiling going on. Under 6 months is acceptable i think, over that then it's a marketing thing.

cheers
paul

I think the key giveaway here are the words "concept image" under the pictures on the website (at least the one I'm viewing now). Still, competition is good! OK, Canon, your turn - now the heat is on!

"For Professional." Good grief -- no proof-readers in Sony marketing any more?

Looks a lot like the Sony NEX-VG10 on steroids. The VG-10 sells for under US$2,000 with lens -- the 'pro' versions of Sony consumer cams have always been less than double the price of their baby cousins. So I have high hopes for a body only price nearer US$3,500 ... but that's just me hopin'.

Cheers,
GB

Call me cynical then, but how long ago was the AF100 first announced? NAB? So that's 9 months by my reckoning. And I keep hearing things like "70% finalised" - are they going to meet their target date anyway?

Sony are saying "mid-2011", which could be between 6-9 months - it depends what "mid" means!

I think we're looking at more than a pro version of the VG10. Probably better sensor, and it's supposed to have true 1080p50(60) recording. Hence expect to pay for it.

It looks about the same size as a VG-10, but wider. But I'd really like an EVF. More than one XLR input would be nice, too. HD/SDI output would be sweet.
But talk about intriguing! If it's price-competitive with the AF100, 2011 is shaping up to be a really nice year - for us video techo-geeks, anyway.

So there was a second camcorder under the red cloth after all and a Panny competitor as well. I guess the price will be slightly more expensive than Panny and usually a little less professional friendly. The sensor will be from the NEX family to keep the cost down and my guess the shoe over the lens is for a VF.
We must salute Sony for being the only manufacturer with such a diversite line of cameras in every segment.

I'm not so sure. As said in another thread, I think it's interesting they are referring to it as a "Super35" sensor. (As with the F3 etc) If it was from the NEX family, I think it would be referred to as "APS-C". That makes me very optimistic.

The new NXCAM is on show here at Interbee. It is of a modular design with removable microphone holder, hand grip and many other parts. I don't think this will use the same sensor as the F3. The F3 is from the Atsugi factory and this is from the Shinagawa factory and they rarely share sensors. I suspect it will use an Alpha/NEX sensor but with an optical low pass filter specifically for video applications as opposed to the VG10's OLPF which has to work for both video and stills. On the rear of the camera body there is a huge opening that looks too big to be just a battery compartment so I suspect that some kind of media or recording section will dock into the rear of the camera. No genlock apparently, but other sync methods being investigated. I asked about this as I'm looking for a pair of cameras for 3D applications, so for me it will be F3's.

That's good info - so it's further ahead than I feared it might be. Any chance of posting some pics? (when you get time). Cheers Alister.

Well, Super35 is 24mm x 13.5mm and APS-C is 23.5mm x 13.2 ... I can't believe the marketing department (or anyone, for that matter) would make anything of the 2% difference. But I have no special knowledge, just not reading anything into the Super35 reference.

Cheers,
GB

NEX sensor = not interested.

Indeed, the physical sizes are similar, that's why there's so little implication for lens coverages. For marketing it may be a different story - the pro video range (inc the F3) have been referred to as "Super35", the consumer cameras as "APS-C". Little physical difference - big marketing difference.

But after the specific details Alister gives, it seems less likely......

Erik, why not interested? A VG10 sensor may not be as good as an F3 sensor, but with a video optimised OLPF it's likely to be comparable to the AF100 sensor?

David, I want those big pixels of the F3 sensor for low light. NEX sensor would barely be better than my EX in low light. Maybe this is another all new chip. Not the F3 sensor but another S35 chip? Hopefully similar to the sensor from the F3?

On another note AVCHD doesn't bother me so much. Although hard to edit I find that format to be pretty robust when I use it. I put 9mbps in the same timeline and 35mbps EX and it holds up "good enough". So I imagine the higher bitrate (24mbps i'm guessing?) would look really nice if not better than the EX format.

Here's further info on the camera. Looks like AVCHD 24mbps (as expected) but outputs uncompressed 10-bit 4:2:2. PL lens mount is available. Price is around 6,000 Euros, which is about $,8,000 US. It's a bit pricier than the AF100, but isn't it also supposed to shoot in 1080/60P? I wonder if the lens is included ,and if it's the same lens as the VG-10's.

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