XDCAM EX review with frame grabs. at DVinfo.net

Alister Chapman · September 6th, 2007, 10:18 AM

Here is another look at the EX. With a couple of frame grabs.

http://www.ingenioustv.com/xdcamex.asp

Chris Forbes · September 6th, 2007, 10:31 AM

Thank you.

Piotr Wozniacki · September 6th, 2007, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alister Chapman

Here is another look at the EX. With a couple of frame grabs.

http://www.ingenioustv.com/xdcamex.asp

Interesting. Three things caught my attention:

1. Cooling fan?!! It's going to be noisy, and I was counting on a dead-silent operation due to the lack of moving parts!

2. Peaking showing all or nothing; just like on my V1 (if not adjusted correctly with intensity and colour)

3. Expanded focus works while shooting!

Peter Jefferson · September 6th, 2007, 10:52 AM

I would assume that the cooling fan is for the CMOS... considering it's using a DSLR type design, I wouldn't doubt that its there for that specific purpose... more than likely to cool a heat sink attached to the CMOS.

One reason DSLR sensors are so efficient (considering their size), is due to the power and cooling efficiency. One reason we haven't seen DSLR sensors in handycams is for this reason, the other being zoom reach and lens to sensor placement relative to zoom ratios.

Anyways... DSLRs don't require consistent power like this (video), but when they do fire, they chew up lots.

In this case, with the same spec as Sonys latest DSLR sensor I don't doubt that this temperature management is in place. Hell if it means having bigger sensors, all we need to do is mount a mic to offset that noise.

Personally, I'd rather have a noisy camera than one that might overheat.

In addition i doubt that the noise would exceed a standard tape transport noise level, I do however feel that the vent itself might be prone to blocking or intake of dust and sand etc, in turn, this could cause more problems later on such as fan vibration or inefficiency due to dust and blockage

Justin Carlson · September 6th, 2007, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Piotr Wozniacki

1. Cooling fan?!! It's going to be noisy, and I was counting on a dead-silent operation due to the lack of moving parts!

Maybe it'll be electro static?

Tim Polster · September 6th, 2007, 11:01 AM

Thanks for your review.

Looks like they knocked one out of the park with this camera.

Ray Bell · September 6th, 2007, 12:28 PM

Most likely the fans are for the sensors....
CMOS sensors when they get hot produce thermal noise.....

you can see the noise crop up on DSLR camera's when long exposure modes are utilized due to the sensor heating...
at least one camera manufacturer manages the thermal noise by taking a
pre heat up exposure and compairing them to the long exposure and
subtracting the delta values of pre-heat to post-heat.

In theory this negates the thermal noise foot print......

Greg Boston · September 6th, 2007, 04:00 PM

FWIW, the full size XDCAM HD cameras also have a cooling fan. It's located near the back of the camera with vents on the rear of the handle itself. The only time it was ever noticed was by a soundie with cans on. It wasn't objectionable since the talent were 10 to 15 feet away, all with lavs and soundie operating boom for insurance. With the big camera, I suspect it's for cooling with the laser operating. Maybe true about the sensors on the smaller camera.

-gb-

Alister Chapman · September 6th, 2007, 04:01 PM

The fan was extremely quiet, in fact it was so quiet I never heard it. Noise from the fan is NOT going to be an issue. We are not talking PC cooling fans here, just a slow fan to prevent heat build up.

Piotr Wozniacki · September 6th, 2007, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alister Chapman

The fan was extremely quiet, in fact it was so quiet I never heard it. Noise from the fan is NOT going to be an issue. We are not talking PC cooling fans here, just a slow fan to prevent heat build up.

Thanks Alister - good to know. And yet, it's mechanical after all - and can become noisier with time...

Kyle Self · September 6th, 2007, 05:51 PM

Alister,

Did you pull any of the footage straight from the cards into a NLE? With the talk I have seen of the wrapper being MP4 instead of MXF I am curious how the editing software is handling it. it would be a real downer to have to wait for a software revision to read the clips.

Thanks for all of the info and the screen grabs.

Kyle

Jason Strongfield · September 6th, 2007, 06:00 PM

http://www.ingenioustv.com/images/traingrab1.jpg

did you managed to shoot with its "progressive capability" ? on that grab you can see all the nasty interlacing.

Piotr Wozniacki · September 6th, 2007, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kyle Self

Alister,

Did you pull any of the footage straight from the cards into a NLE? With the talk I have seen of the wrapper being MP4 instead of MXF I am curious how the editing software is handling it. it would be a real downer to have to wait for a software revision to read the clips.

Thanks for all of the info and the screen grabs.

Kyle

Exactly... Why the consumerish, MP4 wrapper? I was hoping for the true workflow of the XDCAM HD, so highly appraised by Simon and others - with FAM, etc. Yes, there is software provided for re-wrapping, but this is an extra step in the workflow. Who knows how efficient (time-consuming) is that?

Stu Holmes · September 6th, 2007, 07:43 PM

included software with the EX1 converts the MP4's to MXF.

thats from the brochure (by memory).

Mark Hartopp · September 7th, 2007, 05:34 AM

Hi,
Does anyone know if the fan/air intake/out is well protected against dust/sand ingestation. I film alot of action sports in sandy/duty location and it's not uncommon for me to spend a day cleaning my camera after a shoot.

I think this fan may be a fatal floor for me. Any new would be grate.

Mark

September 6th, 2007, 10:18 AM	#1
Alister Chapman Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Bracknell, Berkshire, UK Posts: 4,957	XDCAM EX review with frame grabs. Here is another look at the EX. With a couple of frame grabs. http://www.ingenioustv.com/xdcamex.asp __________________ Alister Chapman, Film-Maker/Stormchaser http://www.xdcam-user.com/alisters-blog/ My XDCAM site and blog. http://www.hurricane-rig.com

September 6th, 2007, 04:01 PM	#9
Alister Chapman Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Bracknell, Berkshire, UK Posts: 4,957	The fan was extremely quiet, in fact it was so quiet I never heard it. Noise from the fan is NOT going to be an issue. We are not talking PC cooling fans here, just a slow fan to prevent heat build up. __________________ Alister Chapman, Film-Maker/Stormchaser http://www.xdcam-user.com/alisters-blog/ My XDCAM site and blog. http://www.hurricane-rig.com

September 6th, 2007, 10:31 AM	#2
Chris Forbes Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Salt Lake City, Ut Posts: 155	Thank you.

September 6th, 2007, 10:52 AM	#4
Peter Jefferson Inner Circle Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Aus Posts: 3,884	I would assume that the cooling fan is for the CMOS... considering it's using a DSLR type design, I wouldn't doubt that its there for that specific purpose... more than likely to cool a heat sink attached to the CMOS. One reason DSLR sensors are so efficient (considering their size), is due to the power and cooling efficiency. One reason we haven't seen DSLR sensors in handycams is for this reason, the other being zoom reach and lens to sensor placement relative to zoom ratios. Anyways... DSLRs don't require consistent power like this (video), but when they do fire, they chew up lots. In this case, with the same spec as Sonys latest DSLR sensor I don't doubt that this temperature management is in place. Hell if it means having bigger sensors, all we need to do is mount a mic to offset that noise. Personally, I'd rather have a noisy camera than one that might overheat. In addition i doubt that the noise would exceed a standard tape transport noise level, I do however feel that the vent itself might be prone to blocking or intake of dust and sand etc, in turn, this could cause more problems later on such as fan vibration or inefficiency due to dust and blockage

September 6th, 2007, 11:01 AM	#6
Tim Polster Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Arlington, TX Posts: 2,231	Thanks for your review. Looks like they knocked one out of the park with this camera.

September 6th, 2007, 12:28 PM	#7
Ray Bell Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 1,414	Most likely the fans are for the sensors.... CMOS sensors when they get hot produce thermal noise..... you can see the noise crop up on DSLR camera's when long exposure modes are utilized due to the sensor heating... at least one camera manufacturer manages the thermal noise by taking a pre heat up exposure and compairing them to the long exposure and subtracting the delta values of pre-heat to post-heat. In theory this negates the thermal noise foot print......

September 6th, 2007, 04:00 PM	#8
Greg Boston Wrangler Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: DFW area, TX Posts: 6,117 Images: 1	FWIW, the full size XDCAM HD cameras also have a cooling fan. It's located near the back of the camera with vents on the rear of the handle itself. The only time it was ever noticed was by a soundie with cans on. It wasn't objectionable since the talent were 10 to 15 feet away, all with lavs and soundie operating boom for insurance. With the big camera, I suspect it's for cooling with the laser operating. Maybe true about the sensors on the smaller camera. -gb-

September 6th, 2007, 05:51 PM	#11
Kyle Self Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 59	Alister, Did you pull any of the footage straight from the cards into a NLE? With the talk I have seen of the wrapper being MP4 instead of MXF I am curious how the editing software is handling it. it would be a real downer to have to wait for a software revision to read the clips. Thanks for all of the info and the screen grabs. Kyle

September 6th, 2007, 06:00 PM	#12
Jason Strongfield Regular Crew Join Date: May 2006 Location: USA Posts: 195	http://www.ingenioustv.com/images/traingrab1.jpg did you managed to shoot with its "progressive capability" ? on that grab you can see all the nasty interlacing.

September 6th, 2007, 07:43 PM	#14
Stu Holmes Major Player Join Date: May 2005 Location: Europe Posts: 844	included software with the EX1 converts the MP4's to MXF. thats from the brochure (by memory).

September 7th, 2007, 05:34 AM	#15
Mark Hartopp Major Player Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Dawlish UK Posts: 203	Hi, Does anyone know if the fan/air intake/out is well protected against dust/sand ingestation. I film alot of action sports in sandy/duty location and it's not uncommon for me to spend a day cleaning my camera after a shoot. I think this fan may be a fatal floor for me. Any new would be grate. Mark