Would it be inappropriate to say I hate you? =)

- Ray

not at all. If I didn't have them and someone else said they did I would hate them. hate away!

Also got the new ex1 letus fix. man is that good or what? its pin sharp edge to edge and best still, you don't have to zoom in as much anymore to lose the falloff and focus on the gg on the ex1 is minimum focus lock, nice and east to keep locked down. that's the joy of an achromat designed especially for that camera!

Well I'm glad to know that they're out there but a bit beyond my humble budget at the mo. Right now I'm just tickled I was able to scrape together enough for the extended battery and a 16 gig card. A second 16 gig is next on my list of want's and then I might start dreaming of the Letus.

Doh, I do believe we have officially gone off topic.

- Ray

i expect sony will have the 32gb cards at NAB...phew, back on topic!

I agree with Craig Seeman.

A firmware update for the EX1- or at least an announcement of one. This may add new software features. I want a better readout of focus distance in feet/meters in manual mode. I seriously doubt we'll see any new hardware near that price from Sony.

I would LOVE to see a shoulder mounted EX series camera. 4 XLR's, Timecode in/out and analog i/o without adapters. Same glass options as the current 1/2" XDCAM units.

There is room for two versions in the lineup.

One with the same SxS recording options as the EX1 priced to match F330. 4 SxS slots. 8 bit 4:2:2 XDCAM recording as an option board. Early units hit the street this summer. Sort of like the S270 is to the Z7. You should be able to buy a body kit for ~$10K, and have it ready to run at $15K With the option board expect it to run $17K

A big brother with 8 bit 4:2:2 XDCAM HD recording standard replacing the F350. This one will have both Professional Disc AND SxS slots. This one will still be CMOS but with a better shutter implementation. Maybe 1/120sec or faster read out to minimize skew/wobble even further. Winter 2008/2009. $20K

The XDCAM 4:2:2 2/3" CCD camera will debut as expected. There will be an upcoming version announced with SxS slots. There will be an option on the SxS version to use 10 bit recording to SxS. If it happens (doubtful) 2009 release.

Oh, and we'll see 32GB & 64GB SxS announced priced to match or beat P2 available this summer. They might even be shipping 32GB cards in short order. EDIT: I see Phil Bloom beat me to this one.

If I were to go out on a limb, I might suggest a camera recording HDCAM SR derived 10 bit 4:2:2 codec recording to SxS. 4 to 6 SxS slots. 2/3" CCD's. HDW-750 priced ($50 K body)

Going further out on that limb- how about some sort of wavelet compressed RAW recording to their best cameras, again recording to SxS. This camera will have a 2K sensor and an uncompressed RAW output for outboard recording. (F950/F23 priced)

Let's just say things would be very interesting if I could direct Sony's camera development resources- because the above is the very least I would do.

Too much camera for the money would be promoted from an ad campaign to my war cry, and the competition's lament.

Wow really! That is amazing! Shooting in -25 celcius is not the ideal place to do critical focus so this is amazing news for me!

Oh, wont be attending NAB...back on topic, phew!

ssss

Phil, I wonder if Sony have considered at least the most outstanding points posted in this forum's "firmware update wishlist" thread!

Chris, could you make the wishlist thread a sticky so that it stands out?

If indeed the update is due in March, it may as well be ready by now - but who knows, maybe they could still consider some of our wishes?

Offering the option of interchangeable lenses is an easy fix/upgrade, like the news z7 can do. No surprise the EX was released just before it.

Although available now, incremental upgrades will be released in the future to get the consumer to buy an entirely new product, if even to get just one or two new features.

Well, I imagine a firmware upgrade will be coming soon, but again the camera has only been out for 2.5 months.

It will be a COUPLE years before seeing a new updated EX type camera.
They need to make $$ on each model.

I believe Sony has stated the EX will be a SERIES of cameras. I don't doubt they will have additional models in higher price ranges shortly just as there are F330s and F350s. For that reason I think a shoulder mount and/or interchangeable lens variant would be announced in April at NAB with delivery later in the year. It will NOT be a replacement for the EX1. It will be an additional model . . . so says my crystal ball (8 Ball?).

I doubt it..
That would be bad marketing.

The EX1 has not had enough time for sales number to get where Sony could justify something else that might hamper the EX1 sales numbers.

I don't think a $15,000 version is going to impact a $6500 version. Different market. The EX1 already has many features the F330 does not have. On the other hand the F330 is shoulder mount and interchangeable lenses. I think that's a good target at more than double the price.

Don't forget those who want the interchangeable lenses (and their cost) are really looking in a different price class. I wouldn't don't there are those in that price class who are wishing for something with features of both.

In fact those who can afford the equivalent of an F330 may well want to buy something in that price class as well as an EX1 for B camera use.

two camera shoot
 

Were you able to sync time timecode on your 2 camera shoot?

The XDCam EX is a series of cameras that is designed to be in the lower tier market ( at least according to the video I saw with a bigwig from Sony talking ). I really doubt that we'd see an XDCam EX product in the same price range as the XDCam (XDCam Disc recording) price range.

Now what I'm expecting to see is some XDCam HD products ( even higher bitrate and color space recording ) which was announced but I haven't been following and I don't think I've seen any out since the announcement.

Just so everyone is clear ( and correct me if I'm wrong ) the XDCam Line up goes XDCam HD422 ( 4:2:2 50Mbps or so recording ), XDCam HD ( 4:2:0 18 & 35 Mbps bit rates | F330/350 etc...), and XDCam EX Series ( 4:2:0 18, 25, & 35 Mbps | currently just the EX-1 )

So to remain on topic here, at NAB I expect to see ( besides myself working with some great friends at the show talking to lots of great people from all over the world) some XDCam HD cameras that are in the "more than I can really afford / need" price range, some pretty ladies in short skirts ( one year I worked in the Sony Booth Demo'ing the HDXchange server system and there were two young blonde twins across from us that were getting hit on by nearly every guy that walked by ), and a whole mess of other things that are gonna be really really neat, fun, and provide me more ways to reduce the money in my bank account :).

Dave

David, I worked the Sony booth last year and taught a class as well. There was no shortage of 'talent' wandering around the booth and collecting info.

Also a correction... the current XDCAM HD disc cameras shoot 18VBR, 25CBR, and 35VBR in 4:2:0.

The forthcoming PDW-700 is a 2/3 camera shooting at the higher 50mbs rate with 4:2:2 sampling. Body price is around $32K. However, being aimed at ENG work, it will lack 24P and over/under crank. I suspect later firmware updates might allow those missing things to be added.

regards,

-gb-