EX1 or
 

Folks
Shall I submit my EX1 order or wait , are we expecting any successor or updates for this camcorder in the near future ?

The successor is already out. It is called the Ex-3.

EX3 is not a successor. It's the next in a series. EX1 is still very much being sold. In fact the firmware update for EX1, which is very recent, gave it some of the EX3 features (like the ability to use SDHC cards). My guess is NAB will bring something like an EX5 as full shoulder mount and other additions and will cost more.

Maybe EX-2

If anyone wanted to hear high praise for the EX1-3 you should have caught the Sony interactive internet expo, I think you can still register and catch all of it in the archives

The earliest a new model is likely to be announced is NAB, and don't then expect anything to be generally available for at least several months. So if you need such a camera within (say) the next six months, I'd go ahead with the order. Even if an EXx did get announced at NAB, it may not be a direct competitor to the EX1 - more likely more upmarket/more expensive.

i wonder if sony feels that the panny hmc150 is competition for the ex1/ex3 line.

thoughts?

thanks in advance for sharing your insights

be well

rob katz
smalltalk productions

That should probably be another thread, so as not to "hi-jack" this one.

Can you give us the Cliff's Notes version?

Personally I am intrigued by the new JVC offering that is getting a lot of buzz this week.

Seems like an EX1 guts, not CMOS but 3 CCD, 19, 25 & 35mbps recording, same recording resolutions from the EX1/3, smaller footprint, cheaper they are saying around $4000, and best of all, it records direct to cheap class 6 SDHC to a Quicktime format that can go from the card directly into Final Cut Pro.

And they are announcing a bigger brother at NAB this year.

that JVC may be an EX killer with the same low light chips and no cmos issues to deal
with.

I think it's more likely the other way around. When first released they were very different products, aimed at completely different markets - the Ex was more expensive, but much higher quality, and relied on expensive SxS memory, and a workflow which necessitated downloading. The 150 was cheaper, but offered memory so cheap it could be put on the shelf as it's own archive.

All that changed with the ability to use SDHC in the EX. Overnight the workflows of the two cameras became comparable, with the EX codec much easier to edit, though at the expense of a higher data rate.

What it meant was that if you compare cost of camera and a decent amount of memory, rather than just camera bodies, the cost difference between the two went dramatically down. Whereas previously the better quality and manual lens etc of the EX may not have been seen as worth the difference, now it seems far more worthwhile.
It's a very different camera - most especially in that it has 1/4" chips as opposed to the 1/2" of the EX. JVC haven't announced the specifics of the chips, but I can't believe they will be full 1920x1080, and if they were it would have poor low light performance. I see it as much more of a direct competitor to the 150 than the EX.

Lots have high hopes on this new JVC baby but I feel even with their new CCD's the low light performance will let it down.

I would sell my EX1 tomorrow if I am proved wrong BUT how are 1/4" CCD's (x3) gonna get decent resolution/sharpness (without the usual pixel shifting edge colouring) AND decent low light specs.

I think we are all willing it to live up to the usual marketing spin but as per usual reality will more than likely bite and we'll be left deflated.

Lets hope I'm wrong!

Can't wait to see some test footage

JVC have already said it will have pixel shift, so the sensors themselves will not be full resolution. It also doesn't have nice manual focus, iris and zoom rings. It's not an EX replacement, but what it looks like it will be is a good small discreet camera for unobtrusive shooting. As for the final picture quality, well we will have to wait and see. I doubt it will be up to the standard of the EX with 1/4" sensors, but until we see it in the flesh we can only guess. As I see it this will compliment the EX range nicely, near EX quality that you can use without attracting any attention.

There is a really insightful thread here on the whole notion of how the EX1/EX3 is positioned in the marketplace against other cameras giving possible scenarios about how Sony will react to advances by other manufacturers. The idea of a substantive feature addition via firmware is floated that would give the EX1/3 some more legs in the face of cameras either in the marketplace or about to be. All theorizing but a lot of good thinking goes into the possible scenarios given. I would read it particularly if you are someone very high up in Sony's video division!

I would doubt that Sony will have a newer version of the EX1 so soon, especially since there's nothing on the market in the price range that can touch it. For those needing these high-def specs (min 1/2" chips), nothing else comes close to this resolution in this target market. I think Sony put a lot into this puppy and they need it on the market longer. But I honestly don't know what I'm talking about. They might need to answer the Scarlet when it eventually comes out. Panosonic's recent offerings, although great for their target market, just don't compete with the specs/resolution yet and they don't appear to be aggressively going that direction with their latest stuff. My opinion only.

I evaluated a Panasonic HMC150 but it isn't in the same class as the EX1 from an image quality and pro feel. I actually liked the weight, balance and ergonomics of the HMC150 but the wretched AVCHD workflow (at least on a Mac) made it a big hard drive hog and more time consuming to ingest and edit than HDV tape.

If your a PC / Windows user maybe Vegas works with AVCHD well but on the Mac right now it's a loser for pro work if you shoot a lot of footage.

The JVC EXCam, if the image quality is good, is a great companion to the EX1 but I have doubts it would equal or surpass it quality wise, however I'm still very excited about that camcorder. However the EX1 is over 1 year old now, they may come up with an update to it that may address some of the annoyances that we all put up with. Right now the EX1 is in a unique sweet spot of price and features, the EX3 maybe more so because of the lens options.

There's something else - the EX-1, with its 1/2" chip, out to have a DOF much closer to 35 mm film than a 1/4" chip set.

Personally, I hate 35 mm adapters and want a cam that already is close to "film" DOF.

john

You are deluding yourself. NO WAY a camera with 1/4" chips is going to kill the camera with 1/2" chips.

Maybe they're thinking that it's not the size, but how you use them.

I didnt realize it had .25" chips until i read a few more posts, ugh, what a waste.
why couldnt jvc put the SDHC capability into the GY series they already have?

JVC HM cameras will complement Sony EX series nicely. The don't compete so much as offer a broader range of options all using the EX codec.

HM100 1/4" CCD
HM700 1/3" CCD and shoulder mount (although the picture was pulled).

You'll now have the option of a smaller hand held or shoulder mount camera (assuming the HM700 ends up looking like the picture) in addition smaller CCD chips or larger CMOS chips. JVC fills the holes Sony left open. Personally I think their partnership is really going to put the squeeze on Panasonic. We'll see what Sony does on the higher end to compete with Panasonic.

Please do read the thread that was linked to on the discussion. JVC and Sony are in alliance to have the EX codec take a lead over AVC IMHO.