This is what I heard. Panasonic HPX-300 form factor true shoulder camera.

Basically a better EX-3.

Perhaps Chris had better buy in some more bandwidth for Tuesday

This morning's teaser from Sony describes the announcement as "Big, industry-shaking, ground-breaking". A shoulder-mounted EX3 doesn't fit that description.

An affordable, compact, shoulder-mounted 3D camcorder does. Sony believe that they can drive demand for their 3D consumer TV's (arriving 2010) by launching this product now.

They want to dominate the nascent consumer 3D TV market. After seven consecutive loss-making years they desperately need a hit. They've cut OLED R&D (Samsung & LG now blaze that trail), that leaves Sony with all their eggs in the 3D basket.

With their lead in broadcast camera technology, Sony are uniquely placed to pull this off.

It's a copier (they had to compete with Canon).

Kidding... ;-)

not very amusing that guys "in the know" come on here and say "you'll get a surprise but I can't say more". No offence but I could say something like that to big note and never be proved wrong (I don't have any inside info BTW). No value added here.

Thank goodness I don't fly to Japan until next week as I've got lots of yen in travellers cheques with an EX1's name on them, but if this thing on the 20th surprises it might mean I buy that instead. If it's out soonish.

My speculation:
Maybe Sony is going to release a Red scarlet non-vapor competitor, 4:2:2 and 50+ mbps.

2/3" with removable lens (native or adaptable to B4), decent form factor, ie HPX300, radio mic slot, VF as good or better than EX3, solid(!!), 50Mbps MPEG2 (although 10bit would be better), affordable single use media with 150min plus record time, no IR contamination issues and PQ & low light to match (hopefully better) the EX3 would have me waiting in line.

Conventional wisdom:A 1/2inc shoulder mount EX variant, maybe with. A 2/3inch would cannibalize the 700-800 cameras especially if it is priced below 20K.

Unconventional thinking: A S35 sensor and SLR lens compatibility.

Both in the 35Mbits realm, unless Sony has managed something extraordinary.

No worries. DV Info Net is well prepared, as always.

http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/sony-xdc...-new-ex1r.html

New EX1R is out....

a site link also

Sony PMW-EX1R

Some of the "big" things are
Cache Record up to 15 seconds
HDMI out
Standard Def recording
One push Auto Iris
One push for S&Q change
New View Finder
Camera holding
Switch improvements
Firmware upgrade by users.

I presume this isn't Tuesday's BIG announcement?

Well if THAT'S ALL the big new release that "those in the know" said we would get then that's a very big let down IMHO. This is a very good, welcome but modest upgrade to a stunning cam.

Let's hope there is more good (read better) news to come on 20th.

EDIT: I see Mike and I think in the same way on this one!

I believe it's not. I read on another forum that there are two models for release. They're announcing this one and another one. The EX1R info from the web page that is posted here probably got leaked as there isn't a Sony press release for it yet.

This isn't a big announcement. BIG = big new sensor. So it's an upgraded EX1 PLUS a big-sensor Scarlet/upcoming-Canon killer.

Yeah Damian, you could. But since anyone who knows me, knows that I'm not in the habit of spreading fertilizer on message boards. Especially one where I've moderated for a few years. You can believe me or not, your choice. The same can be said for Alister and a few others around here who have a close working relationship with Sony as early adopters of the XDCAM family.

Regards,

-gb-