EX3 Vs Sony HVR Z7 for broadcasting

[Ron Shook]

Michael,

[Michael Palmer] “You wrote…
“The thing that frightens me most about this way of working with the Z7 is that you put 4 more connections and 2 more devices into the chain”

FYI…..The Nano XDR (slated for November) will have HDMI capabilities and there are positive locking HDMI cables on the market now that should correct your concerns.”

There’s nothing better than HDSDI BNC locking single wire cables for this sort of thing, and you can make your own backups with 90 degree connectors that hardly protrude at all for $10 or 15 each. If you’re running around with the camcorder in a backpack, I’d feel much more comfortable with this solution, not that the HDMI solution wouldn’t work if you were more careful. So what’s the projected cost of Nano XDR? I assume it also has HDSDI input?

Ron Shook
Shoulder-High Eye Productions
CreativeCOW Forum Host for Discreet edit*

[Ofer Levy]

Thanks Ron, This is exactly the input I was hoping to get and I really apreciate your serious and objective attitude!

I will probably buy the EX3 but hope to be able to use the z7 in situations where the extra reach will be needed. (the difference between x5 and x7 crop factor is HUGE !!)

Do you thnk it would possible to use footage from both cameras?
I assume the much better quality footage obtained by the Z7+flash XDR will make the intercutting possible without risking being rejected by broadcasters because of the “inferiour” HDR footage.

Does this sound reasonable?

Thanks!
ofer

[Michael Palmer]

“There’s nothing better than HDSDI BNC locking single wire cables”
I totally agree. If his Z7 has HDMI I think I would wait for that to come out (if the 2 card slots are enough) and find those positive locking HDMI cables I saw somewhere at NAB.

I don’t know the price point yet of the Nano XDR but I assume it will be close to the same 5K USA mark as the Flash XDR unit. These XDR records will also provide benefits for immediate editing from the cards and can be used together with an HDV deck for archiving any HD signal as HDV in real time without conforming.

If I had to make a choice from the subject line question EX3 vs Z7 I would definitely choose one of the XDR units because the sensor size isn’t the only limiting factor in image quality. I believe the Z7 mated with the XDR could produce superior images (using 50 Mbps 4:2:2 compression) over the stock EX3 and the 35 Mbps XD Cam level. Obviously the EX3 and the XDR would be even better, and I’m looking forward to testing it with other HD units as well.

Good Luck
Michael Palmer

[Ron Shook]

Ofer,

[Ofer Levy] “I will probably buy the EX3 but hope to be able to use the z7 in situations where the extra reach will be needed. (the difference between x5 and x7 crop factor is HUGE !!)”

Ha, I wish I could be so cavalier about purchasing camcorders on speculation. You are aware, I hope, that you’ll need to use a pretty substantial, expensive tripod and head to shoot such long lenses in the wild. Even a little wind will jar things without enough support.

[Ofer Levy] “Do you thnk it would possible to use footage from both cameras?
I assume the much better quality footage obtained by the Z7+flash XDR will make the intercutting possible without risking being rejected by broadcasters because of the “inferiour” HDR footage.”

I would not expect intercutting to be a problem. The camcorders should match or be made to match quite well coming from the same company, using essentially the same technology. The only difference would be in some situations where the EX3 would have perhaps a bit more sensitivity and/or latitude. With the Flash XDR you can record to 35 or 50 mbps XDCAMHD or better and whatever camcorder you are using you are essentially shooting XDCAMHD or better.

That said, knowing your camera, and how to get the most out of it, is more important than the differences. And as Michael says, interesting, unique material trumps technical quality in most every instance, even with broadcasters. So when your new camcorder goes south out in the wild, get that UFO on your cell phone and see what kind of legs it has. (g)

Ron Shook
Shoulder-High Eye Productions
CreativeCOW Forum Host for Discreet edit*

[Ron Shook]

Michael,

[Michael Palmer] “I believe the Z7 mated with the XDR could produce superior images (using 50 Mbps 4:2:2 compression) over the stock EX3 and the 35 Mbps XD Cam level.”

Probably so, most likely so, at least in more controlled situations.

[Michael Palmer] “Obviously the EX3 and the XDR would be even better, and I’m looking forward to testing it with other HD units as well.”

I’ll look forward to the results of those tests.

[Michael Palmer] “If I had to make a choice from the subject line question EX3 vs Z7 I would definitely choose one of the XDR units because the sensor size isn’t the only limiting factor in image quality.”

Right you are. All HD video production camcorders, at any price point, involve limiting compromises in lots of areas. IMO, one of the most substantial limits in recent years has been in compression codecs, the quality of which has been limited by the recording media and the ability of commodity computers to deal with codec complexity. I don’t know for certain, but I suspect that the Sony chip that Flash XDR uses is the same chip used in the newest generation of XDCAMHD camcorders, the 355 and 700. But the limiting factor there is the XDCAM optical drive which can’t run fast enough to reliably record more than the 50 mbps variant of the MPEG2 codecs. Flash XDR can record to solid state media at speeds that are capable of using the full range of the encoding chip’s capabilities, and consequently the more important limiting factor becomes the quality of the Camera head. Camcorders with HDSDI output from $7k EX1’s and EX3’s to XDCAMHDs to P2Cams to HDCAMS and Varicams can benefit from Flash XDR recording. I sure hope it works well and reliably.

Regards,

Ron Shook
Shoulder-High Eye Productions
CreativeCOW Forum Host for Discreet edit*

[Ofer Levy]

Thank you Michael, Ron and Rafael for your serious and professional input! Being very new to all this I have no other alternative but to relay on the advice of pros.

From all the input I got so far looks like using the z7 with the Flash XDR is the way to go. If, for some reason this won’t work then I will have to buy the EX3.
I was planning to buy the EX3 anyhow but budget doesn’t allow me to do all at once.

Thanks again!

Ofer Levy
Sydney, Australia https://www.oferlevyphotography.com