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Is the Sony EX3 worth the extra…?
Hi
~First of all, sorry if this has been covered before, but before investing a huge wedge of cash i thought i’s get my own answers.
I’m planning to but a brand spanking new camera for UK broadcast work.I’ve narrowed it down to the Sony z5, Sony Z7 or the Sony EX3. I know in terms of raw specs the EX3 wins hands down but is it worth the extra cash?
My main doubt is the cost of expensive media – there is now way i am forking out £500 for a 16gb memory stick but i have looked at the SD card converter whch significantly reduces cost – has anyone had experience with these? Are they reliable?
Also, if i was to use the flash memory recorder with the sony z5, z7 am i not in effect getting the best of both worlds (solid state, and tape) and therefore trumping the EX3 option?
Does anyone have any insights int the UK broadcasting industry and know whether true HD as per the EX3 is the way to go?
thanks for all comments in advance
F
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6 Replies
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You’d probably much info if you used the search function on the forum.
BBC has preferable setting posted for the EX and it’s come up on the forum including the link to those specs.
It’s seems like every third post is about the MxR, MxM, Hoodman SDHC card adaptors. They work fine if you test the SDHC cards to confirm compatibility. Transcend Class 6 are the most common.
Otherwise it’s not even worth the time comparing the Z series to the EX series cameras. When “worth” is based on quality, it depends on what you care about as a pro. If you wonder about 1/2″ vs 1/3″ chips and XDCAM vs HDV codecs then there’s some fundamental technical homework you need to do first.
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Quite apart from Craig’s valid points you probably won’t have to pay that much for a 16 Gig S x S and anyway it’s easy enough to download the files from the card on to a laptop on location with the Sony Browser and Transfer software. Also did you consider the EX1 if you want to reduce the cost, most of the good features of the EX3 are on the EX1.
Michael Slowe
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[Fabio Basone] “but before investing a huge wedge of cash”
Sorry, but 8 grand is not a huge wad of cash. It’s a start. If you’re not willing to buy the unit, a bunch of batteries, cards, a zoom control, DSC charts, lens adapter, lenses, shoulder mount, and an accessory HD monitor, don’t bother with the camera.
Hate to be this way but 10 years ago, it cost $30k to get 1/4 of the quality.
The EX-3 kicks ass, by the way. It simply puts the HVX-200 series on the moon.
Steve Wargo
Tempe, Arizona
It’s a dry heat!Sony HDCAM F-900 & HDW-2000/1 deck
5 Final Cut (not quite PRO) systems
Sony HVR-M25 HDV deck
2-Sony EX-1 HD .Ask me how to Market Yourself using Send Out Cards
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“Ask me how to Market Yourself using Send Out Cards”
….Steve…how ?
regards
Enrique Orozco R.
iDEA DigitalVideoStudio -
e-mail me off list. This really works and doesn’t cost hardly anything. I regret I didn’t do it when I first heard about it two years ago.
thanks
Steve Wargo
Tempe, Arizona
It’s a dry heat!Sony HDCAM F-900 & HDW-2000/1 deck
5 Final Cut (not quite PRO) systems
Sony HVR-M25 HDV deck
2-Sony EX-1 HD .Ask me how to Market Yourself using Send Out Cards
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[Steve Wargo] “The EX-3 kicks ass, by the way. It simply puts the HVX-200 series on the moon.”
The EX-3 is a nice camera, and a camera that is simply a derivation of the EX-1.
The main differences are that the EX-3 has an interchangeable lense, and they’ve put an eyepiece over the LCD panel that is on the EX-1 and removed the viewfinder that is on the back of the EX-1 (which no one that I know of uses because the LCD is so good.) There are a few other control location differences, but the two are more alike than different.
On the other hand, with some ingenuity I can get my EX-1 in a Kata CC-191 bag which fits neatly into a commuter jet overhead compartment. Try that with another camera that is accepted by Discovery and the Beeb.
TimK,
Director, Consultant
Kolb Productions,
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