PDW-700 Now Available

[John Cummings]

From the B&H website: “Est. arrival at B&H is 2-4 weeks”

I thought it wasn’t available until October? So does it do 24p?

J Cummings
DP/Chicago
http://www.cameralogic.tv

[Robin Probyn]

At last! wonder if it will become popular and take over the doco /corp markets.Then at last we freelancers will know what camera to buy… or am I fooling myself??

[David Issko]

As I understand all matters PDW-700, it is officially being launched at NAB next week and should be available shortly thereafter, except for some whispers that the first run will be committed to the Olympics. At least here in Australia, it is scheduled for delivery late May/early June.

As the model does not have the ‘F’ nor CineAlta labelling, it is not a 24p camera.

By all expectations and after seeing at least 30 mins of recorded footage from a pre production camera, it should be a real cracker of a unit. Virtually no picture noise, great dynamic range, a reported 30 sec picture cache, useful options and lots more features teamed with one of the new ZA Fujinon lenses should make this camera the pick of the crop in its range, even if it is one of the heaviest and the most power hungry Sony camcorders available.

[David C jones]

My understanding is it shoots 1080i and 720p; wouldn’t that make it a CineAlta (if it records 24p…or doesn’t it)? Anyway, I was shocked at the price; for months we’ve been led to believe it would be around $40,000. Now, it’s listed for less than $29,000. How can it be less than the stand def version that’s been out for years? Is it because it won’t do 1080p? Or perhaps because it doesn’t have other options that even the EX-1 has? I’m very much interested in this camera if the image quality blows everything else out of the water but, I’m a little concerned about the lack of options it offers.

[Roland Blaser]

Living in PAL surrounding (25 frames) and producing for the broadcast world I do not really care about 24p. Many cinema movies have been produced in 25p. Maybe some of you would like to kill me for this but IMO a playback difference of one frame (production in 25p, playback in cinemas 24p) is acceptable – it’s around 4 percent speed error…
Much more I would miss Variable Frame Rates because this tool becomes more and more common in the broadcast and doc world. I really hope this will be part of an upgrade path, otherwise this camcorder will miss an important tool others will offer as standard in this camcorder class most probably rather soon.
Something nice, by the way, seems to be the new digital wireless two channel audio. I always missed a two channel slot-in solution for interviews with two transmitters. Or wireless stereo from the audio mixer.
Looking forward whether the price in Europa is in the same range as the one in US.
Cheers, Roland

[Steve Wargo]

[roland.blaser] “Maybe some of you would like to kill me”

We may get sarcastic about really stupid questions but no one has ever actually been killed here.

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 .

[Simon Wyndham]

I borrowed one for a weekend a couple of weeks ago. Uses the same body base as the SD cameras, so it feels a bit more solid than the 1/2″ cameras and balances nicely. Virtually no noise at all on the picture.

It drinks power, but that is to be expected with those chips. The pre-production camera I used was rated at 40w. There a colour temp button can store five white balance presets that you can cycle between by pressing it. There was a 30sec cache, which is enough time to be able to swap out to another disc if you are doing a press conference etc.

The camera I tried had an early firmware and could only do 50i. 24p is likely to be via an option board just like it was on the SD cameras. No variable framerate (and for the record, non of the current tapeless Panasonic cameras above the 500 can do VFR either, and nor can the GV Infinity). However if you don’t want odd framerates like 32fps etc, you can always record footage in 720p/60 and do a frame for frame conversion in post for smooth slow mo.

SDI in is an option, but it does have two SDI outs on the back. I have a run down of what I liked and disliked on my website. Hopefully it won’t be too long before I get hold of a production model.

[Steve Connor]

The XDCam codecs for this camera have now appeared in Final Cut, there is a 24p, 25 and 30P version of it!

BTW this now gives you a great mastering codec to use for your EX/XDCam HD material.

Steve Connor
Adrenalin Television

Have you tried “Search Posts”? Enlightenment may be there.

[Simon Wyndham]

Nice 🙂 Just downloading the update now.

[Steve Connor]

Both native XDcam HD and EX files play in a 422 timeline with no rendering at all!

Steve Connor
Adrenalin Television

Have you tried “Search Posts”? Enlightenment may be there.