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XDCAM HD Impact
I know it’s early, but I am curious what my fellow Varicam owners/shooters think of the new Sony HD camera. Obviously it is only a 1/2″ chip camera, and is far more compressed. I was amazed to see they are including variable frame rates equal to the Varicam. Based on the initial specs, I think the Varicam is still superior, but the new Sony cam is cheap 17-25K.
What impact on Varicam business do you think it will have? Is this strictly a ENG cam? Do we care?
Chris Bell
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4 Replies
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Hi there
Ive used the HD XDCAM in Japan,the (higher grade model) is a very nice camera.You can use 2/3 inch lenses with an adaptor,shoot variable speed,and see it in playback without need of a frame rate convertor.Or need to que up after playback.
The 1/2inch Canon lenses made for these camera,s are a complete non starter!
But the sony guy said this camera is not aimed as a competitor to their HDCAM line,or so Varicam,anytime soon,and the chip is ofcourse 1/2 inch.
Although the body shape is a bit ugly (same as the new DSR 450) this a very nice camera for the price,but not aimed (as yet) as being in competition with their own HDCAM or Varicam.
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Chris,
I would be more concerned about what happens when the GV infinity camcorder is released with 24P at a price point of 20K.
But then again there is the eventually releases of the P2 Varicam to follow.
Tony Salgado
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Current crop of recorders/codec are 35mbs.
Also Varicam in progressive mode is probably certianly higher quality as these 1/2 inch XDCAMHD cams use faux deinterlace nudge nudge wink wink progressive processing.At least Sony do not call it a progressive camcorder, rather they say it “records” progressive. Lets keep them honest about that !!!
35mb may be just ok for a single generation pass in a facility then out to transmission. Its laughable it has the cinealta badge and they talk about timelapse ect being used by cinematographers.
1/2 inch lens isn’t much chop…The infinity will be interesting but if it isn’t a cmos chip for that price point I’ll buy everyone on this list a beer at NAB!
Mike Brennan
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[Redflag] “You can use 2/3 inch lenses with an adaptor,”
How much image do you lose through the adaptor with a 2/3″ lens? Is 5.2mm still 5.2 on the 1/2″ chip? Is it more like the equivilent of 8 or 10mm in a 2/3″ system?
I bought a Nikon digital still camera, and found tha a 24mm lens for my film body yielded the equvilent of 35mm on the digital body?
Anyone know if this might be a similar situation with 2/3 vs. 1/2 inch chips?
T.Krohn
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