Good things for HMC-XXX Sonys new NXCAM!

ATL Media Group

ATL Media Group

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I'd like to see some of these in the next HMC!

Sony's new AVCHD NXCAM..... First look

"In HD mode, Sony’s NXCAM records H.264 in AVCHD format at a maximum bitrate of 24 megabit per second in best mode (“FX”). Fortunately, NXCAM offers full-raster 720p and full-raster 1080i/p (in addition to subsampled 1080 formats, and SD formats encoded with MPEG2). If you live the USA or other (ex-)NTSC country, this first NXCAM will start out (“off-the-shelf”) with the standard ±60Hz-derived formats:
  • Full-raster 1080 (1920x1080) at 59.94i, 29.97p (truly native), or 23.976p (truly native)
  • Subsampled 1080 (1440x1080) 59.94i
  • Full-raster 720 (1280x720) at 59.94p
  • Standard definition (720x480) at 59.94i
  • Standard definition (720x480) at 29.97p recorded over 59.94i (not native)
  • Standard definition (720x480) at 23.976p recorded over 59.94i (not native)"
"Although this NXCAM model does not include genlock input, it does include a timecode i/o, which allows synchronizing the clock in multiple NXCAMs after making a temporary wired connection. Using the same connector, there is a switch to indicate whether it is being used as an input or an output."

This part is cool too...
"NXCAM includes a built-in GPS, which adds geo metadata to its video recordings. This information is already available in applications like Apple’s iPhoto ’09. I imagine that it will probably be in iMovie ’10 soon."
 
Seems like with all the features and stuff after reading the article I have a feeling it will cost over $5000. Figuring the tape z5u is around $4000 so I'm assuming this will be around $5000 or more. I hope not.:Drogar-BigGrin(DBG)
 
Looks like it could be a good camera - but alas the deal breaker for me at this time is still the CMOS sensor.
 
probably beats 150 in resolution and lowlight...

so wheres panny's 1/3" hmc cmos avchd? :) or hpx170 cmos avcintra!
 
I get the feeling from looking at all the emerging products that CCD is over and done with and that everyone's going to CMOS for everything...

Weird...

Must be a money thing.
 
dcloud said:
probably beats 150 in resolution and lowlight...
Click to expand...

I don't know about lowlight... it's got over twice the pixels on the same sized chips, so the individual pixels will be smaller. What's the HPX300's lowlight compared to the HMC150/HPX170? That would probably be a really good comparison, since a theoretical CMOS HMC150/HPX170 would probably use the HPX300's chips.

so wheres panny's 1/3"... hpx170 cmos avcintra!
Click to expand...
I think they could really make a lot of money with such a package, but alas the HPX170 is too new, so introducing a CMOS/AVC-I version wouldn't make any financial sense, I would think.
 
I'm thinking the combo of true 10bit HD-SDI and that GPS feature is probably going to push it more to the $4,000 - $4,500 range or more. The street price for the Z5u is $4k, and this looks to be a better camera. The Canon G1 sells for almost twice as much as the A1, and they're the same camera less the Genlock and SDI connectors, if I'm not mistaken.

But that puts it in direct competition with their own Z7u, which doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Unless one absolutely needs the Z7u's interchangable lense, why would I want that when I can get this camera for slightly less?

In any event, given the probable $1,000 - $1,500 price difference between it and the HMC150, I doubt it would be an HMC150 killer.
 
Mike Harvey said:
I'm thinking the combo of true 10bit HD-SDI and that GPS feature is probably going to push it more to the $4,000 - $4,500 range or more. The street price for the Z5u is $4k, and this looks to be a better camera. The Canon G1 sells for almost twice as much as the A1, and they're the same camera less the Genlock and SDI connectors, if I'm not mistaken.

But that puts it in direct competition with their own Z7u, which doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Unless one absolutely needs the Z7u's interchangable lense, why would I want that when I can get this camera for slightly less?

In any event, given the probable $1,000 - $1,500 price difference between it and the HMC150, I doubt it would be an HMC150 killer.
Click to expand...

I don't think it'll be an HMC "killer"... Just hoping some of the things it brings to the table will make nice additions for the next HMC.
 
The appeal is full raster rather than spatial offset.

The contrary is CMOS. Just wonder how attenuated it has been made.

I see SDI, but mention of chip or even CMOS.

did I miss that?
 
ATL Media Group said:
I'd like to see some of these in the next HMC!
Click to expand...
The HMC150 already does several of those things. Actually, when I say HMC150, I should include that the HMC40 also does it.

Full-raster 1080 (1920x1080) at 59.94i, 29.97p (truly native), or 23.976p (truly native)
Click to expand...
HMC150 already does this. Its AVCHD is full raster 1080 (in any mode other than HE mode). And the 23.976 is "truly native". The 29.97 is "over 60" but it makes absolutely zero difference, there is no difference whatsoever in the recorded footage. This is a case of claiming a meaningless title.

Subsampled 1080 (1440x1080) 59.94i
Click to expand...
HMC150 already does this, in HE mode.

Full-raster 720 (1280x720) at 59.94p
Click to expand...
HMC150 already does this.

Standard definition (720x480) at 59.94i
Standard definition (720x480) at 29.97p recorded over 59.94i (not native)
Standard definition (720x480) at 23.976p recorded over 59.94i (not native)"
Click to expand...
I would love for the HMCs to offer this. I thought it was boneheaded when Sony put out the EX1 without SD, and I think it's easily boneheaded for the HMC series to not have it. Sony at least added SD to the new EX1R, and I wish wish wish the HMC series had it too.

"Although this NXCAM model does not include genlock input, it does include a timecode i/o, which allows synchronizing the clock in multiple NXCAMs after making a temporary wired connection. Using the same connector, there is a switch to indicate whether it is being used as an input or an output."
Click to expand...
HMC150 already does this.


"NXCAM includes a built-in GPS, which adds geo metadata to its video recordings. This information is already available in applications like Apple’s iPhoto ’09. I imagine that it will probably be in iMovie ’10 soon."
Click to expand...
That would be cool to have. The bigger cameras in the P2 lineup can have a GPS card, but Sony's including it in a handycam, so that's cool.
 
dcloud said:
probably beats 150 in resolution and lowlight...
Click to expand...
I would expect it to be sharper, yes. But according to Adam Wilt's review of the Z5, he puts the ISO at "somewhere between 400 and 500". The HMC150 is pretty much 500 across the board, so the HMC150 is probably the better low-light camera. He also says that the Z5 loses resolution as you apply gain, which the HMC150 doesn't do, so as more gain is needed the HMC150 will close any resolution gap.

so wheres panny's 1/3" hmc cmos avchd? :) or hpx170 cmos avcintra!
Click to expand...
They have a 1/4" CMOS AVCHD, which will probably be sharper than the NXCAM in bright light, but certainly not as sensitive. I think the idea of a CMOS HPX170 with AVCIntra is obvious and would be most welcome, but I'm hoping if they're gonna go that far, they'll stick a M4/3 sensor in there too and make the ultimate handheld digi-cine camera.
 
DPStewart said:
I get the feeling from looking at all the emerging products that CCD is over and done with and that everyone's going to CMOS for everything...

Weird...

Must be a money thing.
Click to expand...
CMOS is becoming more prevalent in small chips, or single-chip implementations (which, yes, do seem to be "everywhere"). Sony only just recently put CMOS chips in a 2/3" camera, their first CMOS 2/3" camera ever. Their top of the line is CCD.

CMOS can deliver the pixel density in a small chip that CCD just can't do, which is why you see more and more CMOS in small chips.

And CMOS is less expensive, which is why you see it in Sony's least-expensive 2/3" camera, but you see CCD in all their higher-end stuff (all the F700/F800/F900 series and the F23 and F35). CCD is better for best quality, even by Sony's admission, which is why the Dalsa was CCD, and almost all top-end cameras are CCD. But single-chip and lower-cost and smaller-chip cams are going CMOS.
 
David S. said:
The appeal is full raster rather than spatial offset.
Click to expand...
But it's not full raster. It's 1440x810 with spatial offset. It's just diagonal spatial offset with digital interpolation of the missing pixels.

The contrary is CMOS. Just wonder how attenuated it has been made.
Click to expand...
The article says it's the same chips as the Z5, so you could see it or check out reviews.

I see SDI, but mention of chip or even CMOS.

did I miss that?
Click to expand...
You must have missed it. 1/3" CMOS with the 1440x810 diagonal layout.
 
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