New PIX-E recorders/monitors from Sound Devices

OK, I found a reason to go with the SDI version.

If I buy one of these today, it's a 4K recorder for my a7S. But my next camera will probably record 4K internally, with a codec that may not be as nice as ProRes 422 HQ, but should be like XAVC-S or better. On that camera, though, the PIX would become my external 1080p monitor (or viewfinder, with a loupe). It's cheaper than the viewfinder of the URSA mini, for example, so it's still a good buy. But the URSA mini uses SDI for the viewfinder, and doesn't even have HDMI-out, according to the spec list.

I think the chances of *me* buying a camera with no HDMI-out int he next 3 or 4 years are pretty slim: the URSA mini is a bit too big and heavy for what I usually do. Then again, end of history illusion.

Are there any other differences between the E5 and the E5H, apart from SDI? I see prores 4444 XQ vs 422 HQ, and 6% more weight


Also: cost of media. This thing records on standard mSATA drives (around $200 for 90 minutes of 4K ProRes 422 HQ), on a SpeedDrive enclosure which I guess is a PIX-specific thing and for which I have seen no price information yet.
 
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Not bad, then. Total cost with 90 minutes worth of media would be $1500 for the E5H, $1700 for the E5.

Let's try to turn me away from buying this...
* I'd also need a bigger SSD for my PC (another $200)
* I'd lose the ability to revisit finished projects (I would be generating 6-10 TB worth of data every year, 15x more than currently; I can't indefinitely store that much)
* The next NEX is rumored to have internal 4K (and to be delayed because of related heat issues). I could wait a couple of years for an a7S-III with internal 4K and IBIS.
 
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I am in sort of same situation as you, Samuel.
I really really really want an Odyssey 7Q for my FS700, but with recording option now becoming $200 more expensive, the cost to get started is €2495 or so plus $995 for recording option. For that money I could almost sell the FS700 and buy an FS7 that would do what I need and more out of the box. (new batteries and media makes that out of my reach as of yet though).

Biggest thing with the O7Q is that it can turn the 4K into superb 10bit HD, that's the function I want the most. Cause as you I can't afford the hard drive space to store 4K ProRes files...
 
Interesting, so it seems like the 7" version has dual SDI and can do 4K via SDI...
Still no word on support for FS raw? (Converted to ProRes)
 

Something that people are not talking about which puts the PIX E5 in a league of its own. The PIX-LR put sound devices pre amps for only........... $ 300. This is huge and in many ways future proof this recorder a lot more, imagine that the cheapest sound devices audio only recorder is $ 2000. So you can get a full featured professional monitor, 4k recorder and audio recorder for $ 1500 !!!!!!!!!!! I mean it is lower than the shogun or Odyssey 7Q. The only thing I would like to know and for reporters to ask them if they intend to supply raw recording in the future. Something I am sure the hardware should be capable of.


 
wow, only $300 for the audio add-on. very happy to hear that. the only standout question i have is anamorphic desqueeze. the shogun and odyssey address this. and i hope, hope, hope the PIX-E line-up will too. i've posed the question on Facebook (and twitter) but haven't heard back yet.

also, I wonder how much the kit with the sunhood and batteries is? i assume it won't be over-inflated based on the numbers we've seen so far. $150 maybe?
 
Talk about, showing up late at the Party....but absolutely blowing the Shogun and Q7 away!

the 5" PIX-E5 looks the biz! Love the drive being USB3 based...!
 
Everything you could want in a recorder. Wondering if there is 4k to 1080p downscale recording on it.
 
Given how fast CFast cards are, having a good 4K to 1080p 444 would sweeten the deal quite a bit: buying just 256GB of media, you can store 90 minutes of 1080p 444, or 45 minutes of 4K.
 
I was just about to pull the trigger on getting an Atomos Shogun. And now I see the PIX E5 for $100 less. Is there anything the Shogun can do that the PIX-E5 can't???
Anything better about the Shogun screen? More exposure checking options? Higher res?
 
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Nicholas Natteau said:
I was just about to pull the trigger on getting an Atomos Shogun. And now I see the PIX E5 for $100 less. Is there anything the Shogun can do that the PIX-E5 can't???
Anything better about the Shogun screen? More exposure checking options? Higher res?
Click to expand...
The Shogun price is going to be dropped May, 1st (by stripping it of accessories!) and Q7 is being discounted with A7s (actually, a lowered combo price).
 
geffyb said:
Will be grabbing an E5 for my NX1.
Click to expand...

I have the NX1 & GH4. With this recorder, you can plug either of these cameras into it & have it record 4K ProRes 4:2:2? Is that the appeal? Forgive my ignorance, but I don't get it. Why is this attractive?

I must be missing something. Sorry, all I've ever known is my $250 5" ikan monitor (not a recorder!).
 
Finster said:
have it record 4K ProRes 4:2:2? Is that the appeal?
Click to expand...

That pretty much nails it on the head.

You get 220Mbps - Less Macro Blocking
You get 10Bit color - Better Gradients (and for grading in post this could help)
You get 4:2:2 Chroma Subsampling - So you get truer colors

Now all this is true on paper - however all this doesn't give you automatically better video :) (as I've found out!)

For me, the on screen tools are more important at the moment and the VideoDevices overlays look great!
 
You only get 10-bit color and 422 chroma subsampling if the camera exports that. Many cameras send 8-bit 420 through the HDMI, if that's the case you get 8-bit 420 encapsulated in 10-bit 422 files. Not sure about NX1 and GH4 in particular.
 
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