Sony PMW-350K Camcorder of 2009

You awarded camcorder of the year to a press release? Don't you at least even have to see one or use it before handing it the title of best of the year? It's not even going to be available in 2009...
 
I know you can't be the only... other guy from Scotland apart from me and post something ridiculous like that :P

I mean cooome on! and welcome to the boards btw :)
 
Without HD422 this is just an EX3 attached to a big plastic box, with doubled price. Seriously, 4:2:0 @ 35 Mbit/s ? On a $20K camcorder?
 
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Sony are not known for bringing out crap at this level of equipment, my "award" is for a manufacturer who listens to the end user, puts quality over sales, remember this camcorder will have an impact on the likes of the 700. Alister Chapman is very impressed with the 350 and as he tells me it's quieter than the EX-3 and that takes a lot to beat.
The 350 is the EX shoulder mount camcorder we all asked for and Sony has not only delivered but have surpassed themselves by making it a 2/3" camcorder.
I will get my hands on one in December and as usual do a video review against the EX-3, I have no doubt that I will be blown away by it. I knew I would get a rough ride on DVX user but I can take the punches thanks for the feedback and for visiting my blog. PS. Barry it came out during 2009 and I would be even more stupid calling it the camcorder of 2010 !!!
 
It hasn't come out. It'll first start shipping in January. It won't be on the market in any way in the year 2009.

Seems silly to me.
 
Barry_Green said:
2/3" chips. Big difference from the EX3.
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$12-15K extra just for a 2/3-inch chip?

In your opinion, 2/3-inch chips with 4:2:0 MPEG-2 @ 35 Mbit/s vs.1/3-inch chips with 10-bit 4:2:2 AVC-Intra @ 100 Mbit/s, which one? Would your opinion be different if prices were equal? I guess, in either case the answer will be "depends on what you want/need". ;-)
 
Barry_Green said:
It hasn't come out. It'll first start shipping in January. It won't be on the market in any way in the year 2009.

Seems silly to me.
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Barry, the camcorder arrived during 2009, it's a mere technicality that it may not ship till 2010. Why are you so hung up about shipping.
I was under the impression that you were video minded like myself, NAB was a damp squib, JVC had announced their camcorders about 2 weeks before NAB. This is the biggest news on the video front I have written about since NAB. It's all about DSLRs and Canon seem to be falling over themselves producing so called HD video DSLRs. This DSLR market is for mavericks...not for older pros like me. Video is what I have used for the last 25 years and until Canon Pro Video bring out a solid state, shallow depth of field camcorder then I will stick to video.
 
HDWarrior said:
Sony are not known for bringing out crap at this level of equipment, my "award" is for a manufacturer who listens to the end user, puts quality over sales, remember this camcorder will have an impact on the likes of the 700.
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If they listened to the customers, why are people already planing on adding nano flash to record? And CMOS are far from ideal for all the possible markets of the new 350, I'm aware that cmos are the only way to get 1080 "cheap".

The 350 is and example on how manufactures deliberately tones down gear to not compete with more expensive gear. I'm looking forward to this camera are put through real tests...hopefully they will show that there are more to the PDW-F800 than CCD and 4:2:2.
 
HDWarrior said:
Barry, the camcorder arrived during 2009, it's a mere technicality that it may not ship till 2010. Why are you so hung up about shipping.
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Because -- as of now, it's nothing more than an announcement. It seems to me like you're bestowing the Oscar for Best Picture on a film after only hearing about the trailer. If you haven't seen the film itself, how can you award it the best picture oscar?

If the camera isn't out yet, how can it possibly be considered the "best" of a year in which it won't even be released?

Like I say, it makes no sense whatsoever.

Granted, introductions this year have been lean. No Scarlet, etc. But you still had a few notable actual introductions to choose from:
HPX300, native 1920x1080 chips recording to a 10-bit solid-state format at a street price under $8,000 including lens. To me this is the real "camera of the year" because this is what converted major broadcast organizations to abandoning 2/3" and centralizing operations around 1/3", which smashed price barriers and preconceived notions, and on top of that it brings something new to the field -- affordable 10-bit recording. There's never been a 10-bit HD recording format available in a camera before, and now you can get it in a unit that costs $7,000.

Other contenders should include:
JVC HM700, 1/3" interchangeable-lens CCD camera with native Quicktime recording for FCP users.

JVC HM100, a... well, a grossly overpriced microcam, but at least it was a 2009 introduction.

Panasonic HMC40, true high-def performance at under $2,000.

And, of course, the obvious contenders, the ones that have all the buzz, the Panasonic GH1 and Canon 7D; they're not "conventional" video cameras but they do shoot video and they're available today and they've set the world on fire.

If you want to choose from "announced but not shipping yet," Arri's new line of digital cinema cameras were announced, don't know if they're shipping yet. And there's the Iconix, and -- if you're okay with something being announced but not delivered in 2009, you could wait eight days and get the scoop on the Scarlet, Epic, and Epic-X.

But, hey, it's your blog, you can award whatever you want. I just think it's silly to award Camcorder of the Year to a press release, instead of a product that actually delivered during the year. Make it eligible for 2010, sure, but 2009? Makes no sense.
 
Barry lets go through some of those contenders...

Panasonic HPX-300...If Panasonic had not made the fatal mistake by adding 1/3" chips into a great camcorder there would have been no contender, this had the potential to be "Camcorder of the year 2009" but the chips let it down badly. (Video Review HD Warrior)

JVC-HM700 a camcorder that I was very impressed with but very poor in low lighting situations due to the CCD but a very good contender. (Video Review HD Warrior)

JVC HM100 I bought this little baby to film my son's wedding this year in Italy am very impressed but once again the 1/4" chips let it down in low light and can be a bit fiddly to use. (User Review HD Warrior).

Panasonic HMC-40 One of the few camcorders I have not reviewed this year but once again is spoiled by it's blocky looks.
Note. Panasonic have been riddled with badly designed hand held AVCCAM & P2 camcorders.

GH1 is great for size and one of the few hybrid HD DSLRs with a must have swivel viewfinder, a lot noisier in low light due to the chip itself and no audio monitoring or audio adjustment.

Canon 5DMk11 The first full frame HD DSLR produces exceptional low light footage but let down by static LCD and poor audio facilities.

Canon 7D let down from day one with it's noisy APS sensor and the 1.6x conversion once again poor audio facilities.

Scarlet has the potential to be up there but it won't be available till 2010 no one has seen or reviewed one in the flesh but this has great potential for the 2010 title.

Sony EX-1R announced and reviewed by Alister Chapman, should be available from December 2009. Apart from SD recording and a few cosmetic tweaks it's a Revised EX-1 in other words a poorly designed EX-1 made slightly better !

Sony PMW-350K 2/3" Exmor chips, has great looks, records up to 35Mbs in camera which is good enough for me or you can record higher bit rates via the HD SDI out of the camcorder, Alister Chapman told me it was less noisy than the EX-3 and that takes some doing ! The only minus is it's price but if you want a very hi end performing camcorder you can expect to pay £14K with lens, remember not everyone needs a lens that will save you at least £3K.
(Hands on review...December 2009 HD Warrior)
 
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HDWarrior said:
Panasonic HMC-40 One of the few camcorders I have not reviewed this year but once again is spoiled by it's blocky looks.
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Seriously - you are discounting a camera you have never tried on the basis of it's looks...? I find that remarkable.
 
Joe give me a break how many 1/4" camcorders do you need to review to know they are going to be noisy in low light, you of all people should know that. My so called award is more for the company itself and their response to the market needs, if it were based on pure technical abilities Barry Green is quite correct in saying I have not seen the 350.
The PMW-350 hits all the right spots and is produced by a company who listens. I was expecting a 1/2" camcorder but Sony went one better and thats good enough for me.

FACT...1/4" and 1/3" chips are noisy in low light.
 
HDWarrior said:
Alister Chapman is very impressed with the 350 and as he tells me it's quieter than the EX-3 and that takes a lot to beat.
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Alister Chapman the storm / tornado chaser? The guy that uses a cmos ex-1 to shoot lightning? What kind of DP uses a cmos cam for lightning? I have seen a few clips, not good, rolling shutter ruined most of them.
 
HDWarrior said:
Joe give me a break how many 1/4" camcorders do you need to review to know they are going to be noisy in low light, you of all people should know that. .
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I misunderstood. I thought your reference to the cameras 'blocky looks' and Panasonic's poorly designed handheld cameras was referring to the physical appearance of the camera....
 
ChipG said:
Alister Chapman the storm / tornado chaser? The guy that uses a cmos ex-1 to shoot lightning? What kind of DP uses a cmos cam for lightning? I have seen a few clips, not good, rolling shutter ruined most of them.
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Fortunately the new XDCAM clip browser just released has "Flash Band Reduction" built in (V2.6).
 
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