Summary: How can an HD camera that looks this good be this inexpensive? It’s not perfectly weighted, but the images are amazing. You wouldn’t think that the PMW-EX1’s 1/2-inch Exmor CMOS chips could possibly create that luscious sharp/soft contrast you see in bigger cameras, but they do.
Target Apps Indy films, TV news and magazine field production, corporate media production
What It Costs You $7,790
What's Cool Astoundingly excellent lens and 1/2-inch CMOS chips bring back short depth of field; big, bright LCD flip-out monitor; rotating servo-zoom pod
What's Missing Few will be able to hand-hold this camera for long; SteadyShot is nothing to write home about; SxS recording system requires a whole new attitude toward archiving.
Specs
Dimensions: 178 x 176 x 311.5 mm (7 1/8 x 7 x 12 3/8 inches) without projection Weight: Approx. 2.4 kg (5 lb, 4 oz) body Total Equipped Weight: Approx. 2.8 kg (6 lb, 2 oz.) with lens hood, large eye cup, BP-U30 battery, one SxS PRO memory card Power Consumption: Approx. 13 W (while recording, with color LCD OFF, 1920 x 1080/59.94i mode) Operating Temperature: 0 to 40 °C (32 to 104°F) Continuous Operating Time: Approx. four hours with BP-U60 battery; approx. two hours with BP-U30 battery Recording/Playback Time: HQ Mode: Approx. 50 min. with SBP-16 (16 GB) memory card, approx. 25 min. with SBP-8 (8 GB) memory card; SP Mode: Approx. 70 min. with SBP-16 (16 GB) memory card, approx. 35 min. with SBP-8 (8 GB) memory card
Smart Advice
A great feature on a camera of this size is "Slow & Quick Motion," commonly known as "over-cranking" and "under-cranking." This lets you add the effects of slow and fast motion.
The Peaking function of the PMW-EX1 camcorder can simplify precise focusing by altering the way pictures are displayed on the LCD monitor and viewfinder. It can enhance the outline of the image that the camera focuses on most.
The XDCAM comes with two versions of clip browser for Mac and PC and the PDZK-P1 XDCAM Transfer software for Apple Final Cut Pro nonlinear editing systems.
The rotating handgrip should be standard equipment on all cameras. Unfortunately, on the PMW-EX1, it doesn't do much to make handheld operation any easier.
One nice—and very surprising thing about the pmw-EX1 is the clean, uncluttered control layout. The swing-out LCD panel is remarkably bright and sharp.
Comments (10) for "Sony PMW-EX1"
1.
It's a HDV not HD!
Posted by Javier Valledor on Friday, April 4, 2008 @ 10:56 PM
2.
I'm glad I'm not the only one uneasy about how camera original footage is archived in the flash memory age. And having had three hard drives fail last year.... Plus archiving 1920 x 1080 onto "an inexpensive dual-layer DVD-R disc" is a new one one me. This HD content would be in what format (how badly compressed)? One can only wait for a portable Blu-Ray field deck, I suppose.
Posted by Tim Savage on Tuesday, April 8, 2008 @ 05:34 PM
3.
It can shoot in HDV as well, but it's native full HD
Posted by Josh on Monday, April 14, 2008 @ 10:06 AM
4.
"archiving 1920 x 1080 onto "an inexpensive dual-layer DVD-R disc" is a new one on me"
But surely: as it's capturing clips, unless you do one unbroken shot, each file will be a lot smaller than the standard 13Gb you're used to dealing with if you use DV or HDV. So DVD will be fine, as you're just dealing with a lot more - smaller - files.
The cost of the cards will fall, anyway.
Posted by Nick Hill on Monday, April 21, 2008 @ 12:11 PM
5.
Love the look we're getting from this camera.
I have to agree regarding the ergonomics. Our DP hates, hates, hates the feel of the camera for handheld shots. We purchased a shoulder mount for the camera, but the balance is still off (it rolls to the left).
I realize this is not a full-size camera, but some short of shoulder mount would go a long way toward making this a great camera – not just a very good camera.
Posted by Chris Conroy on Thursday, April 24, 2008 @ 03:09 PM
6.
If you don't mind a bulky rig, Varizoom's Media Rig ($650) will let you hold the camera hands-free all day long without breaking a sweat. If you just want a small support, Anton Bauer's got the EZ Grip (don't know how their Stasis Flex feels--it's a bit bigger and Over the Shoulder.) The shoulder rigs are too much for me, so my fave at NAB was a handle which could be mounted on the left side made by U-Grip. It means 2-handed shooting, but feels right.
Posted by Mike Chandler on Monday, May 5, 2008 @ 04:09 PM
7.
waw wat a camera.....i wil shoot my dance with this
Posted by michael jackson on Tuesday, May 6, 2008 @ 09:01 AM
8.
I have used this camera using the Redrock rod mount system and shoulder mount. It was rock solid and well balanced even w/ a Marshall 7" and Arri Matte box attached. I would recommend the Redrock system highly
Posted by Chris Nolan on Tuesday, January 27, 2009 @ 04:48 PM
9.
hi, i want to ask you guys, if you know of a reseller webpage or some place where a could get them a little bit cheaper or packages with the camera? in the southern states? louisiana, miss, alabama, florida...
thanks
Posted by Adrian Martinez on Tuesday, March 17, 2009 @ 01:48 PM
10.
It's not a HDV camera: different codec, different bit\rate - not to mention the huge 1\2 exmor sensors.
This camera has a lot of features (real manual focus above all! No more "turn and pray" servos!) to make me happy - I like the stuff I am doing with it.
Posted by ER on Wednesday, April 29, 2009 @ 07:20 PM
