New PDW-F800 XDCAM HD Camcorder and PDW-F1600 Deck Also Debut

Tape’s not dead yet – the newest big gun at Sony’s NAB booth was the SRW-9000 camcorder, a high-end camera for TV programming and commercial production built around the HDCAM SR tape format. Physically, the camcorder is the same size as the original F900. It’s slated to be available in December at a price to be announced.
The SRW-9000 is a 10-bit 4:2:2 camera that shoots in 1080p at 23.98, 24 and 25 fps, and in 1080i at 59.97 fps. In a prepared statement, Sony’s Rob Willox described it as a possible “Steadicam-friendly … B-camera complement to the F23.” Optional hardware extends its capabilities. The HKSR-9001 board enables dual-link HD-SDI output; the HKSR-9002 picture cache board enables continuous three-second recording cache in stand-by mode as well as variable frame rates from 1 to 60, aka SR Motion; and the HKSR-9003 board enables 4:4:4 support and S-Log gamma. It also accepts Sony’s new HDVF-C30WR viewfinder, with pre-installed LUTs for S-Log.
Sony added to its XDCAM HD line-up by announcing the PDW-F800 ($41,990), a 24p 3-chip (2/3-inch) camcorder with variable frame rate capabilities, and the PDW-F1600 ($27,990), a deck with insert/assemble editing capabilities that allow it to perform like a conventional VTR. Both products are expected to ship in June.

At its pre-NAB press conference, Sony announced the Pro Video Community, an online video service that aims to offer tutorials, testimonials, and other how-to information about using Sony products in the form of glossy, high-end video. Look for more information on that potentially very useful launch in the coming months.

Sony also brought out Bryan Carroll, the co-producer of Michael Mann’s upcoming Public Enemies, to gush over the F23, which was used to shoot the bulk of that film. He called it “the ideal tool,” running down a list of features, including multispeed recording, 4:4:4 10-bit support, ramping, depth of field, and the ability to push exposures, Collateral-style. “And let’s not leave out one of the most important abilities,” he said. “We are creative people. We need to be able to make those decisions. We choose the Sony camera so that we can choose to shoot in a video space. If we want to shoot in an S-log or a hyper gamma, we can choose to do that. The point is, the artist makes the decision and not the technology.”

For more information:  www.sony.com