Professional Camcorder — Help Me Decide

[chris319]

I'm getting ready to buy a professional camcorder.

I do not need 2K or 4K (don't have a monitor for it). I'm fine with 1080i or 720p, however, 10-bit video is interesting and HDR is coming.

The Sony PXW-X70 looks interesting to me:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1233177-REG/sony_pxw_x70_professional_xdcam_compact.html

So does the Sony PXW-Z150:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1222976-REG/sony_pxw_z150_4k_xdcam_camcorder.html

I'm not sure what the $1,200-higher price tag of the Z150 buys you other than 4K.

At minimum it needs to record 50 Mbps at 1080i or 24 Mbps at 720p. The content may go to broadcast in which case it would be transcoded to MPEG2.

I like that the Sony's have 24-bit PCM audio.

MUST HAVE an eyepiece-style viewfinder.

Any other suggestions? Price in the $2,000-ish range?

[ChapmanDolly]

Also have a look at the Canon range. This is from the UK site, but I'm sure there is an equivalent US site. https://www.canon.co.uk/video-cameras/professional-camcorders/

[chris319]

I had a Canon XF305 but the lens was gigantic and all that glass weighed a TON!

The Canon XF100 is still on my list, but 10-bit video may be future-proofing.

[KarMa]

Editing with 10-bit H.264 is going to be slow, as no HW decoders support it. Unlike HEVC.

A 4k camera would be the way to future proof.

[chris319]

Editing with 10-bit H.264 is going to be slow, as no HW decoders support it. Unlike HEVC.

A 4k camera would be the way to future proof.

Maybe I'll forego the 10-bit for now. Don't have a 4k monitor anyway.

Anyone have trouble editing this Sony XAVC?

[chris319]

Here is what I've decided on. Does anyone have any caveats before I pull the trigger and place the order?

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1072752-REG/sony_pxw_x70_professional_xdcam_compact.html

[chris319]

I ended up getting a Sony AX53. It does 50 MBps @ 1080p/59.94 and has PCM audio, but 16 bits, not 24. The price is right, about $800.

To bring the picture into compliance with NABA contribution standards I would either have to add interlace and make it 1080i, or make it 720p.

It makes OK pictures but I'm not really happy with the on-board zoom control. You can get an external remote controller for it, but unlike my Canon G40 you cannot set the zoom speed and it does not have soft zoom start/stop.

[smrpix]

The 1080i 59.94 mode on that camera is the same as 29.97 interlaced.

Excellent choice.

[chris319]

All of the video I'm shooting at 1920 x 1080, 50 Mbps is progressive according to Media Info. I don't see any interlaced modes in the documentation or on the camera. There is not even a 1280 x 720p @60 fps mode. I can convert it with ffmpeg, however.

There is a weird artifact with the image stabilization system. If you make short, incremental moves with image stab. turned on, the floating optical system "floats" or "hunts" as it tries to stabilize the picture. This makes precise control of the framing difficult, but it may be OK in some use cases where there is camera shake and no camera moves are needed. I leave it turned off so it is not a deal breaker.

I'm running it with the AE shift at + 0.5 EV. All other automatics work OK.

My first choice, knowing what I know now, would be a Canon XF 200, but it is about $2,500 new vs. about $800 for the AX53.

[smrpix]

You have to be in AVCHD. The bitrate may be lower.

[chris319]

You have to be in AVCHD. The bitrate may be lower.

Yes, in AVCHD the bitrate drops to 28 Mbps. For 28 Mbps I could use my Canon HF G40, which is a better camera, and saved myself $800.

[aedipuss]

i've never been impressed with sony lenses. i might have looked at the Canon XC10. 4k @ 305mbps and many interlaced options at 2k

[themaster1]

If you like hybrides i'm told the Sony A7SII is excellent (very high iso support "409 600 ISO !", not that grainy up to 12800 iso , that's good for low light), very good for video shooting goes up to 4K (100 mb/s) or hd 120 fps (no hdr though)

[chris319]

The AX53 has a Zeiss lens.

My video is for broadcast, either 1080i or 720p. Not interested in 2k or 4k.