New Sony HDR-AX2000 Handycam Shipping Soon

January 15th, 2010

The new Sony HDR-AX2000 features 1080/60i recording, the camcorder offers a 1080/24p and 1080/30p Progressive Scan mode that enables shooting with film-like results. Recordings are conveniently recorded to non-linear Memory Stick PRO Duo media for editing playback. The HDR-AX2000 can capture video at up to 24Mbps for remarkable clarity and detail, ideal for recording to Blu-ray media since the AVCHD2 codec is highly compatible with the Blu-ray format.

Sony HDR-AX2000 Camcorder

Sony HDR-AX2000 Camcorder

The HDR-AX2000 features three 1/3” Exmor CMOS Sensors, improving the color reproduction of video recordings. Noise reduction is accomplished thru the column A/D converter and the unique grid arrangement of the photo diodes for maximum light sensitivity. The Sony HDR-AX2000 has superior low-light ability with high sensitivity which enables clear shooting of subjects in light as low as 1.5 lux (at 1/30 fixed shutter speed with auto iris and auto gain). This allows you to capture sharp detail and brilliant colors even in less than optimum lighting, especially when professional lighting cannot be used.

Professional quality video requires professional quality audio. Featuring dual XLR 3-pin audio jacks, you will be able to provide 48V phantom power to external microphones. In addition, the grounded connection allows insertion/removal of connectors in live equipment without picking up external signals. The HDR-AX2000 is equipped with a 29.5mm wide-angle G Lens made from advanced Extra-low Dispersion glass which reduces Chromatic aberration caused by light refraction and captures video with extremely low color fringing. The 20x telephoto zoom allows you to get close to the action.

The Sony HDR-AX2000 will be shipping around Deb 2010 and is available for Pre-order on Amazon for $3499.99.

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Canon Showcases Workflow Solutions for New Canon HDV Models

November 22nd, 2009

Earlier this year, many people predicted Canon would announce a professional tapeless camcorder at the National Association of Broadcasters convention in 2009. With the economy lagging, however, it seems new camcorder announcements at NAB have been cut back. Few manufacturers have released new products and most have carried over a large portion of models from previous years. Over the past few years, Sony, JVC, and Panasonic have each released a line of memory-card-based pro camcorders, while Canon continues to rely solely on its tape-based HDV models.

Canon XH G1S Pro Camcorder

Canon XH G1S Pro Camcorder

Since Canon is a leader in production of flash-memory-based consumer camcorders, it seems natural the company would want to jump into the market with professional products. “It is definitely something we’re working on,” remarked Tim Smith, a representative from Canon. Mr. Smith couldn’t offer a firm launch or announcement date, but he conceded it was a market Canon wanted to be involved with. The presence of numerous pro features on Canon’s flash-based, consumer camcorder, the HF S10, also suggest the company is moving towards a tapeless camcorder for professionals.

If Canon does eventually release a tapeless pro camcorder, it is unclear as to what compression system will be utilized for capturing video. The company could choose to develop a pro AVCHD camcorder, work with an existing compression system developed by another manufacturer, or develop their own compression codec. Mr. Smith pointed out that the Canon 5D Mark II, a digital SLR camera with HD video capability, utilizes a Canon proprietary H.264 codec that is contained in a Quicktime MOV wrapper. Its possible Canon will use that same codec, or a tweaked version, on a pro camcorder in the future.

Meanwhile, on display at Canon’s booth were a number of third-party, tapeless video recording devices that are compatible with Canon’s pro HDV lineup. The third-party products included firestore devices from Focus Enhancements, which connect to camcorders via their FireWire ports. The firestore devices allow for direct capture of HDV video footage and bypass the need for tape recording.

Source: Camcorderinfo.com

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Pro Camcorder Buying Tips

November 22nd, 2009

In a world of cheap Flip videocams, why would you buy a pro camcorder that costs thousands of dollars? It’s for the cutting edge features, picture quality and control that do not come with consumer level models.

The professional camcorder market is not as intimidating as it was several years ago. Nowadays you can find a pro camcorder with cutting-edge features at a not so astronomical price. The video quality of these camcorders is continually improving while prices continues to drop. Now is a really good time to be thinking about upgrading to a pro-camcorder.

Video cameras can be segmented into a many categories. There are many consumer camcorders that can be modified to meet the needs of a professional user. One example is the Canon HV20/HV30. With a 35mm adaptor it can acquire beautiful images.

Most, but not all, HD pro camcorders can also shoot in SD modes. For the sake of future-proofing your next purchase, make sure your camcorder shoots in high definition. You will also need manual control of the lens, especially manual focus. A professional camcorder will not only allow you to selectively focus, but it will also have a manual focus ring on the lens. This is ideal for maximum tactile control. You do not want manual focus to be controlled by a dial, toggle or button.

Manual exposure, iris and shutter speed control are also important requirements. An iris ring on the lens is a nice touch. Most camcorders have a dial or button to control shutter speeds. Typically you should keep shutter speed fairly constant during filming.

The pro camcorder’s audio capabilities are also an important component. At the very least, the camcorder should accept a stereo mic input.

It’s also ideal to buy a camcorder with 3 imagers (that is, 3 CCDs or 3 CMOS). However, in some cases, a single, larger imager is better than three tiny imagers. As a general rule of thumbs, always aim for three big imagers if you can afford it.

As for acquisition format and media type, here’s where new technologies are making an impact. Ideally, you should choose a pro camcorder that will record to a video format and a medium that’s easy to use and easy to archive. Here are the different types of media solution and their advantages and disadvantages:

1. Tape-based – easy and inexpensive to archive.
2. HDV – needs to be captured by your editing application. This could add some additional time to the process. If time is of the essence, this might not be the best solution.
3. Solid-state memory – records many types of video formats to an advanced memory card. Some of these formats are very easy to edit and you can import them just as quickly as you can transfer them to your editing workstation.

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