Sony today unveiled a new addition to its XDCAM range of solid state memory camcorders, the PXW-X200. The new camcorder is a successor to Sony’s PMW-200, which has been well received by many videographers and broadcasters due to the outstanding image quality offered by its 1/2 inch-type 3CMOS sensor and MPEG HD422 (50 Mbps) recording capability.
The new PXW-X200 takes its operating performance to the next level, incorporating an improved 1/2 inch-type Exmor™ 3CMOS sensor, a new 17 times zoom lens and XAVC Intra/Long GOP recording with 4:2:2 10-bit sampling. The results are high quality Full HD (1920×1080) pictures, high sensitivity (F12 at 1080/59.94i, F13 at 1080/50i), low noise (S/N ratio of 58dB), and a wide dynamic range – essential for professionals shooting under challenging lighting conditions.
Apart from the improved sensor, lens and codec support, other enhancements over the PMW-200 include new wireless/NFC (Near Field Communication) functions, two SxS media slots for Simultaneous Recording, a Multi-Interface (MI) Shoe and GPS data recording. These features greatly boost the workflow efficiency of the PXW-X200, making it ideal for a variety of professional applications including news-gathering, broadcast productions, documentaries, events, weddings, education, corporate productions and more.
“With the PXW-X200, we’re really pushing the performance limits of this class of camcorder. The 1/2 inch-type image sensor combined with the 17 times zoom lens, 4:2:2 sampling and wireless functions definitely puts a first-rate acquisition tool in the hands of professional videographers,” said Vivian Saldanha, Business Head -Content Creation, Sony Professional Solutions Middle East and Africa. “The PXW-X200, in synergy with other products from the XDCAM family, is expected to offer numerous functional and workflow conveniences for all customers to achieve mission critical operations where turn-around time is a huge factor.”
The PXW-X200 incorporates three 1/2 inch-type Exmor CMOS sensors that produce Full HD resolution (1920×1080) without pixel interpolation. The image sensor boasts 2.07 million effective pixels, and combines with Sony’s digital signal processing to achieve a wide dynamic range, low noise (S/N ratio of 58dB), and high sensitivity of F12 at 1080/59.94i and F13 at 1080/50i – essential for professionals shooting under challenging lighting conditions.
A newly-developed 17 times zoom lens is a key feature of the PXW-X200, which Sony has successfully kept its size very compact despite adopting its build to the 1/2 inch-type imager. The lens can zoom from 29.3 mm to 499 mm (35 mm equivalent), which is powerful enough to cover most events and other applications. The lens also possesses three manual Zoom/Focus/Iris independent control rings, each with a physical end-stop and absolute markings for precise adjustments by the user in professional shooting operations.
To meet the needs of today’s professionals, the PXW-X200 comes equipped with wireless functions including one-touch NFC capability. By attaching the supplied IFU-WLM3 wireless module, Remote Control and Monitoring functions can be performed from a Tablet or Smartphone using the Content Browser Mobile application. Moreover, by connecting with separately-sold internet routers, proxy or high-resolution files can be transferred to a cloud server to commence the editing process even while the location shoot continues. This function is similar to how Sony’s CBK-WA100 wireless adaptor operates.
In addition, a live streaming function will be made available via a future firmware upgrade. By attaching a separately-sold LTE USB module, live video and audio can be streamed, watched, and recorded at a remote location.
The PXW-X200 efficiently compresses Full HD (1920×1080) resolution images using MPEG-4 AVC/H.264, and has the capability to record XAVC using 4:2:2 10-bit sampling. In XAVC, the user can select Intra-frame compression at a maximum of 112 Mbps or high-efficiency Long GOP compression at 50/35/25 Mbps. In addition to XAVC Intra/Long GOP, the PXW-X200 also records in MPEG HD422 (50Mbps), MPEG HD420 (35/25 Mbps), MPEG IMX (50 Mbps) and DV (25 Mbps) formats.
Four channels of 24-bit 48 kHz LPCM audio are recorded in XAVC and MPEG HD422, while four channels of 16-bit 48 kHz LPCM are recorded in MPEG HD420. The multi-format support is useful for different shooting applications and can be adjusted to meet users’ requirements. Operating on globally-established XDCAM HD422 or XAVC formats allows the PXW-X200 to deliver high-speed, intuitive workflows along with greater operational convenience.
