Sony has announced the launch of two new 4K HDR camcorders featuring its ground-breaking Fast Hybrid AF system: the XDCAM PXW-Z90 and the NXCAM HXR-NX80. Both palm camcorders combine a fast and reliable autofocus (AF) function adapted for shooting with a 1.0-type stacked Exmor RS CMOS image sensor, delivering stunning image clarity alongside a range of versatile shooting features.
The Fast Hybrid AF system ensures highly-accurate focusing and tracking during shooting, delivered by 273 phase-detection AF points that cover approximately 84 percent of the shooting area, high-density placement of autofocus points and a newly developed AF algorithm. This reduces the burden of focusing especially when highly accurate focusing is required for shooting 4K films.
In movie recording mode, the appearance of phase-detection AF frames indicates the focused area and easily allows users to monitor a subject that is in focus. The new camcorders feature a high-resolution OLED viewfinder and advanced touch screen operation to allow users to quickly switch focus from one subject to another, while the AF Drive Speed, Tracking Depth Range and Subject Switching Sensitivity can all be configured as required for different subjects and content styles.
“We strongly believe in empowering customers to tell amazing stories, whether it’s a journalist out in the field covering a breaking news event, or a freelancer working under the tight deadline pressures of a one-day corporate shoot,” explained Aydin Tolan, Business Head for Broadcast in ME region, Sony Professional Solutions MEA. “Our new palm camcorders do exactly that. By minimising the efforts required to focus on a subject in-frame and streamlining the post-production workflow, we’re helping users concentrate on what they do best: storytelling.”
The new camcorders support 4K HDR recording with HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma) offering an Instant HDR workflow. This enables users to produce breath-taking HDR content whilst reducing the post-production work and produce high-quality HDR content smoothly, without necessity of a grading process, which usually requires a highly skilled technique and special knowledge.
They are also equipped with key technology and features such as:
- 4K full-pixel readout without pixel binning, using an enhanced BIONZ X image processing engine
- Super Slow Motion recording up to 1000-fps, which is industry leading among palm categories and Slow & Quick Motion Full HD recording up to 100fps
- S-Log/S-Gamut capabilities for users to create and work with images as they desire.
- 29mm (35EQ) wide-angle ZEISS Vario-Sonnar T 12x optical zoom lens and 18x Clear Image Zoom
- Less image distortion (rolling shutter phenomenon), in comparison to conventional models when shooting subjects in motion
The XDCAM PXW-Z90 and NXCAM HXR-NX80 is now available.
