Sony’s latest generation of HDV production technology comprises two new camcorders with interchangeable lenses, native progressive recording, improved low-light performance, hybrid recording and other additions. The products are aimed at television, corporate-video and low-budget cinema production.
The HVR-Z7E is a handheld camcorder and the HVR-S270E is a shoulder-mounted model. Sony is also introducing the matching HVR-M35E recorder. The products extend an HD range that includes the PMW-EX1 XDCAM EX camera and the forthcoming HVR-HD1000E shoulder-mounted HDV camcorder.
Sony European Product Marketing Manager Bill Drummond says the products target existing customers across different production environments and new users interested in high-definition acquisition with flexible optics and creative recording options, including lower-budget cinema productions.
Both camcorders use Sony’s new 1/3-inch 3 ClearVid CMOS sensor system and Exmor technology. The ClearVid arrangement rotates each pixel by 45 degrees to retain pixel area at high resolution. Exmor provides column-parallel analogue-to-digital conversion and dual noise reduction. Sony claims the combination delivers low-noise images comparable with the PMW-EX1 and supports sensitivity down to 1.5 lux at 1/25-second shutter speed with automatic iris and gain. An Enhanced Imaging Processor is designed to support resolution, sensitivity, dynamic range and colour reproduction.
The HVR-Z7E and HVR-S270E use a standard 1/3-inch bayonet mount and ship with a 12x Carl Zeiss HD video lens with Vario-Sonnar T coating. A purpose-built 8x wide-angle lens is optional. The lenses provide autofocus, optical image stabilisation and automatic back-focus adjustment. Sliding the focus ring engages or disengages autofocus, while the zoom ring uses a geared mechanism and the iris ring wraps around the lens barrel. An adapter also permits use of Sony Alpha digital-SLR lenses.
The camcorders record 1080/50i and native 25p. The ClearVid sensor system and image processor generate 1080p images, which the HVR-Z7E and HVR-S270E record as progressive signals in the HDV format. HDV data can be output over i.LINK for progressive editing in a compatible NLE.
Both models switch among 1080p and 1080i HDV, DVCAM and DV recording modes. They can downconvert HD material to SD and output it through i.LINK and other SD connections. The HVR-Z7E includes HDMI output. The HVR-S270E is available with HD-SDI or SD-SDI and carries embedded audio and timecode.
An XtraFine LCD and electronic viewfinder provide the image display on both camcorders. The HVR-S270E also includes a Dual Finder function through the LCD mounted on its viewfinder.
A supplied CompactFlash recorder docks directly onto the rear of the HVR-Z7E or the side of the HVR-S270E, eliminating a separate cable. It synchronises with the camcorder’s recording signal, receives and outputs HDV/DV data, and takes power through a dedicated shoe adapter.
The CF recorder stores HDV1080i, DVCAM or DV streams and can record in parallel with tape. It supports Sony Professional 306x CompactFlash cards and conventional cards with a minimum capacity of 2 GB and speed of 133x. Recording time is 36 minutes on an 8 GB card or 72 minutes on a 16 GB card in HDV, DVCAM and DV formats.
The HVR-Z7E records up to 60 minutes of HDV on miniDV tape or 63 minutes on Sony PHDVM-63DM DigitalMaster tape. It also accepts standard-size cassettes and records up to four hours and 36 minutes of HDV on PHDV-276DM tape.
The HVR-M35E recording and playback deck supports native progressive HDV recording modes and HD/SD-SDI output with embedded audio and timecode. It switches between 50i and 60i and supports HDV1080i at 50i, 60i, 24p, 30p and 25p, plus DVCAM/DV at 50i and 60i.
The deck accepts standard and mini cassettes. It plays four-channel HDV1080i audio recorded by the HVR-S270E and four-channel DVCAM audio. Other features include a 2.7-inch Clear Photo LCD Plus screen, monaural speaker, Edge Crop and Duplicate Plus functions for copying video and audio from other recorders.
The products are scheduled to become available in February. Sony has not announced pricing.
