“We have decided to leave linear tape recording behind and are introducing XDCAM EX and XDCAM HD 422 products that allow the recording medium to be selected according to the application,” Claus Pfeifer, Group Product Manager at Sony Professional Solutions Europe, tells pressetext.de.
One recording medium is Professional Disc, which is based on Blu-ray Disc technology. “As a second storage option, we developed the SxS memory card in cooperation with SanDisk,” Pfeifer says. These flash-based cards are distinguished primarily by their high transfer speed. They provide non-linear access to recorded content at 800 megabits per second. Data is transferred to a computer through the PCI Express bus at 100 megabytes per second. The memory cards are available with capacities of eight or 16 gigabytes. The larger card holds around one hour of HD-resolution video content.
“With the two different recording options, we are addressing customers’ needs according to the application,” Pfeifer explains. A video journalist, for example, may prefer the flash option because it supports smaller equipment and fast transfer to a computer, allowing material to be edited and sent to a broadcaster more quickly. Professional Disc, by contrast, is ideally suited to longer recordings.
Sony demonstrated XDCAM HD 422 in Vienna for the first time. The camera is aimed at film professionals who want to record documentaries, television films and entertainment programmes in high-definition quality. “The trend in the broadcasting world is also clearly towards high definition,” Pfeifer says, describing the direction of the entertainment industry. The camera records at 1080i and 720p in full-HD resolution of 1,920 by 1,080 pixels at up to 50 megabits per second. “The camera is significantly superior to comparable devices in its class,” Pfeifer says.
The electronics manufacturer positions XDCAM EX in the more affordable and compact class. The camera offers a resolution of 1,920 by 1,080 pixels, three 0.5-inch CMOS sensors, interval recording, variable frame-rate recording for creative time-lapse and slow-motion effects, and the ability to record across multiple memory cards. “XDCAM EX is therefore equally suitable for broadcasters and independent filmmakers looking for an affordable way to record in HD quality,” Pfeifer says.
