Archive notice: This article was originally published on June 18, 2008. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
To respond adequately to high demand for professional camcorders, Wellen+Nöthen GmbH has ordered 25 Sony PDW-700 camcorders. To ensure continuous and rapid availability, the company plans to add 10 units to its own rental pool and rent them at attractive rates for both long- and short-term use. The remaining units are intended for the company’s sales division and will be offered there on favorable terms.
The new PDW-700 expands the top end of Sony’s XDCAM range with an HD422 camcorder equipped with 2/3-inch CCD sensors. The PDW-700 promises the highest image quality through Full HD recording (1920×1080), a 14-bit A/D converter, an MPEG compression rate of up to 50 Mbit/s, and 4:2:2 color sampling. The camera can also switch between 1080i/50 or 1080p/25 and 720p standards. Connections including HD/SD-SDI, composite, Ethernet, FireWire, and USB, as well as a slot-in bay for the new two-channel diversity wireless microphone receiver, guarantee a broad range of applications. Features including HD/SD conversion and cross-conversion between 1080 and 720 at the output, 30-second loop recording (for convenient recording-media changes, for example), a high-resolution 3.5-inch LCD with 950,000 pixels, and the low weight of just 4.2kg underscore the camera’s professional credentials.
Even users who still need to deliver SD footage can benefit: a paid update will enable recording and playback in IMX and DVCAM.
“Even though development cycles for HD broadcast equipment tend to be getting shorter, we are firmly convinced that the PDW-700 will remain the benchmark and standard in its class over the longer term,” explains Peter Nöthen, Managing Director of Wellen+Nöthen GmbH. “The camera combines proven and reliable technology from previous developments with new, future-proof HD functions. We are confident that our investment is well placed.”
