Sony PXW-X70 Professional XDCAM Compact Camcorder

Sony's PXW-X70 Professional XDCAM Compact Camcorder features a 1.0" type Exmor™ R CMOS Sensor with a resolution of 20 megapixels. The sensor, which is even larger than the Super 16mm film frame, delivers high resolution and fantastic low light performance, as well as offering more depth of field control as demanded by today’s diverse shooting requirements.

The new camcorder has the ability to record High Definition in XAVC Long GOP, enabling 422 10-bit sampling at 50 Mbps. This in-turn supports a broadcast-quality workflow, increasingly adopted by productions in many different professional applications. A fixed ZEISS Vario-Sonnar T* lens achieves 12x optical zoom which can be doubled to 24x with Clear Image Zoom and doubled again to 48x with Digital Extender zoom. There is also a ND Filter function, allowing you to choose four conventional mechanical ND filter positions.

Advanced features include Wi-Fi/NFC (Near Field Communication) with Content Browser Mobile™ version 1.4 or later, plus dual media slots, simultaneous or relay recording, and independent record control. In apition, other wireless network features (e.g. live streaming, file transfer, etc.) are planned to be supported by a future upgrade and 4K recording functionality by charged base future upgrade, which are scheduled to be announced later.

Sony's PXW-X70 Professional XDCAM Compact Camcorder is about the same size as a conventional 1/3" professional compact camcorder, but it features a 1" type sensor, which is larger than a super-16 sized sensor and more than eight times the size of a 1/3" sensor. The larger Exmor R sensor size provides for more cinematic appearing depth of field than a 1/3" sensor is capable of and features a back-side illuminated design for improved low light performance. It features an integrated 12x optical zoom lens with a manual lens ring for zoom/focus control, and a three level switchable ND filter. The top handle incorporates two 3-pin XLR inputs for recording audio from XLR microphones.

The camera records HD video using the XAVC Long-GOP codec with 4:2:2, 10-bit color sampling at 50 Mb/second, providing footage with a high data rate that is suitable for broadcast applications. Sony's Slow & Quick Motion is built-into the camera. The camera features two SD card slots, allowing simultaneous and relay recording, and both a 3G-SDI and an HDMI output. The camera supports control via Wi-Fi using smartphones or tablets and the optional Content Browser Mobile application. Planned upgrades will allow the camera to record in 4K UHD as well as ap file transfer and streaming via Wi-Fi.

The 1" type sensor features 14.2 million effective pixels on a sensor that is more than 8 times larger than a 1/3" type sensor. The larger size of the pixels allows them to gather more light compared to a 1/3" sensor. The Exmor R designation indicates the sensor features a back-side illuminated design, which allows more light to reach the sensor's photosites for increased light sensitivity and less noise in low light conditions.

The PXW-X70 is a compact camcorder that weighs less than 3 pounds including the XLR handle unit, battery (NP-FV70), lens hood and large eye-cup. It features professional interfaces including 3G-SDI and HDMI output connectors, an XLR handle unit with zoom lever, a manual lens ring that can control zoom and focus, and an ergonomic palm grip with large zoom lever. Its records video to two SD memory card slots that can be used for simultaneous and relay recording and to backup files.

The camera is capable fo recording using Sony's Slow & Quick motion, which allows you to shoot at selectable frame rates (1, 2, 4, 8, 15, 30, 60 / 1, 2, 3, 6, 12, 25, 50.)

The integrated 12x optical zoom lens incorporates a three-level switchable ND filter, with 24x clear Image Zoom technology that retains the quality of the HD image, and a digital extender allows you to zoom up to 48x.

Multiple recording choices are available depending on application, including XAVC, AVCHD, and DV file-based recording. The PXW-X70 records in CAVC using the MXF file format, which efficiently compresses full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution using the MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 CODEC. Color sampling is 4:2:2 10-bit with high-efficiency Long-GOP compression at 50 Mbps, 35 Mbps, or 25 Mbps for broadcast quality images.

Supporting Near Field Communication functions, the camera allows easy, one-touch wireless LAN connection to a smartphone or tablet, while the Content Browser Mobile application allows confirmation of shot angles and operation of the camcorder by remote, including spot focus and iris adjustment.