Sony XDCAM-EX

[postquis design]

Hi Ron
Camera has been better than expected. The inage quality is unmatched at the that price. Low-light capability is best of all under-10k cameras. The tapeless workflow is so easy. Much faster than the P2 cards.

Saw some of the "rolling shutter" issues during flash photography but that's not really anything I have to deal with. Besides, the Red camera has the same CMOS issues.

Overall it's been the best gear purchase I've ever made.

Steve,

Great to hear you are really liking it. You have some nice new material on here so I suspect it is all shot with the EX.

Can you elaborate on the "faster than P2" workflow? I imagine you are talking about ingest.

I am debating between the EX or stepping up to an HPX-500 and adding a quality piece of used SD glass instead of the lower end HD lenses they offer in their packages.

[postquis design]

Hey Steve,

Sorry about that last question. I see you already elaborated on that in the past posts of this thread.

But how do you find the ergonomics for hand-held stuff if you do any?

Ron

[Digital Spatula]

Fine for short stuff but would not be very good for long days of handheld. It's slightly off balance with the handle way out there but the adjustable nature of the handle helps for odd angled stuff (high and low).

[postquis design]

Steve,

I had the chance to hold one for a while and mimic shooting with it (it was a client's demo) while they waited for their order to arrive. I found it EXTREMELY front heavy. That thing is ALL glass!!!! But for stock stuff and sit down interviews on sticks not an issue.

Here's a question I have had about it's internal response time. IF you are viewing clips within the camera, and then want to crash into record quickly, can you instantly get to fresh memory and be up to speed ?

I have read it takes some time to "cycle" between playback mode and record. Any insights?

thanks

Ron

[Digital Spatula]

I would say it takes about 3-4 seconds to switch to camera mode. You can crash record while "reviewing last clip" in camera mode but when in the card mode you can't.

[postquis design]

Steve,

thanks...good to know about last clip.

Here's a scenario I have heard about.....

You start to cycle INTO card mode (which I hear takes a bit) .... while waiting for the cycle into card mode you want to crash record...

How long Steve....?

thanks

[postquis design]

Hey Steve,

Sorry if my question seems redundant to your prior answer. I am just trying to clarify what one of the "Big Guys" over on DVXUser was saying about the EX going through a "cycle" and that once it starts it has to finsih before you can send another command to the camera.

Just trying to see what that scenario is...For your needs maybe not an issue, but I am looking at some documentary work and the run and gun issues still apply here

Nonetheless, thank you for your insight! .... best of luck with it!

Good shooting!

Ron

[Sebastian H. Pituscan]

In some specific applications you might need to only review clips in camera mode. Not that big of a draw back, I'm sure. You can not compare that to tape, anyway.

[postquis design]

Sebastian,

Are you aware of a scenario where the EX has to "cycle up"? Is it from a cold power on? or getting into camera mode from any other mode?

I anxiously look forward to a tapeless workflow!

[Digital Spatula]

After checking it out, the EX does require cycle time between card and camera mode and also on startup. It takes a few seconds where the user can do nothing. It's not bad and it's certainly easier than the HVX200.

Especially when you are hooking the camera up to your computer via USB. The only the camera needs is a verification by the user to go into USB mode. It's much easier and faster than the HVX200.

[postquis design]

Thanks for checking that out Steve...

that confirms what I had read on it.

[postquis design]

Gotta bump this thread....

Steve,

are you aware of the testing among EX1 and EX3 owners that has been going on the past few months regarding using third party card readers and off the shelf secure digital flash memory?

A lot out there on the net have found using a particular Kensington card reader and certain memory that they got acceptable performance at a much cheaper price than SxS. Kensington stopped making the specific card for some reason. Users then found a Delkin card that worked but they changed the manufacturing specs..... but now hearing the demand out there may resume the original spec model.

Not to ramble any more about if you are aware.... just thought I'd throw that out there for other EX users who might be interested too.

one caveat.... overcranking is restricted somewhat...

[Digital Spatula]

Hey Ron
Thanks for the bump and recommendation.

I've actually been using an SD card for about a month. Great to have cheaper memory.

The camera has been performing flawlessly but I have not had much time to shoot stock. That will change over the next month as my work load has really fallen off. I guess that's a good sign for me to be cranking on stock stuff.

[postquis design]

Steve,

Good to hear about the camera's clean record

Were you able to get a Kensington before they stopped making them? or a Delkin?

Have you been overcranking with it and how many fps relative to the format you are shooting?

[Digital Spatula]

Got the Kensington with an Ultra II SD card. Haven't tried overcranking yet but I heard that it's limited in respect. I've shot 1080 30p no problem though.