Digital Video - April 2008 - (Page 22) IN REVIEW SONY PMW-EX1 XDCAM EX dard QuickTime file in the XDCAM codec. also choices labeled SQ or HQ. SQ mode is FCP 6 contains all necessary presets for this a 25Mbps fixed data rate with a frame size format. in 1080 comparable to HDV — 1440x1080. While providing long recording times on I have not shot in SQ mode and only see the the cards, an “I” frame compression need for that when matching footage with scheme records every frame and does not HDV cameras. require interpolating between every 15th The strength of this camera is that it’s frame. Still, I must admit that in HQ mode I not HDV — it’s XDCAM HD, which is a did not notice artifacting in areas of signifi35Mbps VBR compression MPEG2 Long cant motion as I have seen in HDV footage. GOP. The camera’s three CMOS 1⁄2" sensors Again, this is XDCAM, not HDV. The higher deliver a true full-raster 1920x1080 image data rate may in part be responsible. without any pixel shifting. The combination The 4:2:0 color space could pose an of these 1⁄2" sensors and the fixed Fujinon issue for many users. I experimented with zoom lens produces the sharpest images I greenscreen footage shot 720p24 in the have seen in a sub-$10K camera. XDCAM native codec and also transcoded That comes at a cost, like any other feathis footage to Apple ProRes 422 and ture. Prior CCD cameras buffered the ProRes 422HQ, Apple’s I-frame 4:2:2 codec. image. The XDCAM embodies a rollingI would expect Avid’s DNxHD codec to shutter acquisition mechanism. That means behave in similar fashion. All reports I had that the image is scanned sequentially and read indicated that there are numerous difexposes the possibility of a “rolling shutter ficulties in pulling a key from interlaced effect.” Events like flashes or strobes can material; hence 720p24 was the only choice produce partial frames, which obviously can in the 1280x720 format. ruin a shot. CMOS chips also have a propenA 400-times enlargement of a segment sity to smearing. Again, these are potential of that key (seen on this page at left) shows limitations that a user needs to assess. Those no difference between the XDCAM and the who shoot concerts in clubs with lots of I-frame footage. There is a good, smooth strobes might want to do some extensive transition with no jaggies — and this was real-world testing prior to committing to the without any manipulation other than just camera. (This is on our testing list for a applying FCP’s basic keying filter. future EX1 review update). I would still recommend transcoding At the core of the tapeless acquisition is From top: Detail of keyed footage footage to an I-frame codec. Even simple the SxS storage card system. Sony currently 720p24 native XDCAM EX codec (HQ) transitions in XDCAM HD sequences prooffers cards in 8- and 16-gig Xpress34 card enlarged 400 percent; same footage duced the dreaded “Conforming MPEG format. The long-GOP format allows recordtranscoded to Apple ProRes 422 codec; Video” message, as FCP needed to re-create ing 28 minutes of HQ per 8-gig card or 56 same footage transcoded to Apple ProRess 422 HQ codec. the GOP structure. Furthermore, any titles or minutes per 16-gig card. The Xpress card graphics should be cleaner in a 4:2:2 timeformat is now the current format in MacPro line than in 4:2:0. (It remains a reservation and one that I will test notebooks, as well as in the majority of newer PC notebooks. For further for the next installment of my EX1 testing.) use in desktop machines, Sony offers a $200 external USB 2.0 Note that this camera cannot shoot SD, though it is possible card reader. The card reader requires an external power supply, to down-convert within the camera and stream out via SDI or making it a little more cumbersome for remote field use. component. Furthermore, HQ video cannot be streamed from The workflow of acquisition and editing is straightforward. FireWire for editing. SQ can be streamed from FireWire because Sony provides XDCAM Transfer software that works on both it is essentially HDV. SDI is live, and the EX1 breaks the price point Windows and Mac platforms (Intel-based Mac required). The for SDI-out cameras. Thus, it is possible to shoot uncompressed cards mount on the computer almost instantly and the XDCAM HD live to direct-capture into your supported NLE. There is cursoftware ingests clips at 4 to 5 times real time. I have been editrently no hard drive recording option like the Firestore, limiting ing on a Mac platform with Final Cut Pro and Sony offers a free capture options either to live SDI or to SxS cards. FCP plug-in that launches the XDCAM Transfer software to log To sum up, this is a camera with many pluses and some glarand ingest clips. You can mark in/out points, select the destinaing minuses. Still, it very well may be the camera to push many tion of files in the preference dialog, sort clips and name clips. It users to tapeless workflows. The combination of image quality, rewraps the MPEG files into a format that your particular platfeatures and ease of editing combine to make it a winner. DV form can utilize. In the case of Final Cut Pro, this means a stan- VISUAL DETAILS 22 dv april 2008 www.dv.com http://www.dv.com
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