XDCAM EX

[DSE 5]

Coupla PM's asking about the XDCAM EX, so here are a coupla pix.
It's *not* a camera for your average tandem, that's for sure, but the 60p makes it a SMOKIN' sweet camcorder, as does the undercrank, overcrank. I haven't been able to jump it with the over/undercrank enabled, only two jumps so far (tempted to travel to Eloy just for this) but the one thing I learned on one jump, is to rotate the handle, it whistles with the handle in the flat/normal position.
Shoots many formats, my fave is 60p mode, but in any event, it offers a 1920 x 1080 imager and 1920 x 1080 recorded stream, making it the first full-raster camera in the 1080 world for sub 500K. Shoots to MPEG IMX, which is the highest grade format for HD sub 20K in a small package. Half inch imager, easy to get shallow DOF if you want it.
I've had a prototype til recently, this is the shipping model.
Weighs about the same as a Z1, so not too heavy at all.
No, it does not have standard LANC, but rather uses a professional lens controller similar to any broadcast-level camcorder.
Balance is very sweet.

[beowulf 1]

damn! now that's a camera. Have you tried any freeflying with it?

[mccordia 74]

Now that looks like a reeeally nice toy..

high framerates and progressive scan..makes me quite happy when it comes to animation/post fx work as well :)

JC
FlyLikeBrick
I'm an Athlete?

[MisterCrash 0]

Looks expensive Just wondering, what canopy do you use to land this small fortune safely?

All speeding past collide and crashing, I'm in paradise.

[DSE 5]

I jump a Silhouette 170. At 6K, it's not that expensive compared to the other cams we have in our packages.
Haven't freeflown with it yet, hoping too, if the weather warms or I go somewhere fun for the holidays. The late December project I had planned fell through, so not quite sure where I'm heading for the holidays.
Either way, the stabilization shouldn't be an issue with it, given the system they have in place. Fuji has a lockable lens system, unlike the Zeiss, and if it's anything like their standard .5 and 2/3 broadcast systems, it locks when it's off.
Jarno, obviously I haven't wingsuited with it, but having done some beautiful undercrank work with it...it's simply gorgeous. Shoot slo-mo progressive at full resolution....I'm sure it'll make you cry as it's so smooth. Wish I was a better wingsuiter.

[Maxx 1]

WOW! Respect for jumping that thing... talk about snag-points


What other current skydiving suited camcorders have high (more than 24p) framerates?

[DSE 5]

The Panasonic HVX 200 has high framerates too, and it's got just as many snag points. Problem with the HVX (from my perspective) is that you're better off jumping a PAL DV camcorder for all the resolution it gives.
The HVX200 has the smallest sized imager (960 x 540) of any HD camcorder in the history of the world (and likely for future camcorders as well), and the smallest recorded image (960 x 720) of any HD camcorder in history. Additionally, the P2 format is ancient history as far as PCM/Cardbus. No laptop or desktop supports the card, so you need a very expensive card reader.
All of the small Sony consumer format camcorders also offer high framerates, but the framerates aren't sustained, with 12 seconds being the longest record time, and those 12 seconds are at quarter resolutions, or less resolution than SD.

With the EX, the microphone mount is removable, but since we're using this in run n' gun right now, I've left it on. It's just a small elimination anyway. I did the same thing with my Z1 camcorder, too.

BTW, 24p isn't a high framerate, quite the opposite, it's a low framerate.

[mccordia 74]

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Jarno, obviously I haven't wingsuited with it, but having done some beautiful undercrank work with it...it's simply gorgeous. Shoot slo-mo progressive at full resolution....I'm sure it'll make you cry as it's so smooth. Wish I was a better wingsuiter.

Drop by for a long weekend, and bring a big box with that camera...we could have some mad fun

ah well..I tried..

JC
FlyLikeBrick
I'm an Athlete?

[leroydb 0]

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over/undercrank

???

Leroy


..I knew I was an unwanted baby when I saw my bath toys were a toaster and a radio...

[quade 4]

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over/undercrank

???

Intentionally shoot greater or fewer frames per second so that when played back the images are either slow motion or fast motion.

Term comes from the days when film cameras were physically cranked by the camera operator.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[MB38 0]

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Shoots to MPEG IMX, which is the highest grade format for HD sub 20K...

Well I wouldn't go that fa--

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...in a small package.

I really don't know what I'm talking about.

[DSE 5]

Ship me a working, functioning camera right now, today.
We both know what we're not talking about, so we'll leave the discussions of recall, plate, viewfinder outta here.
Additionally, 4K is not HD.

[ffp1974 0]

ouch, that makes my neck hurt

[Laszloimage 0]

Spot,
Beside the shallower DOF on 1/2 inch sensonsor is there any more adventage vs. the 3x1/3 inch used by the Z-1 or the V-1?
Like color and low light performance?
-Laszlo-

[DSE 5]

Color, latitude, sharpness of image, DOF, saturation...lotsa benefits to the .5 sensor, plus the new Fuji design is very smooth. No distortion at even the widest edges.

[Laszloimage 0]

Thanks
I was curious because of the single chip...

[MB38 0]

Quote

Ship me a working, functioning camera right now, today.
We both know what we're not talking about, so we'll leave the discussions of recall, plate, viewfinder outta here.
Additionally, 4K is not HD.

[resists urge to correct you on everything]

I kid, I kid. I got to play around with the XDCAM EX at ProMax... it's actually a really cool little camera. I wish the handheld ergonomics were better, but it definitely takes a great image. It's nice to have real manual control over the lens on a prosumer camera for once.

I really don't know what I'm talking about.