Sony launches PXW-FS7 4K camera

Sony held its press conference this morning at IBC, and announced two new cameras: the PXW-X200 and the PXW-FS7. While the X200 looks interesting, the big buzz was around the FS7, a 4K XDCAM camera with a Super35 CMOS sensor.

Sony PMW-400 XAVC camcorder

Sony gave its XAVC codec another boost at NAB in Las Vegas with the introduction of a new broadcast camcorder that supports it. It also extended XAVC downwards for prosumer and consumer users. In other news, Sony also introduced a new studio/OB camera.

The new PMW-400 shoulder-mount camcorder (pictured above) is an “affordable” broadcast camera with three 2/3-inch high quality Exmor CMOS sensors – boasting good low-light sensitivity of F12 at 59.94Hz and F13 at 50Hz.

Final Cut Pro updates

Apple has updated Final Cut Pro X (to 10.0.8), Compressor (to 4.0.7), and Motion (to 5.0.7). 

FCP X version 10.0.8 is mainly a maintenance release, but it does add a couple of features.

Users of Arri Alexa cameras can now record Apple ProRes with Log C video levels, then view with standard contrast and colour levels in Final Cut Pro X. This non-destructive display option lets you view footage in the Rec. 709 colour gamut (the standard for broadcast video - pictured above) without having to render or apply an effect, while accessing the full dynamic range of Log C (which has so little contrast it almost looks foggy - as seen below) for colour grading and compositing. When editing is complete, export XML from Final Cut Pro X to send the Log C files for finishing in third-party applications such as DaVinci Resolve or Autodesk Smoke.

FCP X gets XAVC support

The latest version of Apple’s Final Cut Pro X (10.0.8) can now work with Sony’s new XAVC codec (as used on the PMW-F5 and PMW-F55), so that users can import XAVC files directly into FCP X and start editing immediately.

It has support for resolutions up to 4K, and users can work natively or convert to Apple ProRes in the background for better performance.

The XAVC Apple FCP X plugin can be downloaded from the Sony Community website.

The plug-in requires: FCP X 10.0.8 or higher for the XAVC format or FCP X 10.0.6 or higher for the XDCAM format, and supports only SxS Cards, not Professional Disc. XDCAM Professional Disc users can use Content Browser software to ingest material into Final Cut Pro X.

One user (nweaver) who had downloaded the plug-in said: “Very happy to report that 4K XAVC on 27-inch iMac 3.4ghz/680MX is VERY fast in FCPX. Like 1080p fast.

“Moreover, the GPU scales it on the fly to pass to the Blackmagic Mini Monitor to output at 1080p, high quality scaling, no hiccups whatsoever. Like working with 1080p, except there's 4x the pixels that you don't see unless you go blowing up clips.”

Another user (sconnor99) on the fcp.co/forum/ added: “It works very well with 4K XAVC material on our 2008 8-Core MacPro. It's slightly surreal editing 4K like it's just 1080! I get realtime, even with CC and 300% zoom.”

Related post: Sony XAVC codec explained

By David Fox

Sony XAVC codec explained

Sony will release a new H.264-based codec this month to enable its equipment cope with resolutions beyond HD, as well as higher frame rates, while delivering higher quality pictures. It looks likely to be Sony’s new core codec, so it could play an important role in future productions.

Once Sony’s new PMW-F5 and PMW-F55 4K cameras start shipping (sometime before BVE), users will be able to take advantage of the new, more efficient, mid-range XAVC codec, which has been designed for 4K, and will offer both intra frame and the more efficient Long GoP encoding. It will also allow higher framerate recording at 1080p.

Sony is offering the F5 and F55 as multi-format cameras, rather than just XAVC, “so that they would fit within the workflow people want rather than restricting choice,” said Product Specialist Sebastian Leske.

The cameras will support four codecs: XAVC, for high frame rates and 4K; MPEG2 at 50Mbps; MPEG4 SStP (Sony’s SR Master codec); and Raw 4K, “by the switch of a button, depending on what job you want to do,” added Olivier Bovis, Sony’s Head of AV Media.

XAVC is an extension of H.264 (AVC/MPEG4), using the highest Level 5.2 of the standard, so it is very solid in terms of multi-generational support, he explained.

However, as Sony already had HDCAM SR and Raw on offer, why did it need yet another codec?

“The data rate from an F65 sensor can be as much as 35Gbps, whereas the new SxS Pro+ cards can go up to 1.3Gbps. So, we still need efficient compression to take all that data and package it in a manageable way,” explained Strategic Marketing Manager Peter Sykes. Besides, MPEG2 simply couldn’t cope with 4K, whereas XAVC is not only able to handle higher resolution but higher frame rates too.

He doesn’t believe that Raw is suitable for every-day production as it results in much higher data rates and can't be used as an interchangeable format. Although Raw offers all the flexibility some productions may need for high-end postproduction, it is inextricably linked to the camera sensor, which complicates the workflow and makes it less suited to productions that need to use a variety of different cameras.

Multiple formats

The F5 and F55 can record existing XDCAM HD formats at 50Mbps or 35Mbps, HDCAM SR (MPEG4 SStp) at up to 220Mbps or XAVC at 440Mbps. For 4K work, you’ll be able to use intra-frame XAVC at 10-bit 4:2:2, which will require 240Mbps at 24p or 600Mbps at 60p. For HD, it will record 10-bit 4:2:2, at up to 60p, at 200Mbps. It can also deliver proxy 4:2:0 images at low bit rates. Users will be able to choose between 8- and 10-bit recording for both XAVC and MPEG2.

XAVC uses an MXF wrapper, as it is “industry standard and well recognised,” said Sykes, and its implementation is identical to Sony’s MPEG2 and MPEG4 SStP MXF OP-1a files.

“It is an enabling technology for a range of products that will emerge from now on,” he added. “It’s a major part of our plan for our acquisition products. XAVC will become the core codec for applications beyond HD and for higher frame rates.”

“To drive beyond HD we had to develop XAVC,” agreed Leske. “The design is future ready.” It will be able to do 4:4:4 (where it will be able to go up to 1.2Gbps), although the F5 and F55 will use HDCAM SR for 4:4:4 work.

“To go beyond HD we needed a new codec, but it is also useful for 1080 50p and 60p,” he added. “It uses a different mechanism to keep the highest quality we can. It allocates more bits to the details (like hair) than for flat areas (like a wall).”

It uses “a pre-coding mechanism to maximise the picture quality,” expanded Sykes.

This uses bit estimation, the same procedure as used for DVD authoring, which estimates what bit rate you need to get the highest quality. If it doesn’t reach it, it does it again. Used as an intra-frame codec, XAVC will do this for each frame, so they are all recorded to the highest possible quality.

At present, H.264 codecs set the parameters for a recording when you start recording, and stick to them, whereas XAVC can change them every frame, so that when you shout ‘Action’, and there is suddenly lots of movement and fine detail in the shot, you aren’t limited to parameters set when nothing was happening.

Sykes believes that 4:2:2 10-bit XAVC at 100Mbps “will be a good basis for broadcast infrastructure and relatively easy to handle.”

Open season

XAVC has been developed as an open format, providing a license program for other manufacturers in the broadcast and production industry to develop their own high quality and high frame rate products.

“It is a codec we are going to be using for lots of different applications,” said Sykes. Sony developed the low power consumption chipset used in the cameras. This not only does XAVC, but also processes MPEG2 – and because it is so fast can do both at once, so that the F55 can record both 4K XAVC and XDCAM HD at 50Mbps simultaneously to its SxS Pro+ card.

Currently, it seems that the XAVC workflow will be supported by such manufacturers as: Adobe (CS6 with Rovi Total Code Plug-in installed), Apple [[UPDATE - Sony XAVC plug-in for Final Cut Pro X (version 10.0.8) now available to download]], Avid, Grass Valley, Quantel and Sony (Vegas Pro 12) for non-linear editing; Assimilate, Codex, Colorfront, FilmLight, MTI and YoYotta for on-set dailies; Assimilate, FilmLight and Quantel for colour grading; Rovi for software codec management; and Matrox for a codec board.

The F5 is designed for HD on-board recording, requiring an external recorder for 4K, whereas the F55 can record 4K internally as well as HD.

On-board recording, in whatever format, will typically require about 25 Watts, but adding the external Raw recorder will add an extra 22W. With the viewfinder attached the complete camera will require about 50W, which is good for a 4K camera recording Raw.

For 16-bit 4K Raw, the system runs at data rates of up to 2.4Gbps for 60p, but this will only be possible with the new Sony AXS-R5 recorder, which fits to the camera body with no need for cabling. The cameras will be able to record both Raw externally and XAVC internally at the same time.

PMW-1000 Deck

To support XAVC (and SxS recording in general), Sony has just announced the new PMW-1000 Memory Recording Deck. This is a half-rack sized recorder, with two SxS memory card slots and VTR-like jog/shuttle operations, that is suitable for both studio and Outside Broadcast use – and is the first stand-alone recorder to handle the new codec.

Following the launch of the PMW-F5 and PMW-F55 CineAlta cameras, “the PMW-1000 studio recording deck is the next natural step to bring enhanced and easy workflow support,” said Fabien Pisano, Strategic Marketing Manager, Sony Europe. “The versatility of the PMW-1000 in terms of interfaces, coupled with linear-like operation and the ability to record the XAVC HD format on SxS media, make it an ideal choice for broadcasters and production houses looking for an affordable, quality production solution or for a smooth transition from SD to HD.”

PMW-1000 users can select recording and playback formats from HD (XAVC, MPEG HD422 and MPEG HD420 50/35/25Mbps) and SD (MPEG IMX 50/40/30Mbps and DVCAM 25Mbps) in a variety of frame rated. For anyone who still has to do some work in SD (are there many?) the recorder is designed to make the transition to HD easier, and can also do up-and-down conversion from/to HD.

The PMW-1000 offers a wide range of AV and IT interfaces including: HD-SDI, SD-SDI, HDMI, and composite outputs. An RS-422 interface enables it to be used as a feeder for linear editing while a Gigabit Ethernet (1000BASE-T) port allows for high-speed file transfer in network or non-linear operations. The PMW-1000 also includes a HDMI output at the rear for easy monitoring on HD displays. 

A USB interface on the front panel enables easy connection of external USB HDDs without a PC for the direct copying of clips.

It also boasts three-way power source selection. It can operate on AC, DC or battery power, and so it can even be used on location. It should be available in Europe from April.

Procam order

The 4K cameras seem to be attracting a lot of interest. One of the UK’s biggest broadcast hire facilities, Procam TV, has just spent £500,000 on the PMW-F5 and PMW-F55. Procam believes it is the largest single transaction of its kind in the broadcast hire industry.

It is getting its first instalment of 12 cameras this month, and expects considerable demand from its current customers as well as attracting new clients.

By David Fox

Sony PMW-F5 + F55 4K cameras

Sony has announced two new 4K cameras (the PMW-F5 and PMW-F55), plus the impending arrival of the 4K upgrade for the NEX-FS700, as it begins to get serious about moving beyond HD. The new cameras will use a new codec: XAVC. All the cameras use single Super35-sized CMOS sensors.

Sony started its move into 4K (4096x2160 pixels) with the F65 last year, and now has a range of 4K-capable equipment, including domestic and professional LCD and projector displays.

The high-end F65 is well regarded in the film industry, and the camera has been used on such movies as Oblivion and After Earth.

In fact, the F65 is now going beyond 4K, following its version 3.0 upgrade it will also be able to shoot 6K and 8K Raw (it uses a full 8K/20-megapixel sensor). It will also be able to shoot at up to 120 frames per second in 8K. It can be fitted with a new 0.7-inch OLED viewfinder (the first such for this type of camera), and has received several other film-related additions, such as anamorphic lens support.

However, as the F65 moves even further upmarket, the F55 and F5 should slot seamlessly in underneath it.

Open codec architecture

The cameras will support four codecs: XAVC, for high frame rates and 4K, MPEG2 at 50Mbps, MPEG4 SStP (Sony’s SR Master codec) and Raw 4K “by the switch of a button, depending on what job you want to do,” said Olivier Bovis, Sony’s Head of AV Media.

The F5 and F55 will need the new AXS-R5 recorder for Raw, but everything else will be recorded internally on a new, faster, memory card: SxS Pro+, which will support higher frame rates and bit rates – it is about 20/30% faster than an SxS Pro card at writing/reading and comes in 64GB and 128GB versions.

The F55 will be able to simultaneously record both MPEG2 50Mbps and XAVC 4K to the same SxS Pro+ card, which means you can have a readily usable 50Mbps version for offline editing in a 4K production, or just hold an archive of 4K shots for the future while shooting for today’s broadcast standards. You should also be able to record Raw 4K at the same time to the R5 recorder.

Internally, the F55 will be able to record HD (1920x1080), 2K (2048x1080), QFHD (Quad Full HD - 3840x2160), and 4K, while the F5 will be limited to 2K and HD, but once you add the R5 both will record Raw 4K and higher frame rates.

The F55 “has a very wide colour gamut [same as the F65] and high frame rates: up to 180fps in 4K and up to 240fps in HD,” said Bovis. It also has a Global Shutter to avoid any rolling shutter skew effect or flash banding. The F5 will shoot at up to 120fps in HD. The F65 can shoot at up to 180fps at 4K and up to 240fps in 2K Raw.

The cameras are promised to offer a wide dynamic range (14 stops), high sensitivity, and low noise.

Viewfinders + monitors

Thanks to a new digital interface, the PMW-F5 and F55 will also be able to use the new DVF-EL100 1280x720 OLED viewfinder. There is also a new 3.5-inch 960x540-pixel LCD viewfinder (DVF-L350), offering 10x the contrast of previous Sony LCD viewfinders plus a flip-up eyepiece for direct monitoring, and a 7-inch 1920x1080 LCD on-camera monitor (DVF-L700).

The PMW-F55 can also connect to Sony’s new 4K 30-inch 10-bit LCD monitor (PVM-X300) for on-set monitoring, dailies and editing using four 3G-SDI interfaces to monitor pictures at 4096x2160 resolution at up to 60p while recording and playing back XAVC 4K images. It can also be connected directly to the 84-inch BRAVIA 4K LED TV for monitoring, but at a resized horizontal resolution of 3860 pixels.

Batteries + rigs

The F5 and F55 also use compact new Olivine (Lithium Iron Phosphate) batteries that promise twice the lifetime of conventional Lithium Ion cathodes and provide an hour of power for Raw recording when using the R5 with either the F5/F55 (Raw is more power hungry than the other codecs). There is also a new 2x faster battery charger.

The cameras will also have a new shoulder rig, “so you can easily use it shoulder mounted. It’s very modular in how you want to use it,” said Bovis.

PL-mount lenses

The F55 and F5 cameras come with a PL lens mount, for use with high-end cine-style lenses, but Sony is also launching six new CineAlta T2.0 PL-mount lenses for the cameras (20, 25, 35, 50, 85 and 135mm).

Each is certified for 4K and is designed to minimize geometric distortion, vignetting and breathing. A 9-blade iris should deliver pleasing bokeh (out-of-focus effects), and the focus rings rotate 240°. For easy lens changes, each has the same external diameter, matte box diameter, and gear locations for follow focus and aperture. All are the same lenght except for the 135mm. 

The cameras are fitted with a native FZ mount (but the PL-mount adaptor is supplied), so users will also be able to fit other adaptors for Canon EF, Canon FD, Nikon DX, Nikon G, Leica M and even 2/3-inch B4 lenses.

Availability

The F5, F55, F65 upgrade, and lenses should be available by the end of January, but 2K and QFHD recording for the PMW-F55 and 2K for the PMW-F5 will be available through a firmware upgrade. Frame rates higher than 60fps will also require a firmware upgrade.

Prices should be announced in November.

NEX-FS700 + HXR-1FR5

At its introduction, last April, Sony promised that the NEX-FS700 would be able to record 4K, and soon it will, using the new HXR-1FR5 interface unit, which has 3G HD-SDI input, to deliver Raw data, and the new AXS-R5 recording unit – which uses a new generation of Access Memory Card with 512GB of storage. It will also require a firmware upgrade.

Although the FS700 can already record high frame rates in HD, it won’t have that feature in 4K, where the available frame rates will be 23.98p, 25p, 29.97p, 50p and 59.94p.

The HXR-IFR5 and firmware upgrade should be available between April and June 2013.

By David Fox