Sony's XDCAM EX lineup continues to expand and improve with the PMW-320K Full HD Camcorder. Nearly identical to the larger-sensor PMW-350L, this professional shoulder-mount camera boasts three 1/2"-type full-HD CMOS sensors, solid state SxS workflow and an impressive set of advanced features, setting new standards for affordable, high-end videography. With a chassis based on the XDCAM HD422, the PMW-320K also manages to be one of the lightest--and most well-balanced--camcorders in its class (even factoring in the included 16x interchangeable Fujinon lens).
But comfort and portability are only the beginning. Pressing the Record button reveals what the PMW-320K is really about: topnotch image quality. And this camcorder comes by it honestly, whether in its High Quality 35Mbs HD setting or using the optional 25Mbs DVCAM recording mode. Either way, your images are captured quietly and efficiently to SxS PRO or the new, lower-cost SxS-1 memory cards--storing up to 280 minutes of MPEG-2 HD video on two 32GB cards. You can even record uncompressed 4:2:2 video by capturing to an external recorder via the camera's HD-SDI output.
Exceptionally low power consumption (down to 15W) means the PMW-320K can run on a single 90Wh battery for up to 5 hours, which is not only good for the environment, but fewer batteries mean less weight (and lower costs) on long-distance shoots. Other features--some passed down from Sony's higher-end F900R and PDW-700--are also worth highlighting, including scene file settings, adjustable gamma, and Matrix settings that can be stored on memory cards. Four channels of audio and a viewfinder that incorporates the EX1/EX3's entire high-resolution LCD screen (and adds image flip) make the shooter's job even easier. With the introduction of the PMW-320K, Sony reaffirms its XDCAM EX cameras as serious high-definition contenders.
Three 1/2"-type Exmor CMOS Sensors
The PMW-320K is equipped with three newly developed 1/2"-type Exmor CMOS sensors, each with an effective pixel count of 1920 (H) x 1080 (V). These deliver superior picture performance with full-HD resolution. This 1/2"-type image sensor allows the camcorder to provide an excellent sensitivity of F10 in 60Hz mode (F11 in 50Hz), a remarkable signal-to-noise ratio of 54dB, and a high horizontal resolution of 1000 TV lines (in 1920 x 1080/59.94i mode). In addition, the large sensors can capture images with a shallower depth of field, giving users more freedom of creative expression.What's more, the Exmor CMOS sensor's unique design deploys an A/D converter to each column of pixels, resulting in a much lower clock speed than conventional CMOS sensors. This makes it possible to greatly reduce power consumption of the camcorder.
1920 x 1080 HD Recording Using the "MPEG-2 Long GOP" Codec
The PMW-320K records 1920 x 1080 full HD images using the "MPEG-2 Long GOP" codec, which conforms to the MPEG-2 MP@HL compression standard. "MPEG-2 Long GOP" is a mature codec--also adopted by the XDCAM HD and HDV 1080i series of products--which enables users to record stunning HD video and audio with highly efficient, reliable data compression.
Selectable Recording Modes Including DVCAM Recording
The PMW-320K offers a choice of bit rates--either 35Mbs (HQ mode) or 25Mbs (SP mode)--depending on the desired picture quality and recording time. The HQ mode supports 1920 x 1080, 1440 x 1080 and 1280 x 720 resolutions. The 1440 x 1080 mode is new to the PMW-320K, ensuring native integration of XDCAM EX footage into an XDCAM HD Professional Disc workflow. By supporting 1440 x 1080, 35Mbs recording, material can be utilized with no transcode, just a rewrap to MXF for NLE and archiving.The SP mode supports 1440 x 1080 resolution at 25Mbs, which provides compatibility with HDV 1080i products. Footage recorded in this SP mode can be seamlessly integrated into HDV-compatible editing systems by transferring the stream from the camcorder via the i.LINK (HDV) interface.
The PMW-320K also supports 25Mbs DVCAM recording in either PAL or NTSC modes, again providing seamless integration into existing DVCAM workflows, offering ultimate flexibility worldwide.
Robust Nonlinear Recording Media, "SxS PRO" & "SxS-1"
The XDCAM EX series adopts high-speed SxS PRO and SxS-1 memory cards for its recording media, developed specifically for professional content creation applications with a number of key features:
- Compatible with ExpressCard/34 interface slot which is common on modern Windows PCs and Macs
- Uses PCI Express interface and achieves an extremely high "read" speed of 800 Mbs*
- Large storage capacity: SBP-16 (16 GB) and SBP-32 (32 GB) memory cards are available.
- Can record up to 140 minutes of HD video and audio (using one 32-GB memory card)
- Compact size: approx. 75 x 34 x 5 mm (excluding the projecting parts)--half the size of the older PC Card standard
- Low power consumption
- Highly reliable: can resist shocks (up to 1500 G) and vibrations (up to 15 G)
- Affordability: SxS-1 media (introduced in late 2009) provides users with a lower cost alternative to SxS PRO media that offers the same high performance, but with an estimated 5-year life span when recording at full capacity once per day. Users can check the card life on their PMW-320K camcorder and even see an alarm when the data rewriting limit is reached.
- SDHC and Memory Stick media can now be used with MEAD Adaptors.