If you’ve recently purchased or are thinking about picking up Sony’s PXW-X70video camcorder, their gateway camera for dedicated ultra-high-definition digital film making and videography, Sony’s just announced two big updates for the camera.Before jumping into the update, let’s take a quick look at the Sony PXW-X70 and its feature set.
The Sony PXW-X70 is a compact, hand-held digital video camcorder that simply doesn’t know its own size. The PXW-X70 comes with various features often found in larger, more expensive cinema rigs at a fraction of the size and price. The PXW-X70 is equipped with Sony’s one-inch EXMOR R CMOS sensor giving it great low light performance without sacrificing any of the video image quality. On top of offering 4k video license option, the PXW-X70 includes an integrated Zeiss 12x optical zoom lens with manual focus/zoom rings and a three level ND-filter delivering an all-in-one solution without sacrificing creative control or image quality at any focal length. Best of all, the combined package promises high quality image output even in low-light conditions.
The PXW-X70 is more than just a big sensor and great glass; Sony’s carefully designed all-in-one camera includes a wealth of input/output features that you’d expect in more expensive camera rigs. For starters, sitting at the top of the camera is an integrated ergonomic camera grip with two 3-pin XLR microphone inputs for capturing the highest quality sound to match the PXW-X70’s pro-quality images. The PXW-X70 also includes 3 HD-SDI outputs and a standard HDMI for fast lossless transfers, Wi-Fi and NFC for transferring video to a remote FTP server or computer, as well as remote operation via smartphone or tablet.
Sony’s all-in-one wonder offers the flexibility of up to 99 camera profile settings so you can plan out your shoots and make adjustments on the fly – when time is crucial and getting the shot is a non-negotiable, the PXW-X70 is ready for anything. The PXW-X70 can also shoot to dual media slots so you can record and relay simultaneously. Sony has also future-proofed the compact cinema rig with expandable options like their QFHD software expansion that allows for an unprecedented number of recording formats including XAVC and AVCHD.
Sony’s Big News
The first announcement is for their V2.0 firmware upgrade that opens up a wealth of features on the PXW-X70. Included in the upgrade are the ability to live stream images from the PXW-X70 for viewing at a remote location, FTP file wireless file transfer support – even 4K video shot in XAVC, wireless LAN support, and dual-format video recording to XAVC proxy recording for working with smaller files for quick transfers without giving up vital information needed for editing purposes. The V2.0 firmware upgrade is free and available via Sony.
The second announcement is a premium upgrade to that unlocks the potential of the PXW-X70 to record in QFHD at 30/25/24 frames per second. The optional license allows users to capture scenes at a resolution that is 4x higher than traditional 1080p. This license requires V2.0 on the camera before installation.
There’s never been a more financially feasible time to dive into the world of 4k filmmaking than now and with Sony’s latest feature updates to the PXW-X70, there’s never been a better time to consider this for your next project or as a backup for you media outlet. For the auteur who’s been on the fence about jumping into a dedicated cinema-quality rig with the ability to expand and the technology to keep up with changing standards, look no further than the PXW-X70. With Sony and the PXW-X70, you can shoot, capture, and create without compromises.
Bonus
Sony would like to show our appreciation to early adopters of the PXW-X70 camcorder. End user purchasers of PXW-X70 who took delivery of their product on or before March 31, 2015 and who purchase a 4K license key between June 15, 2015 and August 31, 2015 are eligible to receive a $300 mail-in rebate from Sony!
