PDW-700 preproduction model notes

I cannot write up a detailed review of this camera because it was only a pre-production model. However I thought I would at least list my initial thoughts about it here.

What I liked:

Two SDI outs and an SDI in.

It was very nicely balanced.

It can take the LCD colour viewfinder from the HDCAM range.

The thumbnail menus are very nicely designed and easy to use. They look great too.

Built in LAN socket, and built in USB2.

Extremely low noise on the picture.

Low light sensitivity.

It is possible to use high gain settings without it being too detrimental to the picture.

Five white balance memories.

30 second cache record. Enough time to be able to change a disc.

A curious option in the Operation menu to be able to... (I'll let you guys speculate on what the end of that sentence is going to say).

Menus based upon the SD cameras. In other words they aren't dumbed down like the XDCAM HD cameras.

Body is similar to the SD cameras. More robust feeling than the 1/2" models.

Much better lens bayonet mounting than the 1/2" cameras.

Superbly sharp viewfinder.

24-bit audio recording over 4 channels.

Provision for 6 Cine Gammas. 

What I didn't like:

Colour LCD display is the same as the one on the 350. Boo hiss! Why not use the one from the EX1?

Rear air vent could cause issue with camera covers.

No 24p mode even on final production model. This needs to be rectified as the 700's nearest competitors have this capability.

Slow shutter only goes to 16 frame accumulations. Though this could quite possibly change for the production model. 

40w power draw. This can't be helped really due to the CCD block, but it is still going to mean using some hefty batteries.

Standard def modes are an optional extra.

Detail correction was set far too high. Although I put this down to being a very early firmware and not representative of the final camera. 

I wasn't allowed to keep it.

What I would like to see:

Bluetooth capability to make clip naming and other operations easier. This is one of the neatest ideas on the Infinity and it would be good to have the XDCAM cameras utilise this.

Variable frame rate. But I know this won't happen.

Higher SLS capability.

Thus far the good points outweigh the minuses. Hopefully Sony will address some of the negatives before release, or have a sister model in the wings that takes care of them. 

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