Sony PDW-F800 XDCAM HD

Sony XDCAM HD Camcorder 2/3" shooting 50MB XDCAM HD to XDCAM HD disks. This is the same camera as the PDW-700 but also undercranks using 720p 60p slow motion with some added features

Thanks to its newly developed MPEG HD422 codec, the XDCAM HD422 Series provides high-quality video and audio recording capabilities, with an image resolution of 1920 x 1080 and eight-channel 24-bit uncompressed audio.  It is equipped with three 2/3-inch type 2.2-megapixel HD CCDs, which are also used in the well-proven HDC-1500 Sony Multi-format HD Camera. Based on Sony Power HAD FX sensor technology and the latest on-chip lens structure, this CCD offers a high sensitivity of F12 at 50Hz and an excellent signal-to-noise ratio of 59dB with NS.  It incorporates a high-performance 14-bit A/D converter that enables images captured by the high-performance CCDs to be processed with maximum precision. In particular, this high-resolution A/D conversion allows the gradation in mid-to-dark-tone areas of the picture to be faithfully reproduced. Thanks to the 14-bit A/D converter, pre-knee signal compression in highlighted areas can be eliminated, and the camera can clearly reproduce a high-luminance subject at a 600% dynamic range.

It records uncompressed four-channel, 24-bit audio. It is also equipped with a range of audio interfaces. 

In addition to this performance, a wide variety of capturing modes including 1080/50i, 1080/59.94i, 1080/25P and 1080/29.97P are available.

VMI's PDW-F800 Camcorders are not fitted with the SD option to allow SD acquisition

One of the big appeals of the PDW-F800 is its highly flexible multi-format recording capability. Users can select a recording format from HD (MPEG HD422 and MPEG HD) and SD (MPEG IMX and DVCAM), 59.94i/50i interlace mode, or 29.97P*/25P progressive mode.

Recording Durations

• MPEG HD422, 50 Mb/s: Approx. 95 min. (PFD50DLA (50GB dual sided disk), Approx. 43 min. (PFD23A, 23 GB single sided disk)
• MPEG HD(*1), 35 Mb/s: More than 145 min. (PFD50DLA), More than 65 min. (PFD23A)
• MPEG HD(*1), 25 Mb/s: Approx. 190 min. (PFD50DLA), Approx. 85 min. (PFD23A)
• MPEG IMX(*2), 50 Mb/s: Approx. 100 min. (PFD50DLA), Approx. 45 min. (PFD23A)
• MPEG IMX(*2), 40 Mb/s: Approx. 120 min. (PFD50DLA), Approx. 55 min. (PFD23A)
• MPEG IMX(*2), 30 Mb/s: Approx. 150 min. (PFD50DLA), Approx. 68 min. (PFD23A)
• DVCAM(*2), 25 Mb/s: Approx. 185 min. (PFD50DLA), Approx. 85 min. (PFD23A)

Optional XDCAM Reader/Writer as an interface for pc/mac without having to use the camera as a reader unit.

Optional HDVF-C35W Colour Viewfinder to replace monochrome standard eyepiece.

• Rate: £250 per day
• PDW-F800 with KJ16x HD Zoom lens£270/day
• PDW-F800 with HJ11 or HJ22 HD Zoom lens£350/day
• Sony PDW-F800 XDCAM HD Documentary Kit
  Upgrade to documentary kit add:
  HJ22ex7.6BIRS HD ENG zoom lens
  HJ11x4.7BIRS HD ENG zoom lens
  Clip-on Matte Box, Sachtler Video 20 3
  stage Carbon Fibre Tripod, Director's Monitor
  *additional £120 per day£370/day / £1480/week
• Sony PDW-F800 XDCAM HD Documentary Kit £1000/week (2 weeks+)

• Stephen Fry's Planet Word
• Polar Bears in Trafalgar Square
• On Thin Ice

Guides:

http://www.vmi.tv/training/useful-stuff/xdcam-ex/Further information XDCAM - advantages, workflows and links 

Tapeless Acquisition and Production

Useful XDCAM Links and Production

2/3-inch-type Three HD Power HAD FX CCDs

The PDW-F800 is equipped with three 2/3-inch type 2.2-megapixel HD CCDs, which are also used in the well-proven HDC-1500 Sony Multi-format HD Camera. Based on Sony Power HAD FX sensor technology and the latest on-chip lens structure, this CCD offers a high sensitivity of F12 at 50Hz and an excellent signal-to-noise ratio of 59dB with NS.

In addition to this performance, a wide variety of capturing modes including 1080/50i, 1080/59.94i, 1080/25P and 1080/29.97P are available.

14-bit A/D Conversion

The PDW-F800 incorporates a high-performance 14-bit A/D converter that enables images captured by the high-performance CCDs to be processed with maximum precision. In particular, this high-resolution A/D conversion allows the gradation in mid-to-dark-tone areas of the picture to be faithfully reproduced. Thanks to the 14-bit A/D converter, pre-knee signal compression in highlighted areas can be eliminated, and the camera can clearly reproduce a high-luminance subject at a 600% dynamic range.

State-of-the-art DSP LSI

The newly developed DSP (Digital Signal Processing) LSI is the heart of the image-processing device for the PDW-F800 camcorder. In conjunction with the 14-bit A/D converter, it reproduces images captured by the CCD at maximum quality. In addition, white balance, white shading, and flare are digitally corrected, allowing for stable image correction. What’s more, the PDW-F800 provides a NS (Noise Suppression) mode to reduce high-frequency noise elements in a video signal using Sony’s advanced digital processing technology.

High-quality 24-bit Audio Recording

The PDW-F800 records uncompressed four-channel, 24-bit audio. It is also equipped with a range of audio interfaces.

Supported Recording Formats – HD/SD and Interlace/Progressive

One of the big appeals of the PDW-F800 is its highly flexible multi-format recording capability. Users can select a recording format from HD (MPEG HD422 and MPEG HD) and SD (MPEG IMX and DVCAM), 59.94i/50i interlace mode, or 29.97P*/25P progressive mode.

Well-balanced Compact Body

The PDW-F800 is designed to be very compact and ergonomically well balanced, providing a high level of mobility and comfort in various shooting situations. It weighs only 6.0 kg (13 lb 4 oz) including the HDVF-20A viewfinder, the ECM-680S microphone, the PFD50DLA disc and the BP-GL95 battery pack.

Viewfinders

Two types of optional viewfinders are available for users: the HDVF-20A and HDVF-200 2.0-inch monochrome viewfinders and the HDVF-C30WR 3.5-inch colour viewfinder.

3.5-inch* LCD

A large, easy-to-view, color LCD screen on the PDW-F800 camcorder’s side panel enables operators to instantly review recorded footage, as well as access the camera’s set-up menus and view status indications such as four-channel audio meters, and the remaining time available on the disc and battery. It also enables advanced operations such as Thumbnail Search and Scene Selection.

*Viewable area, measured diagonally.

Slow Shutter

The shutter speed of the PDW-F800 is selectable down to a 16-frame period (in 2-, 3-, 4-, 5-, 6-, 7-, 8- and 16-frame periods). During such a long frame period, electrical charges accumulate on the CCDs which dramatically increases sensitivity. This helps camera operators to shoot in extremely dark environments. The Slow Shutter function also allows operators to use shutter speeds longer than the frame rate and to intentionally blur images when shooting a moving object, for increased shooting creativity.

Interval Recording

The PDW-F800 offers an Interval Recording function which intermittently records signals at pre-determined intervals. This is convenient for shooting over long periods of time, and also when creating pictures with special effects of extremely quick motion.

Picture Cache Recording

The PDW-F800 offers a Picture Cache Recording function that is especially useful during ENG applications. Up to 30 seconds of audio and video signals are buffered into the camcorder’s memory before the Rec button is even pressed (when in Standby mode). This means that everything that happened 30 seconds before the Rec button was pressed will still be recorded onto the disc. What’s more, this function works even before the disc is inserted in the drive – thereby helping to prevent the loss of any unexpected, yet important events.

Live & Play Function

The PDW-F800 camcorder has a Live & Play function that can simultaneously output both playback signals (images already recorded) and incoming camera signals (images seen through the viewfinder). Both signals are fed to their respective output and viewfinder connectors independently, and can be viewed at the same time. This allows users to frame the next shot, adjust the exposure, and even focus the lens while the camcorder is playing back recordings from the disc.

Smooth Gain Control

A wide choice of gain and its easy-to-use control system is one remarkable feature of the PDW-F800 camcorder. By setting the gain to the assignable switches, the user can easily access the desired gain. And the transition to each gain value is extremely smooth thus eliminating undesirable abrupt changes to the overall image.

Optical ND and CC Filters

The PDW-F800 camcorder comes equipped with dual optical filter wheels, ND (Neutral Density) and CC (Colour Correction). The optical ND filter is controlled via a built-in ND filter wheel - Clear, 1/4ND, 1/16ND/ and 1/64ND. And with the CC filter wheel, the user can easily obtain the desired colour temperature by rotation to acheive either - 3200K/4300K/5600K/6300K.

Digital Extender*

The Digital Extender function of the PDW-F800 enables images to be digitally doubled in size. Unlike lens extenders, the Digital Extender function performs this capability without any loss of image sensitivity, which is often referred to as the F-drop phenomenon.

*Use of the Digital Extender function reduces image resolution by half.

Focus Magnification

At the touch of a button, the centre of the screen on the viewfinder of the PDW-F800 camcorder can be magnified to about twice the size, making it easier to confirm focus settings during manual focusing.

Trigger REC Function

The PDW-F800 camcorder has the Trigger REC function that enables synchronized recording with PDW-HD1500 and PDW-F75 XDCAM decks or HDCAM™ portable decks connected via the HD-SDI interface – a convenient feature for backup recording