In a notable expansion of its 4K broadcast equipment products, Sony is planning to launch a new 4K camcorder by the end of the year that will be targeted to the professional market but priced at under $6,500.
The new PXW-Z100 4K handheld XDCAM camcorder is designed to expand the use of 4K equipment beyond motion picture or high-end TV production into the houses of worship, education, corporate, and live events business, where buyers demand less costly gear.
"This new camcorder brings high-performance 4K capabilities to the entry-level of our 4K line," said Takahiro Kagawa, product manager at Sony Electronics in a statement. "It's perfect as a standalone content creation tool or as a complement to our large sensor, higher-end 4K cameras. Corporate and event producers can now deliver 4K images for a growing number of applications including large venue 4K projection and 4K monitors. Professionals now have access to the widest palette of 4K tools to tell their stories more effectively and creatively."
The camcorder can shoot HD (1920x1080), QFHD (3840x2016) and 4K (4096×2160) content using a 1/2.3-inch Exmor R CMOS sensor.
It uses Sony's XAVC recording format, which was first employed in Sony's PMW-F55 CineAlta 4K camera and relies on MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 compression for HD, QFHD and 4K content.
Image sampling is done at 4:2:2 10-bit, with an intra-frame system that compresses each frame individually at a maximum bit rate of 500 mbps or 600 mbps during 4K 50 frames per second or 60 fps recording.
Attached to a fixed 4K-compatible high-performance G Lens it weighs less than 7 pounds.
