SONY PMW-300K1 XDCAM HD CAMCORDER

The PMW-300K1 XDCAM HD Camcorder from Sony is designed to meet the demands of field video productions and professional studio applications. It is Sony’s first semi-shoulder mount camcorder to combine the low-light capabilities of three, 1/2″ Exmor Full HD CMOS sensors with the broadcast-quality, Full HD MPEG HD422 codec. The camcorder features the same rugged metal construction, interchangeable EX lens mount, and 14x Fujinon HD lens as the PMW-EX3, but introduces advanced signal processing technology for low-noise and clearer images. The PMW-300K1 also features a 3.5″ 960 x 540 LCD viewfinder, built-in ND filters, and 8 assignable function buttons.

The camcorder is equipped with dual ExpressCard/34 SxS memory card slots that support SxS Pro and SxS-1 cards. A variety of recording formats are available, including Full HD 1920 x 1080 video recording in either MPEG HD422 at 50Mbps or MPEG HD420 at 35Mbps. The camcorder supports both UDF and FAT file format modes. SD recording is available in DVCAM and MPEG IMX formats, in both NTSC and PAL. The camcorder is upgradeable to support Sony’s XAVC codec when it becomes available.

The camcorder offers two HD/SD-SDI and one HDMI inputs, as well as i.LINK, USB 2.0, timecode, and genlock connections for use with a wide range of AV and IT interfaces. The USB 2.0 port enables the use of the optional CBK-WA100 Wireless Adapter. Included with the camcorder is the Fujinon 14x zoom lens with lens hood and cap, 3.5″ LCD viewfinder, BP-U30 battery and charger, infrared remote commander, shoulder strap, cold shoe kit, and a USB cable.

 Full HD MPEG-2 HD 422 Recording at 50 Mbps and XAVC Upgradeable

The PMW-300K1 captures Full HD 1920 x 1080 video using the broadcast-quality MPEG-2 HD 422 codec at 50 Mbps. It creates industry-standard MXF files. The camcorder can also record Full HD video in MPEG-2 HD 420 at 35 Mbps. For Standard Definition recording, MPEG IMX and DVCAM options are available. The camcorder is upgradable to support Sony’s XAVC codec, when it becomes available.

Three 1/2″-type Exmor CMOS Sensors and Low-Light 3DNR Technology

Three, 1/2″-sized Full HD Exmor CMOS sensors provide good low-light performance with low image noise. The camcorder also includes Sony’s 3Dimensional Noise Reducer technology (3DNR) to further reduce noise between frames.

Interchangeable Lens System with 14x Fujinon HD Lens

Featuring the same interchangeable EX-mount system used by the PMW-EX3, the PMW-300K1 is compatible with a wide range of 1/2-inch lenses. The camcorder is also compatible with 2/3-inch lenses using Sony’s ACM-21 adapter, sold separately. The PMW-300K1 comes with a Fujinon HD lens with 14x, zoom range with a 35mm equivalent focal length of 31.4 to 439mm.

3.5″ Color LCD Viewfinder

A 3.5″ 960 x 540 color LCD viewfinder enables precision focusing for HD-resolution footage. The viewfinder cover can be flipped up for easier viewing of the LCD screen when the camera is on set or mounted on a tripod.

HD/SD-SDI and HDMI Interfaces

The PMW-300K1 features two SDI outputs for connecting with professional broadcast equipment. It also features an HDMI output, making it usable wide a wide-range of consumer products, such as monitors and HDTVs. The SDI and HDMI outputs can be used simultaneously.

Wide Range of Frame Rates

The camcorder records Full HD 1920 x 1080 video at 23.98p, 25p, 29.97p, 50i, and 59.94i frame rates in the MPEG-2 HD 422 codec. At 1280 x 720, the camcorder can shoot at frame rates of 23.28p, 25p, 29.97p, 50p, and 59.94p.

Slow and Quick Motion from 1 to 60 fps

Slow motion shooting is possible with up to 60 frames per second recording in 720p or 30 fps recording in 1080p, when used with an SxS Pro or SxS-1 memory card. Quick motion can be obtained by slowing the frame rate down to 1 fps.

UDF or FAT File Format Mode

UDF (Professional Disc compatible) or FAT (XDCAM EX compatible) file format mode allows you to shoot with similar files as Professional Disc and XDCAM EX camcorders, for integration into existing workflows.

Two SxS Memory Card Slots

The PMW-300K1 is equipped with two SxS memory card slots. Using two 64GB SxS cards will give you around four hours of continuous MPEG HD422 50Mbps recording. The camcorder accepts either SxS Pro or SxS-1 cards.

USB Connectivity and Wi-Fi Control

Enable wireless remote control, video streaming, and high resolution proxy file transfer capabilities by attaching the optional CBK-WA01 Wi-Fi adapter to the USB 2.0 port. This allows Apple iPads or Android devices to be used to control zoom, focus, iris, and white balance, as well as functions such as start/stop recording.

Two XLR Inputs and 4 Channel Audio Recording

The camcorder has two XLR inputs for connecting professional microphones for recording up to 4 channels of 24-bit 48kHz audio.

Semi-shoulder Design with Metal Body

The semi-shoulder design features an extendable chest pad mechanism and rotary hand grip to allow you to shoot comfortably for extended periods of time. The magnesium alloy body gives the camcorder the durability needed to handle demands of production environments.

Built-in Neutral Density Filters

Built-in Neutral Density filters allow you to cut down on the amount of light hitting the camcorder’s sensor. This gives you greater iris and depth of field control when shooting in bright/sunny conditions. Neutral Density filters are available in four stages – Clear, 1/4, 1/16, and 1/64.

Multi-camera Operation with 8-pin Remote Control

The camcorder has a Genlock In and timecode in/out interface for linking it together with other cameras for multi-camera shoots or 3D configurations. The 8-pin, 700-Protocol remote control interface allows the camcorder to be controlled with the Sony RMB-170 Remote Control Unit, sold separately.

Cache Recording

A 15-second cache recording function helps prevent the loss of scenes or events that occur up to 15 seconds before the camcorder’s record button is pressed.

Planning Metadata Automatically Recorded

Control the metadata for your clips by loading a Planning Metadata file (XML file) from an SxS card or USB drive. Metadata, including filename of the clip, will automatically be generated as specified in the XML file.

Power on Quick Rec Mode

By pushing the REC button while powering on the camcorder, the ‘Quick Rec’ mode is activated. This accelerates the start up process and allows the camcorder to start recording more quickly than if powered on normally.

Continuous Recordings for Easier Transport of Files

Use this mode to create single, long clips with multiple starts and stops when in UDF (MXF) mode. This allows for faster transport, as the single clip transfers faster than several smaller clips would.