Sony PXW-Z100 Pro 4K Camcorder Intro

At first glance, this camcorder seems identical to the cheaper FDR-AX1; however, Sony’s PXW-Z100 Pro 4K is packed with enough extra  punch to get the approval of seasoned videographers . Without a doubt, Sony knows what guns to pull out in the competitive world of professional camcorders.

Capable of recording true 4K 4096 x 2160 resolution video at 50 to 60 fps, the PXW-Z100 is certainly a powerful camcorder that comes in the familiar handheld form factor. Plus, it features a G lens with 20x optical zoom, 3G/HD-SDI and 4K HDMI interfaces, three control rings, and dual XQD memory card slots.

Aside from lending you the power of 4K shooting, this Sony camcorder comes with traditional control and ergonomics so it may be easier for videographers to seamlessly add this equipment to their workflow. Other familiar features include ND filters, gain control settings, XLR audio, white balance presets, and the ASSIN button. Alongside these, PXW-Z100 comes with an ECM-XM1 shotgun microphone, an NP-F970 L-Series battery, and a charger.

So, this Sony innovation records HD (1080p), 4K UHD (3840 x 2160), and cinematic 4K (4096 x 2160) on XQD media cards. It uses standard XAVC codec instead of the XAVC-S that its cheaper cousin, the FDR-AX1, uses. For those who aren’t familiar with XAVC, it’s an intra-frame 4:2:2 ColorSpace codec that runs between 90 Mb/s and 600 Mb/s, though this largely depends on the frame rate and resolution. Because it’s a high-quality codec, it needs both a higher read/write speeds as well as a lot of storage space, which makes the S-series XQD cards ideal to use with PXW-Z100 when the user aims to do 4K recording.

For the 4K images that PXW-Z100 produces, it makes it possible for a videographer to capture live events, corporate and educational videos, and even houses of worship in a professional-quality recording. But aside from that, this Sony camcorder has further impressed the professional camcorder market with the following key features:

XLR Audio Inputs – To support the use of professional-quality microphones, this equipment comes with two XLR connecters. Plus, it has a Sony ECM-XM1 shotgun microphone. When this built-in stereo microphone gets combined with external microphone inputs, one can record up to four channels of 24-bit 48 kHz audio.

Exmor R CMOS Sensor – For a good low-light performance and high-sensitivity, Sony PXW-Z100 uses the back-illuminated Exmor R CMOS sensor. This 1/2.3” sensor captures 4K images using over 8.8 million pixels at different frame rates (59.94p, 50p, 29.97p, 25p, 23.98p).

Wi-Fi Control – A user can simply plug the supplied Wi-Fi adapter into the camcorder’s USB port to enable their smartphone or tablet to use a browser in remotely controlling record, zoom, focus, and aperture functions on the PXW-Z100 Pro 4K.

XQD Recording Media – This Sony camcorder comes with two XQD slots, which can be set up in various ways depending on one’s shooting requirements. Typically, XQD solid-state memory cards utilise the fast PCI Express interface to provide recording speeds of up to 600 Mbps. However, the PXW-Z100 can also work with SDCX/SDHC/SD memory cards as well as supports a memory stick duo.

4-Stage ND Filters & High-Performance G Lens – When shooting in sunny conditions, the built-in Neutral Density filters gives access to 1/4, 1/16, 1/64, and clear stages. In addition, the PXW-Z100 comes with a built-in 4K-optimized G lens that provides a 30mm wide angle view in 4K 4096 x 2160 and full HD 1920 x 1080 modes.

Creative “Paint” Function – To adjust multiple image parameter settings, one can use the paint function on this Sony camcorder, which includes black level, detail, gamma curve, skin tone, and color.

In a nutshell, the PXW-Z100 Pro 4K lends the user a lot of functionality and it does so well. Not only is it small enough to be used for run-and-gun productions on the field, it can shoot 4K and HD that makes it great for quality studio output. In addition, its settings menus are simple to navigate and the camera controls are easy to find. This should make a great addition to every professional videographer’s video production arsenal.

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Sony PXW-Z100 Pro 4K Camcorder Specification

Download the  PMW Z100 Product Brochure

Mass	Approx 1.5 kg (body) Approx. 1.8 kg (with lens hood, eye piece, BP-U30 battery, a SxS memory card)
Power Requirements	DC 12 V
Power Consumption	“Approx. 12 W (while recording, EVF On, LCD monitor Off, IO Select Off)”
Operating Temperature	0°C to 40°C
Storage Temperature	-20°C to +60°C
Continuous Operating Time	Approx. 2 hrs with BP-U30 battery (while recording, HQ 1920 59.94i mode, EVF On, LCD monitor Off, I/O Select Off)”
Dimensions (W x H x D)*1
Recording Format (Video)	UDF HD422 mode: CBR, maximum bit rate: 50 Mbps, MPEG-2 422P@HL HD420 mode: VBR, 35 Mbps, MPEG-2 MP@HL DVCAM mode: DVCAM FAT HQ 1920 mode: VBR, 35 Mbps, MPEG-2 MP@HL HQ 1440 mode: VBR, 35 Mbps, MPEG-2 MP@HL SP 1440 mode: CBR, 25 Mbps, MPEG-2 MP@H-14 DVCAM mode: DVCAM
Recording Format (Audio)	UDF HD422 mode: LPCM 24 bits, 48 kHz, 4 channels Other mode: LPCM 16 bits, 48 kHz, 4 channels FAT HD mode: LPCM 16 bits, 48 kHz, 4 channels SD mode: LPCM 16 bits, 48 kHz, 2 channels UDF HD 422 mode
Recording/Playback Time (MPEG HD)	Approx. 120 min with SBP-64/ SBS-64G1A (64 GB) memory card Approx. 60 min with SBP-32/ SBS-32G1A (32 GB) memory card Approx. 30 min with SBP-16 (16 GB) memory card HD 420 mode: Approx. 180 min with SBP-64/ SBS-64G1A (64 GB) memory card Approx. 90 min with SBP-32/ SBS-32G1A (32 GB) memory card Approx. 45 min with SBP-16 (16 GB) memory card DVCAM mode: Approx. 220 min with SBP-64/ SBS-64G1A (64 GB) memory card Approx. 110 min with SBP-32/ SBS-32G1A (32 GB) memory card Approx. 55 min with SBP-16 (16 GB) memory card
Recording/Playback Time (MPEG HD)	FAT HQ 1920/HQ 1440 mode: Approx. 200 min with SBP-64/ SBS-64G1A (64 GB) memory card Approx. 100 min with SBP-32/ SBS-32G1A (32 GB) memory card Approx. 50 min with SBP-16 (16 GB) memory card SP 1440 Mode: Approx. 280 min with SBP-64/ SBS-64G1A (64 GB) memory card Approx. 140 min with SBP-32/ SBS-32G1A (32 GB) memory card Approx. 70 min with SBP-16 (16 GB) memory card DVCAM mode Approx. 260 min with SBP-64/ SBS-64G1A (64 GB) memory card Approx. 130 min with SBP-32/ SBS-32G1A (32 GB) memory card Approx. 65 min with SBP-16 (16 GB) memory card
Recording Frame Rate	UDF HD422 Mode: MPEG-2 422P@HL, 50Mbps/ CBR 1920x1080/ 59.94i, 50i, 29.97p, 25p, 23.98p 1280x720/ 59.94p, 50p, 29.97p, 25p, 23.98p HD420 Mode: MPEG-2 MP@HL, 35Mbps/ VBR 1440x1080/ 59.94i, 50i, 29.97p, 25p, 23.98p 1280x720/ 59.94p, 50p, 23.98p DVCAM Mode 720x480/ 59.94i, 29.97PsF 720x576/ 50i, 25PsF
Recording Frame Rate	FAT HQ 1920 Mode: MPEG-2 MP@HL, 35Mbps/ VBR 1920x1080/ 59.94i, 50i, 29.97p, 25p, 23.98p HQ 1440 Mode: MPEG-2 MP@HL, 35Mbps/ VBR 1440x1080/ 59.94i, 50i, 29.97p, 25p, 23.98p HQ 1280 Mode: MPEG-2 MP@HL, 35Mbps/ VBR 1280x720/ 59.94p, 50p, 29.97p, 25p, 23.98p SP 1440 Mode: MPEG-2 MP@H-14, 25Mbps/ CBR 1440x1080/ 59.94i, 50i, 23.98p (2-3 pull down) DVCAM Mode 720x480/ 59.94i, 29.97PsF 720x576/ 50i, 25PsF Fixed

Lens

Input/Output

Camera

Viewfinder

Other Equipment

Supplied Accessories

Included Accessories	VCL-HG0737K – High-resolution wide conversion lens kit (1) Infrared Remote Commander (1) USB cable (1) AV connecting cable (1) BP-U30 battery pack (1) BC-U1 battery charger (1) Shoulder strap (1) Lithium battery (CR2032 for backup) (1) Lithium battery (CR2025 for the IR Remote Commander) (1) CD-ROM: – Utility software (1) – Operating instructions in PDF (1) Operating instructions (1)

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Sony PXW-Z100 Test Footage

 

Unboxing the PMW Z100

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