New Sony PXW-Z150 world’s first camcorder with 1.0 type stacked CMOS sensor

Sony recently announced the new PXW-Z150 camcorder you can preorder at BHphoto and Adorama. It’s the world’s first camcorder with 1.0 type stacked CMOS sensor. A first Look video has been posted at Adorama and at Explora.

Here is the full press text:

Park Ridge, N.J., Feb. 23, 2016 – Sony’s newest 4K camcorder, the PXW-Z150, combines enhanced low-light performance and multiple file transfer options in a compact design for professionals who need to quickly and easily shoot, edit and deliver broadcast-quality content.

With its stacked 1.0-type Exmor sensor, the world’s first in a professional camcorder, the new PXW-Z150 is Sony’s third professional 1-inch camcorder, joining the HXR-NX100 and PXW-X70. The new model also further expands Sony’s line of 4K cameras, giving users more options for matching the right technology to their production and budget requirements.

“The Z150’s low-light performance, networking capabilities and 4K resolution give pro shooters an unbeatable triple play of features,” said Jeanne Lewis, marketing manager, professional digital imaging, Sony Electronics. “It’s perfect for professionals who need to quickly deliver high-quality content, and are ready to either step up from an entry-level pro camera or need a companion to larger-format cameras.”

The PXW-Z150’s flexible operations make it suited for corporate and event production, as well as broadcast, documentary, online content creation or any application requiring fast turnaround times.

The PXW-Z150 features a 1.0 type stacked Exmor RS CMOS image sensor, giving shooters the high-sensitivity needed to deliver clear, sharp pictures in extreme low-light conditions. A high-speed read-out ensures high-speed motion shooting with minimum distortion.

The camcorder supports full HD 120fps continuous high-speed shooting, which enables 5x slow motion expression. The PXW-Z150 supports 4K XAVC Long maximum 100Mbps high quality shooting. Full HD XAVC Long 4:2:2 10bit 50Mbps and the broadcasting format MPEG2HD (50Mbps/35Mbps) are also supported.

Videographers can deliver high resolution and contrast from the center to the edge of the camera’s G lens, with the high performance 4K-compatible 29-348mm wide-angle lens with 12x optical zoom. The Clear Image Zoom technology operates at 24x zoom and 18x zoom in HD and 4K modes respectively, in addition to the standard optical 12x zoom.

High visibility is delivered with the wide view-angle and high contrast 0.39-type 1440K OLED viewfinder, alongside the 3.5-type 1550K LCD panel. A built-in 4-step ND filter offers the flexibility of exposure and depth-of-field control. The PXW-Z150 provides extended functionality with 3 independent lens rings.

Users can take advantage of the camcorder’s advanced network functions, such as built-in Wi-Fi for live streaming capabilities and FTP wireless connections. The PXW-Z150 can also be easily controlled by a smartphone or tablet using a Wi-Fi remote. Quality of Service (QoS) will be supported by a firmware update.

The PXW-Z150 is ergonomically designed for comfortable shooting and the compact, lightweight body integrates advanced features to remove the need for multiple external accessories.

Compatibility with Sony’s Multi-Interface (MI) Shoe avoids cabling with easy integration between the PXW-Z150 and Sony peripherals, such as the UWP-D series wireless microphones. The camcorder’s interface options also include: 3G-SDI, HDMI, XLR, Cold Shoe, USB and REMOTE and Composite (phono).

The PXW-Z150 has a battery life of up to 400 minutes of continuous recording time. The camcorder has two memory card slots and supports SDXC and SDHC media. The dual media slots also enable back-up, simultaneous and relay recording.

The PXW-Z150 is planned to be available in April at a suggested list price of $3,595. Find out more about the new camera at www.sony.com/pxwz150.