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Sony PXW-Z280 4K 3CMOS 1/2" Sensor XDCAM Camcorder

Name: Sony PXW-Z280 4K 3CMOS 1/2" Sensor XDCAM Camcorder
Brand: Sony
SKU: SOPXWZ280Q
Price: 7650.00 USD
Rating: 3.7 (30 reviews)

BH #SOPXWZ280Q • MFR #PXW-Z280V.UC

30 reviews

Authorized Dealer

Sony PXW-Z280 4K 3CMOS 1/2" Sensor XDCAM Camcorder

Shown w/Optional Accessories (Not Included)

Key Features

1/2"-Type Exmor R 3CMOS Sensor
Supports up to UHD 4K 60 Recording
Integrated 17x Optical Zoom Lens
Electronic Variable ND Filter

Sony's PXW-Z280 4K 3CMOS 1/2" Sensor XDCAM Camcorder uses a 3CMOS 1/2"-type sensor to capture up to 4K60 video, providing deep depth of field, improved low-light capability, and optimal image quality with excellent HDR performance. This camera's integrated 17x optical zoom lens has independent focus, iris, and zoom rings and its electronically variable ND filter enables on-the-fly exposure adjustments. The PXW-Z280 camera supports a variety of modern codecs such as XAVC-Intra and XAVC-Long, as well as legacy codecs such as MPEG HD and DVCAM, enabling you to use one camera to shoot 4K, HD, or SD video.

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Sony PXW-Z280 Overview

HDR/SDR Dual Production

The PXW-Z280 camera supports S-Log 3 for improved performance, and HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma) which allows you to shoot and deliver footage compatible with both HDR (high dynamic range) and SDR (standard dynamic range) without needing laborious post-production work. You can record in both 4K and HD simultaneously, or output 4K60p via the built-in 12G-SDI output.

17x Zoom Lens

The 17x zoom lens provides a 30.3 to 515mm (35mm equivalent) range, with up to 34x digital zoom in HD, and independent focus, iris, and zoom rings for quick manual adjustments.

Optimal HDR Performance

The PXW-Z380 is ready to fulfill your HDR needs with two workflows:

S-Log3 to capture maximum data for ultimate flexibility in grading.
The Instant HDR Workflow uses HLG (hybrid log-gamma) to quickly shoot, edit, and view content without compromising on imagery.

Fast Autofocus

Face Detection AF enables you to keep your subject in sharp focus even when you change your coverage angle. Choose between Face Priority AF and Face Only AF modes.

Direct Streaming/Dual-Link Cellular

This camera features built-in, dual-band 2.4 and 5 GHz Wi-Fi for RTMP/RTMPS live streaming to popular online platforms. Use your smartphone or tablet to set up a streaming channel, connect the camera via Wi-Fi and you're ready to go.
The PXW-Z280 is compatible with standard USB cellular dongles from most networks, providing an even more reliable connection.

Interfaces

Dual SxS memory card slots enable you to record in simultaneous, relay, or backup modes.
Two MI (multi-interface) shoes enable you to power wireless microphones, lights, and other compatible accessories.
Audio features include dual XLR inputs with independent volume dials and up to 4-channel audio.

UPC: 027242913783

Sony PXW-Z280 Specs

Key Specs

Sensor Resolution	Effective: 8.29 Megapixel
Image Sensor	1/2"-Type 3-Chip CMOS
Image Stabilization	Optical in Integrated Lens
Internal Recording Modes	DV 4:2:0 8-Bit 720 x 576p at 25 fps [25 Mb/s] 720 x 576i at 50 fps [25 Mb/s] 720 x 480p at 29.97 fps [25 Mb/s] 720 x 480i at 59.94 fps [25 Mb/s] MPEG HD420 4:2:0 1920 x 1080p from 1 to 29.97 fps [35 Mb/s] 1920 x 1080i at 50/59.94 fps [35 Mb/s] 1440 x 1080i at 50/59.94 fps [35 Mb/s] 1280 x 720 from 1 to 59.94 fps [35 Mb/s] MPEG HD422 4:2:2 1920 x 1080p from 1 to 29.97 fps [35 to 50 Mb/s] 1920 x 1080i at 50/59.94 fps [35 to 50 Mb/s] 1280 x 720 from 1 to 59.94 fps [35 to 50 Mb/s] XAVC-I 3840 x 2160 at 23.98/25/29.97/50/59.94 fps [600 Mb/s] 1920 x 1080p at 23.98/25/29.97/50/59.94 fps [222 Mb/s] 1920 x 1080i at 50/59.94 fps [222 Mb/s] 1280 x 720 at 50/59.94 fps [222 Mb/s] XAVC-L 3840 x 2160 from 1 to 59.94 fps [150 Mb/s] 1920 x 1080p from 1 to 59.94 fps [50 Mb/s] 1920 x 1080i at 50/59.94 fps [50 Mb/s] 1280 x 720 from 1 to 59.94 fps [50 Mb/s] XAVC-L 1920 x 1080p at 23.98/25/29.97/50/59.94 fps [35 Mb/s] 1920 x 1080i at 50/59.94 fps [25 to 35 Mb/s]
Media/Memory Card Slot	Dual Slot: SxS
Video I/O	1x BNC (Composite) Output 1x BNC (12G-SDI) Output 1x HDMI (Unspecified Signal) Output
Mobile App Compatible	Yes: Android & iOS
Battery Type	Sony BP-U Series

Imaging

Sensor Resolution	Effective: 8.29 Megapixel
Image Sensor	1/2"-Type 3-Chip CMOS
Horizontal Resolution (TV Lines)	2000 TV Lines or More
Image Stabilization	Optical in Integrated Lens
Built-In ND Filter	Mechanical Filter Wheel with Clear, 2-Stop (1/4), 4-Stop (1/16), 6-Stop (1/64) ND Filters and a 2 to 7 Stop Electronic ND Filter
Capture Type	Video Only

Exposure Control

Shutter Type	Electronic Rolling Shutter
Shutter Speed	1/8000 to 1/24 Second
Gain	-3 to 42 dB
Shutter Angle	5.6 to 360°
Sensitivity	f/12 at 2000 lux 89.9% Reflectance (1080p59.94 in Standard Mode or 4K59.94 in High Sensitivity Mode) f/13 at 2000 lux 89.9% Reflectance (1080p59.94 in Standard Mode or 4K59.94 in High Sensitivity Mode)
Minimum Illumination	0.0013 Lux
White Balance	Range: 1500 to 50,000K Presets: ATW, AWB, Set A, Set B

Lens

Focal Length	5.6 to 95.2mm (35mm Equivalent: 30.3 to 515mm)
Optical Zoom Ratio	17x
Maximum Aperture	f/1.9
Minimum Aperture	f/16
Minimum Focus Distance	2" / 5.1 cm (Wide) to 31.5" / 80 cm (Tele)
Filter Size	77 mm
Control Rings	Focus Zoom Iris
Focus Control	Autofocus Manual Focus

Video Capture

Internal Recording Modes	DV 4:2:0 8-Bit 720 x 576p at 25 fps [25 Mb/s] 720 x 576i at 50 fps [25 Mb/s] 720 x 480p at 29.97 fps [25 Mb/s] 720 x 480i at 59.94 fps [25 Mb/s] MPEG HD420 4:2:0 1920 x 1080p from 1 to 29.97 fps [35 Mb/s] 1920 x 1080i at 50/59.94 fps [35 Mb/s] 1440 x 1080i at 50/59.94 fps [35 Mb/s] 1280 x 720 from 1 to 59.94 fps [35 Mb/s] MPEG HD422 4:2:2 1920 x 1080p from 1 to 29.97 fps [35 to 50 Mb/s] 1920 x 1080i at 50/59.94 fps [35 to 50 Mb/s] 1280 x 720 from 1 to 59.94 fps [35 to 50 Mb/s] XAVC-I 3840 x 2160 at 23.98/25/29.97/50/59.94 fps [600 Mb/s] 1920 x 1080p at 23.98/25/29.97/50/59.94 fps [222 Mb/s] 1920 x 1080i at 50/59.94 fps [222 Mb/s] 1280 x 720 at 50/59.94 fps [222 Mb/s] XAVC-L 3840 x 2160 from 1 to 59.94 fps [150 Mb/s] 1920 x 1080p from 1 to 59.94 fps [50 Mb/s] 1920 x 1080i at 50/59.94 fps [50 Mb/s] 1280 x 720 from 1 to 59.94 fps [50 Mb/s] XAVC-L 1920 x 1080p at 23.98/25/29.97/50/59.94 fps [35 Mb/s] 1920 x 1080i at 50/59.94 fps [25 to 35 Mb/s]
Fast-/Slow-Motion Support	Yes
Built-In Microphone	Stereo
Audio Recording	XAVC: 4-Channel 24-Bit 48 kHz LPCM Audio
IP Streaming	No

Interface

Media/Memory Card Slot	Dual Slot: SxS
Video I/O	1x BNC (Composite) Output 1x BNC (12G-SDI) Output 1x HDMI (Unspecified Signal) Output
Audio I/O	2x XLR 3-Pin Microphone Input 1x 1/8" / 3.5 mm TRS Stereo Headphone Output
Other I/O	1x BNC (Timecode) Input 1x BNC (Timecode) Output 1x BNC (Genlock) Input 1x 2.5 mm Sub-Mini (LANC) Control 1x Micro-USB Data 1x USB-A 1x USB-C 1x RJ45 (LAN) Data
Wireless	2.4 / 5 GHz Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), NFC
Mobile App Compatible	Yes: Android & iOS
Global Positioning (GPS, GLONASS, etc.)	GPS

Monitor

Display Type	Primary Monitor: Articulating 3.5" Non-Touchscreen LCD
Resolution	Primary Monitor: 2,360,000 Dot

Viewfinder

Type	Electronic (OLED)
Resolution	2,360,000 Dot

Focus

Focus Mode

Automatic, Manual Focus

Power

Battery Type

Sony BP-U Series

Environmental

Operating Conditions	32 to 72°F / 0 to 40°C
Storage Conditions	-4 to 140°F / -20 to 60°C

General

Shoe Mount	1x Intelligent Hot Shoe
Tripod Mounting Thread	1x 1/4"-20 Female 1x 3/8"-16 Female
Dimensions (W x H x D)	7 x 8 x 16.8" / 178.4 x 202 x 426.3 mm (With Protrusions)
Weight	6.61 lb / 3 kg (With Battery, Recording Media)

Packaging Info

Package Weight	11.935 lb
Box Dimensions (LxWxH)	20.8 x 11 x 10.9"

Sony PXW-Z280 Reviews

Love this camera!

By Alan

Rated 5 out of 5

Date: 2024-05-15

I use this camera for graduations, dance recitals and more. It's even used for some wedding work. Love the zoom and low light capabilities. I feel like I can walk into most any situation and get a great image with this camera. I've got 2 of these and love them!

My favorite camcorder to date!

By James

Rated 5 out of 5

Date: 2022-05-04

To be honest, I have not used every single camera or camcorder that has ever existed; but I have used cameras from every brand and almost every type since the early 2000's and this one is my favorite. It combines such a wide array of features into a single package that make it one of the most versatile cameras available. My favorite features include: fast lens with an excellent zoom range form factor that balances well, not to heavy for me, with lots of assign buttons and everything in easy reach awesome accessories available from Sony like the wireless audio adapter that can send audio through the MI shoes for additional balanced audio inputs. great controls for focus, zoom and iris excellent image stabilization for doing hand held work. I personally find the menus easy to use, but maybe I'm weird. But I like that I can use Direct Menus with this camera as well as customizing the User Menu to suit my needs Also, when you press the menu button it returns you to the menu item that you were previously using which I think is great. And many, many other features that work extremely well . . . Excellent battery life, turns on super fast, doesn't require a lot of fiddling with once you have it set up how you like it, and on and on. Available recording formats on this camera are great . . . And with firmware 5 you can shoot 120fps in HD which may not currently be listed in the specs. I personally have started to use it for all kinds of videography work like corporate videos, commercial videos, stock footage production and I am planning on using it for my own narrative productions as well. Two caveats, though. One is that you must know what you are doing and take some time to get to know the camera. If you do not do this than you may end up with disappointing results; as some other people have discovered. However, if you take some time to learn this camera and use it properly than the results should be fantastic. The second caveat is nothing to do with this camera but just the truth which is this: it is impossible for any camera to be everything for everyone. This is as true for this camera as it is for any camera. You need to do a lot of research to make sure that a camera like this is what you need. If it is, and you take the time to get to know it, set it up and use it properly, than you may just love it like I do. P.S. I don't love it cause its perfect but because its great! Best of luck!

See any errors on this page?

What usb dongle is grayed out in the promo pic?

Asked by: Robert

The greyed out USB dongle in the image of the Sony PXW-Z280 4K 3CMOS 1/2" Sensor XDCAM Camcorder is an older accessory that is no longer available that provided file transfer and firmware update capabilities.

Answered by: Jonathan S

Date published: 2024-12-29

I own a PXW-150. I like the camera a lot but ...

I own a PXW-150. I like the camera a lot but would like a second camera and this Z-280 at 60FPS is very appealing. The only thing I don't like about the 150 is that there isn't an independent button or even one you can program, to mark a shot on the fly—that tells the user to save the shot and delete the rest later. Yes, you can go into the thumbnail menu and mark shots after the fact and delete shots you don't want, but that doesn't do the user any good when they are in a fast-paced sporting or news environment. It's not easy to remember what shots you want to save, so I want to mark a shot as I am taking it and seeing it in the viewfinder. As it is, I have to flip one the LED screen go into the thumbnails and watch all the shots over and select the clips I want to save or delete—that is a lot of time wasted. I was able to mark shots on the fly with the Panasonic HPX-370 shoulder mount camera and it was one of the best features of the camera. Does anyone know if this is an option with the new Sony Z280?If this is not an option, SONY NEEDS to make it happen with an update.

Asked by: Tom

Hi Tom, Yes, the PXW-Z280 can record 2 kinds of Shot Marks. These marks can be programed to an assignable button on the camera body. The description and instructions are on page 39 of the user manual: https://static.bhphotovideo.com/lit_files/402668.pdf Regards, Erin Sony Social Support

Answered by: SonyListens

Date published: 2019-01-07

Can it output 4K at 24fps via SGI?

Asked by: Patrick

This camera has many settings to choose from. The only problem is the end result. I found the quality of video to be very poor. I sent this camera back. There are cameras out there that do a better job. Do not buy this camera.

Answered by: Darryl

Date published: 2019-04-11

question

How many frames delay/ lag is it on the sdi out in hd? I need a camera to project on a big screen live.

Asked by: Daniel A.

There should be very little, if not zero, lag out of the SDi output on this camera.

Answered by: Joseph P.

Date published: 2018-08-27

Can CFexpress media be used in this camera with ...

Can CFexpress media be used in this camera with current firmware?

Asked by: Joseph

99% sure the answer is no.

Answered by: Jeff

Date published: 2021-05-05

Is the camera able to output 4k simultaneously on ...

Is the camera able to output 4k simultaneously on 12g sdi and hdmi?

Asked by: Xiang Ju

We believe that it can.

Answered by: Joe P

Date published: 2020-11-05

I see this machine has SD card slot, but I ...

I see this machine has SD card slot, but I inserted into the sd card can not record?

Asked by: Andrea

Correct, the SD slot is for utility profiles and mostly to record audio proxys.

Answered by: hectorm

Date published: 2023-01-05

question

If you Pre-order by PayPalWill my account be charged immediately or when its finally shipped?

Asked by: Robert

Unfortunately the question you're asking cannot be answered with our Q+A feature. Please contact our Sales directly for assistance.Email: [email protected]

Answered by: Jacob C.

Date published: 2018-08-27