Professionals working in sports, news, corporate, documentary, and live production will be happy to hear that Sony has a new handheld XDCAM camcorder, the PXW-Z300, boasting unique authentication, networking, and subject recognition features.
At the core of the new camera is a 1/2"-type Exmor R 3-CMOS sensor capable of recordings up to 4K60, and a BIONZ XR image processing engine with AI-assisted subject identification and tracking. The built-in lens has a 17x optical zoom with a constant f/1.9 aperture, and sits in front of an electronic variable ND filter.
The Z300 will be the first professional camcorder that can embed digital signatures into its video files for robust content authentication under C2PA standards. Networking features are also beefed up, with live streaming straight from the camera via a smartphone or a Wi-Fi connection, and speedy file transfers to the cloud using 5G. Supported streaming protocols will include RTMP/RTMPS and SRT, and the camera is built to interface seamlessly with Sony's PDT-FP1 Portable Data Transmitter, Ci Media Cloud, and M2 Live Cloud Switcher, along with the Monitor & Control smartphone application.
Sony says that the dedicated AI Processing Unit in the Z300 can recognize and focus on subjects even when they're obscured, at a far distance, wearing a mask, or facing away from the camera, as it takes into account faces, eyes, skeletal structure, and posture data. The camera has an auto-framing function that will adjust your composition to keep subjects centered, as well as an updated Auto Tracing White Balance (ATW) feature and optical image stabilization. The battery is the ubiquitous Sony BP-U, and the camera can also run via AC adapters that support USB-C PD at 100W.
The Z300 has dual card slots that support CFexpress Type A and SD cards. Users can relay record full resolution video or use the second slot for simultaneous proxy recording. Recording formats are what you'd expect, with MXF files in a variety of codecs, including XAVC Intra, XAVC Long, and MPEG HD422, plus MP4 proxies in HEVC. Color spaces include S-Cinetone, ITU709, and 709tone, and the Z300 also supports HLG and custom 3D LUTs loaded via a memory card.
The construction of the Z300 isn't radically different than past iterations, but does feature a new articulating LCD arm and a V-mount plate on the right side for securing accessories. Durability is important for camcorders, so the Z300 sports a dust and moisture-proof design with a cooling fan and air vents. Sony says the new 3.5" LCD is significantly brighter than the one on the Z280, and the MI Shoe has also moved to the back of the camera to give the LCD arm more flexibility. The Z300 can accommodate four channels of audio via XLR inputs and the Multi Interface shoe, and the lens includes three different manual control rings for adjusting focus, iris, and zoom.
For more information about the Sony PXW-Z300, including features, specs, and highlights, be sure to check out the detailed product page.
