Sony PDW-F355L XDCAM Camcorder

Fully-featured XDCAM HD Camcorder recording onto the latest Dual Layer Professional Disc for even longer recording time - supplied without lens.

The PDW-F355 is a tape-less XDCAM HD camcorder, perfectly balanced to fit on your shoulder and featuring the latest evolution of familiar Sony ergonomics.

The PDW-F355 is exceptionally versatile; at the flick of a switch you have the choice of shooting 50i/59.94i/23.98P/25P/29.97P pictures in DV and HD. So you can shoot a local news assignment today, a wedding video tomorrow and your independent short film the day after - all with the same camera, all with the exact settings required to excel in each application.

At the heart of the PDW-F355 is XDCAM Professional Disc - the bestselling, most affordable and most widely supported non-linear acquisition system. The benefits of XDCAM begin from the moment you begin shooting. You can mark key scenes manually or opt for automatic marking, then review scenes by simply selecting their thumbnail images on the colour fold-out screen. Non-linear media means instant scene access and there's no need to worry about overwriting content either.

And by using the latest 50GB Dual Layer Professional Disc, recording times are increased to more than 3 hours when shooting DVCAM, and to around 2.5 hours when shooting high quality HD. With XDCAM HD you choose the pace at which you move to the full potential of an advanced AV/IT, file-based workflow. For post-production, the PDW-F355 outputs a standard DV-based stream so your existing NLE set-up will work with it just the same as a DV/DVCAM camcorder. You can also replay material via an XDCAM HD deck, such as the PDW-F75, for high definition MXF file transfer to your edit system.

The PDW-F355 has been designed to provide the most cost-effective and versatile camcorder you can imagine for the way you work today and tomorrow

XDCAM HD Camcorders incorporate three HD-native, 16:9/4:3 switchable 1/2-inch CCDs, offering outstanding-quality images with a low smear level and a high signal-to-noise ratio.

Even when recording in MPEG HD, XDCAM HD camcorders output a real-time SD signal via SD-SDI, i.LINK DV out and composite out, further enhancing versatility and operational compatibility (e.g. with monitors or recording equipment on location.)

The PDW-F355 can record any frame rate between 4P to 50P for 25P playback mode, or, 4P to 60P for 24P/30P playback mode and content can be reviewed instantly. For example, you could shoot at 50P and playback at 25P - offering an in-camera 2.0x slow motion effect. Alternatively, a high speed effect can be created by shooting at for example 4 frames per second and played back at 25 fps. HD content can be played back on any XDCAM HD machine, DV content can be played back on any XDCAM SD product.

The XDCAM HD Camcorder has a built-in optical Neutral Density (ND) filter wheel with four positions and a slow shutter - supporting up to 64-frame accumulations. An auto-focus function is built-in (compatible lens required) and there is also an optional lens adaptor for 2/3-inch lenses.

XDCAM HD products can record video signals in 1080/59.94i, 50i, 29.97P, 25P and native 23.98P - using a "MPEG HD" codec with industry standard MPEG-2 MP@HL compression. The user can also select the following bit rates; 35, 25 or 18Mb/s depending on picture quality and recording length requirements. When using the new 50GB Dual Layer Disc the highest bit rate of 35Mb/s results in a recording time of more than 145 minutes, while choosing 18Mb/s provides a recording time of more than 248 minutes - the longest recording time offered by any current professional HD camcorder. MPEG HD images are recorded at 1440x1080 pixels with 4:2:0 sampling.

To maximise HD/SD workflow flexibility, all XDCAM HD Camcorders can record in the ubiquitous DVCAM format with a choice of NTSC/PAL and 16:9/4:3 modes. In addition, both camcorder and decks incorporate a down-conversion capability that allows material recorded in the MPEG HD format to be converted to DV signals and output via the i.LINK port - enabling users to edit the material using compatible DV-based non-linear editors. DVCAM is recorded at 25Mb/s allowing approximately 185 minutes recording per Dual Layer disc. In NTSC mode, sampling is 4:1:1 with 480 active lines per frame. In PAL mode, sampling is 4:2:0 with 576 active lines per frame.

XDCAM HD products can record two or four-channel, 16-bit, 48-kHz uncompressed (Linear PCM) audio - delivering high sound quality.

Because the XDCAM system records video and audio as IT-type files rather than a linear AV stream, XDCAM HD products offer a range of powerful benefits:

• Instant random access to content
• Automatic recording onto empty disc space (no need to worry about overwriting valuable content)
• Easy integration into other IT-based equipment such as Non-Linear Editing and Arching Systems and Archive
• Advanced network-based workflow via i.LINK FAM (File Access Mode) or Ethernet
• High Speed File Transfer

The PDW-F355's 16:9 3.5-inch colour LCD displays a highly advanced interface giving access to features most camcorders leave to post production. For example, a thumbnail display provides immediate access to detailed metadata or key scenes (selected automatically and/or manually) for quickly reviewing content on site. You can even perform simple cuts-only editing on the camera itself.

XDCAM HD products automatically record low-resolution AV data simultaneously with the HD or SD resolution data on the same disc. This low resolution content - called "Proxy Data" - uses MPEG-4 for a low data rate (1.5Mb/s for video and 0.5Mb/s for audio) while still offering reasonable quality. For a fast-breaking news story, Proxy Data can even be relayed over a low bandwidth link (e.g. mobile phone) and broadcast. In normal circumstances, Proxy AV applications include:

• Immediate logging on location
• Off-line editing
• Daily rushes
• Client Approvals

Proxy Data can be browsed and edited on most popular NLEs. In addition, all XDCAM HD products are supplied with PDZ-1 Proxy Browsing software for Windows PC which supports drag-and-drop content transfers.

XDCAM HD camcorders share the same platform as the XDCAM SD products which have proven themselves in demanding applications all around the world. As there is no mechanical contact between media and recording heads, a high level of durability and long media life have been achieved. XDCAM products have also demonstrated exceptional resistance to shock, vibrations and extremes of climate.

The PDW-F355 features a wide-range of input-outputs and interfaces for maximum production flexibility:

• Input: Front stereo microphone, analogue audio (2-channel), timecode, gen-lock
• Output: HD analogue component, SD analogue component, SD analogue composite, timecode
• i.LINK interface supports File Access Mode (FAM) and DV OUT
• HD down-conversion capability: DV output via i.LINK (DV OUT) port or base-band SD output via analogue component or SD-SDI output.

• Interval recording for time-lapse capture
• Freeze mix
• Remote Commander™ supplied
• Assignable buttons enable operators to assign frequently used functions
• Interval recording (automatic and manual) intermittently records signals at pre-determined intervals, ideal for recording over long periods
• "Memory Stick"™ function for storage of camcorder set-up files
• Metadata recording: UMID, Extended UMID, Essence Marks
• Auto Tracing White Balance for automatic adjustments in camera colour temperature according to lighting changes

No matter how you work, the PDW-F355 offers productivity improvements impossible with tape-based media:

• The Professional Disc can be loaded and ready to shoot faster than tape
• No need to worry about accidentally overwriting precious content
• ' Essence Mark' key scenes at the touch of a button
• Thumbnail images representing key scenes can be browsed and instantly accessed using on-camera colour screen
• No frantic fast-forward/rewinding to find the clips you want to review
• Edit content on the camera itself - no need for a PC!
• Up to four and a half hours recording at 18Mb/s MPEG HD on Dual Layer Professional Disc - the longest recording time for any current HD camcorder
• Compatible with Single Layer Professional Disc media
• High quality 2" 16:9 viewfinder
• HD/SD-SDI output with audio embedded
• Audio XLR out
• TC IN/OUT

Cost of ownership is critical. The PDW-F355 is designed to offer you the lowest total system cost in its class due to:

• Highly competitive pricing for camcorder with or without lens
• Compatibility with existing SD or HD ½" lenses ensures wider choice of configurations at an affordable price-point
• Compatibility with most DVCAM accessories maximises existing investments
• Compatibility with all existing DV-based NLEs via i.LINK DV Stream
• Versatility - HD/SD, NTSC/PAL etc. - means with one camcorder you really can cover almost any assignment
• Little or no maintenance costs due to revolutionary optical drive
• Traditional Sony build quality and design ensures high reliability
• Professional Discs can be reused for 10,000 rewrite cycles, equivalent to 30 years at one use/working day - all for the same price of a single tape!
• Multiple suppliers of Professional Disc media

The PDW-F355 is built around support for existing standards such as DV/DVCAM and open standards like MXF so you've got the maximum flexibility to use it just the way you want:

• Stay with DV/DVCAM format to work with existing non-linear editors via traditional i.LINK interface
• HD/SD-SDI i.LINK, analogue video, analogue/digital audio interfaces for connectivity to a wide range of editing systems
• i.LINK File Access Mode (FAM) interface for high-speed, file-based in/out connectivity to a PC
• MXF open standard ensures maximum compatibility with new generation NLEs
• Long-term accessibility - storing content as files means you will always be able to access data in the future

You don't need an expensive IT-storage system to revolutionise the way you store, retrieve and manage your archive material. While Professional Discs costs the same as tape, they're a true high-speed, non-linear media with a wealth of advanced meta-data automatically generated in camera:

• Import metadata and/or low resolution proxies onto your PC hard drive for a smart, searchable mirror of your high resolution archive
• Locate, watch and even edit proxy clips quickly using fast search of metadata, then instantly locate the archived high resolution content
• Non-linear media means faster, more reliable access to valuable archive content
• Professional Discs will retain information for 50 years in normal conditions
• Because information is stored as data files, there's no worries about video standards not being around in years to come