Sony PDW-700 XDCAM HD422

Sony´s latest XDCAM camcorder is the first in a new category of Sony high definition camcorders known as XDCAM HD422. The 422 refers to 4:2:2 colour sampling. The previous XDCAM HD camcorders offered 4:2:0 colour sampling. What´s the difference? With 4:2:2 sampling, the recorded colour is the average colour taken from every pair of pixels in a 2x1 pattern. With 4:2:0 sampling, the recorded colour is the average colour taken from every block of four pixels in a 2x2 grid. The result is a better image.

The 700 also offers other significant improvements. It has a bit rate of 50 megabits per second compared to 35 mbps with previous XDCAM HD camcorders. This means more data is recorded and again the result is a better image.

Another key difference - the 700 records 1920 lines by 1080 lines. Earlier XDCAM HD models record 1440 lines by 1080 lines.

And the analogue to digital, or AD, converter is 14-bit rather 12-bit. This means more information is passed on for conversion from the analogue signal generated by the CCD block in the camera head to the digital signal processed as the image is recorded.

This latest Sony HD camcorder will be available at competitive rates and offers high quality, high definition images at similar rates to those charged for Digital Betacam in its early days.