Sony has today launched the 4K-ready PXW-X70, what they say is the first compact XDCAM professional camcorder ever produced.

Sony is expanding the popular XDCAM family to a new smaller form factor and lower price point, due it’s small size, it is ideal for hand-held documentary work or news gathering, it could also be utilised well when shooting events, allowing you to slip into the crowd.

The X70 features a 1” type Exmor R CMOS Sensor with a resolution of 20 megapixels and can record High Definition in XAVC Long GOP, enabling 4:2:2 10-bit sampling at 50 Mbit/s.

It’s the first of Sony camcorders to include Wi-Fi-enabled control via smartphone or tablet using the Content Browser Mobile application. Sony have also promised an update in the coming months that will give the X70 the ability to record in 4K UHD ( 3840×2160), with file transferring, and live video streaming capabilities.

We’ve asked Sony’s Nick Buchner as to whether the upgrade will be free or come at a cost, we’ll update this article as soon as they get back to us.

UPDATE: Nick Buchner has gotten back to us and he told us it will be an optional upgrade that owners of the X70 can purchase. No word as yet on the price for the camcorder or optional upgrade.

“This first compact member of the XDCAM family brings the performance and workflow benefits associated with XAVC to an even wider range of shooting situations,” said Nick Buchner, Senior Product Manager for Content Creation with Sony Australia & New Zealand.

“Over the past couple of years we’ve seen the broadcast industry really embrace the picture quality benefits associated with large sensors – the 1” sensor at the heart of the PXW-X70 sets a new standard for colour, depth and texture in a professional compact camcorder. Coupled with the ability to upgrade to 4K, this model represents a multi-purpose, future-proof option for customers looking for a tough camcorder which doesn’t compromise on image.”

Key features of the PXW-X70

• 1” type Exmor® R CMOS Sensor and Carl Zeiss Vario Sonnar T* lens for stunning picture quality. High sensitivity and fantastic resolution with 14.2 million effective pixels delivers striking detail and colours, even in low light conditions. The lens offers a 12x Optical Zoom, which can be increased to 24x with Clear Image Zoom while retaining full resolution thanks to Super Resolution Technology. Zoom performance can be doubled at any point with a Digital Extender by up to 48x.

• Compact, lightweight XDCAM camcorder packed with adaptable professional functions. The PXW-X70 weighs less than 1.4kg, including the XLR handle unit, battery (NP-FV70), lens hood and large eye-cup. It offers professional interfaces such as 3G-SDI and HDMI output connectors plus a removable handle unit incorporating 2 x XLR inputs and a zoom control. Other professional features include a manual lens ring that can intuitively control zoom and focus, ergonomic palm grip with large zoom lever, two SD memory card slots for backup, simultaneous and relay recording, and a three-level switchable ND filter.

• Breadth of recording format capabilities. Provides multiple choices depending on application required, including XAVC, AVCHD and DV® file-based recording. When recording in XAVC, the PXW-X70 uses the MXF file format, efficiently compressing full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution using the MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 CODEC. Image sampling is 4:2:2 10-bit with high-efficiency Long-GOP compression at 50 Mbps, 35 Mbps or 25 Mbps.

• Built-in Wi-Fi control functionality for monitoring and remote control versatility. Near Field Communication functions enable easy, one-touch wireless LAN connection to a smartphone or tablet, while the Content Browser Mobile application allows confirmation of shot angles and operation of the camcorder by remote, including field angle setting, spot focus and iris adjustment.

• Upcoming announcements to add even greater, future-proof functionality. Sony is set to make upgrades to 4K and file transfer and streaming by Wi-Fi functions available for the PXW-X70 in the coming months.

The PXW-X70 is expected to be available in October 2014, no word as yet on price.

Excerpts from Press Release