Sony PXW-X70 Professional XDCAM Compact Camcorder
UPC's:
An Outdoor Production Hit
I have been filming for approximately 6 years in the outdoor industry. In which, camera men/women have to pack in a lot of equipment on their backs each day that they head out to film which creates a constant struggle to be as small and light as possible without compromising quality. I think that Sony has developed a great combination with both quality and size/weight with this camera and one that can be appreciated by most everyone that films. T... Show More
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Great camera--with a reputation marred by a bungled roll out
Up front I want to say the four instead of five stars is not for the camera, but for the bungling of those in charge of the roll out of this camera. From the very beginning everything has been bungled by them, for reasons hard to fathom. The 4k boondoggle is just the last in a litany of sorrows. I run my own company, and In my opinion, just about the worst thing a company can do is disappoint customers. It leaves a very bad taste in customers' mo... Show More
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Best pick for price vs performance, w/ a few qualifiers
We have three X70's and use them for multi-camera studio shoots, as well as run-and-gun style (sports, musical events, festivals, etc.). As of today, in the 1 sensor class, to get broadcast quality without an external recorder, you're not going to find anything better for the price. That said, there are definitely some opportunities for improvement from Sony. What's Great I think the depth-of-field is probably the most underrated feature of this ... Show More
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
So far, an awesome little camcorder
I got this as a companion to my regular cam, a Sony HXR-NX3 to give me a backup, allow me to do static wides and close-ups of theatrical performances, and to try 4k. This little beast is, hands-down, the best small camcorder Ive ever used. While it takes a bit of getting used to the menu-heavy feature management, its not too different from my NX3, so I was instantly familiar. Ive done one shoot with it so far, so no long-term experience, but its... Show More
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
OK for fixed or maybe ENG, NOT suitable for event shooting
I rented two of these for use at a multi-camera event shoot at the Richmond Auditorium last week. We shoot stage productions all the time, and have worked with a variety of Sony, Canon, JVC and Panasonic gear (plus a GoPro Hero Black 3+) as part of our configuration. Let me start by saying -- I was *SO EXCITED* to have a chance to rent these pupplies from BorrowLenses; I asked questions about output formats, recording formats, smoothness of contr... Show More
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Underwhelming
I make movies about birds and local events. Compared with other cameras I shoot regularly (Panasonic GH3 and Nikon D7100) , the Sony PXW-X70 is expensive and poorly designed. My Panasonic GH3 is a brilliant camera, for both stills and movies, but I wanted better image stabilization and a motorized zoom in a light, inconspicuous package. Physically, the camera is solid and easy to hold. It has good controls for manually setting aperture, shutter s... Show More
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Many pros, but ultimately falls short
Ive had this camera now for a few years. There are many things to like, however, for me, it falls short. First, the pros: Very compact and fairly light. With a stereo mic and XLR cables, total weight is around 4 lbs. 10-bit 4:2:2 internal! Awesome; handles up to fairly heavy grading without issues. This is truly a nice recording format that gives you tons of editing options and ultimately produces great 8-bit 4:2:0 for delivery. Also, note I on... Show More
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Lot of Features In A Small Package!
Initial Impression - Just received this little power-packed Pro Cam and I'm already impressed. I needed a camera that has the functionality of the FS100, but with stabilization on par with the HXR NX30U, plus 4k capabilities This is it! All Sony needs to do to make this better is to make it with interchangeable lenses. If you're familiar with Sony's FS 100, this camera has many of the same features. The picture is clean, and the button layout is ... Show More
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Great, but not perfect
I purchased this camera to replace a three-year-old Canon XA10. The large sensor was the big headline feature that put this in a league of its own for the price point. The build quality seems solid, and controls are logically arranged. Given the ultra-compact Canon from which I was coming, one disappointment on the Sony is the fact that the slowest zoom speed is far faster than that of the Canon, even though the Canon had a not-so-professional si... Show More
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Nice, but...
After discovering that I hate shooting DSLR video (Nikon D-800) due to miserable form-factor issues we professionals all know about, and wanting to upgrade from my reliable Sony HDV tape-based camcorder, I received my little PXW-X70 from B & H this week. The camcorder has good build quality and works much better in low-light than my HDV camcorder. It has many nice features, the most exciting of which is the 1 sensor and upgradability to 4K. What ... Show More
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Great Run & Gun Camera
This thing is tiny, but packs a punch. I know that sounds cliche, but it's a true assessment of this camera. Its about the size of the small camcorders on the market, however with its 1 sensor, XLR inputs & manual dials it blows it away and is not just a camcorder. I use this for weddings, and don't let the tiny size fool you, its durable for the run & gun world. Speaking of weddings, I'm occasionally asked why I don't shoot DSLR (My 2nd cam curr... Show More
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Disappointed
I bought my Sony PXW-X70 in an effort to return to a more functional camera like the Panasonic P2 and the the AVX-200 in the past. I wanted to throw my Canon 7D and 5D to the trash (because of the uncomfortable operation design) and start working again with a camera with professional audio inputs and controls, a more comfortable LCD to see video, the top handle for better operation, and many other great features this camera offers. Add to that eq... Show More
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Solid Camera
The Sony PXW-X70 is exactly what I was looking for, a smaller, compact professional video camera. The camera body feels solid and the image quality is excellent. This camera is very convenient for my needs, it shoots in XAVC 50mb/s in 1080p/60p, as well as every other obvious frame rate and resolution. I am also excited this camera is 4K ready, I'll be upgrading to that when the time is right. The X70 also features 2 XLR audio plug ins and a remo... Show More
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Excellent camera for the money!
I am giving this camera 5 stars not because it is the best camera in the world, but because it is really amazing camera for the price. Are there some things I would change about this camera? Absolutely! But once I saw the image that this thing has, I had to have one. I have used and owned a lot of cameras, JVC gy-hd700, 5D, 7D, GH3, Sony PMW 320, Sony F5 and the list goes on. Except for the F5, this camera has the best image out of all of them! I... Show More
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Worst experience ever
When introduced in 2014, the Sony PXW X70 offered 4:2:2 recording at 50 Mbps. It was advertised as 4K ready. I purchased mine around November 2104 from B&H Photo for the full list price of $2249. Several months later it was available from most retailers at $1995. Initially, no software could edit Sony's new XAVC Long GOP codec. The camera came with Sony Catalyst Browse which could read and transcode XAVC Long files, but it was buggy and very slow... Show More
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
PXW-170 - I love it!
To begin with, I don't consider myself a professional. So having read the previous reviews, I knew I wanted this camera from the start. My previous camera was a Sony PD-170. It served its purpose for a while. I mainly used it to record dance recitals but got to the point where I needed the 16:9 format.One of the best features is not having to use more tapes. I have the XLR microphone but have not used it. I normally dub over and mix the sound tra... Show More
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Excellent Video and Audio Quality
I got it on time, BHPhotoVideo delivered it within 2 days. Its the exact size that i wanted, not too big, not too small but right size! It has dual recording, meaning you can put 2 memory card and record in both at sometime or you can use Card A for recording and when its full it automatically switch to Card B. So, you hardly run out of memory card storage. If you have external mic, I have senheiser lavelier wireless mic system, so I connected th... Show More
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Pretty good camera
The Pros: I'm very pleased with the picture on this camera. To the extent that that's all-important to you, it has very pleasing and sharp picture. It has a small footprint. Lots on controls on the outside, so there aren't many operations you'll need to wade through the electronic menu for. Pretty good zoom range. The footage from this camera keys well when green-screening. The cons: The autofocus has an annoying tendency to focus on things behin... Show More
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
A Valuable Professional Tool
First off, in response to the few negative reviews about support for this camera's video, there is an overwhelming amount of support out there. The highest-quality format this shoots, XAVC, is the same featured in Sony's top of the line pro video cameras and is in regular use throughout the industry. Adobe Premier Pro CC supports XAVC without issue and others follow suit. Beyond that, for those out there not working with this camera in profession... Show More
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
ENG & Industrial Video Maker Review
I use this as a B-roll camera for a network and industrial videos. SOFTWARE/FIRMWARE: Update is NOT working on my MacBook Pro Retina 15 2012 w/16 gb ram. Tried rebooting everything, camera first, etc. - cannot make the latest firmware update take. Sony doesn't care about Macs it's clear. Controls are inhumanely designed. No way to use it without fussing and re-orienting the body. Don't even THINK about shooting with this thing for more than a few... Show More
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Room for Improvement
This is a GREAT camera; I have found many uses for it in many different situations. Where I need a small camera with outstanding image quality, this suits me quite well, but when I need a variety of professional I/O, this also allows much expansion with the Sony multi-interface connector on the shoe for attaching things like lavelier microphone kits from Sony, which can pull power and data straight from the shoe. However, it's not perfect, and th... Show More
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Telephoto is its strength
I have owned this camera for a year and a half and continue to learn how to maximize this camera with every shoot. It continues to please and impress me! It's biggest strength is the f4 lens on the telephoto side. That's a fairly fast lens when zoomed in, and the bokeh is amazing. Furthermore, when wide, the f2.8 does a great job blurring the background with the subject is even moderately close to the lens. I'm always amazed when reviewing footag... Show More
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Price vs Performance = Great Buy !
At this price point there is nothing which comes close. Video is superb. I have the 4K option but don't use it that much. 1080P XAVC has made several cablecast shows. In my opinion, this is an interview/B-Roll cam not an action cam. Don't buy a Prius and expect to qualify for the Indy 500. I do motorsports for various networks and when it comes to shooting 100mph+ action you go with the big boy. Pits, interview room and beauties is where this bab... Show More
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Good but not ready for Windows workflow
Camera is really well made, and the footage is very nice. It's not a low light camera, as in DSLR low light, and the quality is about the same as the Canon XA20, unless you can use the XAVC. But, you need a MAC for XAVC because NONE of the conversion software for windows works, you will just get audio with no video.EVEN SONY's Catalyst Browse converter is useless. It will not export to Pro-res from the Windows version, and furthermore the export ... Show More
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
