Sony PXW-X70 Professional XDCAM Compact Camcorder
UPC's:
Excellent compact camera
We bought one of these, then a second. Lightweight and compact. Footage keys well when shooting XAVC. Nice depth from the large sensor. We pair it with a Sennheiser MKE600 when doing run and gun. The Sennheiser is narrower than the mount on the handle , so I've used gaffers tape or fabric as a spacer. Recently 3d printed a nicer spacer, hoping does the trick. I've also seen people use a short length of rubber heater hose slipped over the mic. My ... Show More
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Great and easy to use 4K camera
I used to use DSLR type cameras to shoot my YouTube videos, but this was very time consuming to setup. I do this as a side gig and I just need something that is easy to setup, shoot, and edit. This camera has met that requirement as I can take shots of myself and zoom in to get macro product shots all without having to swap out lenses. It has sped up my workflow to get my videos out as quickly as possible. So I have been happy with this camera fo... Show More
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
good choice
I use Sony Camcorder since the year 1996 am a video producer and usually I work with a Cameraman to do the shooting, but Three years ago I started doing that by my self and using the Sony camera is easier for non professional cameraman, this camera is amazing in many things as quality and weight... but I had small problem I don't know if it's me or the camera, Wille shooting if am doing pan to the left or the right, I got some jerck in the shot .... Show More
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Small camera but great quality
I have this camera about two weeks ago and I could verify that it is small but it has everything from a high cost professional camera. The images and sound excellent and above all the size I love because you can take it wherever you want. Perform my first live broadcast by Ustream and the truth both the quality of video and great satifacion audo. The wireless connection to my router in my home the transmission was a success. If you are looking fo... Show More
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Great, Compact, High Performance & am Happy
My producer is completely pleased with the clips from our first production using this camera.I haven't unlocked the 4K license yet (but other owners tell me that it is a nuisance to do so). The multi-purpose ring on the lens controls either focus or zoom (and makes some noise when changing between the two functions during a clip). The wired remote USB cable backs out of its port on the camera if allowed to dangle. Haven't been able to setup the link to my smart phone yet. The wireless remote doesn't get a strong signal from behind the camera (as my Sony DCR VX 2100 did).
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
An amazing Camera!
This is an incredible little camera with a great new video codec that captures beautiful 422 10bit at 50Mb video. It has both PAL and NTSC frame rates. It comes with professional XLR audio inputs with Phantom power and an HD-SDI output. All this in a small light wight package for a great price. The XAVC Long GOP is now supported by Adobe Premiere CC 2014 and it works seamlessly. I was told by Sony that FCP X will support it in December. As a professional documentary filmmaker I am extremely pleased and excited about this Sony Camera and I can't wait for the 4k upgrade.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Low light performance could be better.
This is a solid camera as everyone has made quite clear. Nothing I have found with actual use appears to contract what everyone tells you. The only real sticking point I have is the low-light performance, I'd say it's on par with an AC90 or so when wide open. Yes you can turn the gain up to around 12db without really taking a hit on the image but wide-open this thing is definitely dark. It's unfortunate considering all the other great qualities. Also, the XDCam 422 50mpbs recording license is not yet widely publicized so it's difficult to find.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
External Mike Holder is Flimsy and Easy to Break
I like everything about this camera and especially now that Sony has announced that it is going to provide an upgrade to the 4K resolution to shoot at 100mbps. The only problem I have is that the external mike holder is easily breakable. It broke on my camera when I dropped it. Other people have noted this defect The upper part of the holder is attached by a thin piece of metal. I can't find the holder in Sony's parts department. It should be easy to replace since it is held onto the camera with two screws.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
NIce cam but 4K upgrade is a joke.
I purchased this for a 2nd camera for events to pair with my FS100. I like the button layout and it feels great handheld unlike the FS100. Overall nice picture in decent lighting, gets grainy quickly on the tele end in low light. I'm disappointed with the recent announcement that the 4K upgrade will only be 4:2:0 8 bit 60 Mb/s, same as the cheaper AX100 and you have to pay for the upgrade. Hopefully they will come out with a beefier 4K upgrade in the future otherwise I'll look elsewhere when I need 4K.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Nice action stabilizer
I'm giving 4 stars only because I haven't fully tested this yet. I just got it in the mail and turned it on. I can say the quality is all there. The camera has a super solid feel all around. The lens is pretty awesome too. I do a lot of run and gun, so my immediate concern was the stabilizer. The standard setting wasn't doing the job, but when switching to action stabilizer, it performs beautifully. I walked around with it and the shot looks super smooth. I will not need to get a steady cam!
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
I plan to get more of this model for conference work!
The directions are a little hard to follow at first but I managed to get through this one without any hiccups. On the first camera and upgrade I bought a few months back I managed to misunderstand the directions and thought I ruined the upgrade license. Thanks to a very kind Sony support tech who helped me to recover what I had accidentally lost access to. They were kind, fast and worked on the weekend! I was really surprised when I heard back within an hour of an email sent to them.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Small camera with loads of features
Performs as advertised. Very substantial feeling. Nice video in both HD formats. XAVC requires transcoding for older NLE programs. Haven't installed 4K upgrade yet. Would have been nice to have separate manual rings for focus and zoom, other than that it has many desired controllable features that can be assigned to individual buttons eliminating the need to go to the menu. If you need more individual nonmenu controllable features, they are available on the more expensive cameras.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Very Pleased
Was a longtime Panasonic follower, but I am overjoyed I switched to this Sony model. You simply just cannot beat this price point for what you are getting. Totally pleased with this purchase. One big con. This may just be a personal one, but I am a CS6 user and was faced with three options to deal with the mxf files. Upgrade to the subscription based Creative Cloud (NO), pay near $400 for a third party-plugin (NO), or mess with ffmpeg until I get it right (OK fine).
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Workhorse
I've been shooting with my PXW-X70 for about a year and a half now. I love the controls, its light weight, the sharp, brilliant images, the two card slots and the flexibility for audio connections. I have been having one problem for a couple of months, though: A small percentage of the time when I power it on, no image appears, or a half-muted image. Powering it off and on again usually corrects the problem. Have any users out there been having this difficulty?
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Fantastic Camera
This camera is amazing!I've been using it for corporate and documentary films. The amount of features packed in this little device is well worth the money I paid for it. I bought this camera$ and started using it right away. After 6 months I'm more than satisfied with the quality of the picture, the size, the audio, the zoom and the focus. I'm not sure about the 4K feature but I'm hoping the upgrade is free.I definitely recommend this camera.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Very good camera
For the side of this camera it is impressive how this camcorder record , so many friends are selling the Sony Ex1 because the specification of the sony PXW-70 it seen to be better . I personal have this camcorder for few weeks & the Sony Pmw -Ex1 is much more better for wedding videos also low light.Sony Pxw-x70 it is Extreme good for the price, overall wait for the new replacement Pxw-x70 maybe 1 year DO NOT SALE YOUR EX1 FOR THIS CAMCORDER.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Great for the price
Overall love it and find it to do what I want it to do. White balance is a little burried for run and gun shooting. For a fixed lens and a video camera format you can still generate a useable amount of shallow depth of field. I really think my IR light is broken out of the box. But by the time i figured that out I really don't have enough down time to send it out for repair. Does seem like a feature I'd like to work into my jobs.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Can now read XAVC files
The Sony X70 is a great camera, the quality of even the AVCHD images is stunning. Many complained about not being able to read these files in most NLEs. Sony have just released 'Catalyst Prepare' This programme will read the files, but better still, will read old HVR files, MOV files and MTS files so it's now possible to do a rough cut with a range of cameras before loading into your NLE. so I think the X70 deserves 5 stars!
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Great camera for the money
Compact, lightweight, yet great image quality thanks to the 1 sensor and 422 color space. The Zeiss lens is sharp - I only wish is maintained the 2.8 longer throughout the zoom range. And Sony could have placed the menu button in a more convenient location. I work with several professional grade Sony cameras at work - including the FS7II and FS700 - the X70 is a nice stripped down version of those higher end cameras.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Excellent camera for the price!
Very sharp and clear. Colors are great and controls are user friendly. When it is taken out of the package, you can feel it is built like a little tank! Also love the SDI and HDMI option as well. The 10-bit color that comes out of the SDI is fantastic if you are broadcasting. Highly recommend if you need a travel size camera. Just make sure you have a computer that can edit the 4k 100mbs files. It's a doozy.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
update on MPEG HD 422 upgrade
It's $600+. Why, Sony, why? If you want to sell more of these cameras, make it free and you can dominate the market, even with an iffy AF. Make it free, Sony. So we can soar. Used this for professional gigs, video made it on network TV no problem even in AVCHD. But don't buy this if you need an MPEG HD 422 camera. At nearly $3k just buy an old Panasonic P2 TV ENG camera and be done with this Sony nonsense.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Great looking video, awful file format
I purchased this camcorder for shooting interviews due to the positive reviews I read. The auto controls were very glitchy. Once I imported the footage and tried to edit, it was a nightmare. Great video but no audio even though there was audio press when I lagged back on the camera. After hours of reading audio. O play ta similar to mine I returned the angers. Sony really dropped the ball on this model.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Good camera, but I have problems with the XLR unit
I have just bought the camera from B&H and I have noticed that the XLR unit generates terrible audio noise. It also records the sound of the zoom lever when I zoom in and out. It seems to be a problem of communication between the main camera body and the XLR unit when switched to mic or mic+48db. I would really like to know how I can solve this issue and than give the camera a 5 star rating.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
A Great Camera
In all honesty I have only had this camera for a week and have yet to explore its full potential but so far it's very impressive. The feel of the camera is rock-solid, the menu intuitive and the images are terrific. I use Adobe Premier Pro 5 and so far there are no problems with editing. I'll come back in six months with a more detailed review but right now I'll give it five stars.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
