HD XDCAM 700

Back from a hectic 12 day shoot in Malawi. We are producing a 10 x 1hour series for Sky. can't say what it is at the moment , not that its much of a secret, but the press release hasn't been sent out yet so I have to adhere to protocol; Am out in Grenada on stage two of the series and I thought I would write a quick report on the camera we have just recently purchased for this project: the Sony HD XDCAM pdw700.



Most of the filming on this new project is hand held which makes for really hard work; as much as I would like to use the tripod, the style, look and feel of this programme dictates that it has to be dynamic, there isn’t a minute to spare as the presenter darts around from one place to another. It can go from a close up to crash zooming out and off on a chase. What it all does mean is that my shoulder takes a real beating. It’s red and raw and my back is screaming for a session at the chiropractors. I mustn’t complain, it’s part and parcel of the job, although I must remember to get some sort of special padding to put on to the camera as there is a metal bit underneath which is sticking into my shoulder and it bloody hurts.



Am really happy with the results, from the workflow down to the picture quality.
Prior to buying the camera, we at RES were mulling over which camera to go for, the Panasonic Varicam, the Sony HDCAM 750 or the Sony HD XDCAM 700.
So many things to weigh up, tape, tapeless or disc, different Mbits, variable frame rate or not, digitising requirements and above all cost of the camera as well costs of the various workflows that each camera dictates.

We decided on the 700. We needed something that allowed a quick and cheap workflow as well good quality pictures.
At the end of each shooting day we digitise all the footage onto an external hard rive, allowing us to study the days filming and story lines. Should we be missing anything, I'd rather notice it on the shoot rather than in the edit suite back in London!

As well as the camera body we also bought two inbuilt radio mic receivers, a third independent radio mic, matte box and filters (an ND .9 grey grad filter and Polariser),a Teletest RX transmitter and a remote monitor. Lots of great gadget, but it means am also having to use two IDX V lock batteries as the camera sucks up so much juice and adding weight to an already heavy camera. I think it comes in at nearly 13 kilos, I must go and weigh it.



The lenses I use are the Canon HJ11 and the HJ22.

I find factory settings on Sony HD cameras to be extremely contrasty, with no latitude to grade when it comes to post. The blacks and whites are really pushed to their limits and there isn't much in the grey tones. I found a BBC set up by Alan Brown (I think that's his name!!), someone who knows what they are talking about when it comes to anything technical. The set up is supposedly a Varicam look for cinematographers out there who seem to have the same problem when it comes to wanting more of a flat, 'greyer' picture.
My only concern is the viewfinder, its not quite true to what I get at the other end. My whites seem to be hotter in the VF. I keep calibrating it, but it just doesn't seem right.


Filming a piece to camera in St. George's, Grenada.