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the perfect camera. That phrase means different things to different people, depending on whom you ask, the type of work they do, and how they've developed their workflow. How we decide what constitutes the perfect camera is usually determined by frustration with our current camera's limitations and/or omissions.
Typically, we find elements we like about certain cameras, but almost inevitably we find them lacking other features we desire. For instance, I loved the HD imagery of the Sony FXl but found the 12x zoom limiting and was disappointed that it didn't have progressive shooting modes. I bought Sony VlUs when they came out because they addressed these issues with a 20x zoom lens and shot true 24 and 3p. However, because they had only 1/4" chips, their low-light performance was even worse than the FXl 's, which was just passable in low light. So my search continued.
Needless to say, those experiences over the last few years solidified my camera wants and needs and helped me formulate the characteristics of my own personal "perfect camera." I was waiting on a camera that would deliver the high-quality HD images I was used to getting from the FXIs and VlUs, but would be great in low light, include progressive capabilities, and be able to get very clean slow motion via overcranking for specialty shots. I also was looking for a way to speed up my editing process via some sort of tapeless workflow because I do a same-day edit (SDE) at almost every one of my weddings. And I wanted all of this in a camera for under $10,000. That's not too much to ask, right?
BEST OF BOTH WORLDS?
Given the aforementioned wish list, you can imagine my excitement when Sony announced its PMW-EXl at NAB 2007, a new, sub-$8,000 addition to its XDCAM line that would reportedly record to compact flash media (instead of the bluelaser optical discs favored by other XDCAMs). I thought I'd finally found that long-sought-after perfect camera. Of course, I say that tongue-in-cheek, knowing full well that no camera is perfect- however ideal a model may seem when it's under glass at NAB, there are always trade-offs you discover when you bring a camera into your workflow, and the EXl is...