We review Sony's new video camera: the PXW-Z150. This is a great UHD run and gun style camera with a few shortcomings. Check out our review to see if it’s the right video camera for you.
great review guys I'm looking at replacing a PMW 200 and this was a candidate to look at (esp with 4K) but I think the menus and poor usability will make take this off the list of contenders. I might get a demo.. but thanks for the review! :)
Great review guys. I think you pretty much hit on every topic that was possible. I have one and I agree with just about everything you folks said. Yes,...especially the problem with the menu buttons being on top of the camera! Uggg,...that drives me nuts too! Somebody at Sony has a sense of humor and is laughing at all of us struggling to get on top of the camera to operate the menus. (That or trying to fumble around, "feeling" your way around the buttons....it's terrible) Aside from that, for what it's made for, it's pretty damn good. If you protect the highlights, image quality and resolution looks gorgeous. It does also have a surprisingly good noise reduction algorithm. It's pretty effective in the higher gain settings while still managing to hold decent 4k detail. Sure, +18db has noise but it's nowhere near as bad as it "should" to be. GOOD JOB GUYS!!
Great review. Was going to buy one but I do film a lot of parties etc so need a better low light option. Hate using dslr so any other camcorder options that go down to f1.8
it is a small broadcast grade camera. it is not for cinematic use. if you use this for documentary, event, news and interview. this will be the choice. if you want some lense depth with a fixed zoom lense. good luck.
Thanks for sharing your experience. I have some odd questions...Does this camera have the 6 profiles and the slog2 option? I noticed that you did not say anything about the xavc-L codec. Another reviewer mentioned that it takes longer to edit that codec and that is one of the codecs that the Z150 uses for shoting 4k. Did you have any issues or impact to your workflow? Also, does the Z150 have the audio limiter as well as the wind noise reduction? The above are the real questions... The below is just me in the mood to talk...lol... Background/other items... I own a Sony Z5U and was looking for a replacement. After reading the specs, the Sony Z100 would be perfect. However, I ran into a horrible problem. I am not impressed with the sample footage that I have seen on the Z100. I really like the image quality indoor and out that I have seen for the Z150. I know some complain that it is no good in low light environments. I have gotten used to my Z5u which is 1.5 lux I think and the z150 is 1.7 lux. So I need to buy more lights anyway so I can live with that.... Oh.. the issues... 1. I consider myself an amateur shooter so once I set the key items in the menu, I rarely if ever go back into the menu unless I am confirming a setting or troubleshooting a problem. I am a bit annoyed that they did away the menu roller button on the side, but that is not a deal breaker as I do not do any advance shooting. 2. The no mic with the camera. I am annoyed because I feel cheated as I am so used to that being the standard. Buuuuuut the truth is that I always use my external mics in the XLR so that is not a deal breaker, but that is Sony being cheap/cutting costs. 3. The crappy single charger. My thought is that Sony already has a large number of us locked into their system and they have determined that it is easier for them to dangle the banana and force us to upgrade and piecemeal what they include in the cameras. The reason this is important is that just like many of us don't even use the internal mic or the mic that normally comes with the camera because we are using our own, many of us probably own dual battery chargers so Sony included a single crappy charger in order to say something is better than nothing or for emergency purposes. More to say, but I will end with... I bought a Sony mirrorless camera, the A7RII, with 2 lenses, one at 2.8 and the other at 4.0. I was convinced that I was going to be annoyed as I really wanted a lens that could do 1.2 or 1.4 or 1.8, buuuuuuuuuut I have been surprisingly happy with the bokey on the 2.8 and more than happy with the sharpness of the 4.0 and when I am not misbehaving I do actually gets some nice shallow depth of field and blur the background on the 4.0. Oh point of the story... I do have some concerns that the Z150 seems to shoot closer to a mirrorless still camera with the quasi gelling/flickering/rolling shudder.... It is hard to describe the term, but I know when it is happening because my eyes hurt. Slow moving targets not a big deal, like the kangaroos, but there were other places in your video where I was saying maybe I might have to wait to get the next model. Soooo... as much as I would love my optical zoom of 20x back, the things that would make this camera better for me are 1) shoot 60 fps at 4k; 2) shoots xavc-i codec; and 3) the menu button on the roller. All other stuff would just be ideal such as optical zoom, focal length, low light of 0.4 lux and the list goes on.... Thanks again for sharing your experience.
Thanks for your review Guys, I use the Z150 every day and it's fantastic. The sensor is a 1" sensor and not a 1/3rd sensor. Your fixation on the menu issue is not helpful if you use preset profiles for the type of shoot planned you won't need the menu. Anyway, thanks for the negativity :-) and stop swearing - Not needed Mate.
Hi guys.. thanks for a great review.. I just purchased one yesterday.. (lol) ..as a 'B' camera to my FS7.. so I havent had a chance to go out with it yet...The menu system is a bit of a head scratcher ..hmmm.. why doesnt sony include a menu settings adjustment on the remote? ...would be a positive imo.. I noticed you didn't touch on the 'cine' gamma modes the camera has in the profiles.. pity no slog2 ... oh and I have noticed that you can pull a fairly reasonable shallow focus if you're at the tele end.. cheers..
Totally agree about the menu button - I bought one of these before trying it and slightly regret it.... in addition, having come from a C100 I was looking forward to being able to move the zoom magnifier around and yet that's on the top too.... Come on Sony!
So I did some research and the stacked sensor isn't a replacement for a 3 chip cam, it's just a change in processing power. BUT Sigma, ironically made a 3 color stacked sensor which they used in one of its cameras. If only Sony could adopt this...
Hey guys chill out. You can program one of the assignable buttons on the side as the menu button so it's not just on top anymore. I changed assign button #2 into the menu button. For $3200 its an amazing camcorder!
mnash3 I came from a NX5u which was sort of the replacement for the Z5u. One nice thing going to the Z150 from either of these cams is layout and ergonomics is very similar. Same batteries, same LANC remotes. So it is an awesome replacement for the Z5 and NX5! The difference in lux 1.5 and 1.7 is so minimal As for the charger, suck it up and get a fuel charger. I own 2 Sony duel chargers and love them. My lights, monitors and all 4 of my cameras ( I own 3 FS100) use the same NPF batteries so I go thru a bunch every shoot. I have not done much 4K with it yet, so can't comment on the edit load. I purchased the Z150 because it kind of future proofs me for a while.
Thanks for your kind response. I enjoy your enthusiasm, but it appears that you did not read my post or just skimmed it as you did not answer the questions in my first paragraph from the other post. Buuuuuut that is okay. You would have found that because I own the Z5U, I already own a dual charger so 'suck it up' is just an indication that you did not read my post beyond the comment on 'you do not shoot in 4k and therefore have no feedback on the edit load'. Annnnd by the way, all of that is fine... It is YT, what could I expect? lol... My questions on profile, limiter, etc., I think I have the answer for those questions, but oddly enough I ran into a different issue. The video footage on the Z150 has this ghosting for fast movement and I could not figure out what that was all about. I had seen it before because I have an A7RII and it ghosts on action which is the reason I wanted to just buy an actual video camera for video projects. Turns out supposedly the Z150 has the same sensor as the RX10 or RXIII or one of the still cameras. Soooooo... Of course, that means I have to look at more footage as that ghosting hurts my eyes. I would ask you to see some of your footage of fast action or to share your experience, buuuut you likely did not read this far and have already responded. lol... Sooo.. I'll just keep researching... Thanks for trying to provide feedback anyway and happy holidays....
Would love to buy it at $3200, but it is nearly $6K in Australia. Looking at the NX200. Fewer features but the same sensor and lens. S rathe than L codec
Hello, good review .. I own this camera and normally after 15 20 minutes of use (even recording in HD) tends to warm .. even own a PXW-x70 has not that this problem .. you have you found? thank you
Hi. The camera does get warm after a bit of use, but not excessively so. (Or at least not compared with other cameras we've used in this category). It is also the middle of winter here in Melbourne so that may be helping a bit!
Thanks guys, this was a great review. I doubt you'll answer this but it's worth a try: Is this camera as good as or better than the Panasonic HC-X1? I want to do nature documentaries, btw.
Hi Guys, Thanks for the review. I want to buy a new camcorder. But I'm stuck. You mention its not recommended for Independent film-making. So what is this camcorder good for? TV, Events, etc. Is this a good beginner camcorder or can professionals use it to. Thanks.
We use it for event coverage and intense recreational product test videos. It's great for run/run video production. With the right settings you could totally use it for cinema-style docs, I guess.
good review. i don't see any advancements in camcorders as far as IQ goes anymore. probably the limitations of the smaller sensor prohibiting better low light. still not impressed with any camcorder over the last 5-7 years.
Looking forward to the DVX comparison. In the market. You guys leaning FS5 if it was also in the picture? My 10 K US budget just cut out the FS7. Doesn't work without batteries...
Also hoping for the DVX comparison here. Loved this review guys, thanks for taking the time to do it, so would love to hear your thoughts on the two side-by-side. Is the DVX worth the extra? :)
Hey you guys, great piece on the PXW -Z150. Your adverse comments are worrying me. I'm a doc film maker using the Sony EX1. I was thinking of changing to the Z150 because it's lighter and I thought the 1" sensor might help in limiting the DOF. Can you please tell me how it compares to the EX1 in this respect and also regarding low light. These two are important to me. I don't need 4K or UHD, the EX gives me great pics. How does the far tele end (with Clear Image) compare to the tele end on the EX 1? Please, please, answer these questions, I have to decide in a week!
Hi Michael. I did a very rough test side by side. I didn't have access to an EX1, so I used an EX3 which for what you're talking about is very similar. You can see the results here: thepurplefringe.com/2016/08/25/sony-pxw-z150-vs-pmw-ex3-depth-of-field-quick-comparison/ Basically there isn't a heap of difference in the DOF. The gain is definitely cleaner on the newer camera, but the EX1/EX3 lets in a ton more light to begin with due to its lens. The Z150 is certainly lighter. If you don't need UHD then it's probably not a huge upgrade for you.
Hi Marty. Probably not. It's just not "cinematic" enough with respect to it's deep depth of field and fixed lens system. In the Sony range you're likely jumping to the FS5 or looking at an A7 rigged solution.
