Sony is putting their professional XAVC codec in a lot of new cameras. They also introduced a new codec for consumer cameras a year ago called XAVC S. Some of their newer models already have that codec on board but the Sony RX10 for example can only record in ACHD which is not the best codec for professional editing. The maximum bitrate is 24Mbps at 24fps (25, 30) and 28Mbps at 60fps (50) which usually is too low for color correction. Blocking and artifacts can occur. Sony recently released a firmware for the RX10. All the details about the new upgrade can be found in the video below:
To be able to film at 120 frames per second is a welcome feature although the difference between that 720p and 1080p footage is clearly visible. It clearly has a lower resolution and the moiré & aliasing can be annoying. High frame rates are nothing new especially in lower resolutions but it’s good to see that Sony upgrades on older camera with new features.
Make sure to watch the video below which was completely shot in the new XAVC S codec with 60fps, 120fps and 24p footage. The clips were color corrected and graded in Adobe Premiere Pro. The looks and styles vary to give you a better feeling of how different the footage can looks like.
You can download the free firmware V2.00 on Sony’s website.
Written by Moritz Janisch
