PDW-F355L
XDCAM HD Camcorder
(without lens)

The PDW-F355 is a tape-less XDCAM HD camcorder, perfectly balanced to fit on your shoulder and featuring the latest evolution of familiar Sony ergonomics.

The PDW-F355 is exceptionally versatile; at the flick of a switch you have the choice of shooting 50i/59.94i/23.98P/25P/29.97P pictures in DV and HD. So you can shoot a local news assignment today, a wedding video tomorrow and your independent short film the day after - all with the same camera, all with the exact settings required to excel in each application.

At the heart of the PDW-F355 is XDCAM Professional Disc - the bestselling, most affordable and most widely supported non-linear acquisition system. The benefits of XDCAM begin from the moment you begin shooting. You can mark key scenes manually or opt for automatic marking, then review scenes by simply selecting their thumbnail images on the colour fold-out screen. Non-linear media means instant scene access and there's no need to worry about overwriting content either.

And by using the latest 50GB Dual Layer Professional Disc, recording times are increased to more than 3 hours when shooting DVCAM, and to around 2.5 hours when shooting high quality HD. With XDCAM HD you choose the pace at which you move to the full potential of an advanced AV/IT, file-based workflow. For post-production, the PDW-F355 outputs a standard DV-based stream so your existing NLE set-up will work with it just the same as a DV/DVCAM camcorder. You can also replay material via an XDCAM HD deck, such as the PDW-F75, for high definition MXF file transfer to your edit system.

The PDW-F355 has been designed to provide the most cost-effective and versatile camcorder you can imagine for the way you work today and tomorrow.

Providing a stunning array of features, the PDW-F355 is designed to get the best out of every shoot. This Sony professional camcorder has been designed to provide the very best features at the very best price - there's no need to compromise on quality, functionality or results!

HD-native 16:9/4:3 Switchable CCDs
XDCAM HD Camcorders incorporate three HD-native, 16:9/4:3 switchable 1/2-inch CCDs, offering outstanding-quality images with a low smear level and a high signal-to-noise ratio.

Real-time SD output
Even when recording in MPEG HD, XDCAM HD camcorders output a real-time SD signal via SD-SDI, i.LINK DV out and composite out, further enhancing versatility and operational compatibility (e.g. with monitors or recording equipment on location.)

Quick and Slow Motion
The PDW-F355 can record any frame rate between 4P to 50P for 25P playback mode, or, 4P to 60P for 24P/30P playback mode and content can be reviewed instantly. For example, you could shoot at 50P and playback at 25P - offering an in-camera 2.0x slow motion effect. Alternatively, a high speed effect can be created by shooting at for example 4 frames per second and played back at 25 fps. HD content can be played back on any XDCAM HD machine, DV content can be played back on any XDCAM SD product.

Advanced Optical Features
The XDCAM HD Camcorder has a built-in optical Neutral Density (ND) filter wheel with four positions and a slow shutter - supporting up to 64-frame accumulations. An auto-focus function is built-in (compatible lens required) and there is also an optional lens adaptor for 2/3-inch lenses.

HD 1080 Recording at Selectable Frame & Bit Rates
XDCAM HD products can record video signals in 1080/59.94i, 50i, 29.97P, 25P and native 23.98P - using a "MPEG HD" codec with industry standard MPEG-2 MP@HL compression. The user can also select the following bit rates; 35, 25 or 18Mb/s depending on picture quality and recording length requirements. When using the new 50GB Dual Layer Disc the highest bit rate of 35Mb/s results in a recording time of more than 145 minutes, while choosing 18Mb/s provides a recording time of more than 248 minutes - the longest recording time offered by any current professional HD camcorder. MPEG HD images are recorded at 1440x1080 pixels with 4:2:0 sampling.

DVCAM Recording and Up/Down conversion
To maximise HD/SD workflow flexibility, all XDCAM HD Camcorders can record in the ubiquitous DVCAM format with a choice of NTSC/PAL and 16:9/4:3 modes. In addition, both camcorder and decks incorporate a down-conversion capability that allows material recorded in the MPEG HD format to be converted to DV signals and output via the i.LINK port - enabling users to edit the material using compatible DV-based non-linear editors. DVCAM is recorded at 25Mb/s allowing approximately 185 minutes recording per Dual Layer disc. In NTSC mode, sampling is 4:1:1 with 480 active lines per frame. In PAL mode, sampling is 4:2:0 with 576 active lines per frame.

High-quality Audio Recording
XDCAM HD products can record two or four-channel, 16-bit, 48-kHz uncompressed (Linear PCM) audio - delivering high sound quality.

File-based Disc Recording
Because the XDCAM system records video and audio as IT-type files rather than a linear AV stream, XDCAM HD products offer a range of powerful benefits:

Advanced Scene Selection Functionality
The PDW-F355's 16:9 3.5-inch colour LCD displays a highly advanced interface giving access to features most camcorders leave to post production. For example, a thumbnail display provides immediate access to detailed metadata or key scenes (selected automatically and/or manually) for quickly reviewing content on site. You can even perform simple cuts-only editing on the camera itself.

Advanced Proxy Recording
XDCAM HD products automatically record low-resolution AV data simultaneously with the HD or SD resolution data on the same disc. This low resolution content - called "Proxy Data" - uses MPEG-4 for a low data rate (1.5Mb/s for video and 0.5Mb/s for audio) while still offering reasonable quality. For a fast-breaking news story, Proxy Data can even be relayed over a low bandwidth link (e.g. mobile phone) and broadcast. In normal circumstances, Proxy AV applications include:

High Level of Reliability
XDCAM HD camcorders share the same platform as the XDCAM SD products which have proven themselves in demanding applications all around the world. As there is no mechanical contact between media and recording heads, a high level of durability and long media life have been achieved. XDCAM products have also demonstrated exceptional resistance to shock, vibrations and extremes of climate.

Comprehensive interfaces
The PDW-F355 features a wide-range of input-outputs and interfaces for maximum production flexibility:

Additional features

The PDW-F355 is the ideal bridge between today's DV/SD world and tomorrow's advanced AV/IT HD workflow. For the price of a standard definition tape-based camcorder you're ready for all the opportunities of High Definition and file-based production.

Enhanced Productivity
No matter how you work, the PDW-F355 offers productivity improvements impossible with tape-based media:

Cost Effective
Cost of ownership is critical. The PDW-F355 is designed to offer you the lowest total system cost in its class due to:

Compatibility with today and tomorrow's workflow
The PDW-F355 is built around support for existing standards such as DV/DVCAM and open standards like MXF so you've got the maximum flexibility to use it just the way you want:

Faster, Smarter Archiving
You don't need an expensive IT-storage system to revolutionise the way you store, retrieve and manage your archive material. While Professional Discs costs the same as tape, they're a true high-speed, non-linear media with a wealth of advanced meta-data automatically generated in camera: