Sony PXW-Z200 review: Hands on with Sony's latest neat and powerful camcorder

While the camcorder form factor, with its single built-in lens and comparatively smaller sensor, may seem old-fashioned, Sony's $3999 PXW-Z200 addresses some very new trends.

Camcorders, with their single built-in lens and smaller (comparatively) sensor, have hardly been flavour of the month recently. But Sony's new $3999 PXW-Z200 and HXR-NX800 addresses some very new trends, like online streaming, multicamera events like in houses of worship, schools or big conferences. Using interchangeable lensed cameras in these scenarios can often be overkill, especially in environments where speed and reliability are required.

An all-in-one 4K ‘pro camcorder’ is a perfect device for those who need something that can film/stream awesome footage quickly and easily straight out of the camera bag. 

Sony kindly let me have a quick hands-on out of said camera bag with the new PXQ-Z200 to put it through its paces. 

It should be noted the key difference between the PXW-Z200 and the HXR-NX800, is that the Z200 has SDI and TC ports while the latter does not.

For more detailed specs have a look at our release article.

Size doesn't matter (as much as you think)

While the new 1” CMOS sensor may make cause eyerolls in those wanting bigger, it does come with some upsides including a chonking 20x optical zoom (24mm to 480mm) in a relatively small, handy package.

That smaller sensor brings a minor penalty when it comes to lower light, but also compensates for it with a powerful nightvision mode allowing us all to make our ghost hunting dreams come true. Playing with it brought me back to the days of playing with DV camcorders where that feature was standard. You can even switch between the Derek Acorah green, or to a more tasteful black and white.

On the opposite side of the lighting scenarios, the built-in ND filters (1/4 and 1/128 density) are excellent and welcome, especially when outside. I also had a quick play with the auto-ND feature, which does what it says on the tin, though with the usual limitations that come with any auto setting.

A beautiful block of buttons

The camcorder itself is a beautiful block of buttons and switches that can be programmed to your heart’s content. As a side note, I think this is an excellent learning tool for those new to cameras overall; it allows you to learn each option tactilely and how it adjusts to the final image. This also helps you easily adjust settings in the dark of a conference hall’s wing or while filming ghosts in the woods.

There are three physical ways to adjust the zoom alone: the ring, a classic side lever on its side, and buttons on the top handle. You can even adjust the zoom speed on each of these arrays for bonus customization, like with one set for Kubrick zooms and another for your crash zooms.

I loved how smoothly and quietly the zoom mechanism works, making it perfect when filming during those tenser, quieter moments in events (those who know, know).

(Please note that the footage has been trimmed and compressed)

Sony is so well known for it’s fantastic autofocus at this point that it barely warrants anything more than a mention, compound that with the deeper focus lens and the camera’s built-in AI Processing Unit with its AI human body detection, all I can say is that it just works (for humans at least, as there is still no animal face/body detection).

I particularly appreciate how the touch screen allows you to effortlessly select the subject you want to focus on. This becomes especially useful when using...

I didn't do it, I was autoframed!

This new Center Stage-like AI-powered feature automatically crops into the frame to keep your subjects perfectly centered in the frame, making it ideal for solo operators or in places where maintaining focus on the subject is crucial, like on-stage speeches.

It can helpfully keep the monitor feed the same with a moving white frame around the cropped image, allowing the cameraperson to always see the full frame.

On the left is what you see through the monitor/viewfinder, on the right is how it's recorded.

I was thoroughly impressed with how well it works, and the fact it has so many customization options, including distance and adjustment speed, shows this isn’t just an AI thrown-on feature.

High-quality files and audio

The camera offers a plethora of file format options, including XAVC S-I 10-bit 4:2:2 4K recording for QFHD 4k (.mp4) for high-quality, flexible post-production. It also supports XAVC HS-L (H.265) and XAVC S-L (H.264) for efficient storage and extended recording times. There is also the promise of broadcast XAVC (.mxf) files in the future for the PXW-Z200, but not the HXR-NX800.

This is all written into the dual slots for CFexpress Type A cards and SD cards, offering a tonne of flexibility for different users, with the ability to relay record or simultaneous backup.

The camera also has a fantastic four channels of audio, including 2 XLR ports on the top with a 3.5mm stereo jack and a Multi Interface Shoe on the top, allowing you to connect to Sony's fantastic audio options like the URX-P41D.

The whole package

With its foldable viewfinder and screen, the camcorder becomes a compact, portable device, primed and ready to be pulled out and used whenever you need to film. Throw in the fact that these use the same battery BP series that 'bigger' Sony cameras such as the FX6 uses, makes the PXW-Z200 a versatile workhorse.

The camcorder has some great accessibility features, including the ability to read the onscreen menu out loud in the user's native language.

This forethought and design Sony worked into a modern camcorder show the desire to address a core user base that may not need all those fancy interchangeable lenses and bigger sensors. I can see this camcorder being a dream for journalists and schools alike that simply need something to grab and go film some awesome footage with.

While we are very comfortably in the post-DSLR video era, it’s truly impressive to see there is still a place to take those lessons learned and then seamlessly stuff them into one neat, powerful package.

tl;dr

• - Sony's PXW-Z200 camcorder is designed to address new trends like online streaming, multicamera events, and quick, reliable footage capture.
• Despite its smaller 1” CMOS sensor, the camcorder offers an impressive 20x optical zoom and a powerful night vision mode.
• The camcorder features a user-friendly design with customizable buttons and switches, making it suitable for users new to cameras.
• It boasts impressive features such as autofocus, AI-powered autoframing, high-quality file formats, and audio recording options, catering to various user needs.