The HXR-MC2500 Shoulder Mount AVCHD Camcorder from Sony is designed for shooters looking for the inherent stability and professional feel a shoulder-mount form factor provides. It features a 1/4" Exmor R CMOS chip that can work with as little as 0.8 lux illumination when in SD mode, and low-light performance is further augmented by a built-in LED light shining 800 lumens at 1.6; distance. The camera records Full HD in the widely supported AVCHD format and can record SD in the DV codec with an AVI wrapper. Using DV rather than DVD-style MPEG-2 compression for SD means a higher quality thanks to lower compression and compatibility with more editing software. The camera is Wi-Fi enabled, allowing you to control it from an app as well as monitor a low-latency live feed on a smartphone or tablet.
Along with two cold shoes, the HXR-MC2500 features one Sony Multi Interface Shoe which allows the attachment of proprietary accessories, such as lights and microphones. The hot shoe design means no separate cables will be required for audio accessories, and lights will not require a separate battery or power source since they can draw off the camera battery. The two standard shoes provide mounting for third-party lights, field monitors, microphones, wireless receivers, and other on-camera accessories.
For live monitoring, there is an HDMI output, plus composite output which is on a locking BNC connector to ensure the cable doesn't accidentally get yanked loose during a live broadcast. Video can be recorded internally to the 32GB flash memory, which stores about 170 minutes at the 24 Mb/s (FX) quality setting, or a SDHC/SDXC or Memory Stick memory card.
Wide 26.8mm Angle Lens
With 12x zoom, the lens features a 26.8mm-equivalent focal length when at its widest setting, helping to minimize the times a wide-angle adapter or converter will be required.
Exmor R CMOS Sensor
The Exmor R CMOS has been redesigned from the previous model to deliver up to 0.8 lux sensitivity in SD mode. This sensitivity bump is partly due to backside illumination which moves much of the circuity to the back of the sensor, enabling larger photosites which can capture more light.
OLED Tru-Finder and 3" LCD Panel
The Tru-Finder viewfinder uses OLED technology for a better viewing angle and features a resolution of 1.44 million dots, adequate for critical manual focusing. There is also a 3" LCD panel for when the camera is not being used over the shoulder, featuring a 0.92 million dot resolution. The LCD screen can be closed or disabled when not in use to conserve battery.
Low-Light Shooting
The HXR-MC2500 is capable of up to 0.8 lux minimum illumination when using manual settings with the shutter set to 1/15 second, the iris at f/1.8, and the gain at 33 dB. Plus, there is a built-in LED video light that casts 800 lumens of brightness when 1.6' from the subject.
Wi-Fi Enabled with NFC Connectivity
Through Wi-Fi it is possible to operate a number of camera settings from a smartphone or tablet. You can also monitor a live feed, which is ideal for setups, such as a news conference, where the camera is placed where people aren't allowed during the event. The NFC feature saves time, allowing you to pair the camera with NFC-enabled mobile devices simply by tapping the device to the camera. Functions you can access through the app include:
- Record start/stop
- Zoom
- Iris
- Touch autofocus
Hybrid Recording
The camera comes equipped with 32GB of built-in memory, offering approximately 170 minutes in the 24 Mb/s (FX) quality setting. There is also a memory card slot that can accept SD, SDHC, SDXC, and Sony Memory Stick PRO Duo cards—all available separately—for even longer recording times. Simultaneous mode lets you record to both media at once, while Relay will roller over from one media to the other once the first fills up. Relay makes indefinite recording possible as long as the battery lasts or when AC power is available.
Multi Interface (MI) Shoe
In addition to the two standard cold shoes, the proprietary Multi Interface Shoe allows the camera to talk directly to a range of accessories from Sony without requiring separate wiring. Compatible accessories include microphones, wireless receivers, and flashes.
Note: The Multi Interface Shoe is not compatible with accessories that use the earlier Active Interface (AIS) shoe.
DV Recording
In SD mode, the HXR-MC2500 records in DV codec—the same format used by MiniDV tape cameras—and puts the file in an AVI wrapper. This format is supported by most editing programs and features less compression than the MPEG-2 SD mode found on many other cameras.
Assignable Lens Ring
The lens ring can be set to manually control focus, exposure, white balance, iris, or shutter speed to give you direct access without going through the camera's menu.
Timecode
It is possible to set SMPTE timecode or user bit (UB) for multicamera productions or to make it easier to locate footage in post.
BNC Composite Output
The composite output uses a BNC terminal, which is a locking connector that reduces the risk of accidentally yanking the cable out during a live broadcast.
Optical SteadyShot Image Stabilization with Active Mode
In addition to normal optical image stabilization, Active Mode provides compensation for the sway that occurs while waking.
Quick AF System
Designed to improve autofocus accuracy, even in low-light conditions.
L-Series Battery
Support for Sony's professional L-series battery line means up to 14 hours of battery life is possible when using the separately available NPF-970 battery.
Highlights
- 1/4" Exmor R CMOS Sensor
- 26.8mm-Equivalent Wide-Angle Lens
- Records SD in DV AVI File
- OLED Viewfinder with 1.44 Million Dots
- Flip-Up 3" LCD with 921k Dot Resolution
- Wi-Fi Connectivity with NFC
- Internal 32GB Flash Memory