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Sony PMW 500 Operator's Manual
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Sony PMW 500 Operator's Manual

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Download this manual See also: Operating Manual, Manual
Introduction
Sony PMW 500
The Sony PMW 500 is the latest shoulder mounted camera offered by Production Services. It is
tapeless, HD and complies fully with BBC HD requirements.
Operationally it's similar to other shoulder mounted cameras and so far has revealed no major
problems for programme makers to deal with.
This Guide will help in the
good operational practice. Depending on your experience, the guide is just one part of a learning
experience, which should include:
Starting from scratch or from Z1 experience
An Operational training course
A Camera manual handling course
Discussions with colleagues and Production
Support Specialists
A Rushes Review following initial shooting
If there are recommendations in this guide that don't make sense to you or that differ from your
previous experience, contact
This guide has been written by the team from BBC Production Support, with input from BBC Academy
London & HQ: 02 26161 (Option 2)
Bristol: 01 47911
Salford: 01 60200
Production Support Online
Email: production.support@bbc.co.uk
Emergency Tech Support: 07786 171250
setting up and operation of the Sony PMW 500
Production Support
Converting from the EX or XF 305 cameras
A Production Support conversion session
A Camera manual handling course
Discussions with colleagues and Production
Support Specialists
A Rushes Review following initial shooting
for advice or to organise a coaching session.
Advice
Support
■
Sony PMW 500
Operator guide
and also gives a summary of
Page 1
Innovation
Production Support
■
Acquisition

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Summary of Contents for Sony PMW 500

  • Page 1 Introduction Sony PMW 500 The Sony PMW 500 is the latest shoulder mounted camera offered by Production Services. It is tapeless, HD and complies fully with BBC HD requirements. Operationally it’s similar to other shoulder mounted cameras and so far has revealed no major problems for programme makers to deal with.
  • Page 2 Sony PMW 500 Operator guide Index Page no. Set up and preparation Batteries Charging batteries Initial Menu set-up User Menu Media Cards Inserting and removing cards Formatting cards Setting Rec Format, System Line, and Frequency Clip naming 1.10 System time and date 1.11...

  • Page 3: Section 1: Set Up And Preparation

    Section 1: Set up and preparation 1.1 Batteries Various batteries can be used with the PMW 500 although Production Services mainly supplies IDX Endura. These batteries will last around 2 hours. Larger batteries are available for the PMW500 but are banned from commercial air travel.
  • Page 4 Sony PMW 500 Operator guide 1.3 Initial menu set up If the PMW500 has been hired from Production Services, picture quality settings will already be installed, and other operational controls (e.g. assignable buttons) will be set sensibly. Also, the User menu is populated with useful shortcuts.
  • Page 5 Sony PMW 500 Operator guide Save out an All file into USB position 001, to Menu > Fi > All > All Save USB > Execute create the correct folder structure. Save to USB 001 Take the USB stick to a computer and find the folder containing the ‘All’ file that you just saved.
  • Page 6 Sony PMW 500 Operator guide Eject the stick properly and plug it back into to the camera. oad the All File BBC500MENUS. Menu > Fi > All > All Load USB > Execute Next copy the Scene files into the camera.

  • Page 7: Media Cards

    Sony PMW 500 Operator guide This completes loading the Production Support settings. Remember for News use, contact News Location Facilities for a News settings file. 1.4 User Menu Once the Production Support BBC500MENUS all file has been loaded, the User Menu is populated with useful items to help set up the camera.
  • Page 8 Sony PMW 500 Operator guide 1.6 Inserting and removing cards/adapters Slide the slot cover open and insert the card with the  label-side of the card facing towards the front of the camera.  Insert gently and if any resistance is felt DO NOT force.
  • Page 9 Sony PMW 500 Operator guide N.B. The camera menu is slightly confusing as the item ‘Format’ refers to the camera recording mode. The cards have to be formatted in the correct File System to match the camera Format Menu – UDF for BBC production excluding News.
  • Page 10 Sony PMW 500 Operator guide This sets the camera to shoot interlaced or progressive. The choice of 50i or 25p must be made before shooting starts and then set in camera for the duration of the production. See our guide ‘Interlaced or Progressive –...

  • Page 11: Clip Naming

    Sony PMW 500 Operator guide 1.9 Clip naming In the PMW500 each clip is created and stored as a file. A user defined clip name will stay with the clip through post production and is the primary identifier for the media.

  • Page 12: System Time/Date

    1.10 System time/date In the PMW 500 each clip is created as a file, saved with a time and date. This of course should be set correctly. Use the menu to set or check the correct camera time and date: Menu >...
  • Page 13 The dioptre can be removed for  cleaning, or to allow holding the camera on the hip and looking down to see the picture. On the PMW 500 the dioptre does NOT flip open but has to be unscrewed. Adjust the physical position of ...
  • Page 14 Sony PMW 500 Operator guide 1.13 Viewfinder picture adjustments It is essential to ensure the monochrome viewfinder is giving a good representation of what is being recorded so that focus and exposure can be critically assessed. The colour LCD screen on the side is useful to check white balance.
  • Page 15 1.14 Standard viewfinder text Once setup has been completed on the PMW 500 the layout should look similar to this: 1.15 Lens Options and preparation Like most other shoulder mount cameras, the Sony PMW500 has interchangeable lenses. Production Services supply an H J11 wide angle and a ‘standard’...
  • Page 16 Sony PMW 500 Operator guide Check back focus: Check macro is clicked back into the normal position. Check extender (if fitted) is in the position. Make the iris as wide open as possible, using ND’s if needed. Put the focus chart supplied in the kit at least 10 feet away from the camera Zoom in fully to the centre of the chart Focus to make it sharp.

  • Page 17: Section 2: Zoom

    Sony PMW 500 Operator guide Section 2: Zoom 2.1 Manual or Servo Change between servo and manual zoom using the control under the lens handgrip. This can be a personal choice, or follow these guidelines: SERVO – recommended for controlled in-vision zooms MANUAL –...
  • Page 18 Sony PMW 500 Operator guide Up, Close! A help to remembering which way to turn the lens is This means lifting your elbow focuses the lens CLOSER. Wide lenses such as the HJ11 can front focus to about 1ft, with standard lenses only managing 2 or 3ft typically.

  • Page 19: Section 4: Exposure And Scene Files Exposure

    Sony PMW 500 Operator guide Section 4: Exposure and scene files Exposure 4.1 Scene Files and Setting Exposure Exposure technique varies according to which Scene File is selected. There are two main scene file choices – select according to whether rushes will be graded or not…...
  • Page 20 Sony PMW 500 Operator guide 4.21 Shutter For motion to look ‘normal’ the shutter speed should be set to 1/50 of a second. ‘OFF’ In Shutter ‘OFF’ mode the camera defaults to 1/50 of a second when system frequency is set to 50i...
  • Page 21 Sony PMW 500 Operator guide 4.22 Gain Gain makes the pictures brighter if there’s not enough light. In HD, picture graininess is more noticeable. 6dB adds noticeable grain but the picture will still pass the BBC HD test. = -6 (preferred)

  • Page 22: Auto Iris

    Sony PMW 500 Operator guide 4.25 Auto Iris With the camera in Auto Iris mode (A), the iris is automatically adjusted in response to the overall amount of light in the scene. This may be good for very fast moving actuality or varying light levels.

  • Page 23: Section 5: White Balance

    Sony PMW 500 Operator guide The Zebra display in the viewfinder and on the LCD screen can be switched ON and OFF with either the middle toggle switch on the front of the viewfinder, or with ‘ASSIGN.2’ button on the left-hand side of the camera.

  • Page 24: Manual White Balance

    Sony PMW 500 Operator guide 5.2 Preset White Balance (PRESET) This option fixes the white balance to a point on the orange – blue colour scale, rather than opening up the whole spectrum of colour as when doing a manual balance. Preset white balance can be useful and is possible if a full colour grade is planned, but better overall quality will be obtained if a manual white balance is done on location whenever the colour of the light changes.

  • Page 25: Black Balance

    Section 6: Audio The PMW 500 can record 4 independent audio tracks (channels) with manual level control, metering and monitoring. The camera has three XLR audio inputs, one at the front, and two at the rear.

  • Page 26: Level Control

     mic or personal clip mic N.B. It’s recommended to connect Sony grey U1 radio mics to a socket with phantom power ON. 6.2 Level control Manual level control with the protection of a limiter is always preferable. If level can’t be controlled while shooting, set an initial level based on a best guess and then let the limiters handle any unexpected loud peaks in the sound.

  • Page 27: Monitoring Audio

    Sony PMW 500 Operator guide The meters will not Speech should read above -6 due to average around -20 limiters being activated. peaking to -12. If sound levels are consistently too high, there will be audio compression: an audible effect, but not catastrophic.
  • Page 28 Sony PMW 500 Operator guide To set headphone monitoring: Select monitoring for channels 1 & 2 or channels 3 & 4: Position the MONITOR switches to decide how audio will be channelled in the headphones, e.g:… Resulting headphone monitoring in above examples:...

  • Page 29: Section 7: Assign Buttons

    Sony PMW 500 Operator guide Section 7: Assign Buttons The Sony PMW500 has seven Assignable buttons. These buttons are pre assigned on all cameras hired from Production Services. If required the settings can be changed in the menu: Menu > Op > Assignable SW London &...

  • Page 30: Section 8: Special Recording Modes

    Sony PMW 500 Operator guide Section 8: Special Recording Modes 8.1 Cache This is useful for when something might happen unexpectedly, such as when filming sport or actuality. With Cache turned on, the camera records a few seconds of pictures to the media cards. It continuously erases and over records the same bit of memory.

  • Page 31: Slow & Quick Motion

    Sony PMW 500 Operator guide 8.2 Slow & Quick Motion Usually, to achieve slow playback, the maximum frame rate of 50fps is required. Change Resolution to 50Mb/s 1280x720 at 25p Menu > Operation > Format > HD System Line > 720 Menu >...

  • Page 32: Section 9: Playback

    Sony PMW 500 Operator guide Select a shutter speed double the frame rate set. For 50 fps select 1/100 sec shutter. Section 9: Playback 9.1 Playback in camera Press the Thumbnail button under the side flap. Then use the arrow keys to select a clip.

  • Page 33: Playback On A Tv

    Sony PMW 500 Operator guide Clips can also be deleted or copied from this menu. Clips can be copied from one SxS card to another. 9.2 Playback on a TV There is no HDMI socket so HD viewing on a domestic TV is not possible. The only option is SD composite video which can be obtained from the side Video Out socket but only if the menu is set to SD output.

  • Page 34: Section 10: Pre Shoot Checklist

    Do a test recording of pictures and sound then play it back  Have you completed a risk assessment?  If you have any questions about operating the PMW 500 contact Production Support for advice or coaching or go to our webpages for more useful guides and information on all our services.

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