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Sony has announced the PXW-Z300, a flagship handheld XDCAM camcorder featuring 1/2-inch 4K 3-CMOS Exmor R sensors, BIONZ XR image processing engine, and dedicated AI-processing unit designed for professional content creation.
The camcorder is scheduled for availability in September 2025, targeting news, sports, corporate, documentary, and live programming applications.
The PXW-Z300 represents the world’s first camcorder capable of embedding digital signatures directly into video files, enabling content authentication to address growing demands for verifiable content in professional media production.
This feature supports the C2PA standard for recording authenticity information, extending Sony’s authenticity initiatives from still images to video content.
“This latest camcorder has new enhancements, including content authenticity capabilities, that will be very beneficial for those in the news and production industry, whether they’re capturing action-packed content, breaking stories, or producing educational documentaries,” said Anthony Kable, CCS Group Manager, Sony Australia.
The camcorder incorporates back-illuminated 4K 3-CMOS Exmor R sensors combined with the BIONZ XR image processing engine, delivering excellent colour separation, F12 sensitivity, and 4K 60p recording capabilities.
The integrated 17x optical zoom lens features F1.9 constant maximum aperture and three independent manual control rings for traditional camera operation.
Digital extender functionality enables 1.5x zoom in 4K mode and up to 4x zoom in HD mode with minimal quality degradation, expanding capture scenarios for news gathering and event documentation.
An Electronic Variable ND filter provides seamless transmission adjustment from 1/4 to 1/128, complemented by optical image stabilisation for smooth operation across varying lighting conditions.
The AI-processing unit enables high-precision subject recognition based on face, eye, skeletal structure, and posture analysis.
The system maintains autofocus on subjects even when facing away from the camera or wearing facial coverings, while auto-framing functionality automatically adjusts composition to keep human subjects centred in frame.
Display capabilities include a 3.5-inch high-brightness LCD monitor with approximately 2.76 million dots, providing excellent visibility in bright conditions with significantly improved brightness compared to the predecessor PXW-Z280.
The newly developed Flexible LCD Arm offers three-axis movement for adaptable positioning across various shooting styles, from shoulder-mounted operation to waist-level capture and self-recording configurations.
Network functionality supports modern production workflows utilising 5G and cloud technologies, enabling immediate transfer of recorded material from shooting locations and live streaming through smartphone or Wi-Fi/wired LAN connections.
The camcorder supports RTMP/RTMPS and SRT streaming protocols for live broadcasting from remote locations.
The HEVC codec support enables higher quality proxy material transmission at lower resolutions with improved compression rates.
Chunk format transfer capability allows editing to begin as material arrives, eliminating the need for media removal and post-shoot transfer processes.
Cloud service integration includes compatibility with Ci Media Cloud for media collaboration, supporting immediate workflow efficiency with material sharing among project members and multi-camera live streaming when combined with Sony’s M2 Live Cloud Switcher.
Recording format support encompasses MXF file recording in XDCAM series formats, including MPEG HD422, XAVC Intra (4K/HD 4:2:2 10bit), and XAVC Long (4K 4:2:0 8bit/HD 4:2:2 10bit), plus MP4 proxy recording in HEVC.
Look options include S-Cinetone, ITU709, 709tone, HLG Live, HLG Mild, HLG Natural, and user 3D LUTs with custom .cube file import capability.
Audio recording supports up to four channels, including shotgun microphones and Sony’s UWP-series wireless microphones via XLR inputs and Multi Interface shoe, with future proxy 4-channel audio recording support planned.
The PXW-Z300 is compatible with Sony’s “Monitor & Control” mobile application for multi-camera shooting, enabling angle confirmation, camera settings adjustment, and remote operation from smartphones or tablets.
The camcorder will be exhibited at the Beijing International Radio, TV & Film Exhibition 2025 (BIRTV) starting July 22, 2025, providing industry professionals with hands-on demonstration opportunities before the September release.
