Over at PVC, Allan Tépper has a preview review of a forthcoming camera system from Sony with the designation NXCAM. With solid state recording to Sony Memory Stick and “a new NXCAM flash memory unit”, the NXCAM adds pro-level features to a tapeless AVCHD recording system in a package reminiscent of the tape+solid-state hybrid Sony HVR-Z5U (when equipped with HVR-MRC1 CF recorder unit).

This is certainly an interesting development, is this Sony’s low-to-medium production level HDV replacement codec? It sure seems like it, as the Z5U was a replacement for the venerable Z1U, and this model shares the imager and lens from the Z5. My initial reaction is that I wish they would use an existing flash memory option instead of inventing new ones and pushing users to Memory Stick. Yay! More formats!