Betacam SP, Digital Betacam & Sony PMW-500 XDCAM camera hire in London

The Sony BVW-300AP can still be used to record directly onto original Betacam SP tapes, provided the camera and tape mechanism are in working order. We also sell Betacam SP tapes and offer a transfer service, converting the recorded footage into modern digital Apple ProRes files. The camera can be powered using V-Lock batteries with a suitable battery adaptor, making it practical for recording on location without an external power supply.

For those wishing to record digitally using an external recorder such as an Atomos, the camera's analogue video output needs to be converted into a compatible digital signal. This requires an analogue-to-digital converter, with an upscaler or additional conversion stage if needed to provide a suitable HDMI or SDI output. This is all perfectly possible and relatively straightforward in a studio or fixed filming location. However, the additional equipment requires power, cables and suitable mounting, so some of the flexibility and portability of the original shoulder-mounted camera is lost.

The Sony DVW-790WSP can still be used to record directly onto Digital Betacam tapes, provided the camera and tape mechanism are in working order. We also supply Digital Betacam tapes and offer a transfer service, converting recorded footage into modern Apple ProRes digital files. The camera can be powered using compatible V-Lock batteries with a suitable adaptor or mounting arrangement, making it practical for location filming without needing mains power.

For those wishing to record directly onto a modern external recorder such as an Atomos, this camera is fitted with an SD-SDI output via BNC, allowing a direct digital connection to a compatible recorder that supports standard-definition SDI.

The Sony PMW-500 can still be used to record Full HD video directly onto SxS memory cards, provided the camera and card slots are in working order. Unlike the earlier Betacam cameras, the footage is recorded as digital files, which can be transferred directly to a computer for editing or converted into Apple ProRes files if required.

The camera can be powered using compatible V-Lock batteries with a suitable mounting arrangement, making it practical for location filming without needing mains power.

For those wishing to record directly onto a modern external recorder such as an Atomos, the camera has an HD-SDI output via BNC, allowing a direct digital connection to an external recorder with a compatible SDI input. This provides an alternative to recording onto SxS cards and does not require an analogue-to-digital converter.