Getting a professional camera usually meant shelling out $80,000 or more. Sony took this as a challenge - build a camera that will be below $7,000, but without sacrificing the quality - and the end result is the new PMW-EX1. The EX1 uses a fixed Fujinon 14x HD lens and has features not normally found on any other camcorder. The EX1 has three 1/2" Exmor CMOS sensors that handle the camera's imaging. The reviewer stated that Sony claims a horizontal resolution of an astounding 1000 lines. While charts went only to 800, the camera delivered incredibly sharp and detailed images. The camera is HD only - there are no SD (NTSC/PAL) modes available. It comes with an 8GB card that can hold 25 minutes of HQ footage. Picture profiles provide great control of the image. The lens provides the user the best of both a servo lens and the lens found on professional cameras. Despite the form factor, the reviewer noted that the EX1 is not for one-hand operation. You’d need both of your hands or a tripod due to the size and the position of the hand-grip. The 3.5-inch LCD screen has a 1920x480 resolution and easily viewable in direct sunlight. There are some control buttons that can be hard to reach, and the main power switch slides too easily. Despite these small caveats, the performance and the new solid state recording system make the PMW-EX1 a strong contender.