Z Cam has reduced the price of their upcoming E2-S6 camera to $2,995 USD.
The 6K S35 E2-S6 was originally listed for $3,995 USD, but before the camera has even started to ship, Z Cam has knocked $1,000 USD off the price. This is undoubtedly to do with market pressure. With the recent launch of the BMPCC 6K and the S1H, Z Cam now faces very stiff competition in the ‘affordable’ 6K digital cinema camera space.
Z Cam makes some interesting cameras, and Erik has already reviewed the E2 and he is in the process of reviewing the $799 USD E2C.
Z Cam E2-S6
Key features
- S35 sensor 23.4mm x 15.67mm
- Pixel Size 3.76μm
- Available in EF/PL or M4/3 mounts
- 6244 x 4168 up to 30fps (Open Gate)
- 6124 x 3240 up to 48fps
- 6124 x 2560 up to 48fps (2.4:1 aspect ratio)
- 5760 x 3240 up to 48fps
- 4096 x 2160 up to 60 fps (subsampling with crop)
- 3840 x 2160 up to 60 fps (subsampling with crop)
- H.265 main 10 profile/ H.264 High Profile Max, bit rate of 300Mb/s
- ProRes recording
- 12-bit & 14-bit RAW
- CFast 2.0 Media
- Color Bit Depth 4:2:2 10-bit in ProRes (subject to ProRes certification)
- 5 pin Lemo for dual XLR mic(requires optional accessory)
- LUTS
- HDMI 2.0 (max. output C4K up to 60fps 10-bit 4:2:2)6K @75fps & 4K @100fps max, 10-bit color
- Super 35mm CMOS sensor
- 14 stops dynamic range
- ZRAW supported
- EF / PL lens mount
- Gigabit Ethernet for data, control & live streaming
On paper, there is a lot to like about the Z Cam E2-S6. With the ability to record 6244 x 4168 up to 30fps (Open Gate), 6124 x 3240 up to 48fps, 6124 x 2560 up to 48fps (2.4:1 aspect ratio), 5760 x 3240 up to 48fps, 4096 x 2160 up to 60 fps (subsampling with crop), and 3840 x 2160 up to 60 fps (subsampling with crop) it certainly ticks a lot of boxes.
The sensor has dual ISO – low ISO is rated at 400 and high native ISO at 1250. Z-Cam is claiming a dynamic range of 14+ stops – they’re still optimizing image however so that’s not a final figure.
As with the existing model, the E2-S6 will record internally to a CFast 2.0 card. The camera is powered from an L-series battery or via the included AC adapter. An optional cable enables syncing two E2 cameras together, and the system supports syncing up to 100 cameras. The camera supports recording in ProRes 422 in 10-bit, as well as h.265 and h.264 codecs. You can also record in Z Cam’s own RAW format.
The E2 6K will also eventually be available in a full-frame version. There will also be an 8K version that will only be available in full-frame.
A Gigabit ethernet socket provides data transfer and camera control. Using ethernet for image transfer means you can get longer cable runs than using SDI cable without image degradation.
You can also use an iOS app to control the camera and to view a live image preview over USB-C.
Remote control over the web
There’s also an open API and an SDK, so if you’re technically minded you’ll be able to develop your own applications to both control the camera and make use of the live video feed over IP. For manual control there are also some actual buttons along the front edge of the camera.
The 6K and 8K cameras will be available in EF/PL or M4/3 mounts, the better to make the most of the resolving power of larger EF and PL lenses.
Will it still be a tough sell?
As I mentioned earlier, there is intense competition at this end of the market and it’s going to be hard for Z Cam to compete. The BMPCC 6K has undoubtedly stolen a lot of the E2-S6’s thunder as it is already available and it is $500 USD cheaper. While both cameras are quite different in terms of their form factor, they are both going to attract the attention of buyers looking for an affordable 6K S35 camera.
The Z Cam E2-S6 is scheduled to start shipping in October.
What do you think of the Z Cam E2-S6 price drop? Would you consider buying this camera? Please let us know in the comments section below.
