So I just got the Z1 Sony HDV cam
 

I have been using the consumer verson (FX1) for the past few months and just ordered the pro verson (Z1).

Main difference is that it has XLR inputs for pro mics. It also shoots PAL format. Other than that it is basically the same camera with a few extra features to help with focus. Not really worth the extra $1600 but for guys like me who use pro mics it is nice so I don't have to strap a 3 pound mixer to my body.

Have not shot with the PAL settings yet but am shooting a music video on PAL format next week with 6 other Z1 camera guys so I will post that when it comes back from the snobby editors.

Anyway, the quality is outstanding and even when downcoverted to DV it looks better than if shot on a DV camera. And the native 16:9 is sweet.

http://www.global-dvc.org/hdr-fx1.jpg

What did it cost? and you got a url with info on it?

thats a sleek looking cam..... on my to get list!

I paid $4,900 USD because I got one from the first shipment. Hold on a while and the price will drove a few hundred.

You can get the FX1 (consumer version for $3,300)

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...=357486&is=REG

I am thinking of buying the Z1 when it's shipping in Europe.

What software do you use for postproduction ?

Right now there is cineform.com. Cineform makes a plug in for both Premeire Pro and Vegas that allows faster HDV editing. Main Concept also has a plug in for Premeire Pro that allows for native MPEG2 editing.

The best and only real time HDV editing at the moment is from Canopus. Canopus has Edius NX. It is a hardware and software system and it kicks ass.

Apple will also be out with FCP Express soon which will edit HDV but it will not be as good as Edius NX.

I doubt I will use Edius NX even thought it is the fastest because you have to use the Edius editor. I use Premeire Po and Vegas to edit so am using Cineform. You can also just edit in Vegas without any 3rd party software but it is very slow.

Just wait till everybody sees HDV footage. It will freaking blow you away.

Goodbye mini DV.

The only problem is bandwidth. But in a few years the internet should catch up.

The important thing is that content producers and program owners begin to shoot their stuff on HDV so that it retains value for the future. At the end of this decade anything shot in mini DV will look "old".

Here in the USA the FTC even passed a law that by 2009 all programming must be in digital. So HD is the future whether we want it or not.

We have also been looking at this camera, let us know how it works out for you. We just got the Avid Xpress Pro HD upgrade so im dying to try it out with a hd camera

I don't think Avid supports HDV yet. HDV is cruched down to MPEG2 so it is not the same as edting regular HD. Even Apple cannot yet edit HDV in FCP. Soon FCP express will be out and that can edit HDV though.

Shooting with this cam is more of a challenge. You need more light and you need to take care to focus razor sharp or else when people play it on their big widescreen HD TVs it will look bad. I predict that content providers used to shooting on the VX2100 will get these HDV cams and will end up with some seriously fucked up footage that is out of focus and badly framed.

This shoots widescreen so you have to frame your shots to match it. You canonot just point and shoot like regular mini DV 4:3. If you just point the camera like you do with mini DV you will end up with lots of stupid looking shots with lots of wasted space on both sides. Also the auto focus and exposure do not work as well unless you frame properly. I usually use all manual settings anyway.

So my advice is do not get his cam unless you plan to shoot for widescreen and HD resolution. Your footage will look better if you use a VX2100.

If I was going to spring break I would take the VX2100 and leave my Z1 at home.

Very nice! Would love to see some still video grabs from it (of course deinterlaced).

smokinnnnnnnnn

This is from a guy from Germany. I have nothing to do with this site.

Photos of CF25 ( deinterlaced in camera) and 50i PAL grabs that have been deinterlaced in post.

http://www.smashmyphone.com/hdvtest/

But those photos do not do justice to the type of footage this cam gets. I have seen some surfing videos from austrailia that will make you puke. It is like looking out a window. You can see every grain of sand on the beach.

I have also shot some porn with the FX1 can and got some very interesting close ups of assholes and pussies. It is more like a medical exam than porn. LOL!

The problem is that these MPEG2 files are much too large for today's internet. So the plan is just to archive the HDV footage and to downconvert to DV for now.

very cool, dude. Congrats !