Sony’s first pair of HDV camcorders share the same chassis design and a number of identical features. There are, however, about forty-odd differences between them. Here’s a fairly comprehensive chart which compares the two. The HDR-FX1 is a consumer model; the HVR-Z1U is a professional version.

there is an option in the Z1U available to you which will allow for frame-accurate time code synchronization of several cameras in a multi-camera shoot. The procedure for this work-around requires only one person and one Sony RMT-841 Wireless Remote Commander (the wireless remote control which is supplied with each camcorder).

After checking it out on the tripod, they let me shoot with the cam with the shoulder pad and play the tape back on the Wega TV. I shot people walking by, panning and zooming in and out. I was amazed at how well the stabilizer worked…

I thought it would be neat to have a copy of the Full SMPTE Colorbars on the Sony Memory Stick. This would come in handy if and when my Calibar batteries die on location, and also nice to share with everyone that does not have a Calibar, but does own a PD150, VX2000, or other Memory Stick compatible camera.

The PD150’s on-board audio can be used successfully for audio recordings if you know its limitations. Critical audio recording is still best done with dedicated audio recording hardware using high-performance microphones and preamplifiers.

Karl Horn of CineTech is highly regarded for his superbly crafted pro shooting accessories for the film and high-end video industries. After adapting his follow focus, matte box and Hip-Cam rigs for the Canon XL1S, he recently did the same for the Sony PD150. Here are some shots of his gear from the NAB 2002 tradeshow in Las Vegas.

I thought we’d start off with a comparison of the PD150 and VX2000… in some ways they’re the same; in others, they’re different.

If you own or are thinking of buying the Sony PD150, you’ll need a short XLR cable to plug the mic into the camcorder… and you will find that all pre-made store-bought short XLR cables use straight XLR connectors.

In January 2001, we needed to send a Sony DSR-PD150 on an expedition to the summit of Aconcagua, at over 7,000 metres, the highest mountain in the Andes. We needed protection from the environment but failed to find a suitable protective jacket on the market. The best of which fell short of our needs in terms of both protection and ergonomics, it simply rendered the camera almost unusable when fitted. The only solution was to design and produce our own.