Upgrading from FX-1's

[Stu Holmes]

Originally Posted by John Bosco Jr.

The only advantage of the Z7 for what I can see is it's a bit better than Sony's V1. . . larger sensors, hybrid recording, and interchangeable lens if you want to go there. Now if the Z7 was five grand, I'm there but not at $6500.

There's also the dual-record benefit, with associated fast transfer to PC/Mac, and other benefits from that system such as you can record to tape in HDV and at the same time record to card in SD (downconverted) etc.

I also hear that the Z7 also has a different method of processing progressive content (vs V1), and the sensor and signal processing for this works in a completely different way the the V1. So I understand your points, but my feeling is I think thats its a little more than a "V1 with 1/3in sensors".

[Shahryar Rizvi]

Great thread guys. I'm currently an HC1 owner looking to upgrade and really would like to get a card/tape solution. I'm interested in getting a camera from more of a hobbyist's position. Right now, I mainly like to record standup, but would like a camera for doing a short film too.

One of the ways I like to help recover the costs of my equipment is by making DVDs for other comedians. So I would like to record the entire event in HDV, mainly so I can have my set in HD when I need it, but since most people want DVDs, I could quickly just pull out their sets from the cards.

So that being said, I was wondering about some of the cameras that have been brought up in this thread that would be a jump from the HC1 (hmm.. probably all of them right?). If the Z7 is at $6500, then that's definitely out the running. But perhaps the FX7 is something to consider.

This camera would let me record both to a miniDV tape and a CF card? I would be able to go ahead and record in HD to tape while doing SD to my CF card?

And from jumping from an HC1, would an FX7 not be a bad jump in terms of price? (The other cameras that have caught my eye are the AG-HVX200 & The Canon XH-A1 - with the Canon seeming more reasonable in terms of price).

[Scott Hayes]

i am just curious, how can you shoot events professionally with
an HC1 or equivalent as your only camera? Cmon man, you are the
$700 guy, looking to spend $6K on a camera to charge $1200? If you're
charging that little, stay at home.

[Philippe Messier]

Wow. That was a constructive comment...

[Shahryar Rizvi]

Originally Posted by Scott Hayes

i am just curious, how can you shoot events professionally with
an HC1 or equivalent as your only camera? Cmon man, you are the
$700 guy, looking to spend $6K on a camera to charge $1200? If you're
charging that little, stay at home.

I'm not really looking to shoot events professionally. Just trying to get some information on the cameras that the OPs interested in and that there seems to be a nice discussion on. Or a similar camera.

I'm not looking to spend $6k nor am I looking to charge $1200.

[Scott Hayes]

Well, in short, buy a used Z1u to go with your HC1. If your not looking
to do this professionally, spend the least amount you can for the best
camera you can get. Either that or a new Canon XH-A1. AT LEAST
have two cameras.

I am going to be dead honest with you regarding wedding an event business. MOST people are looking to spend as little as possible on video. So, keep your investments to a minimum, especially in this crappy economic situation. Wedding video is the first thing cut, and the last thing added for a bride.
Had a guy call me this week for a May 3rd wedding, and he wanted way
cheap at the last minute since they just decided they wanted a video, told
him sorry bro. and my prices aren't really high for what I give them. Same thing for next year, 2009, many inquiries, they don't want to spend more
than $1500. The new gear is just too expensive for what many consider to be a luxury item at a wedding.

[Dave Blackhurst]

Originally Posted by Shahryar Rizvi

Great thread guys. I'm currently an HC1 owner looking to upgrade and really would like to get a card/tape solution. I'm interested in getting a camera from more of a hobbyist's position. Right now, I mainly like to record standup, but would like a camera for doing a short film too.

One of the ways I like to help recover the costs of my equipment is by making DVDs for other comedians. So I would like to record the entire event in HDV, mainly so I can have my set in HD when I need it, but since most people want DVDs, I could quickly just pull out their sets from the cards.

So that being said, I was wondering about some of the cameras that have been brought up in this thread that would be a jump from the HC1 (hmm.. probably all of them right?). If the Z7 is at $6500, then that's definitely out the running. But perhaps the FX7 is something to consider.

This camera would let me record both to a miniDV tape and a CF card? I would be able to go ahead and record in HD to tape while doing SD to my CF card?

And from jumping from an HC1, would an FX7 not be a bad jump in terms of price? (The other cameras that have caught my eye are the AG-HVX200 & The Canon XH-A1 - with the Canon seeming more reasonable in terms of price).

While all of the cameras will represent a "jump", that includes the price... the question is what quality of recording are you trying to achieve and at what price point? If you're just charging a few bucks to dump some footage for fellow performers, your quality needs probably don't justify spending big $$$. And the EX1 and Z7 represent a serious investment...

Your HC1 isn't a bad camera, although it's "older". I wouldn't be embarrased to shoot with it, though it's noisier in low light than I like. You mentioned the now discontinued FX7, and that is an "in-between" step up camera, but it's off the market and no replacement sems to be in the wings... maybe a FX1? Older, but still not a bad cam...

Shooting on a budget, you sometimes have to make compromises, and putting the latest and therefore most expensive gear online in a contracting economy may not be a great plan. I buy my stuff gently used, still waiting for these new high end toys to filter down to where I can consider them! My FX7 is satisfactory for now, with a couple smaller cams for multicam shoots.

[Tom Hardwick]

Early posters at the top of this list hope the Z7 will equal the PD170's low light performance, and you'd think from Sony's spec that at 1.5 lux, it does. But for some unknown reason (Unknown? Ha!) the Z7's lux measurement is measured with a shutter speed of 1/25th sec, so gaining it an undeserved extra stop over the PD170.

The other hope was that the wide-angle converters would easily transfer from the Z1 to the Z7. They may, and they may not - only testing will tell - as with all things.

tom.

[Shahryar Rizvi]

Originally Posted by Scott Hayes

Well, in short, buy a used Z1u to go with your HC1. If your not looking
to do this professionally, spend the least amount you can for the best
camera you can get. Either that or a new Canon XH-A1. AT LEAST
have two cameras.
...

Originally Posted by Dave Blackhurst

While all of the cameras will represent a "jump", that includes the price... the question is what quality of recording are you trying to achieve and at what price point? If you're just charging a few bucks to dump some footage for fellow performers, your quality needs probably don't justify spending big $$$. And the EX1 and Z7 represent a serious investment...

Your HC1 isn't a bad camera, although it's "older". I wouldn't be embarrased to shoot with it, though it's noisier in low light than I like. You mentioned the now discontinued FX7, and that is an "in-between" step up camera, but it's off the market and no replacement sems to be in the wings... maybe a FX1? Older, but still not a bad cam...

.....

Scott & Dave, thanks for getting back to me with your comments. I'm not looking to do weddings or anything professional, this is more a hobby purchase. I would like to be able to record myself doing stand up with the maximum quality in my price range and would also like to have a camera that's better for finally embarking on a short film project.

I've had the HC1 for two years now and it has definitely served me well. For recording stand up, the quality comes out pretty good with me pretty much keeping everything in auto (I usually shift the AE down -2 only). I've never really done anything post-recording when importing my footage and handle it usually with iMovie HD. I do own Final Cut Express though for when I finally get around to recording something more than just stand up.

Hearing me talk, I'm sure you're getting a good idea of the very beginner's level that I am at. I know it takes more than a nice camera for a short film, but I'm hoping to provide the camera, and my script & story to someone who knows more about this, and together, we can do something good together.

So far the XH-A1 has caught my eye. I'm looking and hearing it has been postded around this forum for about $2800 used and I saw on B&H that it's a little over $3k new. Someone posted this short vid they did with their XH-A1 ( http://www.vimeo.com/754479 ) and I was pretty blown away with it. I'm not sure I could do something like that with my HC1.

As for the Z1u and the FX1, well the Z1u may still be out of my range, but even then, I saw that someone had said they were liking their XH-A1 better because of the 24p mode.

The only downside to getting a Canon is that I have really liked the Sony quality. but I'm not sure if there's anything comparable by Sony in the price range that I'm looking in (sub $3k).

Both of your comments have seriously made me consider not selling my HC1 when I get a new cam though. Would it be easy to marry footage from my second HC1 to a primary Xh-01? If not by me, perhaps by someone who'd be a little more familiar with ths? Plus, perhaps I wouldn't like taking something more high end around to some simpler events worth recording.

If I get a $3k cam, over the course of probably more than a year, I should be able to make the money back that I spend on the camera recording other people's stand up. $15 here, $20 there.. etc. It's not really about the income (I have my normal day job), it's more about me not feeling guilty for spending money on the equipment. But honestly, what really got me interested in posting in this thread was because of the discussion on recording HD to tape and SD to a CF card. That would be perfect because most people who order a video of their set just need a DVD or something. So if I'm performing somewhere, I could easily record the important part to me (my set) along with the rest of the show in HD, and easily dump of their sets to get their DVDs out.

I think that's why I'm misleading people into thinking I'm talking about weddings because that does seem to be what most posts are about (though in my defense, the topic is not).