New-to-me/used FX1000 sometimes has a little "pause" after I press record. Seems completely intermittent, when I press record the red REC light flashes than goes solid, maybe 1-3 seconds and other times it starts instantly. Any thoughts?

no experience with 1000, but with z5 get instant record unless idle for a while which takes the tape off the heads.

there's a setting for instant on in the menu on the z5, but i wouldn't use it....

Thanks Leslie, that may be it, I will pay attention and see if its after Idle.

We discussed this in detail some time back re: the Z1/FX1, but it's the same with all Sony cams. It takes different amounts of time to begin actual recording depending upon what mode the cam is in. In STBY mode recording is virtually instantaneous because the heads are spinning and in contact with the tape. Then there's post-stby mode, when the heads have spun down and need to spin up again. And then there's OFF mode, which takes the longest of all because the cam has to power up completely from the OFF state.

If you search the FX1 forum you can find the posts with the actual times.

Found the post: http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/sony-hvr-z1-hdr-fx1/123854-start-record-wait-time.html#post893912