David,

I realize that, but I was careful to watch out for Z1's after I saw that disclaimer (claimer? :D).

I noticed that when the video cut to the Z1's (NBC appeared to use them for highly mobile audience/close up shots where the stationary cameras and even the PDW700's would be too bulky) it became slightly softer with a slightly "harsher" contrast (ok, I know I'm not explaining this correctly) than the stationary cameras that were focused on the actual events.

I feel comfortable saying they were Z1U's because of the XLR inputs and the combination of mic and LCD positioning (DVR's are great for replaying video where one camera catches a few seconds of another!). However, the "look" was substantially the same. Enough so that I'm sure I will be very happy with the camera, especially with what I see as a better (for me) white balance.

Thanks again for all of your help. Now to head over to the Z1U forum and get some feedback on other questions. :)

Scott

HD camcorder to replace my old Canon XM1
 

Dear All,

I have been videoing my 2 daughters (now 10 & 13) ever since 2002 when I bought the XM1 at HK$12800. I love its low-light quality, 20X lens and slow zoom. I bought a smaller Cannon MV450 for summer vacation trips when I felt that the XM1 was too heavy. My wife also hate XM1's strange shape. However, after one trip, I had to switch back to my XM1 for all video occassions including trips and reserve the MV450 as a play back deck and sometimes as a B camera for my kids stage performances. The zoom of MV450 is terrible.

Now I believe its time to get a new HD cam to replace SD when I watched Bejing Olympics in HD in front of a 46" LCD TV. I compare the Sony A1U (smaller and cheaper than Canon A1 but one CCD HK$21500), Canon A1 (stick with the same brand advantages but HK$25800!!) and Canon HV30 (cheapest and poor zoom and etc, like my MV450). I finally decided to save money to buy the Canon A1 as I believe the look of the videos of A1 could be quite the same as my old XM1.

Regards

Kenneth

There is a good DVD on the Z1 that I saw years ago (others here will know of it). I skipped through it and got bogged down in the menus... The instruction book is good - have the camera with you, have lots of time and do what the book says, thinking it through.

Best thing is you talk to the mics. Go forth and *use* that camera, all the time telling the mics, 'This shot is auto focus, Steadyshot on hard, manual w/bal, locked shutter, gain and iris' - things like that.

Then pop indoors and watch this footage on a well set up TV, and your voice along with having 'display' turned on will teach you a lot and quickly. Try and use the camera every day. With it connected to a TV (and using that as a big v/finder) put the Z1 on a tripod, poke it out the window and have a look at what the NDs do for dof, the shutter speeds do for movement, the gain does for grain.

Read my post again starting, 'I'd say there was nothing in it Scott' as that's how you want to be - knowing instinctively what switches and buttons to push as you run towards the fireball.

tom.

Well here's a place to start... and it's free! SONY HVR-Z1 COURSE WORKBOOK AND TRAINING MANUAL: CONTENTS PAGE - WWW.URBANFOX.TV

Thanks this is good link