IBC: Sony announces HVR-V1e

[Lawrence Bansbach]

Originally Posted by Heath McKnight

I still think a lot of this points to Sony releasing the V1 (US version) as a 60i/30p/24p unit. I think they can add 24p and will do so, to compete with JVC and Canon. As far as 50i/25p, not sure if that will be on the V1, since only the Z1 (not the A1) has 60i/50i capabilities. But maybe.

Originally Posted by Heath McKnight

I don't know if the FX7 will offer 24p, Steve, but I feel like the US version of the V1 will. Call it an educated gut feeling.

Originally Posted by Heath McKnight

. . . That's the V1e you're referring to, I saw footage from the V1. I can't really say anything else, because I'm bound by NDA stuff. But the footage was incredible.

Gee, Heath, just how "educated" is that "gut feeling" about 24p in the V1?

[Paulo Teixeira]

Health,
When I was talking about the V1 footage, I was agreeing with you that the IBC footage was as bad as you said it was. I understand that you’ve seen other footage that you aren’t allowed to talk about.

Bob Zimmerman,
That is a very hard choice to make and Panasonic would indeed make it worse if they joined the mix. The XH-G1 having all of the controls on the outside of the body is a very good idea because it allows you to make changes without having to use a menu but with the V1 having a smaller body and the potential to outshine all of the other HDV camcorders during day shooting is a deciding factor for me if I were to choose between the 2 camcorders.

[Boyd Ostroff]

Originally Posted by Lawrence Bansbach

Gee, Heath, just how "educated" is that "gut feeling" about 24p in the V1?

I wouldn't want to question Heath's education :-) But in fact, I just saw some of that same footage myself and it's very impressive. Like Heath, that's all I can say, however I believe that others will have a chance to see it and draw their own conclusions before too long...

[Bob Zimmerman]

Originally Posted by Paulo Teixeira

Health,
When I was talking about the V1 footage, I was agreeing with you that the IBC footage was as bad as you said it was. I understand that you’ve seen other footage that you aren’t allowed to talk about.

Bob Zimmerman,
That is a very hard choice to make and Panasonic would indeed make it worse if they joined the mix. The XH-G1 having all of the controls on the outside of the body is a very good idea because it allows you to make changes without having to use a menu but with the V1 having a smaller body and the potential to outshine all of the other HDV camcorders during day shooting is a deciding factor for me if I were to choose between the 2 camcorders.

I think the smaller body will be nice. I've been close to buying the DVX 100b a few times in the last couple of weeks, but I just can't pull the trigger. It's a great camera, but I really want 16:9. So I'm going to take a close look at these two camera. But the Sony if it really looks as good has people are saying, 16:9, 24p,etc, it might do the job. So might the Canon too.

Time will tell.....soon I hope.

[Bob Zimmerman]

Originally Posted by Boyd Ostroff

I wouldn't want to question Heath's education :-) But in fact, I just saw some of that same footage myself and it's very impressive. Like Heath, that's all I can say, however I believe that others will have a chance to see it and draw their own conclusions before too long...

I wish you could say more too, but don't!!!

[Douglas Spotted Eagle]

Bob...I've seen it too. Pretty smashing stuff, especially once the story behind it is told.
I'm *sure* it will be available on DVInfo.net soon

[Bob Zimmerman]

Spot everyone who has seen it says the same thing. There sure is alot of second guessing about it too.

[Paulo Teixeira]

I must have missed Lawrence Bansbach post before I wrote mine but it’s true that Heath McKnight, Douglas Spotted Eagle and Boyd Ostroff can’t reveal to many specifics such as rather the V1 has 24p or not unless they don’t ever want to receive any insider information ever again.

[Heath McKnight]

Sorry we can't, and thanks for calling me Heath instead of Health. (wink)

heath

[Chris Hurd]

I have a "feeling" that we don't have much longer to wait anyway.

[Heath McKnight]

I have a "feeling" we're torturing everyone!

hwm

[Bob Zimmerman]

I hope it is worth the wait.

[Wayne Morellini]

Originally Posted by Emmanuel Plakiotis

Actually it was a Sony technician who couldn't speak English, so he showed me a page from his flipbook and let me photograph it with my mobile. I just copied what I read from the page.

One other thing that strike me is that although in their single CMOS chip HC-3 camcorder they use a 2mp clearVid sensor in their more expensive camcorder they use a 1.2mp (again clearVid) although progessive and of course triple. Is that because the CMOS are still quite expensive or that the data from the 2mp will be difficult to proccess? (Lets not forget that Panasonic in their true progressive HVX 200 uses an almost SD resolution sensor).

Any comments



PS Since I'm a new member if someone can tell how to upload a jpeg file I can post the pic of the specs from my mobile

Bloody great, good one, most excellent. I'll trust that rumour ;).

The HC3 is not that great, apart from bent/rotated pixels, technically, the colour resolution is less than 4:2:0 at 2mp. So, I suspect a lot more interpolation all around. So, the V1 has the chance to offer more accurate pixels and colours, and more sensitivity/latitude per pixel. So, the drop to 1/4 does not matter as much, but 1/3inch is still preferable.

I think for various news/current affairs and journalistic endeavours this is goign to be great. In the past, stations have bought vx1000's by the truck load, and I suspect that Z1 might have dinted that opportunity a bit for this camera, but it is possible. Even the national broadcaster over here, cash strapped, has been using cheap Sony 3 chips for it's leading "4 corners" program (and it shows).

I see they are dropping that switchable PAL/NTSC shooting mode, probably because it is only relevant to some, particularly NTSC markets. I suggested that for the Z1 when they were asking the public for submissions on features. But I have a different idea now, hard disks work so fast you could save multiple versions at once. The next Z2, could save a progressive and non progressive version, or better a 50p/60p version with adjusted timing that allowed the same 60p footage to be sued relatively smoothly in both 50 and 60p formats. Now news shot in 60p could be in both NTSC and Pal markets, and 25p 180 degree shutter version telecined to film at 24fps. Hard disk definitely have the capacity and upto 50mb/s Mpeg2 (XDCAM) can be used. This could be selected rather than a normal mode, if you thought you might need it.

[Steve Mullen]

"Its a very clean highres video, but it still feels like video." from the other site with the V1 clips.

I swear the next time I hear a comment like this I'll ... . It should like 'HD video' because that's what the vast majority of shooters want.

This "film look" focus has gone too far. Why would anyone want the look of "film" when they can have the "through the window into reality" look of HD.

There are only two problems with the Sony. (1) it, as you would expect, has a Sony "look." Why should anyone expect otherwise. Sony sells more pro cameras than anyone else -- so they must be doing something right.

(2) It's not 60p. I'm not revealing anything here. :)

But, the CMOS/EIP engine I believe is fully capable of generating 1080p60. Europe want's 1080p50 and it -- and we -- will get 1080p as soon as there is an MPEG-2 encoder and a recording system. Gee -- Sony is developing a tiny Blu-ray camcorder. Anyone want to bet on a Z3 in NAB 2008.

The last few years the "indie-film" folks have dominated the video world. Now the focus is going to swing back to the broadcasters. Think of NAB before the DVX-100.

Most of all think HD news!

[Ron Evans]

<This "film look" focus has gone too far. Why would anyone want the look of "film" when they can have the "through the window into reality" look of HD.>

Couldn't agree more. ITs a bit like using modern technology to make a car that looks and drives like one from the 1930's!!!! The pressure for 24p was as much to transfer to film for theatre viewing which then became a look all of its own ( trapped in the past). When theatres move to full digital projection this will be unnessesary and hopefully we can move on to real smooth well shot features with modern technology. Can't wait for 60p for nice smooth progressive images. Let the viewer choose if they want to see stuttery images( put an "Old Film Look " in the players). SHot angles, depth of field for dramatic effect etc are still essential for dramatic effect it just doesn't have to stutter.

Ron Evans