3 recording Modes?
 

More press about the HDR-FX1...

http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,117699,00.asp

The Pc World article has one interesting item:

Making Movies
The HDR-FX1 has three recording modes: HDV (high-definition video) mode, which has 1080 horizontal interlaced lines with 1440 vertical lines resolution at widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio; a DV mode, which also features a 16:9 aspect ratio, and has 480 horizontal interlaced lines and 720 vertical interlaced lines; and a DV mode with 4:3 aspect ratio has 480 horizontal interlaced lines and 720 vertical interlaced lines.

3 Recording modes.
Very interesting.

This matches the other information already published for this camera. It is supposed to record DV at both SP and LP speeds. Evidently the pro version will also record DVCAM and DV SP, like the PD-170.

I'll be very interested to see some examples of DV from this camera, as well as HDV. Assuming that it looks good in DV mode then that could make this camera a very attractive package, like a native widescreen PD-170 with better manual controls and HDV as a "bonus"...

Just looking at the PC World article...I wonder if that's a typo or if Sony is releasing a new battery that lasts longer than the NP-F960? Searching on their sites didn't find any results for NPF970 but did find NPF960.

Assuming that this is a new, bigger battery, then this camera must really be hungry for power. The 960 gives me around 8 hours on my VX-2000, and they rate it for even more. If they're claiming less than 4 hours with an even bigger battery then that's quite a difference. Also, a 970 (if it's for real) would be a real workhorse on a VX or PD series camera!

Help, I've fallen and I can't get up!
 

I've been wondering about the ergonomics of this camera. As one whose back isn't what it used to be, the prospect of holding 5-10 pounds in front of me rather than on my shoulder is daunting. Even that Japanese model looked tired from holding the Sony camera for, what, a few seconds?! And why such an expensive shoulder mount? Could it be that it's an easy profit, Sony knowing that everyone eventually will HAVE to buy one? Seems to me this is an opportune time for the Vari-Zoom people to devise a nice handle and shoulder-type mount that utilizes the LANC control.

There are already plenty of 3rd party shoulder mounts for cameras of this size. I honestly don't think that Sony wanted to compete with them. $400 is highway robbery for a cheap little "rifle" mount. Just take a look at what $650 will get you:

www.dvtec.tv/_wsn/page2.html

The DvRigPro was one of the coolest things I saw at NAB this April. I was already considering it seriously for a DVX-100. I'm sure the FX-1 will work very well with this rig.

How about this one, for about a grand??

www.antonbauer.com/stasis.htm

How about running the FX-1 all day, all night, and all the next day on a single Anton Bauer Trimpac battery?

Or, how about this for the bargain price of $150?

www.studio1productions.com/dvbrace.htm

Somehow, I don't think Sony's going to sell a lot of shoulder supports...

Thanks! Those links were really helpful. I didn't know there was an entire range of sophisticated shoulder mounts out there. Sadly, however, the simple old days of picking up a camera and slinging it over your shoulder are gone. Now there's all this extra hardware to adjust and balance and fiddle with and pay for!

Regarding power consumption, camcorderinfo.com has a comparison of the HDR-FX1 and GR-HD1 that rates the power consumption of the Sony at 8 watts. The Sony VX2100 is rated at 5 watts max by Sony.

More info:
Sony HDR-FX1 and JVC GR-HD1 Comparison
Sony VX2100 Specs