Sony Unveils HDR-FX1000 , HVR-Z5J

[Lou Bruno]

If I am not mistaken, I think SONY is re-releasing the FX-7 again.

Originally Posted by Brian Standing

What's astonishing to me is that Sony is not only coming out with more and more prosumer HDV gear, but that they're not retiring the older models, like the Z1, A1 or the V1. How many slices are they going to cut this particular market segment into?

Must be rough on their service centers and parts distributors, to keep track of all the different models!

[Rodger Smith]

Originally Posted by Lou Bruno

If I am not mistaken, I think SONY is re-releasing the FX-7 again.

Hey we got our hands on a LOT of the new AVC-HD (AVC-CAM Panasonic is calling it) that many are touting as "the" low end HD format and quite frankly other than difficulty in accessing it and challenging computer consumption, we see NO IMPROVEMENT in image quality over HDV. In fact, we have imported HDV into 1920x1080 from a Sony non-square HDV file and it looks astonishingly identical to the AVC-HD that was shot side by side with it. The HDV was shot with a Z7.

[Heath McKnight]

I thought the FX7 was dead and the FX1000 was the newest "consumer" camera.

heath

[Jack Zhang]

Originally Posted by Rodger Smith

You must be thinking of the EX series cameras on the rolling shutter thingy. We ran our tests on the Z7U the minute we got it and unless the flash/strobe is directly in the line of fire in the lens AND within 4 feet . . no rolling shutter. Even then, unlike the EX exactly 7 frames were affected all three times it happened out of over 100 flashes from all sorts of still flash cameras including the pro photographer. We had an awful time trying to get it to happen.

So the Z7U isn't the rolling shutter problem camera, that appears to be exclusive to the EX series of CMOS :o)

But still, the problem is there, this will cause problems to matchmove objects at higher velocities (AKA shakeycam matchmoving), so the Z1 still looks mighty to me.

And are these using pixel shift? or are they a lot closer to a native resolution than the cameras before them?

[Rodger Smith]

Originally Posted by Jack Zhang

But still, the problem is there, . . .

Actually, there are NO lost frames, just 1 to 3 weird looking frames that when played at regular speed just look like a flash like our DVX100B which we cut the Z7 with. The EX1 on the other hand offered us many frames messed up but I can't really say if there is an issue with "dropped frames" which I think the above quot is referring but there were none.

Hope that helps.

[Adam Gold]

Originally Posted by Heath McKnight

I thought the FX7 was dead

For the life on me, I can't find the link to the press release right now -- could have sworn it was on this very forum -- but both Amazon and B&H are taking preorders for the FX7 at $1999.... Amazon says the release date is November 2.

I seem to recall the announcement was actually at the tail end of the FX1000/Z5 press release.

Here's the original thread announcing this but no link to the press release... and after about five posts the discussion devolves into the supporters and detractors of the FX7 arguing with one another.

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/sony-hvr-...wer-price.html

[Jack Zhang]

Originally Posted by Rodger Smith

Actually, there are NO lost frames, just 1 to 3 weird looking frames that when played at regular speed just look like a flash like our DVX100B which we cut the Z7 with. The EX1 on the other hand offered us many frames messed up but I can't really say if there is an issue with "dropped frames" which I think the above quot is referring but there were none.

Hope that helps.

Nope, this is not a dropped frame issue, it's a skew issue due to the rolling shutter scanning rows of pixels too slow.

[Rodger Smith]

We have a z7 for our main HD camera. Can someone tell me which would be the right sony solution in low light HDV? Does the FX7 do that? Or are the 1/4" CMOS just toooooo small?

[James Strange]

if low light efectiveness is what you're after I'd stay clear of the FX7, dont get me wrong, its great in good/decent lighting, but pretty poor in low light.

Look at the new FX1000/Z5 that sony are releaseing in the next few weeks, very good in low light (I've personally had a shot of a demo Z5)

All the best

James

[Jeff Harper]

Rodger, just sold my FX7, and am so glad I did...very poor in low light, it will not match up well with what you are currently running.

Footage was unusable next to the PD series cams. Not that it is a fair comparison, but the FX7 was so far off in so many ways, I just couldn't use it. And while there are those who will argue till the death about this, I found the picture from the FX7 very soft as well.

The 1/4" chips just can't cut it, at least not for me.

[Martyn Hull]

You had a duff FX-7 for sure,recently i did some filming with a friend and his F1, he let me edit some of the footage together the FX-7 footage was sharper with the resolution setting on both cams in the preset centre setting,no way does the FX 7 give soft results,some of the colours leave a little to be desired maybe to my liking,its also not meant for too low light filming.

[Victor Wilcox]

I guess it depends on what you're coming from. I've been shooting with an A1U. The low light on the FX7 will be a big improvement for me. I'll miss the XLR, but it's not a big deal for most of my projects. I'll add a BeachTec sometime in the future.

[Martyn Hull]

Originally Posted by Victor Wilcox

I guess it depends on what you're coming from. I've been shooting with an A1U. The low light on the FX7 will be a big improvement for me. I'll miss the XLR, but it's not a big deal for most of my projects. I'll add a BeachTec sometime in the future.

Yes you will find an improvement,i meant the FX-7 is not in the Z5 /EX3 league or the new FX-100, low light is not one of my top priorities,good luck with yours.

[Monday Isa]

Sony finally has listed it's list price for the HVR-MRC1K and also a list price for the Z5

Sony Product Detail Page - HVRMRC1K

Sony Product Detail Page - HVRZ5U

Wonder what the street price will be on the MRC1K

[Heath McKnight]

In my experience, new Sony pro products' street price is close to the MSRP. It drops soon after, or at least depending on how sales go. The V1u dropped from $5000 to about $3800 in a matter of months, early last year.

heath