Before I buy EX1
 

I consider buying EX1 for my wedding video business BUT there is so many cons that I am leaning towards Z7U;
first: SxS cards and transfer/dump (backup) to some other device - I CAN'T carry a laptop with me - sometimes there is no time for seting up a laptop. Is there any other convenient option/device that I caould have in my pocket on clip to my belt - some sort of card reader to transfer footage? Is that kind technology available or is it too early...
what about mini computers like Samsung Q1 - will it be solution???
second: is it possible to assign function button for slow motion recording or do I have to go through 152 steps in menu? (when you shoot wedding everything is live there is no time for second takes sometimes)
lastly: tapless aquisition is kind of scarrrrrrry thing; I can buy miniDV tape in every Walgreens in case of emergency; not to mention the cost on SxS which is outrageous (I'd need at least 4 16GB cards for wedding and not having a spare one which would be fifth one)
Beautiful camera - YES but not for weddings unless you have $10000 in your budget

Frankly the EX1 is not the best choice for actual day wedding shoots in my opinion. It is a great cam but it works very well with full manual controls and at many times, u cant afford a slow AF during weddings n yet u may be unable to go on MF on the move.

As for slow mo, only the EX3 will have a physicall button for switching. U can do that with the Z7 n slow mo in post. However I must say the EX1 is really superior in terms of pict quality in the HD modes. DOF is better due to the 1/2" CMOS =) The options it opens for pre wedding shots r fantastic.

Weddings?

Well would you consider a Canon XHA1 . It works better for weddings IMO. Why? because it is still CCD based. The Sony Z7 and EX1 are CMOS chip with rolling shutters and in weddings you will have many peoples taking pictures with flash going off around you. Hence you will sure to get exposure problems.

Do a search of what this is and you will find a lot of footage that shows problem like this

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showpost....68&postcount=1

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showpost....0&postcount=10

I do weddings too;
I see the media and the file transfer are your major concerns, PHU-60K should be out in July;
for now I have 32Gb of SxS and I use a laptop to offload
you cannot assign slomo via button, but it's not 152 steps in menu, it's 4 or 5, I never use it anyways, slowdown in post works fine for me,
And I sold my A1 right after I rented EX1 for a day;

And I decided not to sell my A1 after owning the EX1. Not a slam, but the EX1 made me appreciate the A1 more for some of the things it does well in a general sense. I have done a wedding video with the A1, and although I would like to have the EX1's low light advantage at my disposal, due to the concerns about strobing flashes, the A1 with an external light is a reliable tool for the situation.

The wedding/New Year's Eve reception was huge, it was in San Francisco and made some headlines. A live band played at the Mark Hopkins International, with powerful strobing lights that could wreck (insert your judgment) the EX1 footage, potentially.

The A1's fast and accurate IAF (instant auto focus) mode was indespensable throughout dynamic situations.

All I'm saying, is the EX1 would not be my first recommendation. Maybe the A1 wouldn't be either. If I was going to depend on weddings, and wanted to be professional about it, maybe something from the F330/350/355 group would be an appropriate investment.

I'm keeping the EX1 and the A1.

I have Canon HV20 and HV30. I tested my Canon HV30 last weekend and the camera is amazing in low light; It is MUCH better than HV20 although we are told the sensors are the same.... I could go all way up to 15db with almost no grain; I neve had a chance to test A1.
It has also CMOS but I haven't noticed any problems with flash.
I am wondering how HV30 would compare to A1?