I think this is a smart move by Sony. It's targeted at the independent shooting weddings and so forth. Many clients equate camera size with quality, so when they see a "big camera" they are reassured.

Now if only Canon would repackage the HV20...

Now in stock!!!
 

As of Dec. 17, B&H has the HD1000 in stock. $1599.95.

Quick, somebody buy one and check it out.
Then tell the rest of us if we should spend OUR precious money on the HD1000. ;-)

Ken Hull

P.S. -- And let us know what sort of exposure-indication options it has.

Have one on order and will put it thru it's paces after it arrives next week.

Here's How The Viewfinder (Doesn't) Work!
 

Briefly, as I'm off to an all day edit, and back on this evening. Just received a HD1000U from B&H yesterday, loaded it up with a memory card and have taken a few shots at the advertised 6.1 resolution.

As you all would guess, in bright light, takes wonderful stills! Forget everything in limited light, because just like its little brother, the HC7, the noise causes anything dark to be absolutely ugly!

The steadicam works wonderfully (as don't all the Sonys?), and the auto focus is OK. But as you all would guess (and have commented upon), that viewfinder for focus or seeing anything but the grossest detail is totally, absolutely worthless. Sure, you can frame with it (and no, I haven't tested it to see how the viewfinder exhibited framing matches up with reality), but otherwise, that's it.

I use an FX-1 for most of my work, with sometimes use of the HC7 as B-camera in bright light. I see that Sony marketing, when queried about how the CMOS in the HD1000U is the same as the HC7 did their little marketing dance with some blather about how this was really an upgrade - that how it was tweaked by Sony made all the difference! I don't believe a word of it, which is why I haven't even run rudimentary tests on this against the other two HDVs I have - I just assume, until some of you have run some really fine tests, that it is the same as the HC7, except for the form factor.

And I am as happy as I could be with it for the price (and the fine service from B&H) and that form factor - that form factor is precisely why I bought this poor imitation of a shoulder mount! So that in bright venues, where color (and other fidelity) was (were) not prime, I would have something to serve as a nice steady platform, sans a tripod, without wearing one of the always inadequate, awkward harnesses and attachable on shoulder mounts I own. Boy, for that reason, and that reason alone, this camera is just what I wanted.

I doubt Sony would straight out lie. If they said they tweaked it I am sure they did, but in what way is the question!

well i have one on order and hopefully should have it before the end of the year. I had a chance to see it in Montreal when Sony was doing their show. It looked pretty good. Sure its not a high end prosumer camera, but its under 2 thousand dollars. Ive been working with an HV20 lately and if I can get similar quality out of the 1000u then ill be pleased.

The company I work for got ours on Friday, just starting to play with it now. So far so good.

If it turns out to be a decent unit, Ill pick one up for myself.

Just got a message from the store I ordered mine from. Looks like mine is there now, unfortunately I cant get there today, so Ill pick it up on Wednesday. Definitely looking forward to playing with it.