For those still wondering about the HVR-Z1
 

An interview shot by the BBC at Sundance. I ended up being asked to repair the audio and color correct (can you imagine being a run n' gun without lighting?) and so I cut what they gave me into a stream for the Sony folks.
Jody Eldred is a very well known DP with credits longer than a football field. He used the Z1 on J.A.G. and is using it on other episodics as well. He owns an F900 among several other cams and rigs, plus a production company that just won an international Emmy. He was also recently named Best Cameraman by the DGA.
Anyway, you can hear/see what he has to say about the Z1.
http://www.sundancemediagroup.com/media/Jody.wmv

He talks that in his opinion, the matte box and focus control are a MUST to use the camera in HDV mode.

Does anyone have the product numbers and prices for these two pieces of equipment he states is a must to add on.

Thanks

Dave

It's expected that the combo will be in the $2500.00 range for mattebox, mount rails, standoff, brows, and follow focus. I think that BandPro will be doing a Chrosziel bundle.

Thanks Spot for posting this.. Very interesting and informative..

Mike m.

Lets us know when you see this bundle for sale.

Thanks

Dave

So, are these parts easy to put on? How, about take off?
I want to be able to use the camera on a tripod at times, and carry around Disneyland with my family at others.

With these parts on, what type of case would one put this in?

Thanks

Dave

Getting the matte box on/off is easy, same with rails. Getting the follow focus gear ring off is a little more challenging. But, you could easily leave the gear ring on, and it doesn't change the size/weight of the camera for any significant value.
The rail mount/standoff can accept a tripod sled or sled adaptor, so it will slide on/off your tripod in the same way you're used to it doing now.

at last, a thumbs up from someone who works in the biz and knows what he is talking about. thanks Jody.

If one left all this stuff on, any opinions on what they of case would one haul this around with?

Dave

Any normal case like a pelikan or something. The eyebrows/flags remove VERY easily, and they're just flat. The matte box isn't very big at all once those are off. And the follow focus rig doesn't really add any large space at all either. Just cut the foam to fit.

Who is making the matte box and the follow focus? I'd take the matte box for sure, follow focus I might buy later.

Bandpro is the reseller of these, I'm sure there are others. Both follow focus and mattebox are made by Chrosziel
http://www.bandprodigital.com/cgibin...alogno=AC-DVFF

http://www.bandprodigital.com/cgibin...ogno=AC-805-01

I was just about to post that interview link...glad a discussion is already happening. Now, I have to save up $2500 for the darn mattebox! Argh!

At least I'm investing in something that will retain its value for more than 3 minutes after I get it. This camera will definately be like a PD-150 or XL1...it'll be a good camera for 3 years minimum.

Cool interview too, I felt so vindicated for buying my HD10U afterwards. (Getting in on HDV early and learning it's strengths and pitfalls.) This "Pro" knows his stuff and he's telling everyone that the "Z1U shoots High Definition". What more can anyone ask? Let's send HDV bashers to that link.

Did you hear what he said about all his "Pro" friends who shoot with the F900? "They're all buying a Z1U because it's amazing can be used for many different applications". Damn, I'm sold. :)

Okay, for us non pro's, what will the mattebox gain me?

Thanks

dave

A mattebox does several things. First, it holds filters in front of the lens. The brows or flags attached help prevent reflection, giving the lens "true" image, reduce flare, and provide shading in bright overhead/side light or sunlight. They can mount to the camera in a number of ways, but cinerails or mount rails are the best/most reliable, plus they form a base/mount for a follow focus.
You'll almost always see matteboxes as part of any professional film rig regardless of what sort of camera it is.

Spot, I'll be shooting some tests with the Z1 within the next few weeks. Would like to use my Chrosziel follow focus and mattebox (designated as Super 16 version, but I also use it with 2/3" cameras and it worked fine with the XL1 and manual lens). Any idea who is making a riser block and rails for the new Sony's, and where to get a 32 pitch adaptor ring for the lens?

Interesting interview, but what would be really interesting is to
see that JAG footage he shot from the helicopter (if possible before
post production, but that's not gonna happen I'd say) in something
like HD Windows Media.

I assume Sony would want to do this to promote the camera, so
I'll keep my fingers crossed....

Actually, Sony didn't have anything to do with how he got the camera. They had the camera at their largest dealer, whom Jody knows really well. The dealer asked Jody to test it.
Nope, the footage can't be seen. Even during the various large screen presentations, Jody asked people to turn off their video cameras at Sundance, and when the trade event was over, he asked me to wipe the footage off of the 2 computers I'd loaded it on. Once the show airs, if someone can tape it, I'll likely be able to post the preproduction shots for comparison.

Charles, call Peter or Jeff at BandPro, they'll set you up with the riser block.

I downloaded this from Jody but my Mac won't open it. Maybe I need to download something else to read it. Anyone out there using a iMac and noticed what opened that file?

It's windows media 9, so you'll need the player for that.
Sorry, I didn't want to put it into QT because we don't have a Helix server. Plus to get a decent stream, it would be a much larger file

Ok,,I'll try it on my kids Dell.

Bob, you just have to DL the Windows Media 9 player for OS X, assuming you have the hardware. I just watched it on my G4 dual 1.25 box.

http://www.microsoft.com/mac/otherproducts/otherproducts.aspx?pid=windowsmedia

On topic: I am so completely psyched to persuade my boss to buy this camera for our department!

Thanks Mark, I'll try that.

Douglas I saw a picture of you on someother website with the Z1. It looks like a pretty good size camera. Is it balanced pretty good?

I downloaded the player and it open it either!!

I watched it on the PC. It looks like a pretty nice camera

Wide Angle Converters & The Combo
 

Okay, newbie-type question: will this Chrosziel mattbox & follow focus bundle work well with a wide angle converter like Sony & Century are coming out with? Tx

It works with the Sony, but can't comment on the Century. Sorry.

Why the extra focus thingee?
 

He said that when you're in HD, a little out-of-focus is very noticeable, so...we need this extra focusing device. What does that gizmo do that autofocus and manual focus do not do?

It's just a little easier to focus with because of the angle and pull on the lens, but frankly, it's not critical unless you're worrying about hitting measure/mark types of shoots. It's handy, it's nice, but for the average user...it might be more than they need.

Hello all,

This is a great site and I look forward to learning a lot from using it. I do have a question about the Z1 though... I am planning on starting my own thing by getting a G5 with Final cut and a camera so I can shoot weddings, documentary type projects and just do my own thing. Two of my buddies at work (I'm an editor at a local station here in Phoenix) have their own cameras - XL1S and XL2. The one paid about $5000 for the XL2 and says its great. In doing research on cameras, I saw that the Z1 is the same price but is HD.

Should I even think about the Z1 for doing weddings or is it just too over the top right now. I like the fact that it seems so much more versatile than the XL but I don't want to get too far ahead of the pack if I can't utilize it properly.

Also, if it is unwise for me to think about the Z1, which would be a better option - a used XL1S or a new XL2. Thanks for any help and I hope this makes sense...

Jim

If you get the Z1/FX1 you better put some good lights on your camera or else much of your wedding footage will be dark.

I am looking at putting a kino flo ring on mine.

<<<-- Originally posted by Greg Jacobson : If you get the Z1/FX1 you better put some good lights on your camera or else much of your wedding footage will be dark.

I am looking at putting a kino flo ring on mine. -->>>

Same for the XL2 for that matter. He'd probably be better off getting a PD170 for weddings & documentary type work (the two most light demanding video jobs there is, that does not allow you to really 'set-up' lights when working)