Anyone seen this?
http://www.digitalartsonline.co.uk/news/index.cfm?NewsID=11280
Sony has unveiled a couple of DV-tape based, high-definition camcorders that will be going on sale in the next couple of months. The HDR-FX1000 is aimed at the high-end consumer market, with the HVR-Z5J at the professional market. The former will hit Japan in November, the latter in December, and should be heading to other regions but precise international launch timing wasn't announced.
Both cameras share the same look and feel as many other Sony camcorders in the same portion of the market including the distinctive LCD (liquid crystal display) panel placement next to the microphone above the main camera body.
They have Sony G-series lenses with 20X optical zoom in front of 3-CMOS optical pick-up sensors and Sony's Exmor image processing chip.
The HVR-Z5J comes with some additional features for professional users. There are, for example, XLR audio inputs and the camera can handle the DVCAM format in addition to DV/HDV. It is also compatible with both the PAL and NTSC color systems.
A solid-state memory recorder can be added to the HVR-Z5J and the camera configured to either record to the memory only or to both tape and memory. It's also possible to record, for example, to tape in HDV and to the memory unit in DVCAM. Recording video directly to a solid-state device means it can be imported and edited much faster than from tape and so is an advantage in situations where time is important, such as news coverage.
The memory recorder can also connect to other HDV camcorders using a standard IEEE1394 cable.
The HDR-FX1000 will go on sale in Japan on Nov. 10 and will cost around ¥400,000 (US$3,700). The HVR-Z5J will be available from early December for ¥554,400 and the HVR-MRC1K memory recording unit will hit the shelves later this month and cost ¥98,490.
Oddball x
I just found this too
http://www.sony.jp/products/Professional/c_c/hdv/products/hvr_z5j/index.html
oddball xx
How interesting.... so I wonder then if the Z5 is the direct successor to the Z1?
A CMOS version, if you like.
Mark,
Ditto - Thats exactly what I thought. Seems strange as I thought that the Z7 was the replacement. I wonder what will happen now as the Z1 is still available. The two look very similar.
Oddball xx
More here:
http://www.camcorderinfo.com/content/Sony-Releases-New-Pro-Camcorders-in-Japan--HDR-FX1000-and-HVR-Z5J-35471.htm#
Making me more certain that this pair is the exact replacement for FX1 and Z1.
same here but with some nice large pictures
http://www.akihabaranews.com/en/news-16651-Sony+HDR-FX1000+now+in+Japan.html
This does indeed look to be a proper replacement for the FX1 / Z1 (at last). The V1 was a sideways move, the Z7 just too darn expensive and who needs interchangeable lenses (don't all shout at once).
The lens (a Sony lens note, not Zeiss branded) has a 20x optical zoom, with an aperture range of f/1.6 - 3.4 and it uses 3x 1"/3 CMOS chips. Excellent. It's what the FX7 should have been.
The FX7 and V1 are not right in my book - very worrying web tests of the V1's audio and the FX1's top screen (SUPERB positioning) was jettisoned for the VX2k's side position. Why? And the FX7 lost out on wide-angle coverage as well as using small ¼" chips. The FX1000/Z5 corrects that and its screen is back on top of the camera again.
Sony take delight in subdividing the niche yet again.
tom.
Looks like it they have a proper iris ring :)
Nothging proper about that Hedley - it's just historical. I love the knurled alloy knob that resides just above my left thumb on the Z1.
They do appear to have built-in stereo mics though - excellent and oh-so-useful. The Z7 deleted them and I'm pleased to see their return.
tom.
And isn't the new cam so much better looking than the Z7 and EX1? The EX1 looks like it's been in a rear-end shunt and the Z7 is too 'modular' to look handsome.
I love the knurled alloy knob that resides just above my left thumb on the Z1.
tom.
Each unto his own I guess ;)
Has anyone spotted the difference between the new CF recorder, the MCR1K, and the existing one announced with the Z7/S270? Some of the articles say it will fit onto the Z5, implying it won't fit directly onto the FX1000. Can that be right?
Over on DVinfo.net, people are shedding tears because the new cams are CMOS, not CCD, and swearing to keep their CCD-fitted Z1s and FX1s for years and years. Are CCDs really so much better? I thought CMOS had a few advantages, like less smear from bright lights and greater exposure lattitude for clearer shadows, etc.
Tom - I think the point of the V1/FX7 is that they are smaller, lighter and cheaper than the FX1/Z1: HDV in a camera the size of a VX2000. That involved one design compromise: 1/4" chips instead of 1/3". I'm very fond of my Canon XH-A1, but I often wish it was smaller and lighter. If Sony ever release "Mark 2" versions that fix the various problems (such as the audio you mentioned) I might well trade the small loss of resolution for less bulk.
I think the only reason it can't connect with the FX1000 is to do with socketry - though I'm sure Beechtek will sort something out.
I too am a believer in using CCDs (biggish ones of 1"/3 and over that have all but eliminated the smear problem) for work where the Paparazzi will be shooting - at the cake-cutting, first dance, when the couple enter the wedding breakfast room and so on. My wedding footage shot on the CMOS EX1 is horrible when electronic flashes occur. For the rest of the time it rocks, however.
I'm pretty sure the V1 / FX7 used smaller chips simply because the designers wanted to keep the 20x zoom as an f/1.6 to f/2.8, and not drop to f/3.5 as your XH-A1 does.
tom.
Tom refers to the V1 so here's a couple of practical reasons why the V1 is often my camera of choice
1. Size - being smaller and lighter than my Z1 or HD1000 it will go on my shoulder in a small camera bag, and I can travel easily on London's public transport . For yesterday's shoot at an auction of music items in Hoxton I used train, tube and tram with no more problem than if I was carrying a brief case.
2. For that shoot I slipped in a Sennheiser G2 RX/TX pair (for doing interviews) and this is where another practical feature of the V1 comes in handy - the pod for the XLR sockets includes a recessed switch for 'Ch1' or 'Ch1+2'. In the 'Ch1' position the XLR sockets are separate (onboard mic on Ch1 and G2 Rx on Ch2) . In the 'Ch1+2' position Ch1 is linked to Ch2 so the onboard mic feeds both channels. Thus a flick of the switch (easy to do without even taking one's eye from the V/F) takes the radio mic in and out of use The Z1, by comparison, needs faffing around with menus, buttons and dials - not recommended while recording. There are no problems that I know of with the V1's audio, Tom.
Ray Liffen
Has anyone spotted the difference between the new CF recorder, the MCR1K, and the existing one announced with the Z7/S270? Some of the articles say it will fit onto the Z5, implying it won't fit directly onto the FX1000. Can that be right?
Early days, but I suspect it very likely that the CF unit is one and the same. But buy a Z7, and you get a CF unit, buy a Z5 and it's an option, hence it now has it's own part no. It seems it will slot directly onto the Z5 (as the Z7), but the FX1000 doesn't have the necessary socket/mount etc. It may well work with the FX1000 (and other DV/HDV cameras), but be nowhere near as convienient, require separate cables, powering etc. Sounds like a good reason alone to get an Z5 over a FX1000.
I'm interested to see the pricing of the MCR1K, but as a previous advocate of the Firestore this now seems a far better bet.
Over on DVinfo.net, people are shedding tears because the new cams are CMOS, not CCD, and swearing to keep their CCD-fitted Z1s and FX1s for years and years. Are CCDs really so much better?
CCDs have one or two advantages, but disadvantages as well. My own feeling is that for cameras at this price point, CMOS is probably a better compromise. Since many other manufacturers only have CCD options at the moment, it's obviously in their interests to highlight the disadvantages of CMOS, and play down the advantages.
For info the CF unit as on the Z7 has a small docking station so that any camera with a firewire port and the software to do sync recording can use it. An on-board battery is also there so it can be used with a V1 and I suspect any new sony camcorder for HDV/Dvcam
Can anyone figure out if the Z5 has the "proper" manual focus of the Z7 or the servo-style of the Z1?
I don't know, but I'd bet it was 'servo-style'. Leastways I hope so, then my very good wide-angle converter will work on it.
The European press release for IBC has just been issued.
Bob C