First off, the new Sony HVR-Z5U is affordable – $4200 street price ($4950 list). It’s in the same league price-wise as Sony Z1 and a bit more expensive than Sony FX1 and Sony FX7. It’s very competitive pricing considering a Panasonic HVX200 goes for more than $4,200 – and in some stores it goes to $5,000.

Let’s examine what could make you upgrade to Sony HVR-Z7U – it usually costs about $1,200 more. Both camcorders use the same electronics. The controls and I/O are a bit different but it’s more a matter of personal preference rather than anything “measurable”. The key difference is the lens – the Z7U has a 12x Zeiss lens that can be REMOVED. Just so you know, this is where your $1,200 will be going – giving you flexibility to change the lens.

The lens on the Sony HVR-Z5U is a fixed 20x Sony “G” zoom lens. In this, Sony is consistent – all its camcorders in this range have sported a similar lens – all the way back to (my beloved) Sony VX2000.

If you’re easily impressed by ZOOMs, Sony estimates the 35mm equivalent is 29.5mm – 590mm! Impressive! If you go with the Z7U, it stops at about 380mm. So in practical terms, you get a lot more tele from the fixed 20x lens. Frankly, I’m not a big bird watcher, so zoom isn’t that important to me. However, if you plan to shoot architectural videos, you might need a wider lens (or adapter).

Same as the Sony Z7U, this camcorder uses the new Sony’s ClearVid CMOS with 1440×810 photosites. Through extrapolation (i.e. software), Sony achieves 1080 resolution. The sensor deliver very similar picture to full resolution 1920×1080 sensors which cost a LOT more.

So in conclusion – do you need it? If you already have a Sony Z1 or comparable, you probably don’t need to upgrade just yet (unless money is no object).

If you’re in the market for a new camera, the Sony HVR-Z5U is a very solid choice and comes highly recommended from all the reviewers I follow. The only caveat is the fixed lens but let’s admit it, at $4,200 you won’t find a camera with a removable lens anyway.

B&H have a used one (in excellent condition) for around $500. You can get it here.

While in B&H used equipment department, check out the other HD camcorders too. They’ve got discounted Canon H1, Sony FX1, and even Panasonic HVX200 but you’ll need more than $500 for these babies.

I’ve read quite a few (good) books about it and I have been a part of it in a minor way, so I expected to empathize with the protagonists. It proved to be rather difficult as right from the start, Josh Hartnett is tough pill to swallow. He’s too good looking (too sexy for our lady viewers too) to picture him as a real CEO. Don’t get me wrong, there are good-looking CEOs but that happens only AFTER the VCs take over the company and put their own puppet to run the show.

Now, despite Josh’s appearance, you can tell she’s trying hard to pull off a convincing portrayal. My problem with the support cast is that as out of place as Josh is, there’s no one else that steals scenes. I recently saw Charlie Wilson’s War and I watched in awe how Philip Seymour Hoffman steals EVERY scene he’s in.

I guess the moral of the story is: no matter how sexy you make a business guy, he always falls short of keeping the interest in the cinema. If only I didn’t have Wallstreet as a perfectly good example of a business movie!

None: The movie looks good and has been shot digitally with a Sony CineAlta rig!

First off, the good news. It’s a small camera that you can fit virtually anywhere. It weighs less than a kilo (with battery), so you can CARRY it anywhere.


The sensor is a single CMOS sensor with over 2 million active pixels. That means a native support for 1080i format (1920×1080 pixels).

The bad news is its light sensitivity, mic inputs, and the battery life. Battery life can be extended by purchasing a better battery (BP-2L14) and you should definitely consider it if you’re shooting anything longer than an hour (which is most stuff).

DV.com‘s Chuck Gloman has a more detailed review of the camera. Overall, he was impressed by the outdoors footage and the form factor. I’m still not convinced I’ll trade a small-factor Sony (like Sony HC3).

I’m considering switching from my web cam to this baby. Here’s a short guide on how to select a web cam.

In a typical SAT fashion: with V1 Sony has upgraded the Z1 “prosumer” camcorder the same way it upgraded the revolutionary Sony FX1 to Sony FX7. If you’re already familiar with the FX7 or you’ve already read the comparison between FX1 and FX7, you’ll find relatively few bits of new info.


At the same time, Sony V1 is significant because it confirms Sony’s dedication to putting CMOS sensors on its prosumer line of camcorders instead of CCDs. This is an important change of direction as it affects light sensitivity, vertical resolution, and more importantly the “full 1080 HD” of FX7 and V1.

Let’s go quickly through Adam’s points:

• Design and form factor: Sony V1 is smaller than the other HDV camcorders and its form factor is close to Sony’s smaller DV models like the PD150/170. It’s also lighter than all previous prosumer models. The top handle has been moved a bit to the front which balances the camera perfectly. The LCD is on the side and has changed very little in practical terms.
• Controls: Here Adam seems to be enthralled by the new Sony: “This tight grouping of shooting controls puts them readily within reach of your focusing hand… In my opinion, this is the best Handycam control layout Sony has done.
• Audio: There’s little difference from Z1 and PD150 when it comes to audio. The camera features two professional XLRs.
• Video: The 1/4″ CMOS sensor is less sensitive to light but offers increased resolution (full 1080 HD). It also offers true 24 frame progressive mode – highly sought after by wannabe filmmakers who strive to shoot filmlike video.

Again, it’s a “sideways upgrade” because you lose some, you gain some. Here’s Adam’s conclusion:

Sony squeezed out some features in the quest to put HDV into a PD170-sized package: analog-in recording, 50 Hz/60 Hz switchability, low-light capability, and standard video connectors on the camera body. But the result is a compact, lightweight Handycam that shoots sharp, clean HDV while offering the best laid-out controls found on a small Sony, and true progressive capture to boot. Rolling shutter will be an issue for some, but overall, the V1 looks like a worthy addition to the choices available to HDV shooters.

I’m considering switching from my web cam to this baby. Here’s a short guide on how to select a web cam.

What this means in layman terms is that pretty soon, your favorite torrent tracker will feature movies in all their HD glory, be them Blu-ray or HD DVD.

HD DVD experienced a surge around Christmas when studios supporting it released more titles than the Blu-ray camp. The situation has changed a bit. While Universal is silent about upcoming HD DVD titles, the Blu-ray camp churns new titles.

Looking at the release lists, Blu-ray studios are going to release MORE movies in February than HD DVD released in 2006. I’m not eager to announce them winners just yet. These guys should’ve settled their difference a long time ago anyway. Sometimes it’s the consumer who’s the best judge of a format but the HD media doesn’t come particularly cheap as to allow open experimentation.

I thought the answer could be helpful to others as well:

I’m afraid the quality of the video won’t change much from DV to HD. The resolution definitely will change but it seems to me you’re not after resolution. From the sound of it, you have a problem with removing the background.

First off, when doing blue/green screen work, you need a studio of some sort. You could probably do it yourself but the resulting video will suffer. The key problem with greenscreen is EVEN lighting. The way it’s done in studios is that you create a “rama” with lights spread out at precise intervals. It’s rather expensive if you want to create a similar setup at a stage (if you’re dancing on a stage that is).

In terms of cameras, any camera below $6000 is going to use HDV (25Mbps) to record the signal which means a lot of compression. So you’re right about that – HD will introduce more compression artefacts, not less. At about 6,000, you can get Panasonic HVX200 which supports 100Mbps recording ( i.e. much higher quality recording).

I certainly understand your frustration. When I bought my first camera (a SONY VX2000) I was pretty disappointed as well. Then, I bought a Lowel light kit (4 lights) and I loved the results. Your goal is a bit more ambitious but I think you’ll find out that once you solve the lighting, everything else will be easy.

Keep the questions coming

Right-click video, then select “Save Target As…”

For a 5 minute video, it packs plenty of info. It missed one very important point (that I frequently come back to): LIGHTING.

Lighting is one of the magic ingredients when going for filmlike video. Just look at the segment in question – the blue background light creates much needed separation between subject and background. (In video, this separation is often achieved by adding a certain color – usually blue; in film, you have many more options.)

I’m not 100% sure if this is a Panasonic HVX200 in the background. I was hoping to see someone putting the new Sony FX7 to good use!

Many reviewers have likened the FX7 release to the release of the VX2100 model, hot on the steps of VX2000 (I’m a proud owner of the latter). The VX2100 offered some minor improvements in light sensitivity and a variety of interface features that made things a bit easier for the prosumer shooter.

Let’s look at Sony FX7 and see what advantages it offers.

• Affordable (Canon XL H1’s price is almost 3 times higher)
• Real HD 1080 support (unlike FX1‘s 1440×1080 chip)
• Good video with low light capabilities (though admittedly worse than FX1 because of the CMOS)
• Long battery life
• Standard HDV (using MiniDV cassettes)

On the negative side we’ve got:

• Fixed lens (though it has been bumped to 20x zoom)
• No XLR inputs for audio
• No true 24p

If you look at Sony FX1′s advantages from last year, you’ll see the camera has the same things going for it with a few notable differences.

To me, the biggest difference is the sensor. In the last year, SONY has introduced a several of his low-end HD cams with CMOS sensors (e.g. Sony HC1 and Sony HC3). Is CMOS good enough for $3,000 cam though?

Harry Haruna, Manager of Camcorder Product Planning for Sony USA, had this to say:

As for resolution, because you have the CMOS technology the FX7, resolution is much higher than the FX1 in decent light conditions. On the contrary, under low light conditions the FX1 is better than the FX7, since the FX1 has a larger CCD sensor.

Hmm, I thought FX7 was an upgrade. It looks like it’s something of a sidegrade: if you have an FX1, keep it. If you don’t, you can either get the FX1 if you need a cam with a better sensor and bigger lens or go for the new FX7 with its smaller form factor and “full” HD 1080.

Still, if I was into wedding videography or guerrilla filmmaking, the FX7 could be quite tempting.

Then again, Canon has recently introduced more affordable versions of its $9,000 monster, the Canon XL H1. At just $500 more than the FX7, it introduces some much needed competition. If I can get FX1 for less than $2000 (Apple store had an offer like that), I’d be the happiest person … for the next 6 months or so.

I’m considering switching from my web cam to this baby. Here’s a short guide on how to select a web cam.

As of January 5th, the group estimates there were more than 175,000 HD DVD players sold in America, with an annualized attach rate of 28 movies per player. The group projects sales will reach 2.5 million players by the end of this year and more than $600 million worth of movie revenues. HD DVD buyers can look forward to more HDi enhanced titles, now featuring internet features that were demoed at the event, as well as more players hitting the market from manufacturers like Lite-On, Alco, Alpine, Meridian and Onkyo. Look for the trend of combo releases to continue, as the format’s backers see it as a viable way of introducing current DVD owners to the format and building a library prior to upgrading.

Numbers usually don’t lie. And the numbers here (at least in terms of players) are very much skewed in favor of the Blu-ray camp. The reason? One million Playstation 3 have been purchased and I bet this is just the beginning.

So far HD DVD leads the way with 130 titles released. Blu-ray is closely behind with 116. The titles to be released any moment are:

The Architect (Magnolia)
Bulletproof Monk (Fox)
A Christmas Story (Warner)
Flight of the Phoenix (Fox)
From Hell (Fox)
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (Warner)
Rising Sun (Fox)
Rocky (Fox)

I’m a big SONY fan so I hope Blu-ray doesn’t turn out to be the new Beta Max.

If you can’t read the image, it says:

The RED Mysterium sensor has finally pushed digital acquisition past the timeless 35mm film barrier in resolution and clean color fidelity.

The endorsement is by David Stump who is not only a member of the ASC but is the chair of the Digital Camera subcommittee for the ASC.

• 1.485 Gbps uncompressed HD-SDI output (XH G1 only)
• GenLock input and Time Code input /output (XH G1 only)
• 3 x 1.67mp CCDs (1/3rd-inch, 1440 x 1080, same as XL H1)
• Digic DV II processor supporting 30fps & 24fps (same as XL H1)
• Built-in 20x HD OIS lens with new “Instant AF” autofocus system

Just compare the 1.485 Gbps throughput to my USB 1.1 vs USB 2.0 discussion. Amazing!

I’m considering switching from my web cam to this baby. Here’s a short guide on how to select a web cam.

Apple Store has the FX1 for $1,995 – you should definitely hurry up. It can’t be linked directly, so here’s the instructions: go to Apple Store, search for “HDR-FX1″ and voila! You got an HD cam for less than 2,000.

Update: It seems the item is out of stock now (April 7).

I won’t be able to afford a CineAlta-size production any time soon. Yet, when I look at CineAlta rigs, I see some of the same accessories that are needed for low-budget filmmaking.

Recently, I reviewed a number of accessories for HVX200 that could be used to create a “killer rig”. Apart from standard stuff like tripods and monitors, I paid special attention to matte boxes and filters for HVX200 as these are essential to create filmlike video.

First, let me go through CineAlta’s specs. Right now, Sony has branded CineAlta to two cameras: F900 and F950. They can shoot at the same 24 frames per second (24p) as film and have a resolution of 1920×1080 pixels (1080p). F900 was notably used to shoot Star Wars, Episode II.

Revenge of the Sith was shot with more advanced HDW950 cameras which can record the full 1920×1080-pixel frame. When shooting in the 2.35:1 widescreen format (often referred to as “Panavision”) only about 800 of the 1080 vertical pixels are actually used.

Look at Lars von Trier’s rig for Dogville. I see a Steadycam of some sort. I see a shotgun mic mounted on the camera. I see a separate recorder tied to the shotgun mic (always a good idea to have backup). I can’t descern what the lens is but it comes with some kind of a matte box.

All of these are pretty standard stuff. Take it from the pros, you need just three things: 1) keep your shots steady; 2) more control over your image; 3) better, cleaner sound. That’s it. When you rent a rig, go for the basics first.

The key concern when using an SD cam in an hi-def video production is to provide a seamless integration of the SD footage with MINIMUM resolution loss. If your budget allows it, go for Ikegami HDL-20 but as it often happens, you can probably spend those $15,000 somewhere else.

Sony’s PAL version minicam- the DXC-C33P, offers increased resolution (PAL’s resolution is 768×576). Let’s assume that the rest of the video production is shot with Panasonic HVX200 for its range of 720p frame rates.

PAL’s 442,368 pixels should be matched to the 921,600 pixels for 720p. If you look at the pixel counts, a 2:1 ratio is not that bad. Until you take into account that PAL is 4:3 and HD is 16:9. Shooting in PAL and then converting to 16:9 means you lose vertical resolution. How much? Pulling out my calculator… your vertical resolution will be just 432 lines (that’s 768×9/16). You lose a whopping 25 percent. So what do you do?

Ta-da. Enter the 16:9 widescreen anamorphic adapter (or an anamorphic lens if the camcorder support interchangeable lenses). The way the anamorphic adapter works is to squeeze the widescreen image onto the 4:3 CCDs. The 768 pixels of the PAL format will correspond to 1024 pixels once you un-squeeze it in post. So instead of doing a blow up from 768×432 lines to 1280×720, you’ll be doing a blow up from 1024×576.

As I mentioned in my Sony DXC-C33 review, there are no anamorphic adapters available (at least from Sony). However, Toshiba has pioneered an anamorphic adapter – the Toshiba VT-169 – that fits two of their minicams: Toshiba TU-63 and TU-48.

When shopping around, in addition to Toshiba’s anamorphic adapter, you should also check with Century Optics. They have several types of 16:9 adapters, some of the 37mm ones could work with a minicam with some tweaking.

Sony has a PAL camera (DXC-C33P) which is pretty good and flexible for a minicam but unfortunately it’s not hi-def.

The price is only one-fifth of the Ikegami unit which could save you, if you desparately need a minicam on a budget.

Here’s the company description:

The Sony DXC-C33P is a 3-chip color video camera with Firewire connectivity for limited space applications. It uses 3x 1/3-inch CCDs that output an amazing 850 lines of resolution and are sensitive for f/8 at 2000 lux. A powerful digital signal processor allows great image quality with DynaLatitude and Partial Enhance, special features usually found on high-end broadcast gear. The camera is made up of 2 pieces: the camera head that takes C-mount lenses, and the camera control unit, a control box that gives access to the various video parameters the DSP governs and the on-screen menu system. The 2 pieces are connected by a flexible cable (sold separately) that can be as long as about 90 feet (30 meters).

There are three Sony minicam lenses that come as standard accessories – none of them are anamorphic, i.e. convert from 4:3 to 16:9. You most definitely need an anamorphic adapter as otherwise you’ll be losing a lot more resolution (converting from 4:3 to 16:9 in post).

I haven’t seen a lens adapter that small but the camera comes with a standard c-mount type lens mount, so it which should accommodate other lenses as well.

The GOOD news is that the dimensions of the camera put it in the ultra-compact class (32x38x40mm). The camera head weighs just 48 grams which allows you to mount it on ANYTHING, even on a remote-controlled toy car. If I were you, I would be careful where I mount it though. It’s still a pretty expensive camera ($4,000+).

To put the DXC-C33 into perspective, Sony’s smallest HD cam, the HC1 weighs 680 grams (24 ounces) and Sony’s regular-sized FX1 is 2 kilos (4 pounds).

In terms of camera accessories, you have no choice but to buy a lens and a recording unit. There’s an optional 30 meter cable that links the camera to the control unit which could come in handy as well (if you need to put the camera on a pole). There’s a company in the UK that’s already putting these on poles – not surprisingly, the company’s called Polecam.

It’s interesting to see if some of the new USB 2.0 webcams can deliver an image that’s worth anything.

There’s a ton of new stuff coming from Apple, but the interesting bit is below. Steve Jobs included one HDV camera in the presentation: the Sony HC1 .

More robust cameras like Panasonic HVX200 and Canon XL H1 shouldn’t feel threaten though. I’d imagine Steve included it because HC1 is an ultra-affordable HDV cam at the $1,500 range, truly a remarkable achievement for Sony. Apple should really look up to Sony – I want them to take one of Sony’s LCDs and put it on the next generation of video iPods, so that they play movies.

As to Steve, what can I say… great minds think alike. I did a review of the Sony Hc1 just a day before Steve

Update: Kevin Smith touts HVX200, so Sony HC1 is not the only “winner”.