20 Responses to “First Sony Z7U User Reports”  

1. 1 jordan Feb 15th, 2008 at 9:53 am

   I’m so glad they decided to go 6 pin firewire. 4 pin is the dumbest connector on the face
   of the earth. Nice move sony!

2. 2 Matthew Jeppsen Feb 15th, 2008 at 1:42 pm

   I agree, 6-pin is so much more solid and really doesn’t occupy THAT much more space. That has always been one of my biggest concerns with hard drive capture devices.

   -Matt Jeppsen

3. 3 Shawn Lam - Vancouver Video Production Feb 16th, 2008 at 12:29 am

   I used my Z7U today on a corporate shoot and have a few random observations:

   - The white balance controls on the side of the camera are for manual (where you dial-in a color temperature in degrees Kelvin) and 2 manual presets. To use incandescant and outdoor settings you have to use the menu.

   - The image quality is simply stunning - everything I hoped for.

   - Low light is what we’ve all been asking for, which is as good as the level attained in 2004 with the Sony DSR-PD170. When I have used my Canon XHA1 in hotel conference room settings I needed to use gain anytime I went away from the lit podium to a crowd shot and when on the podium shot my iris was wide open. With the Sony HVR-Z7U I had a few stops to spare when on the podium and the crowd shots didn’t require any gain.

   - If you do need to use the gain it is way better than the gain from older cameras that is very grainy. Even at 18db the footage looked clean on the LCD.

   - The smooth gain and smooth white balance are predictably smooth which is nice while shooting but takes a moment longer to see the results when you are setting-up.

   - The instruction manual mentions that changing the ND filters while recording might cause problems with the video and audio. This seems like a strange problem not to resolve and I’m curious as to why this would be but don’t have any ideas why it would interupt the video, let alone the audio.

   I’ve got another shoot all day tomorrow for a cheer competition so will probably have a bunch more thoughts to share on the Z7U. So far I feel like I got struck by Cupid’s arrow as I’m in love with my Valentine’s Day present from Sony, my Z7U.

   - Last thought: During set-up tonight for tomorrow’s competition, I had my Z7 on the balcony of the gym and sent an HDV signal via component 150′ to my HD projector at my sales table in the hall. The image was so impressive everyone was stopping by to look at the video, although it was of an empty gym - I can’t wait until they get to see the image once there is something to look-at. I used component baluns which convert the component signal to cat5 and back again in order to send the signal 150′ without any noticeable loss.

4. 4 Matthew Jeppsen Feb 16th, 2008 at 8:19 am

   Excellent follow up report, Shawn! I sincerely appreciate the effort you’ve put into getting solid info out. Speaking as someone that is very excited about the Z7, this is great stuff!

   Two questions:
   1. Is the smooth white balance configurable? I ask because there are a number of settings on the EX1 that apply to the smooth white balance.
   2. What happens when you yank a CF card whilst recording? Does the camera report an error? Is the footage on the card corrupted?

   That IS an odd comment about the ND filters. I wonder if they mean that there is an obvious *click* and resulting brightness change when you engage the ND…

   -Matt Jeppsen

5. 5 Shawn Lam - Vancouver Video Production Feb 16th, 2008 at 8:49 am

   Well it is kinda cool being the first to get their Z7U and from the looks of it by a few days.

   JUst running out the door again but I’ll test the ND filter distortion today.

   Yes the smooth white balance is configurable. You can select off, slow, middle, & fast.

   There is also an Intelligent, high, middle, and low Auto White Balance setting and a WB shift for in manual mode that adjusts the filter type (film & video look), cool temp (blue - red), color offset (green - magenta), Red gain, and Blue Gain.

   Can’t comment about what happens when you unplug the CF card whilst recording as the camera doesn’t ship with one and I haven’t had the time to purchase one. I’ll be using my laptop and Adobe OnLocation today to monitor and capture my footage. Have to remember to pack a 6 pin to 4 pin firewire and add it to my kit.

6. 6 Matthew Jeppsen Feb 16th, 2008 at 8:58 am

   Nice. Love that they are making settings more configurable these days…

   Can’t comment about what happens when you unplug the CF card whilst recording as the camera doesn’t ship with one and I haven’t had the time to purchase one.
   Odd. The “HVR-MRC1 Memory Recording Unit Kit” is listed at B&H as included with the camera for $6299. I suppose Sony dealers have carte blanche to sell it seperately.

   Thanks again for the excellent reports from the field.

   -Matt Jeppsen

7. 7 Kendal Miller Feb 16th, 2008 at 3:16 pm

   Shawn,
   Any comments on image skew or rolling shutter artifacts Shawn?

   Matt,
   I think he meant he doesn’t have a CF card, not the recording module.

8. 8 Shawn Lam - Vancouver Video Production Feb 16th, 2008 at 9:32 pm

   Hey Kendal,
   I did mean that the Z7U doesn’t ship with a CF card so I haven’t been able to test the recording module yet.

   As I mentioned in the VU review I noticed a slight roll in the shutter when I took a photo with flash of the camcorder but I didn’t notice any random artifacts. From that initial test I don’t see a problem with normal usage, such as a wedding ceremony with flash photography but I think a more challenging test will be something even more dramatic, like a cop car with lights flashing at night.

   I’m not familiar with any image skew problems - what are you referencing -I can check it out when I get a chance.

   I had to test the ND filters because the manual hinted that the video AND audio would become distorted when you change the neutral density settings while recording. Most camcorders clunck into each ND setting but the ND filter on the Z7U rolls-in with a manual turn of the dial so you can see the round ND filter as it is applied. I don’t think this is any better or worse than clunking the ND filter in place - it is just different. I did not notice any audio distortion. I’ll have to test again in a more controlled environment as my test environment was at a cheerleading competition with 1,000 people in the gym - not exactly a quiet place.

   In the course of today’s shoot I also used the audio for the first time (last shoot I was providing only video for a webcast) and I used the supplied shotgun oncamera and my AT 897 Shotgun mounted on a table top stand infront of the competition floor. The controls were the same that I was used to with the PD170 but the volume control for the headphones was not where I expected it to be.

   The volume control is located on the top of the camera, under where the LCD is when closed. Next to it is the display button, which changes the display on the LCD, adding and removing the data display. I found this extremely inconvenient as I was filming just above my eye level in order to get clearance from the railing infront of me (I was actually on a riser and the tripod was on its own riser to get high enough) and everytime I wanted to change the volume or display settings I had to tilt the camera straight up to make changes. Unfortunately I was also providing a live HD feed so they got to watch the ceiling when I made changes.

   Oh yeah - last thought. I can’t seem to figure out how to turn on the viewfinder. I’ve been using the LCD the entire 12 hours I have put on the camera already but it took me a few hours to realize that it wasn’t even on. A cursary browse through the menu didn’t have anything that popped out to me but I’m sure I’ll figure it out in due time.

9. 9 Jack Hutchinson Feb 17th, 2008 at 12:44 am

   Shawn,

   Can you do some handheld shooting with varying degrees of shaking? That should demonstrate the wobble, and if you pan with a vertical object in the shot the skew should be visible as well.

   This article shows what these are:

   http://dvxuser.com/jason/CMOS-CCD/

   If this camera is great, then I can’t wait to get my hands on a couple of them.

   Thanks,
   Jack

10. 10 Matthew Jeppsen Feb 17th, 2008 at 8:17 am

    “The volume control is located on the top of the camera, under where the LCD is when closed.”
    This is consistent with headphone volume control on the FX1 and Z1U, and probably the FX7 and V1U. Not the best design, but I imagine quite a few HDV shooters are used to this. I’d put this with the other audio controls if I had a choice. Are you listening, Sony?

    This video shot with an EX1 will demonstrate vertical skew resulting from a CMOS rolling shutter. I’d call it a “worst-case” or “most-visible” scenario. Kind of like demonstrating the strobing issues with a police car at night. :-) Good to know though. When we know the limitations of our tools, we can work around them, right? :-)
    http://sonyxdcamex.com/content/view/27/2/

    By the way, that above video appears to be shot on a tripod, panning. I have some EX1 footage that we will be posting soon that was shot on a horizontal dolly track, and it is consistent with the footage above. There are certain slow speeds that work fine, the skew is either not present or so slight that it can’t be noted on playback. And some fast moves just look like crap. Welcome to the world of affordable CMOS camcorders.

    -Matt Jeppsen

11. 11 Ray Paunovich Feb 17th, 2008 at 1:55 pm

    2-17-08

    I have a Sony HVR-V1U and love it but what is the view finder like to focus on???

    Is it as clear and easy as Sony says for HD ?????

    Thanks Rayl

12. 12 Jack Hutchinson Feb 17th, 2008 at 8:23 pm

    The problem with the rolling shutter is that it limits a lot of shooting.

    For example, flashes at red-carpet events won’t look right. Handheld (or shoulder mounted) footage for documentaries will look wobbly. Match-moving for special effects compositing will be impossible (even some modest productions use cg to cover up distracting backgrounds for wide shots, etc.). I don’t have a pro cmos camera, but I don’t want to plunk down so much money for gear only to have to turn down work simply because my cmos images just don’t handle that material.

    I think they’re gonna have to fix the rolling shutter (which will introduce its own artifacts) or they will have to go back to offering CCD camcorders.

    Jack

13. 13 DC Feb 19th, 2008 at 12:08 pm

    Hey Shawn,

    Did you order it through Sony or B&H?

14. 14 Shawn Lam - Vancouver Video Production Feb 19th, 2008 at 12:50 pm

    Skew - not an issue with the Z7 as far as I can find. I’ve shot a variety of vertical objects and can’t get it to skew, which is good news.

    Wobble - not an issuw with the Z7 as far as I can find. Although I didn’t take it on a helicopter to test I shook it pretty good and did lots of fast motion and my images never looked like jello. They did experience motion blur but is to be expected and it was no worse that the motion blur on my Canon XHA1 for similar fast motion.

    Rolling Shutter - I looked at my real-world footage of a cheer competion where cameras were allowed and couldn’t say there is a problem with the way the camera handles sudden flashes of unsustained and irregular light. Depending if the flash lasted a single frame or lingered in one before and after it, the image was only disrupted for the duration of the flash. I was expecting the affected frames to be blown-out exposure wise but did notice some pixelation and artifacts. When viewed in regular time it looks like someone took a photo using a flash so I can’t say it will be a problem either.

    Viewfinder - I only figured out how to turn it on today and used the LCD the rest of the time. The LCD is easy to use to focus with. There are 2 expended focus settings that you can use to zoom into the image further (only when not recording). The factory setting has the viewfinder turn off when the LCD is opened but a quick menu change allows them to be both powered at the same time.

    I dealt directly with Sony Canada for my camera, which is probably why I got mine days before the regular shipments. From my shipping label I can see that it actualy left the Toronto distribution centre (I’ll use the Canadian spelling here) on Feb 11, I got called on the 13th to pick it up, which I did on Valentine’s day.

15. 15 Mike Jensen Feb 20th, 2008 at 1:13 am

    Thanks for the detailed report, Shawn!

16. 16 Jamie Kehoe Mar 12th, 2008 at 7:34 pm

    Really good to know. I am planning on leasing two of these cameras for my work. I do mainly corporate productions and weddings, mostly utilising tripods, monopods and a little handheld work. The weddings are way more demanding and some people are enquiring about Blu-Ray, so I need to start offering it soon. This camera is good in low light, but I was concerned about the rolling shutter artifacts. Through Shawn’s testing it seems as though this is a good buy, so I may plunge right in here. However, I am keeping both the PD170’s I have as they are very handy and great little cameras for anything I need them for.

17. 17 Bruce Reynolds Mar 24th, 2008 at 11:29 pm

    after 4 weddings, a violin concert and a convention my thoughts. Great camera in low light, about twice as bright as my FX1. About a pound heavier then the FX1 probably because of the big lens. Good to have solid state that doesn’t cost a fortune today and not 2 years from now. Transfers 140 minutes from CF to hard drive in about 12 minutes. Bad part now is in the 1st batch of cameras that came out that I and several friends have gotten is the focusing in automatic is useless, it drifts for no reason, so I use manual all the time. I know you pros use manual but me with my PD 150 and Fx1’s use auto a lot because I’m not usually on a tripod and shooting shots at a fast pace and my FX1 was always in focus. see clip’White Wedding” link http://www.veoh.com/channels/tmvpvideos On the CF cards on short clips I get black digital dropouts during the 1st second on clips from 5 seconds to 20 seconds. Long clips seem ok. When imported into Adobe/Matrox the clips have red as the 1st frame and if I try to bring down to the time line Adobe crashes. My friend who has Edius say his bad clips play ok on the timeline. I can look at these clips with Windows media player and see the blocks. I have sent Sony these clips. I get them on every shoot only on the CF card. The tape is fine. On fast moving objects there is ghosting or blurry on the violin bows and conductor hands. I haven’t seen this on dancing at receptions. Would be a great camera if Sony can fix these 3 defects.

18. 18 Bob Lange May 8th, 2008 at 2:38 pm

    Our company has many many Sony cameras from D-55 to PD 150s, we wanted to upgrade our lil cameras to Z7U but found the Auto focus, which we use when Jib mounted, is horrible, slow and always searching. We have since bought another brand due to the shortcomings described. I have seen others post about the Auto focus problem as well on other forums. What are your experiences with the Auto Focus? Has Sony or anyone discovered a solution?
    Thanks
    BL

19. 19 Matthew Jeppsen May 8th, 2008 at 2:50 pm

    Hey Bob, we shot with the Z7’s in Las Vegas for our NAB coverage. The AF was quite slow, and a bit imprecise at times. It may or may not be related to lens issues currently being discussed over at DVinfo: http://dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=119171

20. 20 Matthew Jeppsen May 8th, 2008 at 2:57 pm

    Here’s another DVinfo link on the lens issues: http://dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=120042&page=4