Sony’s HVR-Z7U is finally in stock at B&H, pre-orders should ship out in the order they were received. We have previously covered this camera thoroughly here. And if you’ve missed the first Z7U user reports you should definitely read the comments on this recent post, particularly in regards to it’s reported lack of rolling shutter vertical skew. That is good news indeed.

The following is compiled from a comment by FreshDV reader “Adam” that was so detailed and extensive I decided to promote it to a post. You can view the original comment thread in context here.

FreshDV reader Adam says:
Mine arrived last week and here are my initial observations, cobbled together from various posts I’ve made elsewhere. It’s light and heavy at the same time, in a good way. Very light for its size, but still a good 50% heavier than my FX1. The bulk is comforting. With the big battery on the back it’s nicely balanced, but we’ll see how I feel after several hours of shooting. Shoulder pad is, as others have mentioned, unbelievably hard. They couldn’t stick a pad on it? Also, while it has a huge lens shade, they give it a cheap plastic lens cap and no place to put it while shooting. It just dangles there. At least my old VX2000 had a clip so you could stick it to the hand grip while shooting. For this price they couldn’t give you the “barn-door� lens shade like the FX1? Even though it isn’t mentioned anywhere in the literature; the way the leash attaches to the hand-grip, you just pull the other end of the leash and it snugs the cap up against the grip. The leash is still dangling, but at least the cap isn’t banging around while you’re shooting. Still would love a lens hood with the barn doors, but I understand why they don’t have one (yet). On the FX1 and FX7 hoods (neither of which fit), the locking set screw for the hood itself is on the opposite side from the barn-door switch, which means the set-screw bangs into the forward hand grip beside the lens when you try to lock it on. If they can design a hood with both of these pieces on the side by your left hand, it would work.
Continue reading ‘Sony HVR-HD1000U User Report’

HD Expo and Panasonic are offering a free two day camera production workshop for ASC, IGC, SOC and other guild members who have been affected by the Writers Guild Strike.

“The P2 Workshop is being offered at no charge to guild & association members in a show of support for the cinematography community, and will offer career-advancing training that can be utilized once crews return to work. The workshop prepares the professional cinematographer with sophisticated knowledge and understanding of this dynamic tool set that is changing production models. The P2 Workshop is an informative, professional-level class that will introduce attendees to the next generation of solid state, P2 HD camera systems and support equipment. It will impart an understanding of how to integrate the benefits of non-linear, file based IT compatible technology into a production workflow.

The two-day session is set for February 29 and March 1, 2008 at Panavision in Woodland Hills, CA. Several industry stalwarts have lined up to support this educational event including Panavision, Fujinon and Birns & Sawyer. Panavision is contributing the use of its stage, screening room facilities, support gear and staff. Birns & Sawyer will provide camera and support equipment, and Fujinon is donating lenses and sponsoring lunches for participants.”

Registration forms are available online, and you can contact HD Expo at 818.842.6611 with any questions.

Over at VideoUniversity, user Shawn Lam has posted a number of pictures from his brand new Sony HVR-Z7U as well as a detailed description of overall design and features. It’s quite informative. Here’s a few key points that caught my eye (a few have been noted previously):

* Menu scroll dial is on left side, not back.
* The CF recorder module covers the battery when attached to the proprietary connection port.
* Tape transport door is in vertical configuration, opens to the back.
* Connections on back include Component, Composite, LANC, Headphone and 6-pin Firewire (yes, that is the big plug). A HDMI port exists on the left side of the body.
* As stated in previous documentation the top handle has a second cold-shoe, towards the back. It comes dissasembled but can be added with a screwdriver.
* A/C Adapter is a fake battery that occupies the entire battery port. The charger handles two batteries and has a LCD status display. Like the EX1, it makes you choose between charging the batteries or powering the camera, not both at the same time.
* Shawn says “7 LBS 2 OZ with tape, large battery, and CF recorder attached.”

Read on for the pictures and more details. B&H has the Z7U listed at $6,299.95. You can read more of FreshDV’s Z7U and S270U coverage here.

I just noticed that B&H dropped their price on the PMW-EX1 camcorder. It was previously listed at $6699.00 and has been recently reduced to $6,449.00 (and is currently marked “In Stock”). This is a great development for a camcorder that is still in high demand. New EX1 buyers should also remember to take advantage of the 8GB SxS card rebate (PDF) and also the EX1 + Accessories rebate. We’ve been been doing a series of EX1 reviews and tests, click on over for more info on our results.

LetusDirect has announced an update for Letus Extreme shooters who are using the adapter system with the new Sony XDCAM PMW-EX1 camcorder. Some users have reported that edge sharpness appears to suffer on the new Sony camera. The new “Sony EX1 optimization kit” includes an achromat lens that is tailored to work specifically with the unique Sony Fujinon lens, and a 77mm thread ring that fastens directly to the Letus. The kit is available as an addon to new or pending orders for $199, or as a standalone package for $349.

Via CDM comes this link to an Instructables article on creating your own “time-slice” capture rig ala The Matrix. Interesting project.

Vision Research has announced the Phantom v12, a high-speed camera system that can record 1280×800 resolution images at 6,315 frames-per-second, 128×8 images at 1-million fps, and a wide variety of combinations in between. The V12 offers “sub-microsecond shuttering” as fast as 300 nanoseconds, 8-bit or 12-bit options, and records to built-in RAM or optional CineMag memory packs. Read more at visionresearch.com. If you’d like to see some amazing slow motion footage from a previous models of the Phantom, view their Gallery.

The Sony HVR-Z7U and HVR-S270U interchangeable-lens camcorders are two very interesting offerings for 2008. Offering 1080/24p HDV to tape as well as to CompactFlash media via an accessory recorder, they look to be a great way to bridge the gap between the reliability and simplicity of long-format tape production and the convenience of solid state media.

B&H is now accepting pre-orders on the Z7U, listed at $6,299.95. At this time you can also pre-order the S270U, listed at $9,299.95. As with the EX1 release you should note that orders will be filled in the order they are received. And as with the EX1 release, I anticipate an initial shortage of camcorders.

Both record 1080 HDV @ 24p and 30p via three 1/3-inch ClearVid CMOS Exmor imagers with a claimed 1.5 lux rating. Other recording formats include 1080i, DVCAM, and DV. Both downconvert HD to SD via Firewire and can simultaneously record to CF card in either HDV or SD resolutions. Additional output options include HD-SDI/SD-SDI (with embedded audio and TC) on the S270U and uncompressed HDMI output on the Z7U. If you’d like to keep tabs on these two unique camcorders, watch our continuing coverage here.

This article is part of a series of tests FreshDV conducted with the Sony XDCAM PMW-EX1. Thanks to Miami rental house and Sony dealer Midtown Video for providing a XDCAM EX camera. And thanks to DSC Labs for providing test chart patterns. You can read more about ours and others experiences with this camera here.

We are still knee deep in footage and image tests of the Sony XDCAM PMW-EX1 camcorder, so stay tuned here at FreshDV for continuing coverage as we make sense of it all. Today we present a 8-minute video demonstration of the EX1 camera body and external controls layout. I walk through each button and feature on the body of the camera and explain what each function is. For a detailed analysis of the regular camera menus and picture profiles, check out our previous coverage of the EX1. You can download the hi-res Quicktime video manually, subscribe to our audio/video podcast feed, or watch the embedded Flash version below.

 Walkthrough of the PMW-EX1 Body and Controls [8:43m]: Download

In a shocking exposé amusing post over at Gizmodo the author informs readers that J.J. Abrams new film Cloverfield was NOT in fact shot on a garden-variety consumer camcorder. I for one am completely taken aback! I can’t be the only one that was certain that Paramount Studios backed a film with millions in financing knowing full well it would be shot on a camcorder bought at Best Buy…

Ok, enough messing around…while the Sony F23 WAS in fact used for much of the filming, there may actually be some truth to the camcorder rumors. Officially, Cloverfield was sourced with a mix of the F23, Grass Valley’s Viper and a few “handheld and intermediate cameras.” This article in Variety references a “lightweight Panasonic HD HandyCam” (can you say HVX200?) used for 1/8th of the film, and a “3-lb. Canon” used for about a third of the film. So perhaps Best Buy figured in there somewhere. UPDATE: Videography has a feature article on the production process, apparently the HVX was used quite a bit, and the F23 and Viper mainly for VFX shots (of which there were plenty).

“The HVX 200-shot images could look as genuine as everybody hoped, but if they weren’t robust enough to hold up to the heavy digital effects work required in post, all the realism gained would be lost. Oscar-winning character animation expert Phil Tippett’s company would be creating the CGI monster and Double Negative would create significant set extensions and backgrounds. And Banks wanted to give them the purest, cleanest images possible to start with and let them match the look of their completed shots to the lower-end footage after completing the composites. Footage from the Viper or F23, laid down to HDCam SR tape, would ensure the most flexibility possible in post and yield the most believable composites.”

Here is a Sony press release on the subject of the F23. And you can find out a lot more behind the scenes information in this extensive interview with Director Matt Reeves. Here is an interesting excerpt: Continue reading ‘Cloverfield Shot on a cheap Consumer Camera?’

This article is part of a series of tests FreshDV conducted with the Sony XDCAM PMW-EX1. Thanks to Miami rental house and Sony dealer Midtown Video for providing a XDCAM EX camera. And thanks to DSC Labs for providing test chart patterns. You can read more about ours and others experiences with this camera here.

The Sony XDCAM PMW-EX1 is equipped with three half-inch CMOS image sensors, which not only perform well in low light but also deliver surprising depth-of-field. The EX’s Fujinon fully-manual lens can be adjusted down to f/1.9 and sustains that aperture throughout the entire range of the zoom. Bear in mind that shallow DOF is either a blessing or a curse, depending on what you wish to accomplish. For dramatic filmmaking, it can be a very effective tool at drawing focus to specific areas of the frame and de-cluttering backgrounds. Your focus puller may have to work hard, but the results can be brilliant. But for fast action and sports applications shallow DOF can be a curse. This footage from the EX1 shows exactly how shallow that DOF can be. For a very detailed explanation on the mechanics of DOF, watch this tutorial.

 EX1 1/2 inch Sensor DOF Example Footage [1:43m]: Download

Thanks again to both DSC Labs and Midtown Video for making this EX1 test series possible. Stay tuned here or at our EX1 link page for more test results.

This article is part of a series of tests FreshDV conducted with the Sony XDCAM PMW-EX1. Thanks to Miami rental house and Sony dealer Midtown Video for providing a XDCAM EX camera. And thanks to DSC Labs for providing test chart patterns. You can read more about ours and others experiences with this camera here.

After shooting with the XDCAM EX1 for a few days and reviewing gigs of footage, Kendal and I have a lot to talk about. This audio podcast is a discussion about my personal experiences and tests with the Sony XDCAM PMW-EX1 camcorder. We open with a discussion about the evolution of shooters and how they tend to seek upgrades as they evolve in their craft and hit the ceilings and limitations of their gear. We then cover the EX1’s ergonomics and layout, menus and image control, lens and handling, the SxS workflow with FCP, transfer software and metadata, codec and compression (and how it fares against DVCPRO HD in initial comparisons), and finally CMOS sensors and all the good and bad that comes with this variety of imager. You can listen to the discussion via our normal Podcast Feed, or download the MP3 manually below.

 Sony XDCAM EX1 Discussion [1:06:49m]: Download

Thanks again to both DSC Labs and Midtown Video for making this EX1 test series possible. Stay tuned here or at our EX1 link page for more test results.

This article is part of a series of tests FreshDV conducted with the Sony XDCAM PMW-EX1. Thanks to Miami rental house and Sony dealer Midtown Video for providing a XDCAM EX camera. And thanks to DSC Labs for providing test chart patterns. You can read more about ours and others experiences with this camera here.

One of the areas that the new Sony XDCAM PMW-EX1 really excels is in native light sensitivity. Night shooting with the EX is relatively simple, as the camera seems to find illumination and color saturation in even the darkest of scenes. Here are a few examples of night footage shot with the EX1, including a 60p overcranked shot. I have included a half-resolution H.264 version to show the context of the “full scene.” Each H.264 version is paired with a clip excerpt that has been preserved in it’s native XDCAM format. This gives you a short native-format full-resolution clip that you can drop in your editing software of choice and tweak, push, destroy, whatever. The only compression difference between these full-rez excerpts and what came directly off the camera is the addition of a text overlay to document camera settings. I have confirmed this by overlaying them over the source clips with a composite difference mode applied. So here’s a chance to analyze how the XDCAM SP and HQ codec performs at night in both slow and fast motion scenes. Note how the vertical lines in closeups of the overcranked shot seem to distort/lean…we’ll have more on the EX’s vertical skew in a article coming soon.

 720/24/60p Overcranked Night Run Full (Compressed H.264) [0:25m]: Download
 720/24/60p Overcranked Night Run Excerpt (Native XDCAM HQ) [0:08m]: Download
 1080/24p Night Traffic Excerpt (Compressed H.264) [0:40m]: Download
 1080/24p Night Traffic Excerpt (Native XDCAM HQ) [0:10m]: Download
 1080/60i Night Alley Full (Compressed H.264) [0:38m]: Download
 1080/60i Night Alley Excerpt (Native XDCAM SP) [0:10m]: Download

Thanks again to both DSC Labs and Midtown Video for making this EX1 test series possible. Stay tuned here or at our EX1 link page for more test results.

This article is part of a series of tests FreshDV conducted with the Sony XDCAM PMW-EX1. Thanks to Miami rental house and Sony dealer Midtown Video for providing a XDCAM EX camera. And thanks to DSC Labs for providing test chart patterns. You can read more about ours and others experiences with this camera here.

For this color reproduction comparison the XDCAM EX was shot in a studio environment using a DSC Labs ChromaDuMonde chart. The test pattern was evenly lit at 45-degree angles by two soft light sources, aperture on the EX1 was adjusted on each shot to ensure the center gray chips were exposed at 50%. Picture Profile Matrix and Gamma presets were shot individually, and then mixed in typical configurations (Cinema Matrix + Cine1 Gamma, etc). All footage was shot at 1080/24p HQ-mode. Other Picture Profile settings like Black levels and Detail enhancement were at 0 or factory defaults. The following 40MB zip archive contains 16 full-resolution uncompressed TIF frames exported directly from the FCP 6.0.2 timeline.

 Sony EX1 Color Matrix and Gamma Preset Comparison Charts: Download

Thanks again to both DSC Labs and Midtown Video for making this EX1 test series possible. Stay tuned here or at our EX1 link page for more test results.