New Sony HVR-Z7U

CJ Henke III · February 6, 2008

Has anyone touched the z7u yet or had a chance to give it an assessment? I was at DuArt and I was able to see some test footage that they captured in Times Square. I must say it looked amazing and handled Vivid colors (especially red) perfectly. I was also told by a DuArt staff member that it records in the XDCAM format. Who has had a chance to look at it?

I am looking to purchase a new digital camcorder and this is the one I have been interested in for some time. April will be the judge after the other manufacturers release their new equipment at the expo in vegas.

Links:

Sony News About z7u

B&H Photo Price

Sandy Thomson · February 20, 2008

Looks interesting to me as well. I've been shooting with an FX1 for about 3 years. Nice feature to be able to choose Mini DV tape or card. At least I think that option is possible.

If you're shopping be careful of the Expecam price of 4999. It looks like you get nothing with it, not even a battery.

I shoot mainly S-16 but the HDV seems to mix well with it.

With larger sensors and the lens option this camera ought to be able to deliver even better quality than the FX1.

Sandy Thomson

Scott Bullock · April 6, 2008

I've been looking at this camera also. It looks very interesting. For my needs I think it would actually be more practical than the EX1. Call me crazy, but that's my opinion.

What I don't understand is whether this camera is a 1080P camera or a 1080i camera. I found the following description on the Abel Cine Tech site:

"The HVR-Z7U is Sony's latest miniDV camcorder to offer 1080i HD recording. It adds the flexibility of an interchangeable lens system, native progressive recording and solid-state memory recording functionality. This groundbreaking camcorder also features 1080/24p/30p HDV native progressive recording modes, and HDMI output."

How does the camera offer native progressive recording if it is a 1080i camera?

I was reading a Sony brochure about the camera and it made reference to '1080P capture -- 1080P editing -- 1080P delivery'.

The brochure also mentioned that the camera would do 'native 24P' and also '24P scan mode' (2:3 pull down).

Finally, if it really does capture 1080P, what software and codecs are being offered that will edit HDV 1080P? Final Cut Studio 2?

Any insight into these issues that anyone is willing to provide is greatly appreciated. Also, I'd love to hear from anyone who has used the camera.

Geoffrey Warnock · August 14, 2008

I totally agree I am having a lot of trouble finding out about whether this camera actually shoots in 1080p and how to actually edit this? What the heck is the vibe, the is so much ambiguous information out there.

Harry Christensen · August 14, 2008

I totally agree I am having a lot of trouble finding out about whether this camera actually shoots in 1080p and how to actually edit this? What the heck is the vibe, the is so much ambiguous information out there.

Sony's info from their web site says that it can shoot progressive 1080. HDV standard does not have progressive 1080 so I would suspect that it does the progressive with software, i.e. pulldown removal. The M35 deck is needed to play back the tapes generated by this camera, or the camera itself. I am leaning very strongly to purchasing it. Final Cut ver 6.04 does have easy setups for this camera, so I think all the tools are in place. This could be the one for doc work.

Scott Bullock · August 14, 2008

I bought the Sony Z7 and I LOVE it. It's great in low light and has a ton of features. It does shoot native 30p and 24p as well as 1080 60i. I've been shooting 1080i stuff since I'm editing with Final Cut Express, but the latest version of Final Cut Pro has all the tools necessary to edit the progressive stuff. The sensors in the camera are native progressive, so it can and does shoot real 24p and 30p. It can also achieve 24p using a pull-down technique as well. There are two different 24p modes. I'm still experimenting around with the camera but so far I'm really impressed.

Harry Christensen · August 15, 2008

I bought the Sony Z7 and I LOVE it. It's great in low light and has a ton of features. It does shoot native 30p and 24p as well as 1080 60i. I've been shooting 1080i stuff since I'm editing with Final Cut Express, but the latest version of Final Cut Pro has all the tools necessary to edit the progressive stuff. The sensors in the camera are native progressive, so it can and does shoot real 24p and 30p. It can also achieve 24p using a pull-down technique as well. There are two different 24p modes. I'm still experimenting around with the camera but so far I'm really impressed.

Thanks for the info Scott. I like the idea of saving to two destinations. CF for ease of workflow into FCP and the tape for a reliable backup. I have seen lots of problems with the P2 system (mostly from user error I might add), so a dual system like the Z7 protects the lazy and sloppy, or the just plain unlucky. I'm sure one could lose footage with the Z7, but I would think you would have to work at it.

Scott Bullock · August 17, 2008

I like the idea of saving to two destinations. CF for ease of workflow into FCP and the tape for a reliable backup.

I like that aspect of the camera as well. I like having tape as well as the CF cards. It's somewhat funny because even though I like having tape, thus far everything I've shot with the camera has been onto a CF card. I've recorded quite a bit of just experimental, horsing-around footage to test the camera's features and haven't run an inch of tape across the heads yet. The recording unit for the card detaches from the back of the camera, attaches to a base that is powered by the same model of battery that the camera uses, and then connects to a computer via firewire. In that respect, one can shoot, capture to a laptop, and edit using DC power only; truly, a great method for the documentary filmmaker or ENG videographer working out in the field. You can also record in one mode to tape and in another to the CF card simultaneously, SD to the CF card and HDV to tape, for example.

There are tons of things I like about this camera and very few that I don't, but I don't like that it shoots slow motion at a lower resolution, even lower than 1280 x 720. So, if slow motion is your thing, some may be disappointed with how this camera handles it. Personally, if I were shooting slow motion with this camera, I would shoot 1080i, which it does, and slow it down in post.

There's supposed to be another lens coming out for the camera (or it may have come out already, I haven't checked lately) that is a shorter focal length zoom. The 35mm equivalent on the lens it comes with is only about 32mm, which isn't terrible but isn't great either. The other lens has roughly a 24mm (35mm equivalent) focal length at its short end; not bad but not amazing. I'd like to see something in the (again, 35mm equivalent) 18 - 20mm range. I might look to purchase the new zoom lens one of these days but it's very expensive; somewhere in the $1,500 - $2,500 range, I think. Therefore, the lens situation is a toss-up: on the one hand, I like that Sony developed an interchangeable lens system for this camera and the EX3, but on the other hand, the lenses are expensive and short focal lengths are almost non-existent, and I haven't found a good wide-angle adapter solution either. Then again, the camera's 1/3" bayonet mount can be adapted for use with any of Sony's lenses in their digital SLR line of cameras, so, while it does not solve the short focal length situation, it certainly opens up a lot of possibilities for those videographers looking for decreased depth of field and added punch at the longer focal lengths.