Sony intros HD1000U semi-pro HDV camera
updated 09:25 am EDT, Thu August 23, 2007
Sony HD1000U
Sony on Thursday aimed to please new professionals or even dedicated amateurs investigating its B2B camera line with its new HVR-HD1000U camera. The shoulder-carried unit shoots in both HDV and traditional DV, netting up to an hour of full HD footage on a standard tape. It can also shoot 6.1-megapixel photos in still mode or 4.6 megapixels while capturing video; a special slow-motion mode automatically quadruples the frame rate in exchange for a lower resolution. To help in capturing any scene, Sony says it has repositioned the preview LCD to allow a quick glance without moving away from the electronic viewfinder.
The video camera runs on batteries for up to 10 hours, relies on a 10X zoom lens with image stabilization, and captures in light as low as 0 lux through an IR emitter. Outputs for a computer connection over FireWire and USB as well as HDMI previews are also present on the HD1000U, which ships in December and will compete with many consumer-level HD cameras at a price under $1,900.
10x
08/23, 09:57am reply
Killed it for me. 20X minimum for me.
frisby
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Oct 2006
Zoom obsession
08/23, 10:55am reply
Looks like Sony's trying to attract the devoted followers of the legendary VX-1000. Features and shape seem to grow from the old favourite.
As for the 10x zoom, I was once obsessed with "longer is better" opinion. I must say, though, in twenty years of videography (and some 500 hours of resulting video), I cannot remember when I had pushed my zoom beyond first quarter of its range, and my most recent weapon of choice has 22x zoom (I started out with 10x).
The only time was once, shooting a family outing, in the Bronx zoo, trying to frame two lions lying in the shate some 500' away from our vantage point. You would really need an extremely steady hand for such a long shot, even with all the optical, mechanical and electronic image stabilisation.
If you shoot anything other than wildlife documentaries, 10x zoom is plenty.
vasic
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: May 2005
Vasic is right on
08/23, 03:21pm reply
A voice of experience. It's not the size of your zoom, it's how you use it.
And wasn't it Freud who said, "Sometimes a zoom is just a zoom."
Monde
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jan 2004