HI DEFINITION

I am ready to go Hi Def, but am nervous about buying the FX1 right now as I feel there has to be another one coming soon? Any ideas or rumors on this? It may not matter as it will still take forever for the housing makers to keep up, I'm guessing.

So, any replies on anything anybody's heard would be great!!!

Aloha

Bryce

Looking at the history of Sony's 3CCD cameras - I would think that the FX1/Z1 series of cameras will be current for at least another 12 months ( probably more )

Hello Peter

I agree with you, you cannot keep changing. If you have something and it works keep it. I think the FX1 will be like the VX1000, they will keep making them for a few years yet.

There will be products comming out to capture the live firewire uncompressed stream and compress it to a better higher res that 25mbps Mpeg2. Some might even fit in my housing. Cineform AVI at 50mbps would be cool.

Wags

Hello Peter,

In the 21st century technology is no longer a constant; we can anticipate new ideas, new equipment, new software, new firmware, etc. etc., the list just goes on and on. I decided to make the transition to HD now since there is a window of opportunity to become really familiar with the equipment before everybody has a HD monitor to watch the clips on. In a couple of years most homes in North America will have 42" HD LCD displays in their living rooms and SD may be considered in the same vein as black and white when colour TV monitors became available.

As long as the camera manufacturers maintain the same footprint for updated models of their camera, the housing should be able to accomodate them so hopefully it will not be necessary to change the housing every time an updated version of a camera comes out. Eg. Amphibico's VH-2000 housing accomodates the SONY VX-2000, VX-2100 and the PD-150 and PD-170 cameras. The Phenom housing accomodates both the FX1 and Z1 cameras.

It requires a large outlay of cash to keep upgrading to the latest and greatest. However, if you wait until the perfect camera, and the perfect housing, and the perfect lights, and the perfect software, and the perfect hardware are all available at a reasonable price you will still be standing at the start line while everyone else is finishing the race. The footage that I have seen taken with the FX1 is amazing, and I anticipate equally stunning results with the Z1. Take the plunge, the water is fine once you get in.

Good one David,

I love the straight to the point answers. I'm nearly ready to part with my hard earned... Just need a 0% interest free offer on the A1E and I'm away.

Oh yeah !! There are two companies I've heard of in the U.K who do this option.... Yee Haa !! Lets go shop !!!!

Dive safe

DeanB

I figured these would be the responses - but had to ask anyway. Good to know that no one has first hand heard rumors of new models. Time to put my PD170 on the shelf.

One more question - am I wrong in assuming that the only major difference with the FX1 and FZ1 are the sound/mic differences????

Thanks again for the replies!

Aloha

Hello Bryce,

I think that there are about 40 differences between the two cameras. There is a detailed comparison chart available here: http://hdvinfo.net/articles/sonyhdrfx1/compare.php.

David