Sony HDR-FX7 / HVR-V1

Ok Drew I need to you to delve into your vaults of knowledge and expand on that a bit please!

 

I've been wondering recently with HDV if it really matters whether you film in NTSC or PAL (talking 1080i here, but just as valid for 1080p I guess). Isn't it exactly the same resolution with the only difference being 25fps vs 30fps? Can NTSC be captured, edited and outputted as HDV PAL without any major concerns? Try not to overwhelm me with techobabble!!

Since I am technically on holiday I'll give the concise version. HDV 50/60i is 4:2:0 1440x1080. The problem (minus chroma concerns) is adding or subtracting frames for motion. NTSC is 29.97fps and PAL 25fps. So from NTSC to PAL you get choppier motion, and PAL to NTSC you get 4.97 more interpolated frames.

Will you notice either? In high speed action, 25p will have more stuttery motion. 29.97p will have a slightly smoother motion. When you watch your american programs on the tele, they are usually 24fps film upped to 50i. SPorts usually is 59.94 brought down to 50i for PAL land. Can you tell the difference?

And why we are even talking about this is the HVR-V1E/P had problems with 25P but now apparently have been solved with a firmware update. Still some have complained about the issue still being there and the fix having brought other problems. I can't confirm this as I haven't seen the actual clips. I did see the clips with the problems and it was rather bad.

It appears that AquaVideo are not that keen to sell their housings After two weeks and two emails Mike has not replied to my very basic questions.

 

Shame that the Amphibico FX7 housing is delayed until June. We have booked a liveaboard to the Ras Mohammad area for a week towards the end of June, to film the pelagic shoals and to try and get some fish spawning shots. It will be a close run thing, especially as I will probably have to wait for the housing to be shipped to the UK Distibutor

 

Maybe Gates will come up trumps.

 

Roger

Hopefully Gates holds their estimate of April/May. Wonder why Amphibico is delayed to June ? And I still think L&M is making a mistake skipping the FX7/V1. I think someone mentioned lens issues, but I hope that is not the reason. I'll take a flat port, shoot standard and marco stuff while they iron out the W/A issues.

Here some more updated info on the Amphibico Endeavor for the FX7/V1.

Prices are not final....but will be around...

Endeavor Pro : $6500 US comes with the Phenom 94 degree port.

Endeavor: $4495 US comes with the Flat Port.

Should be available by June.

Or:

Pro £3500...+Costs nearly £3800-3900

Basic £2300..+Costs around £2600-2700

As a guess by other cam standards...

Roll on June...

Dive safe

DeanB

Hey Guys! Amphibico have an actual picture of housing on website along with price!

http://www.amphibico.com/amphibico/product...mp;pdid=1000189

I've opted for the FX1 due to better low light levels etc... Hope i've made the right choice!

Well what surprises me is the drop in weight 6kg less than the Z1. That's pretty significant at 30% less even though the camera is only 15% smaller. Look forward to seeing it soon.

There should be no vignetting on full wide with the Phenom Port on as well as the camera's have a smaller FOV than the FX1/Z1.

Who will be the first to get one wet???

Nice looking housing but really, thats a hell of alot of money... especially with just a standard port.

Have to wait for the other manufacturers to come good.

Oh well another disapointment...

Dive safe

DeanB

Hi Dean,

The link goes to the Canadian suggest retail price,, the US is $4495US makes more sense now>>

Nice looking housing but really, thats a hell of alot of money... especially with just a standard port.

 

Have to wait for the other manufacturers to come good.

 

Oh well another disapointment...

 

Dive safe

 

DeanB

Does anyone have experience with Aquavideo housings? They appear to have improved from the one I used years ago. I have the Sony V1U and they are the only ones with a housing in production.

By the way- the camera seems to perform well in low light.

I have been using L&M housings but they informed me they will not be altering the odl housings. Gates has a housing coming in June and Amphibico wiil alos but theye are Huge.

thanks

I just spoke with Mike at length about this housing. It has the controls and the price is half what an aluminum housing costs. He is the only manufacture shipping right now. Im a little concerned about the quality of the port.

D

I used an Aquavideo housing for my FX1, way before any aluminum housings were available. It was ordered with the Sony Hi Grade Wide Angle Lens, glass dome port, 6" or 7" widescreen monitor mounted inside the rear port, and many controls that are not available on current aluminum housings. Mike can add any mechanical control for the camera that you want. The optics on the housing were very sharp, but did not have full zoom through with the Sony WA lens. The controls are very awkward at first, but you get used to them. I much prefer electronic controls which are not available on Aquavideo. The housing in PVC plastic with acrylic ports, which is very buoyant, so there is a large counter weight at the bottom. I would prefer multiple weights distributed evenly around the housing to give it better balance and trim. Overall, it is a good housing for the money, especially if you can't wait for the aluminum housings. I shot excellent video with mine, and even traveled to the Galapagos with it. It had a few features that I wish my Bluefin HD had, but they both do what the're supposed to do, shoot video. I give it a thumbs up!

Dan

Forgot to mention this. I ran into Mike at the Florida Dive Show back in December, and he had the FX7 housing on display. It looked pretty good, with many controls all over it, and a nice new monitor (not sure of the resolution). That is probably the same housing as for V1. As I said, he can add any mechanical control you want. He also had a 250 watt Halogen light that was insane. People were running from it, and I'm sure you could cook a steak with it. Too bright for me.

Dan

Here is a much better review on the Sony HVR-V1

Sorry duplicated!

Hi All,

For those interested in the low light performance of the FX7 use the link below for a very low light shot.

This is a grabbed frame using PP2 from a sequence I took at night from the Treetops lodge. There is artificial lighting BUT it is kept at the level of moonlight so as not to spook the animals coming to the waterhole. The elephant is obviously dark, against a mud background. I am filming from approx 100 feet away. It looks better on the video on my Bravia.

The camera was on manual, full gain with the aperture wide open! It produced the same settings on auto.

I have made no adjustments with the frame apart from converting it to a 50% performance jpg file. You might need to adjust the pixel ratio, I haven't mastered that on posting yet Photoshop does it automatically

I appreciate that it is pretty grainy, but I didn't feel this was too bad considering the very low light conditions.

Roger

Hi Roger,

Looks o.k to me considering it was dark(ish)...Must have been a fantastic trip.

Although this looks like my A1 on a bright day (one for all you A1 lovers out there)...

Dive safe

DeanB

Hi All,

I see that Amphibico have updated there website for the Endeavour housing, they are now offering 6 version!!!

It took me a while to sort out the product codes, but esentially they are offering the camera with either the HD monitor or the SD monitor and then 3 versions of each with either the 94 degree port or the standard dome or the standard flat port.

Needless to say there is an appropriate price range.

With all ports offering 100% zoom through, and presumably the ability to swap the red filter for a dioptre and add the filter to the camera, it is getting hard to know if it is to be Gates or Amphibico

Roger

Can't believe they haven't got a viewfinder back version with the on top monitor. If they would have gone for that with the 94 lens I'd have stumped up the cash asap.

Beggers belief with this sort of housing and pricing you don't have the choice

Oh well...

Dive safe

DeanB

Under a deadline for a trip I ordered an Aquavideo housing. Agreed about the bouyancy! I ended up using 20 # of small dive weights within the housing and on the bottom which gave a very balanced feel and sl. negative. The only downside wsA it takes a lot of esertion on the wrist to shoot up.

The controls were easy to figure out but the w/Z sticks as does the on off. I like the internal use of the monitor on the camera although this will shorten battery life.

Un fortunately I did not recieve my strobe kit so I cant comment. The housing did fog up, even with dessicant insode and I fear there may be a small intrusion through one of the mechanical controls. The camera is working great above water and the low light fears I expressed earlier apppear not to be a problem.