SONY HVR-Z7 Official Thread

I hear ewa-marine will be making a ziplock bag for the Z7....

No confirmation uncle Drew but i was told they are seriously looking at it...the only obvious downside was lack of lanc for Amphibico but 'maybe' with the remote prospect on the lens it could sway it..I mean the cams flying off the shelf...while i was in the shop someone came in and ordered 10 units(greedy sod)..Or did you mean the Z7....well for me its a topside cam...if they do...fantastic its a bonus.

Mikey, thanks sweetie...what have i said now...

Dive safe

DeanB

As a topside camera, the Z7 is a good camera. Canon of course is due to upgrade the XLH1 and that has access to EOS lenses. I hope someone will make an adapter for the Sony to use EOS lenses. Zörk already has an adapter for Nikon and Contax lenses. This is a very interesting camera.

Underwater, it remains to be seen if major housing manufacturers will build for it. They'd have to get a dome built for it instead of wide converters. Then they'd have to choose which lenses to accomodate and how.

Oh yes !!!! come to poppa....

Dive safe

DeanB

pretty sexy mate!!!

Didn't think you wanted to go HDV???

J

pretty sexy mate!!!

 

Didn't think you wanted to go HDV???

 

J

Hi Jonny,

At first no...but the EX1 had limitations for topside shooting...and i think i'll hold off as it (like the Z1 of its time) is the first model off the conveyor-belt... wait for the EX2 interchangable lenses etc..etc...

The pic quality of the Z7 was superb and it has lots of potential..when your coming from an A1 this camera rocks !!!

Dive safe

DeanB

Dear Dean

Thank you for your inquiry. Unfortunately, we are not planning a

housing for that particular camera. For 2008, Gates plans housings for

the Sony EX1, the RED camera and the Sony HC9.

Pamela Mazey Mertz

Director Of Sales

Gates Underwater Products, Inc.

One down....

Dive safe

DeanB

you can always ask Mark if you can carry his RED for him..

Ha,ha...Already have...He's very cagey...

Sealux are looking into the Z7 as soon as they get hold of one...

Dive safe

DeanB

Dean what lenses are you looking at for topside work?

I haven't looked into this in detail but does the camcorder zoom work independent from the lens provided (can't see how) or is that just what's quoted for the particular lens that it is shipped with?

What I mean is I think it ships with a lens quoting x12 zoom? Well even if you put something like a 400mm telephoto onto the cam that would only be approx x20 zoom equiv (which you get on the V1 for example). Unless you get 400mm telephoto PLUS the x12 zoom.......? Now that would be major orgasmic.....

Make sense?

Cheers, Simon

Simon

The Z7 is 1/3" sensor. You get approximately 7x crop factor with a standard 35mm lens. So if you slap a 600mm lens on... you get 4200mm equivalent.

As for housings, lanc with a big enough dome port will suffice. Gates won't make one because they already have the Canon XLH1. I'm not sure about the sales of that one but if they are not supporting the Z7, I'd assume it's not selling that well.

It comes with a Zeiss 12x which you can completely take off and put an independent adapter on... e.g the Sony Alpha series adapter will increase the focal length x7 so stick a 300mm on that and 2100mm is the sweetness...o.k you will lose the wide but hey.. theres the eyeball of that buzzard soaring in the next county !!!...you can also get the 1.3, 1.7 adapters..Nikon, Canon, Zeiss, blah de blah...

I think Sony are bringing out a wide / zoom in May-june 24mm to 200mm (35mm eqiv ) correct me if i'm wrong....

Dive safe

DeanB

Ahhh the penny drops. I was comparing the zoom side by side with a dSLR with a 400mm telephoto lens and a camcorder with x20 zoom. I wasn't taking into account the cropping.

Don't you normally get some problems with telephoto lenses towards the end of their zoom? Then again if you've got 4200mm or hell even 2100mm range you'll probably not have to zoom much!

Nice choice Dean, I can see why you're so hyped with it!

Cheers, Simon

Cheers simon...and Drew...

Yes it looks good at the mo..I was always interested in the Canons from the start but alas they always seemed to expensive and i prefere the picture quality of the Sony's, a personal thing, so i wished upon a star for a sony that had interchangeable lenses and the cam fairy did listen...

Sony EX2...2-3k resolution, inter lenses...hmmm come on you fairy give it to me....(add jokes here)

The Z7 is just starting to make a stir with a few shooters (although mainly topside) who are switching from the EX1 so we will see...but although it will be disappointing having no housing it will be a financial god send as the new lenses are going to bankrupt me let alone a bloody housing..but if needs must...

Dive safe

DeanB

Hey all,

Looks like the Z7 is f-f-f-f-f-flying off the shelves....according to the Videoforum show press report...Overtaking orders for the EX1 soon...

Talking about lenses...Check this Mutha out !!!

Apparently it was getting up to 9700mm with adapters but kept wobbling when cars went past 500+yards away..

Deano... thats a Canon though isn't it.

You wouldn't have to leave your house with a lens like that would you... it's like a bloody telescope on the end!

Hi Jonny...

I was amazed ... what a set up... i'll try to get the Z7 looking this bad ass...

Dive safe

DeanB

Dean decided to go with 25mbps HDV?

If you want a zoom lens get one of theses.

$40,000 500x 2 = 1000 zoom

Hate to be the wet blanket but have you confirmed that the housing manufacturers WILL make a housing for this camera?

Hey guys, I've notice throughout this thread that you’re all comparing the EX1 and the new Z7. Though similar in size and appearance, that's the only real similarities, the two have in common. The two cameras were designed and developed by two different departments at Sony. The EX1 is produced by the XDCAM department and is intended as a secondary small profile camera to compliment their full sized F335 and F355 tape less acquisition camcorders designed for broadcast ENG use. It represents the low end of the XDCAM family.

On the other hand; the Z7 and the larger S27 are the high end of the HVR, HDV based family of camcorders. So, the EX1 and Z7 were never intended to be used, or compared side by side. Unfortunately the only choices available for us underwater content producer for many years was a prosumer Handycam or $100, 000.00 beast.

In the next few months were going to have a plethora of choices we’ve never had before and the only question is going to be, how much quality can you afford? I’ve seen the images the EX1 can produce and they’re stunning. I’m sure we’ll all be impressed by the Z7 too. But, as with the CCD size is everything. So, If you’re shooting primarily for broadcast, I’d suggest sticking with the EX1. If you’re looking for a cost effective way to shoot HD footage and produce non-broadcast DVD, etc. I think the HVR model will best suit for your needs.

And BTW Gates and Amphibico are both working on a housing for the EX1

They're saying recording to and capturing from the compact flash card is really reliable.

Would be nice to see some housings for this camera. Although it's the same old story with most of us. If we're going to spend that much money, we'd like to shoot a format that at least has a chance of making it to the big networks.