Sony FX1000 Professionals Digital Camcorder

After asking hands on a preproduction model, it seems fair to say that this device offers more features alone. About a half-inch shorter than the FX1, the FX1000 feels exceptionally solid and balanced with a more professional and robust than its predecessor in almost every respect. Any part of the FX1 plastic-y feel hollow or seems to have been hardened, the internal lens cover, which feels less like toys, the handle serrated initial focus ring, insert buttons control, and even the eye-hinge simply said: “professionals”. For a camcorder that technically a “consumer” model, which is quite remarkable.

And while the absence of XLR keep this fixed lens camera full professional status, its street price of $ 3199 is $ 500 less than the FX1 and less than half the price of the pro-HVR-level Z7U (which adds an interchangeable lens has functions similar). This makes the FX1000 an incredible package of video and independent filmmakers looking Broadcast Quality, 24p film-like imagery.

With the introduction of the FX1000 and to end the FX1, Sony also plans to reintroduce its previously abandoned HDR-FX7 significantly reduce its price from $ 3500 to $ 1999. While the exceptional, this effectively the company diversified prosumer line by the positioning of FX7 credible as a bridge between the more consumer-oriented HDR-HC9 and now FX1000 flagship. At the same time, it gives Canon and Panasonic, products comparable in price over price and feature functionality to competition. Outside the XH-A1 of the XLR inputs, the FX1000 offers much more noise for the buck, its new features that give it an advantage over any likely sub-$ 4000 camcorder there.

With only a preproduction model at our disposal, we have not been able to test the quality video output, but we’ll see exactly what all these new features average.
Image quality

In the passage of the FX1 three 1 / 3 “CCD imagers to 1 / 3″ ClearVid CMOS sensors, Sony Exmore including the technology used in their most recent flash memory and pro XDCAM EX cameras. The addition of this sensor on analog / digital conversion to three CMOS chips, each dedicated to his own color red / green / blue-line offers several important advantages. First and foremost are clearer, more detailed images (with a long battery life due to the CMOS chips using less power). But even more important for HD shooters, many of whom still miss the great low-light capabilities of the standard-def labor as the VX2100 and PD170, the FX1000 is the ability to capture images accurately to 1.5 lux. That is twice the capacity of the FX1, Z1U or Panasonic HVX200 (all 3 lux), and even compares favorably to the FX7, EVI, and Canon XH-A1 and GL2 nominal 4 lux. This increased light sensitivity appears most often the result of improved noise reduction offered by Exmore treatment, with what Sony claims to be an increase of 30% in the dynamic range (which relates specifically to the image of dark and light areas).

At the same time, the FX1000 is the first Sony camcorder come with the new G-series 20x zoom, replacing the standard previously Carl Zeiss lenses. These high performance lenses originally made for Minolta / Sony D-SLR cameras professional, provide better optics (aspherical elements, a circular aperture, internal focus, extra-low dispersion glass) and were designed to match the camera sensor and image processor with more precision.

This lens also brings something else to the table: a broader view. Its 35mm equivalent-29.5mm-590mm zoom range, it is easily the biggest goal in the Sony exceeded only by the 28 mm on the new Panasonic AG-HPX170 and AG-HMC150 (but wider than the Canon XH-A1 32.5). This is a real boon to filmmakers need to turn in tight spaces, since it avoids the disadvantages, costs, and reduced image quality that comes with wide-angle converter lenses. Sony also seems to have postponed the digital from its extension FX7, which amplifies the 1.5x zoom with minimal loss of quality.

xvColor technology is the final element of Sony in the bag from the improved imaging. This gives images with a range of colors Wider nearly double that of standard RGB and offers more than natural color reproduction when viewing on an HDTV or monitor xvColor.

Leave a Reply