I got this email -- anyone have an ideas.

During a shoot in Europe recently for an american producer client i was
shooting with one European Z1 (Z1E) and one US Z1 (Z1U) in 1080 60i.
i was confused at first by the reduced sensitivity of the European Z1
until i discovered that the US Z1 was over a stop less sensitive when
switched to 50i!

At 60i the cam makes 60 readings per seconde, and obviously, evereybody would think that at 50i, the cam is reading only 50 frames but the duration of reading is longer.

If it is not, the camera reads 50i but with an CCD charge time of 60i (so there few milisec. left unused between each frames). that could explain we are loosing the light that touch the CCD during this unused time.

Should there still be a more than a stop less sensitivity ?

Generally the PAL version of every camcorder made is more sensitive than its NTSC counterpart simply because the former has a default shutter speed of 1/50th sec and the latter uses a higher shutter speed of 1/60th sec.

My betting is on the fact that the PAL camera has had its settings tweaked. There are so many ways the AE, the PP and so on can be set up. The designation Z1U and Z1E doesn't mean anyhing except where the units are sold - both cameras are identical as far as I can see.

tom.

Were you comparing footage on a computer/TV or on the LCD screens?