I did my first SDE last night using just one FX1, linear style. The shots were all carefully selected, but it would've looked much more elegant if I could've faded out and in from black, or did something interesting. Can the FX1 do that? Any tricks I could learn?

Yes, you can set up fades with shot transition, by varying the lens aperature between wide open or exposure to fully closed. You could also do it by hand closing the iris. This presumes you are using manual setting.

Follow up. I was just messing with my FX1, and was going to add something to one of the assign. Low and behold, assigned to button 3 is "Fader" This is available to fade in from Black and out to black. Take a look at those assigned buttons in the manual and you should be able to do a lot of things to fit your needs.

You rock, Chris!

I would suggest you just capture as much video as you can, then do the artistic effects on the PC. That way you have the ability to go back and change the effect(s) any way you want.

I can't count how many times I've done a dissolve from one scene to another, then gone back and changed the dissolve time, then gone back and changed it again until it just feels right.

Richard's right - spend your time getting the exposure, lighting and composure spot on when you shoot, and worry about filtration, slo-mo and after effects in the peace and quiet of your editing studio. That which has been done up front is mighty difficult to undo later.

The one up front filter that's hard to mimic in post is the polarisor.

tom.