Purchasing FX1 - Few questions first

[Ed Szarleta]

1. The feature that let's you zoom in to focus better only is usuable when not recording? Is this true? Does the Z1 fix this issue?

2. How's the VF and LCD...Is a monitor a MUST on location?. I always have one for my SD shoots, but the HD monitor I would use (14in Sony) is pretty heavy (40lbs) and would rather leave it hooked up to my NLE.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Zack Birlew]

Well, from what I hear, some sort of monitoring needs to be done for ideal results when shooting HD. The LCD is just a high resolution SD LCD-type, not HD. The viewfinder is about the same I believe. But 40lbs shouldn't be too much, then again I don't know if you work out or anything to where 40lbs is nothing big. I don't know about the zoom stuff, I've only played with the camera frequently, I don't own one. I'd imagine the Z1 would have a lot of new zoom features though and, sorry to be so cliche and unhelpful, but there are a few boards with Z1 vs FX1 specs and stuff, maybe you'll find your answer there.

[Barry Green]

The FX1 has the most wonderful LCD of any camera on the market, and the enhanced focus zoom-in function is simply marvelous and a "must" for all manufacturers to include in all their new cameras.

As for "is it good enough"... well, it's still only a 250k-pixel LCD, and you're talking about a 2-million-pixel image, so no, even with the enhanced focus function, it's still not giving you a true 1:1 image. But it's pretty darn good. You will always be better off with a genuine HD monitor on hand, but it's certainly less necessary with the FX1 than it was with the HD1.

As for the expanded focus thing only working when not recording, that is true for the FX1, don't know if it'll still be that way on the Z1.

[Ed Szarleta]

Thanks Guys!!!