opinion please - v1 vs z5

Anthony Nalli · November 15th, 2009, 10:43 AM

I'll admit that the Z5 is superior to the V1 but just because those images show such a dramatic difference AT THE SAME SETTINGS isn't that a little unfair to the V1? After all, it's not that the V1 couldn't produce images exposed similarly to the Z5 images shown. It would only require a change in the exposure settings.

I understand that the point is to illustrate that the Z5 is better, but the response to the image comparison almost suggests the V1 simply can't do the job.

Jeff Harper · November 15th, 2009, 01:03 PM

The V1 has 1/4" chips that cannot collect the information possible with the Z5. It is not physically possible. There is nothing to be done that can make an inferior piece of equipment do the same job as a better piece.

It is like saying a 5lb hammer will do the same thing as a 10lb hammer, you just have to hit it harder.

People often buy 1/4" chipped cameras thinking they are "as good" as the bigger cameras if you just "work it right". If that were true, there would be no need for broadcast cameras...you could just by a cheap consumer camera and change the settings...sorry, it doesn't work that way.

If the 1/4" chipped camera works for you that is great. If and when you need a more expensive camera you will know when that time is.

Ed Quinto · November 15th, 2009, 01:36 PM

For the examples, if you have time to light, all I would have to do is up the lamp wattage. For weddings and some run and gun situations, well... The V1 is great outdoors, bad in low light.

For me:

V1 small & compact, infinite spinning focus ring, poor lcd, longest zoom, tape.
Z5 good low light, infinite spinning focus ring, have to buy MRC1.
Z7 good low light, proper lens, MRC1 included, much shorter zoom than V1/Z5.

Top features I look for in cameras:

Low Light
Tapeless
Proper Lens
Codec
Ergonomics

I think 1/4 vs 1/3 is moot, they are both not ideal. I would like to see V1 footage recorded on the Nano Flash, just for sh*ts and giggles.

Mike Beckett · November 16th, 2009, 04:51 AM

So a camera 2 or 3 years newer than the V1 and costing £1000 more (£2000 if you add solid state recording) gives a better picture!

Bears go in the woods!
Pope still a Catholic!

Thinking back, affordable tapeless recording was a pipe dream when the V1 came out. The world has moved on, certainly. Read Nigel Cooper's dvuser.co.uk review of the V1 from 2006, and then wonder if he'd give it such a glowing review today.

Speaking as a happy (non-commercial) V1 user, I or anyone else would probably be bonkers to buy one today. If I was doing this professionally, I'd drop the V1 like a hot potato and upgrade today, to either the Z5 or EX-1.

Leslie Wand · November 18th, 2009, 05:28 AM

back again.....

quick question. will my sony kit wide angle (.8) HG0862K work on the z5?

tia

leslie

Jeff Harper · November 18th, 2009, 08:21 AM

Look up the specs for your old camera, look at the lens size, and then get the lens size of the Z5 lens and you'll know.

Tom Hardwick · November 18th, 2009, 08:54 AM

Leslie - 0862 means it's a 0.8x with a 62 mm thread, geddit? So no, it won't sit happily on the Z5's 72 mm filter thread.

Tom Hardwick · November 18th, 2009, 09:09 AM

Perhaps we should skip talking Z5 and move to the new Z5-R
http://www.sony.co.uk/biz/view/ShowC...veContext=true

AVCHD and SD in MPEG2. No tape deck.

Alex Khachatryan · November 18th, 2009, 12:24 PM

This link doesn't work

Andy Wilkinson · November 18th, 2009, 12:46 PM

Try this one for starters - other info /links currently in the DV Industry News section

Sony : Sony?s NXCAM: First look : United Kingdom

Jeff Harper · November 18th, 2009, 01:00 PM

From what I've read it looks nice.

Alex Khachatryan · November 18th, 2009, 01:05 PM

NXCAM is going to become a different subject of conversations. But what about Z5-R, what is it?

Mike Beckett · November 18th, 2009, 03:03 PM

Regarding the WA lens, the Sonys are also bayonet mount, further reducing the likelihood of ever making it fit successfully.

For a cheaper alternative, why not try a Red Eye? The barrel distortion is no worse than a Sony, it comes at 0.7x, it slips under the Sony lens hood without vignetting, and it's half the price. (Based on my V1 experience, not the Z5, I should point out).

For something I don't use a lot, except in tight spots, £200 (and fitting in a pocket) is a lot better than £400 (and needing its own truck to carry it).

Leslie Wand · November 18th, 2009, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom Hardwick

Leslie - 0862 means it's a 0.8x with a 62 mm thread, geddit? So no, it won't sit happily on the Z5's 72 mm filter thread.

hi tom,

actually the sony kit wa i have is a bayonet fitting, the same as that for the z5.

my question is if i use my .8 will it be zoom through as it is on the v1?

thanks

Tom Hardwick · November 19th, 2009, 01:44 AM

Alex - I only Christened the NXCAM the Z5-R because Sony's upgrade of the EX1 is called the EX1-R and because this NXCAM is effectively the Z5's replacement.

I'm with Mike - Sony's bayonet-on, mild (0.8x) wide-angle zoom-throughs are huge when they have their hoods fitted, and a single element adapter like the Red-Eye is the way I go, meaning I can easily carry it on my person.

Yes Leslie - if it's zoom-thru on a V1 then it'll be zoom-thru on anything else it fronts.

tom.

November 15th, 2009, 01:03 PM	#32
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	The V1 has 1/4" chips that cannot collect the information possible with the Z5. It is not physically possible. There is nothing to be done that can make an inferior piece of equipment do the same job as a better piece. It is like saying a 5lb hammer will do the same thing as a 10lb hammer, you just have to hit it harder. People often buy 1/4" chipped cameras thinking they are "as good" as the bigger cameras if you just "work it right". If that were true, there would be no need for broadcast cameras...you could just by a cheap consumer camera and change the settings...sorry, it doesn't work that way. If the 1/4" chipped camera works for you that is great. If and when you need a more expensive camera you will know when that time is. Last edited by Jeff Harper; November 15th, 2009 at 02:56 PM.

November 16th, 2009, 04:51 AM	#34
Mike Beckett Trustee Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Antrim, Northern Ireland Posts: 1,569	So a camera 2 or 3 years newer than the V1 and costing £1000 more (£2000 if you add solid state recording) gives a better picture! Bears go in the woods! Pope still a Catholic! Thinking back, affordable tapeless recording was a pipe dream when the V1 came out. The world has moved on, certainly. Read Nigel Cooper's dvuser.co.uk review of the V1 from 2006, and then wonder if he'd give it such a glowing review today. Speaking as a happy (non-commercial) V1 user, I or anyone else would probably be bonkers to buy one today. If I was doing this professionally, I'd drop the V1 like a hot potato and upgrade today, to either the Z5 or EX-1. __________________ Irish Railway Videos on Youtube

November 18th, 2009, 12:46 PM	#40
Andy Wilkinson Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Cambridge UK Posts: 2,853	Try this one for starters - other info /links currently in the DV Industry News section Sony : Sony?s NXCAM: First look : United Kingdom __________________ Andy K Wilkinson - https://www.shootingimage.co.uk Cambridge (UK) Corporate Video Production

November 18th, 2009, 03:03 PM	#43
Mike Beckett Trustee Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Antrim, Northern Ireland Posts: 1,569	Regarding the WA lens, the Sonys are also bayonet mount, further reducing the likelihood of ever making it fit successfully. For a cheaper alternative, why not try a Red Eye? The barrel distortion is no worse than a Sony, it comes at 0.7x, it slips under the Sony lens hood without vignetting, and it's half the price. (Based on my V1 experience, not the Z5, I should point out). For something I don't use a lot, except in tight spots, £200 (and fitting in a pocket) is a lot better than £400 (and needing its own truck to carry it). __________________ Irish Railway Videos on Youtube

November 15th, 2009, 10:43 AM	#31
Anthony Nalli Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 53	I'll admit that the Z5 is superior to the V1 but just because those images show such a dramatic difference AT THE SAME SETTINGS isn't that a little unfair to the V1? After all, it's not that the V1 couldn't produce images exposed similarly to the Z5 images shown. It would only require a change in the exposure settings. I understand that the point is to illustrate that the Z5 is better, but the response to the image comparison almost suggests the V1 simply can't do the job.

November 15th, 2009, 01:36 PM	#33
Ed Quinto Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Honolulu, Hawaii Posts: 44	For the examples, if you have time to light, all I would have to do is up the lamp wattage. For weddings and some run and gun situations, well... The V1 is great outdoors, bad in low light. For me: V1 small & compact, infinite spinning focus ring, poor lcd, longest zoom, tape. Z5 good low light, infinite spinning focus ring, have to buy MRC1. Z7 good low light, proper lens, MRC1 included, much shorter zoom than V1/Z5. Top features I look for in cameras: Low Light Tapeless Proper Lens Codec Ergonomics I think 1/4 vs 1/3 is moot, they are both not ideal. I would like to see V1 footage recorded on the Nano Flash, just for sh*ts and giggles.

November 18th, 2009, 05:28 AM	#35
Leslie Wand Trustee Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: upper hunter, australia Posts: 1,410	back again..... quick question. will my sony kit wide angle (.8) HG0862K work on the z5? tia leslie

November 18th, 2009, 08:21 AM	#36
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	Look up the specs for your old camera, look at the lens size, and then get the lens size of the Z5 lens and you'll know.

November 18th, 2009, 08:54 AM	#37
Tom Hardwick Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Billericay, England UK Posts: 4,711	Leslie - 0862 means it's a 0.8x with a 62 mm thread, geddit? So no, it won't sit happily on the Z5's 72 mm filter thread.

November 18th, 2009, 09:09 AM	#38
Tom Hardwick Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Billericay, England UK Posts: 4,711	Perhaps we should skip talking Z5 and move to the new Z5-R http://www.sony.co.uk/biz/view/ShowC...veContext=true AVCHD and SD in MPEG2. No tape deck.

November 18th, 2009, 12:24 PM	#39
Alex Khachatryan Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 134	This link doesn't work

November 18th, 2009, 01:00 PM	#41
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	From what I've read it looks nice.

November 18th, 2009, 01:05 PM	#42
Alex Khachatryan Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 134	NXCAM is going to become a different subject of conversations. But what about Z5-R, what is it?

November 19th, 2009, 01:44 AM	#45
Tom Hardwick Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Billericay, England UK Posts: 4,711	Alex - I only Christened the NXCAM the Z5-R because Sony's upgrade of the EX1 is called the EX1-R and because this NXCAM is effectively the Z5's replacement. I'm with Mike - Sony's bayonet-on, mild (0.8x) wide-angle zoom-throughs are huge when they have their hoods fitted, and a single element adapter like the Red-Eye is the way I go, meaning I can easily carry it on my person. Yes Leslie - if it's zoom-thru on a V1 then it'll be zoom-thru on anything else it fronts. tom.