Has anyone done the world cam upgrade?

[Derek Woods]

This looks INCREDIBLE for 300.00.


Sony | Micro Site - HDV

[Mike Paterson]

It should be included as standard - its omission makes it a step backwards from the Z1.

[Ngo Vinh-Hoi]

I spoke to a Sony rep once about a year ago and he implied that the omission of PAL functionality was because they were afraid that gray imports would flood the U.S. market. I guess they're O.K. with converting the cameras now that the market for them has matured in the U.S. Note that eligible cameras have to be purchased directly from Sony or an authorized reseller, so they're still trying to protect U.S. sales.

Yrs,

Hoi

[Zach Love]

Originally Posted by Mike Paterson

It should be included as standard - its omission makes it a step backwards from the Z1.

Honestly how many people that own a Z1 have used both NTSC & PAL? It does seem like a nice feature lost, but I think it was a feature that isn't a deal breaker for most Z7 users.

If I saved $300 by not having PAL on my Z7, I'm happy to have that extra $300. If I need to shoot something in PAL, then the extra $300 will probably pay off in ten-fold from overseas clients.

Now I might just be spreading rumors with this, but I know I heard somewhere that people thought the Z1 used software to convert to PAL. Kinda like the software to convert to 24fps. Either of these features took away from the quality. But the Z7 upgrade is more hardware based, so there isn't a quality loss when using one format or the other.

Again, I don't have any solid info to back up the above paragraph, but if it is true, then the Z7 + upgrade is a step forward from the Z1.

[Ed Plamondon]

I'd be interested to hear if anyone has had this done as well.

I agree with the posts posing the question if you'd really use it?
Even when I have shot overseas, I've wanted it to be ntsc anyway - so unless my clients demanded PAL, I suspect I'll also save my money.

Having said that - I also agree that it'd be very nice if this was something already included. Or to simply make it available as a firmware upgrade that we could perform ourselves.
I wonder how many bites Sony has gotten from this.

Incidentally - when I inquired about this with Sony less than a year ago - I was quoted $500. So the price has come down....

[Luc De Wandel]

Originally Posted by Zach Love

If I saved $300 by not having PAL on my Z7, I'm happy to have that extra $300.

In Europe, the Z7 is PAL only. Fair enough, but at the same time, the Z7 is about 20 to 30% more expensive than in the US. And that is a shame. Sony should revise it's pricing policy urgently if they want to avoid grey import from the US to Europe. And if they want to discourage criminals who sell fawlty Sony equipment that is damaging the image of he company.

I'm glad I bought my Z7 from an official dealer in Belgium, but I paid way too much in comparison with the same unit that would have come from the US, and that doesn't make me glad.

[Max Bettelle]

I Have done the upgrade. I live in Europe but often i work with NTSC countries so i had to do it. It works perfectly, same as the Z1. With this upgrade, you get 24P 25P 30P 50i and 60i in the same camera. pritty nice, shame Sony does not do it as default!!!

[Zach Love]

Originally Posted by Max Bettelle

shame Sony does not do it as default!!!

Please someone correct me if Canon, JVC or Panasonic has cameras in this price range that can do NTSC and PAL, or have the option for an upgrade to do both.

I would love if it came as a default, but it seems like Sony is offering something that I have not heard offered by any other brand. So I have to give props to Sony for at least the option of the feature.

[Charles Newcomb]

Does this have anything to do with why all the retailers have the S270 on backorder?