Sony Professional HVR-Z1U 3CCD High Definition Camcorder with 12x Optical Zoom | 
| Brand: Sony
Buy New: See price in cart
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Rating:  4 reviews
Sales Rank: 5680
Color: Black
Media: Electronics
Batteries Included: Yes
Optical Zoom: 12
Display Size: 3.5
Maximum Focal Length: 54
Minimum Focal Length: 4.5
Shipping Weight (lbs): 10.6
Dimensions (in): 17.5 x 14.4 x 10
MPN: HVRZ1U
Model: HVRZ1U
UPC: 027242668799
EAN: 0027242668799
ASIN: B00097HL6K
Release Date: November 8, 2004
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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| Features:
| • | High-definition video camera records in 1080i, 720p, and 720i specification with analog down-converting | | • | 16:9 widescreen recording; 4:3 conversion capable | | • | Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 12x optical zoom Lens; optical Super SteadyShot System dampens hand jitter and vibration | | • | 3CCD camera system; records to conventional DV tape stock | | • | Powered by NP-F570 InfoLithium rechargeable battery pack |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Blurring the line between consumer and professional video cameras Sony has created the HVR-Z1U camcorder. It adheres to the HDV Consortiums specifications for 1080i recording on popular DV mini cassettes. This camera represents the widest array of professional features within a new standard of miniaturization. The HDV video standard will provide about double the resolution of the old standard DV formats. The design of the camera is aimed directly at the filmmaker, the most modern event video producers and even widescreen news shooters. Because it records in high definition and standard definition modes it can be used in a variety of production scenarios that may change from client to client or evolve over time. It is NTSC and PAL system compatible as well. Color Correction for Special Effects 3.3 Color LCD screen and color viewfinder High quality 12X Optical ZoomCarl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T Lens Super Steadyshot Non-Perpetual Manual Zoom Ring / Manual Focus Ring / Manual Iris Control w/24 steps Built-in Wide Range Stereo Microphone / internal noise nulling technology 2 Balanced Audio XLR input connectors with Selectable Phantom Power i.LINK(R) DV Interface IEEE1394 MPEG2 Real Time Encode System for real time processing of HD data 14 Bit DXP (Digital ExtendedProcessor) combines 14 bit A/D converter with an advanced camera processing system Switchable HDV/DVCAM/DV FormatRecording 3 position ND filterswitch-explain-values One button status check feature for easy confirmation of various parameters Personal Menu function Battery Info function Up to 5 1/2 hours of operation on NPF-970 battery using the LCD and EVF simultaneously Unit Dimensions (WxHxD) 6 x 7 1/8 x 14 3/8 Inches / Weighs 4.25 pounds Includes - AC-VQ850 AC Adapter and Battery Charger / RMT-841 Wireless Remote Control / A/V Cable / Component Video Cable / Shoulder Strap / Large Eye Cup / Accessory Shoe Exten
Amazon.com Product Description
With high-definition television sets replacing standard definition, it's time for a high quality HD camera to lead prosumer video into the future. Sony's HVR-Z1U Digital HD video camera recorder is just such a camera. It's the compact and cost-effective machine that bridges the gap between high definition and standard definition video formats.  | | See large image | HDV 1080i
The HDV 1080i specification features 1080 effective interlaced scanning lines and 1,440 horizontal pixels. Interlaced pictures, which have been common to TV broadcasts from the beginning, alternately display odd and even numbered lines between each screen refresh. The HVR-Z1U can also record at the HDV 720p specification, which features 720 effective progressive scanning lines and 1,280 horizontal pixels. Progressive scanning fills both odd and even numbered lines with each refresh, providing a flicker-free picture. Not yet ready for HD? The HVR-Z1U can convert material from 1080i down to 480i and 576i, and output these digital video signals through its i.LINK interface or as analog signals through component, composite, or S-video connectors. When down-converting these signals, the aspect ratio displayed can be converted from 16:9 to 4:3, and display modes can be selected from squeeze, letterbox or edge crop.  | | Keep an eye on audio levels on the LCD monitor |
Audio
The HVR-Z1U adopts the MPEG-2 compression format, which uses 8-bit digital component recording with a sampling rate of 4:2:0. The camera uses MPEG-1 Audio Layer II audio compression format, allowing for two-channel recording with a sampling frequency of 48 kHz/16-bit. It features a built-in stereo microphone, as well as two XLR audio input connectors for use with professional-grade microphones or external audio sources. Each input level for CH1 and CH2 can be independently adjusted using two audio level dials on the camera body and viewed with an audio level meter on the LCD monitor. 3CCD camera system
Originally, camcorders used one CCD--the imaging device that turns light into electronic information--and let the image processing unit decipher the color information from the data. Like today's broadcast video cameras, however, the HVR-Z1U uses a prism to divide incoming light into three beams and uses specially tuned 1/3-inch CCDs to create red, blue, and green composite images, which are assembled into a final image. The result is a more film-like vibrancy and more accurate color representation. Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 12x zoom lens
The HVR-Z1U is equipped with a Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* high definition lens with a 12x zoom function. It has the same optical coating as is used on all of the Carl Zeiss prime lenses, which produces sharp, high-contrast images with virtually no chromatic aberration. This lens is designed with a wide viewing angle, and a 35-mm equivalent focal length ranging from 32.5 mm to 390 mm in 16:9 mode, and from 40 mm to 480 mm in 4:3 mode. In order to facilitate zoom control and recording operation during low-angle shooting, an additional zoom lever and a rec start/stop button have been added to the carrying handle. There's also a motorized zoom ring, equipped with stops and barrel marking, located on the lens body. Turning this zoom ring allows for fine adjustments in zoom position settings. Furthermore, the supplied wireless Remote Commander unit can be used for external control.  | | Expanded Focus helps you confirm your manual focus |
Large, 16:9 widescreen color viewfinder and LCD monitor
View your subject through the built-in viewfinder, the swing-out LCD display, or both. The HVR-Z1U features a 0.44-inch type color LCD viewfinder and a 3.5-inch color LCD monitor, both in a 16:9 aspect ratio. You'll save battery time by using just one, but you may want to use one for adjusting focus and the other for monitoring audio levels. When eschewing auto focus for the fine-tuning manual focus, you can double the magnification at the center of the screen, making it easier to confirm focus settings during manual focusing. Also, the camera's "peaking" function can provide sharp outlines on the monitor to help with manual focus. Optical Super SteadyShot system
Sony's optical Super SteadyShot System helps remove the slight hand jitter and vibration that is often the bane of video production. Sensors inside the camera detect horizontal and vertical movements and the camera can counteract those movements by adjusting the lens mechanism on the fly. This is superior to digital anti-shake systems that counteract image shake by trimming off edges of the frame. The Hollywood look
The HVR-Z1U has features that can make your videos look more like they were shot on film. Cinematone Gamma allows operators to quickly setup and load a gamma curve with similar contrast characteristics to a film gamma curve. The Cineframe feature allows movement to be reproduced at 24 frames per second--the speed of film--as opposed to video's 30 frames per second standard. The Color Extraction function can retain up to two desired colors of monitored pictures in the screen by designating color hue, saturation and range, while making the other colors black and white. The Color Revision function can change the hue of only the colors designated by Color Extraction, while retaining the hue of the other colors, thus making it possible to change the color of something you've already shot. No new tape stock
The HVR-Z1U is compatible with conventional DV tape stock, but Sony recommends the use of DigitalMaster PHDVM-63DM tape, with its dual layer of magnetic material, which delivers higher RF output, lower noise, 95% fewer errors and 60% fewer dropouts compared to regular DV tape. More camera features | Six Assign buttons -- get quick access to a variety of settings | | Time Code Preset -- fill in any timecode starting value | | Shot Transition -- creates smooth automatic transitions between scenes | | Color Bar -- Two types | | Status Check -- displays camera setting menus for audio, output signal, assign button and exposure lever functions and hours meter on the LCD monitor | | Zebra -- displays a striped pattern in the LCD monitor and viewfinder across highlight areas, helping manual exposure settings | | Quick REC -- shortens the record interval from stop mode. | | Personal Menu -- allows operators to customize the setting menu | | AE Override -- manually change exposure settings during the AE mode via an iris dial | | Hyper Gain -- automatically boost the gain level up to approximately +36 dB | | Black Stretch -- allows more contrast to be seen in dark parts of the picture without affecting mid-tones | | Picture Profile -- easily call up customized picture-quality settings to the camera to suit various shooting conditions | What's in the box
HVR-Z1U, AC-VQ850 AC adaptor/charger, power cord, connecting cord, lens hood, large eyecup, RMT-841 wireless Remote Commander unit, A/V connecting cable, component video cable, shoe adaptor, NP-F570 InfoLithium rechargeable battery pack, two AA-size (R6) batteries, cleaning cassette, shoulder strap, and operating instructions.
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| Customer Reviews:
 Half HD - too good to be true October 17, 2005
D. H. Griesinger
87 out of 96 found this review helpful
The HVR-Z1U seems too good to be true. And it is.
It promises a camera with full HD resolution and outstanding features for a reasonable price. In many ways, it delivers. The video quality is superior to the JVC HDV camera. Unlike the JVC, the camera offers full manual control and is a pleasure to shoot with professionally.
Alas - for someone who expects and needs full HD resolution, the Sony is a disappointment. Pointing the camera at a resolution chart while viewing the output on a high resolution monitor (or on a computer after rendering to 1080i or 1080p) quickly reveals that the horizontal resolution is about 1200 lines, and vertical resolution is a little over 500.
The pixel count is thus about twice that of standard video, not four times, as we perhaps hoped. The 1200 lines of horizontal resolution is pretty good - just about the same as 720p. But the vertical resolution is not very good at all.
A little math tells the story. Sony advertizes 1.1M pixels for each sensor, and 1440 lines horizontal. 1.1M/1440 gives a maximum of 770 lines vertical, not 1080 as promised. The measured vertical and horizontal resolution is distinctly lower.
An extensive web search revealed that the sensor has 1080 vertical lines, but only about 990 lines horizontal. To achive something closer to 1440 lines horizontal the green sensor is offset by half a pixel, and image processing is used to give a possible maximum resolution of 1440 on a black and white image. The problem is that the edge contrast beyond 900 lines horizontal becomes quite poor.
To make matters worse, (or to degrade the vertical resolution to match the horizontal) the vertical lines are read out of the sensor in pairs, so that each field is a mixture of two adjacent lines. This gives the vertical the same poor edge contrast as the horizontal.
It is possible by using the unsharp mask tool in Sony Vegas (or other editors) to improve the edge contrast. I use the maximum effect with the minimum radius in the Sony tool - setting the radius slider to .001 pixels. You must do the sharpening operation using a properties setting of 1440x1080. Slightly better results can be obtained by putting an additional unsharp mask in series with the first, set to half-effect.
A major problem is deinterlace. Most editors (and most display devices) deinterlace by averaging fields, which reduces the maximum vertical resolution to 540 lines. You can add Mike Crash's excellent deinterlacer to the sharpening masks, and remove this limitation. Crash's smart deinterlace for Vegas can be downloaded for free - with patience and persistence.
Sharpening and deinterlacing the image is very compute intensive. It takes me a good fraction of a week to do a two hour movie on a 3GHz pentium 4. But the result can be stunning. With the sharpening the Sony camera can give you a result that is close to a professional HD camera. I render to WMV9 rather than to MPEG2 - remember to keep the properties at 1440x1080. After the render is complete, you can re-render to 720p, adding an additional bit of sharpening to compensate for the re-interpolation.
For best results always use a shutter speed of 60 frames/sec or higher. I have had mixed results with the steady shot option. Keep the camera as steady as possible, and try not to use more video gain than absolutely necessary.
Bottom line - this camera produces video that is MUCH better than standard video, and significantly better than DV. But it would be awfully nice to have a camera that delivered the advertized resolution, and did it with a flat video frequency response.
 Awesome Technology Here!!! October 8, 2005
Ali Hasan (Eagle County, Colorado)
20 out of 26 found this review helpful
Indie Filmmaker here, always looking out for a better camera!
The Sony HDV series is an astonishing technology
Don't let people tell you that the footage is "too compressed" ---- technically, it is, but once it gets on screen, it looks stunning!
I haven't done much filming with this camera ---- but I have seen its footage and edited its footage
Both on television and the computer monitor, I was impressed with its 'look' ---- very detailed and extremely clear
Editing was a BREEEEEZE with this footage! I edited on Final Cut Pro and could composite 5 layers all above each other, each with a different opacity, and FCP's real time engine kept up without having to render! Thus, the compressed footage makes editing EASY - but Sony has managed to make a beautiful picture out of this stuff too
For the Indie Filmmakers out there ---- test one out before purchasing..... I find the Sony HDV to be the most clear look out there --- emulating a beautifully shot NFL game on HD..... but for cinematic looks, I still may stick with the Panasonic DVX100, as there is a more cinema feel to that one
hope that helps
HAPPY BUYING!!!!
Recommendation by New Filmmaker August 7, 2006
Kasem Kharsa (Alexandria, Egypt)
11 out of 12 found this review helpful
I've chosen this camera for my short film after viewing some rough footage at a local studio. The colors that this camera can capture in DV mode are jaw-dropping! It comes with all of the manual controls you could hope for and they're very intuitive. I highly recommend this to independent filmmakers if you're able to rent them in your area. It does not offer the 'truest' cinematic feel but if you do some research on the web you'll find resources for things you can do in pre & post production to get the feel you're looking for regardless of the camera you use.
For more filmmaking resources & sample footage of the z1, visit my website and click 'resources'.
And for more updates on using this camera for my short film, visit my website and click 'films'.
HDV Work Horse August 6, 2007
Martin Lisius (Texas)
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
I've used my Sony HVR-Z1U HDV camcorder in some very extreme conditions, and it it comes through on a regular basis. I shot Hurricane Katrina video footage during the storm (for StormStock) in driving 100 mph rain. At that time, I had purchased and was using a rain coat for the camera. It never failed. Previously, in Hurricane Dennis, the unit failed in the rain, without the coat. The screen went black. I dried it off with a hand dryer and it came back to life to be called back into action with Katrina.
My HVR-Z1U has shot hurricane video, tornadoes, lightning, and other storm footage, often in the rain and dust. And, it keeps on going.
The unit prefers mid-range lighting. It can shoot good footage if you give it that.
Sony can improve this unit by adding SDI to output to HDCAM. I'd also like to see true 24P added and maybe variable frame rates.
This camera is just a couple options away from being a professional system.
Martin Lisius
Prairie Pictures, Inc.
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