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Home: Video University Forums: Wedding & Event Videography:
Stop what you're doing and go buy the FX-1!!

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mtiffee
Novice

Nov 9, 2004, 9:37 PM

Post #1 of 138 (5117 views)
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Stop what you're doing and go buy the FX-1!!	Can't Post

I've had the FX-1 since saturday and all I can say is WOW!!
This is going to be the ultimate camera for event videography.

AWESOME low light performance. Crisp, clear, beautiful.

Mike

gl
Veteran

Nov 9, 2004, 9:40 PM

Post #2 of 138 (5088 views)
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Re: [mtiffee] Stop what you're doing and go buy the FX-1!! [In reply to]	Can't Post

Let's see some samples Mike.

gl

chriswatson
Veteran

Nov 9, 2004, 9:49 PM

Post #3 of 138 (5066 views)
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Re: [GL] Stop what you're doing and go buy the FX-1!! [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hey Mike,

It's good to hear from someone with hands on experience with the cam. The $64,000 question is: How does it compare to the VX2000 in low light? I'm pretty interested in the cam myself but low light is an issue. Thanks a bunch.

Chris Watson
Watson Videography
www.dynamovideo.com

mtiffee
Novice

Nov 9, 2004, 9:49 PM

Post #4 of 138 (5068 views)
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Re: [GL] Stop what you're doing and go buy the FX-1!! [In reply to]	Can't Post

I'd love to but the best way to view them is in their raw MPEG 2 transport form which is about 3MB per second. I don't have the space nor bandwith to host 20-60MB files.
I might work on some frame grabs soon.

Just hooking the camera up to my TV via S-video and watching the 16x9 downconverted signal is amazing. It's so sharp and clean even in SD.

mtiffee
Novice

Nov 9, 2004, 9:54 PM

Post #5 of 138 (5057 views)
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Re: [chriswatson] Stop what you're doing and go buy the FX-1!! [In reply to]	Can't Post

well the camera is rated @ 3 lux which is just slightly higher than the vx2000.. I haven't noticed any issues what so ever in low light and I've recorded in some pretty dim locations. The vx2000 may have a slight edge over the FX-1 in that regard but once you see the picture and how much better it looks, you won't care and neither will your clients.

John McG
User

Nov 9, 2004, 9:58 PM

Post #6 of 138 (5047 views)
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Re: [mtiffee] Stop what you're doing and go buy the FX-1!! [In reply to]	Can't Post

I'm about to take the plunge in the next couple of days. May I ask where you purchased your camera and what you paid?

JesseR
Enthusiast

Nov 9, 2004, 10:02 PM

Post #7 of 138 (5032 views)
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Re: [mtiffee] Stop what you're doing and go buy the FX-1!! [In reply to]	Can't Post

Mike,

I'll host your footage if you would like until my bandwidth kills over. I have about 50 Gig a month and plenty of disk space. Let me know if you want to take me up on the offer. I'll give you a private FTP site to visit for upload.

Regards,
Jesse R
www.Take5Video.com
www.JesseReich.com

mtiffee
Novice

Nov 9, 2004, 10:08 PM

Post #8 of 138 (5021 views)
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Re: [John McG] Stop what you're doing and go buy the FX-1!! [In reply to]	Can't Post

I bought direct from sony over the phone using the sony style phone number.. I spoke with a business to business rep who offered the the following deal which is cheaper than B&H even after taxes. He gave me free overnight shipping. If you live in a state without sales tax you're in business!!

Product: HDR-FX1
Per Unit Price: $ 3,403.99
Quantity: 1
Total Price: $ 3,403.99
Description: HDV Handycam� Camcorder
Ship Method: Overnight
Estimated Ship Date: 11/03/2004

Subtotal: $ 3,403.99
Tax: $ 272.32
Shipping Charges: $ 0.00

Order Total: $ 3,676.31

szerangue
Veteran

Nov 9, 2004, 10:18 PM

Post #9 of 138 (5006 views)
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Re: [JesseR] Stop what you're doing and go buy the FX-1!! [In reply to]	Can't Post

I think it has been deteremined that the FX1 is producing outstanding picture quality in its native environment. I have beleived what everyone has said from the start in that regard. The real issue here is, at least for the forseeable future, and I might add that forseeable future may only a short period of time, there is no real way to deliver it. So here are my questions to you:

1. I have been told that the upload will not be any larger than the standard DV capture today, however, the capture will be highly compressed requiring a hoss processor to edit. What comptuer are you going to use for editing and what software are you going to use to edit.
2. Is your final product going to be DVD? If so, have shot in DV mode yet? How does it compare with the VX2100? Is it better, worse, can't tell the difference?

I guess what I really would like to know here is, how are you planning on using this camera for your business? At least until an NLE is available at a reasonable cost for editing and we will be able to deliver HDV. Canopus has some product that is going to be available in Dec or Jan that is supposed to be very promising.
I am serious about these questions, I have contemplated buying the camera but are having other thoughts now, not because I dont believe the camera is great, but because it is premature.

Your thoughts, please.
Miracle Pictures
"If it's a good picture, it's a Miracle!"

"Life Productions, coming out of the dark, into the light"
4EVER GROUP AFFILIATE

Mathew
Veteran

Nov 9, 2004, 10:33 PM

Post #10 of 138 (4987 views)
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Re: [szerangue] Stop what you're doing and go buy the FX-1!! [In reply to]	Can't Post

I agree. As much as I want to see wedding video go hi def I just don't see it being financially viable now. For the next year at least this camera will be a toy.

Let's see some downconverted footage streamed.

Emilio Chavez
User

Nov 10, 2004, 5:34 AM

Post #11 of 138 (4863 views)
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Re: [Mathew] Stop what you're doing and go buy the FX-1!! [In reply to]	Can't Post

In Reply To

Let's see some downconverted footage streamed.

There are quite a few raw samples of FX-1 HDV footage available at:

http://www.hdvinfo.net/media/kakugyo/

Using the MainConcept HD MPEG plugin, I was able to bring those clips into Premiere Pro and play around with some HD editing. Adobe will be releasing their official realtime HDV plugin for Premiere Pro shortly so let the HD revolution begin.

memorytracks
Veteran

Nov 10, 2004, 6:18 AM

Post #12 of 138 (4851 views)
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Re: [mtiffee] Stop what you're doing and go buy the FX-1!! [In reply to]	Can't Post

Mike, I could provide you with some host bandwidth too.
What we really need to see is wedding footage with some glow or other common effects applied.

Here's some FX-1 features that I mentioned in another post:

-It DOES take the NPF960 style batteries
-Shows both remaining battery life with LCD on or off at the same time
-HDV video thruput ~ 3.12 MBytes/s (25Mbits/s)
-Audio thruput ~ 384 Kbits/s
-DV tapes: 60min for HDV, 60min for DV (so about the same thruput can be assumed)
-Uses proprietary component video cable to hook up to component inputs on HDTV
-Does color bars
-Adjustable zoom speed on the handle can be adjusted slow/fast/off (labeled high/low/off)
-Manual iris control : it's a dial under the bottom left of the camera. Toggable CW/CWW direction
-Picture profiles: macros that store shooting environment settings (white balance, color, phase, sharpness, skintone, AE shift, AGC limit, IRIS limit, cineamtone, cineframe)
-Detailed A/B shot transitions with A/B buttons: uses the profiles idea from above. (like for rack focusing between two items that need different white balance settings). Transition time, and curves are adjustable.
-Assignable buttons 1/2/3 (bars, fader, steadyshot, index save, audio dub, display)
-AE response is programmable (slow/middle/fast)
-Adjustable sensitivity to steadyshot (hard/standard/soft/wide-conv)
-Flicker reduce On/Off (for fluorescent lamps)
-Adjustable zebra patterns
-Wind noise-reducing On/Off
-Spec says 3 lux min illumination
-You can create up to 28 OSD "favorites" menus housing your most-used adjustments

-Dave Graton
MemoryTracks Films

Emilio Chavez
User

Nov 10, 2004, 6:42 AM

Post #13 of 138 (4843 views)
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Re: [memorytracks] Stop what you're doing and go buy the FX-1!! [In reply to]	Can't Post

I just applied some glow, slow motion and some star-wipe transitions to an HDV clip. It looks fantastic!

It does take a lot longer to render though.

Mark Foley
Veteran

Nov 10, 2004, 6:50 AM

Post #14 of 138 (4838 views)
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Re: [Mathew] Stop what you're doing and go buy the FX-1!! [In reply to]	Can't Post

100% percent agree with Matt on this...the little boy in me (the one who buys first and then figures out later if it was a wise business move) almost bought 3 of these when I made a very recent camera(s) purchase. However, I decided to wait and see what delivery process will eventually mature and a few other major issues that need to be addressed before I leap. I've had clients who didn't have a DVD player...let alone HD capable equipment to view Sly

_________________________
Mark

memorytracks
Veteran

Nov 10, 2004, 6:51 AM

Post #15 of 138 (4834 views)
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Re: [Emilio Chavez] Stop what you're doing and go buy the FX-1!! [In reply to]	Can't Post

Awesome! Please post it up when you are done if you can. I bet most here would like to see it the original .M2T, the processed .M2t and then down-converted to .WMV. If you can swing that, that would be ideal.

-Dave Graton
MemoryTracks Films

Mark Foley
Veteran

Nov 10, 2004, 6:54 AM

Post #16 of 138 (4832 views)
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Re: [Emilio Chavez] Stop what you're doing and go buy the FX-1!! [In reply to]	Can't Post

On the down side of HD, if you have any footage that is a bit out of focus...whoa boy does it look nasty compared to correctly-focused material. Although I haven't actually looked through the FX-1 viewfinder, one would hope it has a much higher resolution than the 2100/170 for critical focus....

_________________________
Mark

GmElliott
Veteran

Nov 10, 2004, 9:02 AM

Post #17 of 138 (4781 views)
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Re: [Mark Foley] Stop what you're doing and go buy the FX-1!! [In reply to]	Can't Post

Don't worry Mark you absolutely made the right decision. I'd not phased at all at the release of the FX-1. Very seldom do Mathew and I agree so maybe it's something to, indeed, take heed folks. I think he nailed it- the FX-1 for all intensive purposes will be a toy for quite a while.

Count me in when the FX-2 or FX-3 arrives. Maybe then they'll have the format dispute (BD-rom vs HD-DVD) worked out, and authoring suites updated to allow HD authoring (let us not forget our authoring programs STILL can't even burn dual layer discs yet!), and the HD disc players common enough for the majority of clients to own them (and HDTVs).

Have fun with your FX-1's...I'm sure the image looks fantastic at home on your HDTV playing directly from your camera. Tongue

Besides...it would behove me to try and talk you out of a purchase that will support Sony....right Mathew! Angelic

Glen Elliott
http://www.GmElliottVideo.com

GmElliott
Veteran

Nov 10, 2004, 9:04 AM

Post #18 of 138 (4779 views)
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Re: [chriswatson] Stop what you're doing and go buy the FX-1!! [In reply to]	Can't Post

In Reply To

It's good to hear from someone with hands on experience with the cam. The $64,000 question is: How does it compare to the VX2000 in low light? I'm pretty interested in the cam myself but low light is an issue.

VX2100= 1 lux

VX2000= 2 lux

FX-1 = 3 lux

Glen Elliott
http://www.GmElliottVideo.com

mtiffee
Novice

Nov 10, 2004, 12:17 PM

Post #19 of 138 (4672 views)
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Re: [Glen Elliott] Stop what you're doing and go buy the FX-1!! [In reply to]	Can't Post

I've uploaded a clip to Loi's server but I'm not sure how to link to them. I'll upload more shortly. The clip I uploaded is a beach / water scene.. also shows my hand so you can see detail and skin tones. I used the built-in cinematone gamma and I added +2 to the chroma. It's a 93MB file. I have others that are in the 10-30mb range.

Loi, how do I link to these clips I've uploaded??

szerangue
Veteran

Nov 10, 2004, 12:23 PM

Post #20 of 138 (4655 views)
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Re: [mtiffee] Stop what you're doing and go buy the FX-1!! [In reply to]	Can't Post

mtiffee,
In an earlier post I asked how you were planning on using this camera in your wedding business, would you care to elaborate?
Miracle Pictures
"If it's a good picture, it's a Miracle!"

"Life Productions, coming out of the dark, into the light"
4EVER GROUP AFFILIATE

mtiffee
Novice

Nov 10, 2004, 1:17 PM

Post #21 of 138 (4568 views)
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Re: [szerangue] Stop what you're doing and go buy the FX-1!! [In reply to]	Can't Post

In Reply To

mtiffee,
In an earlier post I asked how you were planning on using this camera in your wedding business, would you care to elaborate?

I no longer have a wedding business. I mainly work in live network sports broadcasts now. I got the camera to record underwater footage. The HD and the great low light capabilities are very appealing for my purposes.
I use Premiere Pro so their free HDV plug-in, which should be out later this month or latest, Dec. will allow for HDV editing. If you want to go a step further there is AspectHD from cineform that offers 4 channels of realtime HDV editing within premiere using a 2.8 processor and a simple raid 0 config. Their plug-in supporting the FX-1 should be out any day now.

While I haven't done in depth comparative testing, I'd bet this camera offers better DV quality than any other 1/3" CCD 3 chip DV camera available. I'd certainly argure the downconverted HDV to DV looks better. Editing in HD then downconverting the final product for output will retain maximum data, hiding any compression artifacts, and give you maximum quality. So even if you don't plan on editing in HD right now, there are advantages to this camera even today. The camera offers true 16x9 so you can offer your clients widescreen on DVD.

Blueray and DVD-HD will be coming out next year and we're still probably 2 years away from having them in your clients home but you can archive your product and offer them a HD output in a few years when that product becomes available. Go shoot a couple of beautiful weddings in HD, take a CRT HD monitor to your local wedding show and see if your clients and competitions jaws drop.

edited to add: the native resolution of this camera is 1440x1080 which offers 4.8 x 3.6" prints at 300dpi. another value added feature you can offer.

(This post was edited by mtiffee on Nov 10, 2004, 1:21 PM)

memorytracks
Veteran

Nov 10, 2004, 1:49 PM

Post #22 of 138 (4526 views)
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Re: [Glen Elliott] Stop what you're doing and go buy the FX-1!! [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hey Glen.
While I realize there's no set-top player out to play this stuff, couples could be given a PC-compatible DVD with the HD movie on it to playback on their computer. (for now)

If it's a toy that still makes money... hey, it will make a worthy toy and someday it will become a terrific second camera after the XLR/Pro version arrives.

Anyway, I'm so "on the fence" about picking one of these up it's pitiful.
I'm holding off at least until the end of January though.
So I've been reading everyone's opinions about it.

Let em rip!!

-Dave Graton
MemoryTracks Films

mtiffee
Novice

Nov 10, 2004, 2:16 PM

Post #23 of 138 (4501 views)
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Re: [memorytracks] Stop what you're doing and go buy the FX-1!! [In reply to]	Can't Post

Yeah, I rented "Step into liquid" which came with a bonus computer HD disc. It played back windows media HD on your computer. looked awesome.

I'm watching some 16x9 letterboxed downconverted footage on my standard TV now and it looks amazing.

mtiffee
Novice

Nov 10, 2004, 2:19 PM

Post #24 of 138 (4498 views)
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Re: [Mark Foley] Stop what you're doing and go buy the FX-1!! [In reply to]	Can't Post

In Reply To

The LCD and viewfinder both are very high resolution. The picture on the LCD looks way better than the picture on my TV.
The camera features an "expanded focus" button which momentarily makes the picture display at a 1:1 pixel ratio on the LCD and viewfinder so you can do fine focusing. My only gripe is that it won't do it while recording.

Morris
Enthusiast

Nov 10, 2004, 2:40 PM

Post #25 of 138 (4471 views)
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Re: [Glen Elliott] Stop what you're doing and go buy the FX-1!! [In reply to]	Can't Post

There is another consideration to buying a FX-1 over a VX-2xxx/PD1xx. When recording HDV, it is using MPEG-2 compression. From a post I read on another forum, this means that instead of a dropout causing a mosaic on a single frame, it can affect up to 1/2 second of video. Though the FX1 can work with standard DV tapes, Sony will be selling a "recommended" higher grade tape (higher priced) specifically for the FX1. So if one has 1/2 second dropout problems on standard DV tapes, it appears that they will need to switch to the higher cost tapes. It is said that Sony will be including a head cleaning tape with each FX1. This might be related.

(This post was edited by Morris on Nov 10, 2004, 2:42 PM)

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