Sony HVR-Z1 quick look and test in 2021
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- čas přidán 26. 08. 2024
- I have always wanted a professional video camera. With XLR inputs, internal ND filters, and millions of buttons to toggle. Well my dreams came true recently when I found the Sony HVR-Z1 for a mere £90 on eBay.
The test clips from the Z1 have been graded a bit to look more like the GH2 if I did not do this then the Z1 footage would look very dull in comparison as it does have a more flat output (and I think my GH2 was setup incorrectly that day too. also need to work on my lighting setup)
Yes the image is as expected not as sharp. it also has far less depth of field despite being F1.6 I assume this is down to the 3CCD setup. the sensors are probably smaller than the single large sensor in the GH2 and the prism used to do the 3 sensor setup might also be affecting the DOF. Rather annoying if you like blurry backgrounds.
To record the video I used HDVSplit. it is honestly not that great. crashes a lot. someone really needs to remake WinDV but with HDV support as WinDV is awesome for regular DV footage.
The Z1 footage was also filmed in the Cineframe 25p mode. next to the 24fps Panasonic GH2 footage it seems fine. no deinterlacing was done so maybe my initial issues with unsmooth motion was a user error or something.
I do plan to get some new toys to go with this. a proper firewire HDV deck would be awesome (maybe one that can handle the Z5/Z7 true progressive video format too in-case I ever get one of them)
Also want to get a Sony ECM shotgun mic to fill the empty microphone holder. their not cheap but should be a huge upgrade from the internal microphone and would made for a very usable backup audio track when I cant use my regular microphone or lapel microphone setup.
I was really close to buying a PD150 instead of this. found a deal for one at £100 but I am glad I passed on that as this bad boy popped up like 2 days later and I bought it instantly. the seller also had an FX1 for sale (basically the same camera as the Z1 but missing some features like the XLR jacks and DVCam support) both sold pretty quickly but I got the better deal as they was both sold for £90 the Z1 being a far better camera
Well done if you made it this far into the description. - Věda a technologie
I bought one of these in 2006 for about £3000 new. I used to use it for doing documentaries and community TV shooting in South America. They were given out to community media groups by the government and were considered very good 'prosumer' cameras in their day. I took it out recently to check if it worked and it still does, perfectly. The quaility of the 1080/60i shots is still pretty amazing. It's easy enough to pick up the tapes on eBay. The pain in the backside is connectng it to a pc to download the footage. It uses a Firewire Cable IEEE 1394 4 Pin to 4 Pin. The issue is to find a pc with a firewire input. I have an old Sony Viao laptop that I picked up off eBay for a couple of quid and installed more RAM, an SSD and upgraded the CPU. Sony Vegas software and job done. I connected it this morning and did some testing. Excellent. Very happy to welcome back my old friend and I very much intend to put it to good use.
just to give a tip to those who wouldn't have the chance to find a laptop with fire wire like you did, there is still the option to find pinnacle box that do have that input, or else to use a pvr2 converter like I do that does convert HD image but then again, it is kind of pity to let the camera decode the image to encode it again further.. just ideas for those who had trouble saving their old tapes.
The best way is just to use the component analog output and capture using component-to-HDMI or component-to-SDI capture box, and an external recorder like the Convergent Design NanoFlash recorder that can store 220 Mbps MXF container files with Avid DNxHD footage.
Ok but realistically the best way is to use an external firewire recorder, like the Firestore FS-4, SOny HVR DR60, or Sony HVR MRC1. That gives you completely raw video files on the go.
@@NUCLEARARMAMENT Hey, did you do that yourself? Using that method and plugging it all into my computer I only get 1080i - 30fps, I'm trying to get 60fps.
You can actually get 2015 MacBook pros and use a thunderbolt 2 to FireWire that’s what I do works fine i stil use my Sony hdv camera
I got a brand new one with 2 batts and dual charger for 350$. Such a nice camera! I live love love not having to scroll through menus for manual adjustments
Also at 7:40 there actually is a secret port for that jack, its a plastic flap that you can open by unscrewing one screw next to the battery compartment
The screw is right below the p menu
This is a decent camera. The 1080i can be de-interlaced in post. These cameras (I own a similar one - Canon XH-A1) have cine profiles built into them, which means these would shoot a footage in flat log RAW profile. These cameras have 180 angle shutters, which make panning smooth in 24/25 fps. Sharpness, contrast, color shifts, etc. - can all be adjusted in post with some amazing results. The imperfections of these cameras are creative advantages, not disadvantages.
I found one in the trash last year with a bag tapes and the chrager along with hundreds of dvds and student reels. Powered it up and still worked perfectly, the battery was the small one , as was going to use it with a camlink as a streamer faceca camera but the cable to connect it directly to the wall still costs like 89$ since all accesories are dicontinued. Remember these still films leagues beyond modern cellphone cameras due to lens and filters embedded in them, even if its still at 1080p. These were mostly used for wedding videos , sports videos for prosumer dvd authoring.
This is really cool! I had nostalgia about a Video Production class I took back in high school and we used Sony Mini DV cameras. I started researching and this seems like a pretty cool camera (there are a lot of Sony options). I too have always wanted a professional camera. eBay is definitely a rabbit hole for this kind of stuff. Looking forward to more videos!
I know that rabbit hole feeling. I have so much random tech that I have no reason to own other than its kind of cool to me. Love the Z1 been using it recently and its an awesome camera quite a bit of fun. my only complaint is the tape mech but then again an all flash camera is very expensive even used :(
Glad you enjoyed the videos the are more in the works
Brilliant video Adam! I've heard that they use these cameras in filmmaking schools. So I've wanted to check this out! Really nice camera indeed, I hope i can try one of these out someday.
Their still awesome cameras even if their old so not surprised their still used to teach filmmaking. Having the latest and greatest equipment is not as important as knowing how to properly use it. These cameras are real fun to use. Makes me want to make videos whereas the modern mirrorless/DSLR cameras just feel wrong when making videos. I hope you get to experience the fun of owning a camera that inspires you to do what you love :)
Good honest review
Finally, a solid review, an old friend was sellin me one of these for $600, but I think I’ll pass, pretty good camera but not so good for this digital era, nice vid dude
Yeah defo not worth $600 if you ask me.
A lot of people put high price tags on these because they do look very impressive but the image quality is far from amazing compared to a camera you could get for $600 and tapes are a huge hassle
There is a connector for that power supply.. It's behind a little plastic removable plate. It won't power the camera for normal use though... It is used (I think..) for maintenance work..
Really nice, I really enjoyed to watch your video! I bought a Z1 for €230 today, which is pretty cheap here in Germany compared to other offers. I'm looking forward to try out the camera.
Greetings :)
Buen dia...comonhaces para que la salida por componente te salga a color y en 1080?Sólo puedo inter imagen en 480 y a blanco y negro.Saludos
For real, I've wanted that cam for a long time, if it took sd cards I'd buy that. I still want a VG20.
Same I am lucky that I got such a decent deal with mine but It sucks that it records to tape. the are some devices that plug into the firewire and record to hard drives or CF cards but they cost more than the cameras
the cost of one memory recorder and a camera like this you could buy an older but still decent memory card based version of this shame
I had one for about 3 years but the tape deck died and sold faulty for £90 ish so you got an amazing deal. Mine had over 1000 hours on the tape drum so it did it’s time an then some! Got to say when you swapped camera it held up rather well given the age of these units. I still own and use it’s cheaper sister that is the FX1 and that model was the one that filmed the first paranormal activity movie! For the most part though as you completely accurately say they were used as run and gun units or for small businesses and the like. It’s a lovely unit! Hopefully you get as much joy out of it as I did! Filmed loads on mine 😊
I saw your videos on the Z1 when I was shopping and thought the quality was really good. Did some outside shots recently and honestly looks really good. the more I learn about it the better quality I am getting out of it.
It's a shame yours failed on you :( Mine only has like 150 hours on the drum. so should have lots of life though being a guy on CZcams I will be surprised if that ever get close to 1000. Not sure how many hours their even rated for? I guess if it ever fails and I still want to use I could try and find a cheap Sony MRC1 or DR60 but dont want to risk the firewire port either.
I think I might buy a HDV deck when a cheap one comes up that will cut down on head hours from importing/rewinding hopefully
The seller I got this from also had an FX1 which I looked at first. but for the same price the Z1 was better for me. I like the XLR audio inputs a lot
Long reply sorry for the delays too. CZcams no longer email me about comments on this channel. On another channel I use they email me for every comment. even comments that never get published for some reason. its so annoying
@@AdamBluntExtra Yer I’ve done so many camera demos I get told that a lot now haha. It was a shame and I’m not sure it was down to amount used or me changing it to dvcam setting then back that made it go funny. It had zero issues before then I tried that mode to demo it and had glitches then when I went back to normal HDV at that point was normal then few weeks later I get it out and it was going nuts and wouldn’t even play my old HDV tapes filmed on it. Ahh yes I don’t use the main units to log these days. I did have a deck to copy tapes but sold it on now sadly but I use my much less import Sony HC1 as the tape capture device now. As for the tape replacement I believe the Sony MRC1 was designed to clip on the back of the Z1 to power and to record too so FireWire isn’t used where it would be if I got it for my FX1 or other cameras. Might be wrong but sure I remember seeing the Z1 works directly with it. Ahh don’t worry my CZcams account is very on off informing me of things going on these days too haha. I’d love the mrc1 but seem to always go for more then the cameras unless broke 😂
I have been using the Sony DVCam tapes you had issues with too. been faultless except for one tape that must of been damaged in a few places as it dropped out 3/4 times on the whole tape. I doubt moving it to DVCam mode caused any issues I think it might of just been the head being worn out maybe? who knows.
Decks are so darn expensive. I might get a cheaper camera to capture but seems like a waste of a camera unless I can find one with a broken lens or something. Kinda hoping a good HDV deck deal crops up.
The MRC1 clips onto the Z5/Z7 natively and another camera. it will also work with other cameras like the Z1 but you need the cradle and a firewire cable. not as neat. the Sony DR60 also works well but both cost a lot. Would rather save that money for a newer all flash XDCam/NXCam
Hi Adam, it has been a while since i saw a video of you! Great vid once again, and i know these camera's! I see them quite a lot in the skateboarding scene for filming video parts! (although to my non-professional eye it could also be different models and stuff but alas haha).
Merry Christmas
Thanks for the kind words :)
A lot of skateboarders love the Sony pro cameras. although most skateboarders favour the non HD variants so the PD150/PD170/VX1000 and VX2000 cameras are likely what you are referring to. arguably some of the best SD cameras ever produced
Hi Adam. Hope you are well. I recently bought the same camera almost as new condition, only used twice. However the tape deck mechanism is broken. Do you know where I can find a private repair man person, who'd be able to fix the cassette deck or perhaps install a new one? I took it to a repair shop and the quote that I got was gigantic, £ 570. I feel pity to sell it as broken of for parts. Any ideas?
Thank you Adam. Still researching. You’re a great guy man, thanks for this. Keep goin man!
Thanks! Will do :)
Great story ! Thank you.
Nice video, thank you for going this. I can't believe you got this for £90! Currently there selling for inflated prices of £300 plus. Any suggestions? I thinking of getting one for factuals.
I took a risk the seller did not say anything about it. could of been completely dead but love a chance. Looking through ebay sold history they can be had for under £200 if you dont care about tons of accessories.
Their a great camera still even in 2020 but make sure you have a good way to capture the footage from them as they do use tapes still (ideally using a firewire connection so you dont loose any quality). you can always use a Sony MRC1 to record to a memory card but they are over £300 too which sucks
@@AdamBluntExtra Thanks Adam , yeah i'm happy for it to use tapes, i used to use these cameras when they came out, ironically I find that the tape storage solution is a actually (imperfect as it is) does aid in allowing you to have phsyical backups rather than storing them on hard drives for instance. Don't get my wrong I love solid state and couldn't imagine a world with tape cameras now, but I've still got projects from 10 years ago, with the rushes intact! Thanks again Adam.
pleas help on quality camera set
I’m going to buy one of these although I own a canon XL1S which I still use but I like this one and also going to buy a Sony HDR FX1000 and FX7 I mainly use these cameras for events such as weddings concerts and other events I don’t mind the tape thing as I use it as it comes thinking about selling my canon XL1S but it’s kinda hard cause idk nobody wants it but great video and you did very well explain and keep up the good work
Personally if your filming anything important I would go for a Z5/Z7 instead (or their FX counterparts I am not sure which models they are)
They film a better quality 1080p true progressive so a little easier to edit and a sharper image too. the Z1 is a fantastic camera but the quality is not really full HD its closer to 1280x720 in actual image quality
Glad you enjoyed the video though :) I did one recently comparing the internal microphone to the external Sony shotgun microphone I would also recommend
quality shoot with sony hvr z1 hdv, i bought on two months ago but the challenge is during live stream does not bringing the quality shoot but ( mirage)
Sorry for the late reply. the HVR-Z1 was made in 2004. Live streaming was not really a thing back then (at least not in the context we use today) and as such the only outputs are firewire and analogue outputs
Firewire is unlikely to work with any modern software OBS does see it but I couldnt get an image out of it. so your only option would be to use a capture card. ideally from the component output but you will still only get a 720p or 1080i image
Some people also speculate that the Z1 does not actually contain a sensor that can do Full HD properly hence why it looks so soft.
So ultimately this camera does not work well for live streaming stuff. you would want to go at least HVR-Z5 as it has a HDMI output and a far better sensor.
@@AdamBluntExtra which way to set a clear video image with Sony video camera pd z1
Great camera. Nice for interviews and just learning the camjo trade
I have more modern mirrorless cameras which give a sharper image but this thing is so much fun to use.
Might save up for a more modern version of this that just uses memory cards
I have that cam but suddenly it refuse HD playback, just frozen pics and blue screen, any ideas? I tried to clean the heads without sucess
Thank youuu
Can you explin how to record without tape?
the are at least 3x ways to do that
1: Get a component cable and somehow feed that into a recorder like an Atmos
2: Track down and find the kind of hard and very expensive to buy firewire recorders. DataVideo made some, Sony even made some. they plug into the firewire on the camera and let you record to a memory card. but often find that one of them plus the camera costs more than buying a slightly newer camera which is tapeless.
3: You can just plug it into a computer with the firewire and record with a piece of software like HDVsplit. but not so great if you want a portable setup
Personally if you find the tape is preventing you from using this camera your probably better off getting a newer camera. like the Sony HVR-Z7 its a tape camera but it also has a HDMI output so you can easily record that on an external recorder or maybe an early XDCAM/NXCAM might be more suitable
I love the color of 3ccd. I have two JVC and a Sony as well.
Sony hvr z1, hvr hd1000 amazing cameras just a pity they are not so relevant
I think they would be more popular still if they had built in memory card recording options :D
Even the early Sony cameras that can do that are double the price of one of these used
Porque el titulo del video es en Español y el notas habla en ingles?🥲
What's the matter with your eyes? I really enjoyed this video. It was very well produced and highly informative.
What does 'drum run' mean?
How many hours the head drum has been in use.
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