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Sony Launches New Progressive Scan HDV Camcorder

 

Is it a PD 170? No, its a 1080 interlace or progressive HDV cameraSony has finally delved into the film-technology-wedded progressive scan world as opposed to TV-technology interlaced world. Sticking firmly with Sony's own preferred 1080-line HDV format, but now incorporating both progressive and interlaced scans, Sony is clearly setting sights on the low budget filmmaker market. scan.

The new V1 camera is slightly smaller and lighter than the Z1 and used three CMOS sensors for its imaging capabilities. A portable hard drive, similar to a Firestore is also available as an extra for another £1,350 The V1 camera alone though, undercuts the Z1 on cost, at about £500 less.

 

Nigel Cooper, Editor of DVuser.co.uk was one of the very first people in the UK to lay hands on a pre-production model and spend the weekend giving it a very thorough onceover. Here's an extract from what he has to say.

Review extract and pictures all © dvuser

 

Sony's new V1 HDV 1080p camera. No CCDs, but 3 CMOS chips instead.

 

Why the V1 when Sony already have Z1?

This is a question that many people will want answering right from the start. After all, it would appear that the new V1 does virtually everything the Z1 does, with a few exceptions including 60Hz, larger image sensors, composite video input and a 3-position gain switch. The V1 uses three CMOS chips as opposed to CCDs and it has a proper progressive scan shooting mode too; oh, did I mention that the V1 is also £500 cheaper than the current Z1! So why have Sony done this? Why are they competing against their own product i.e. the Z1? Surely they are going to be doing themselves out of Z1 sales as people buy the new V1 instead? This is almost certainly going to be the case, but does Sony care? I think not; here's why.

Sony are going after a new target market with the V1, they are going after the independent low-budget filmmaker market, the Panasonic DVX100 and HVX200 market. This is why the V1 has a native progressive HDV 1080p (that's P for Progressive) shooting mode as well as a 1080i (interlaced) mode

           © dvuser

FULL REVIEW ON DVuser

The CMOS chip, as used in advanced stills cameras, is at the heart of the new camcorder's imaging system