OT: Sony FX7 ???

Tim L wrote on 1/31/2008, 6:12 PM

Sorry for the long post here folks, but I'm hoping for some advice from the very smart people on this forum.

I been thinking the past several weeks about stepping up to the next level of camera. I'm basically just a home user -- no chance of any financial return on this. So far I've just had your typical handycam DV cameras, but I'm really looking at moving up a bit.

I started looking into the Sony HDR-FX7. And wouldn't you know it, I find out it was apparently discontinued a couple months ago. Does anybody know why it was dropped? Was it lack of sales in that price range? Or is there a snazzy new replacement on the way?

(Spot, if you're reading: I'm sure you know the answer to both questions, but I'm just as sure that NDA would prevent you from commenting on any upcoming models. But surely you could fill us in on why the FX7 was dropped, right?)

I think I'm the kind of guy that a couple years ago would have been looking at a GL-2 or VX-2100, but I can't see buying one of those models now -- even though I don't have an HDTV. And I'm actually looking forward to CMOS, as I've always found CCD vertical smear (from bright lights) to be very distracting.

FX-1's can be had relatively cheaply on eBay, but it seems too big and too heavy (though I've never seen one in person). The FX-7 seems like the kind of camera designed for me -- lighter and smaller, with the tradeoff of being more on the "sumer" end than the "pro" end of prosumer. (Which is an acceptable tradeoff for me.)

The V1, Z1, Canon XH-A1, etc., are just way beyond the kind of money I want to spend. I don't need XLR's or many of the pro features.

Any thoughts? Any rumors of what might be on the way in the low-end prosumer range? (or has that segment completely died?)

Those of you with FX7's -- are you happy with them?

Tim L

Comments

bsuratt wrote on 1/31/2008, 6:37 PM

I have a FX7 and find it to be an excellent performing HDV camcorder. It's size is particularly appealing for a camera in this class. Pix quality is stunning... has all the features I need. And, unlike some who have complained that low light performance was not as good as some SD camcorders, I have found this not a problem. I have taken impressive video of the Miami waterfront at night with no problem at all. And, as you mentioned, the lack of vertical smear is a far greater advantage than low light capability.

I also have a HDR-HC7 which, for it's size, is an amazing camcorder.

Serena wrote on 1/31/2008, 10:09 PM

Have you visited http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/forumdisplay.php?f=140DVinfo forum[/link]? I'm not sure that the FX7 is much smaller than the FX1 (I have the latter) and have yet to experience vertical smear from bright lights (maybe I'm just careful). As in all things, needs and budget have to be your guiding principles; you wouldn't want an FX1 unless you were serious about your video making. Something to carry in case you see something to shoot is the realm of the smaller HDV cameras such as the Canon H20 (or whatever the number is!).

EDIT: the FX7 is a little smaller and lighter than the FX1, but not significantly.

Tim L wrote on 2/1/2008, 6:44 PM

bsuratt & Serena -- thanks for the comments.

Serena -- I do check out DVinfo on occasion. I haven't registered there (not that I remember anyway), but there is certainly a lot of experience and information to be mined there.

My gut feel is that the FX7 would be just right for me, especially a lightly-used "preowned" one from eBay or various forums. But I'm in no hurry at the moment. If I see a really good opportunity somewhere, I might just go for it. But I don't have any immediate need, so maybe I'll wait it out and see what the next couple months might bring. I'm just curious if anything else will come out in the "lower" end of the prosumer range -- a "handle"-type camcorder with manual focus/zoom/iris, audio meters, etc.

Regarding the CCD smear -- maybe its a bigger issue on smaller camcorders, with smaller CCDs, and not so bad on bigger cams? On my HC-85, stadium lights (for high school band shows, etc.) can leave smear even when the lights are out of the image. I'm guessing that the "extra" area of the CCD used for EIS stabilization means that the lights can be hitting the CCD and over-saturating the CCD photosites even when the lights aren't visible in the image. Smear can also be bad shooting indoors with a chandelier in view.

Anybody else have comments on the FX7? (Or why it has been discontinued?)

Tim L