Sony HDR-FX1 vs Sony DSR-500 series

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Level 2

470 points

Sony HDR-FX1 vs Sony DSR-500 series

Just out of curiosity, other than about $15,000, how much difference is there bgetween these two cameras?

I'm doing a show where the cost/quality ratio is being pushed to the max. If a show is shot on the FX-1 in HD but captured at 4:5, how much information is being lost and how would it compare to the 500 (or 400s, I'm not really interested in 16:9) series?

I'm guessing the 500s 2/3 inch chips and better optics will blow the FX-1 away but I've never used either camera. Most of the shows I have done have been shot with Mini DV Cams and they've been nice enough to go to Pay Per View.

This show will be for TSN Canada and they may have higher standards (though I've seen some pretty crappy video on TSN). How different will the two formats be?

Thanks in advance.

1:G4 Dual 1GHz 2: 1GHz TiBook (JAG), Mac OS X (10.4.3)

Posted on Dec 20, 2005 10:06 AM

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Answer 1

Jim Cookman

Level 7

23,447 points

Dec 20, 2005 5:09 PM in response to Paul Whishaw1

Apples and oranges. HDV is HD sort of, and the 500's are SD. But for my money, I'd go with the real lens and the 2/3" chips. And what the heck shoot SD in 16x9.

It looks great.

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Answer 2

Zebulun

Level 5

6,749 points

Dec 21, 2005 9:40 AM in response to Paul Whishaw1

you really can't compare these two cameras at all, well they do share the sony name. the hdr is a mpeg compressed "high def" with a fixed lens while the dsr500 is dvcam with a much, much better optical head block, interchangeable lens capability, color imagery controls, remote color imagery control capability, better over all chasis construction, anton bauar battery connections, and will last day in and day out for years gathering news or whatever. put these sony hdv cameras in news rotation and see how long they last.

zeb

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