HVR-Z5E Reviewed

HVR-Z5E Reviewed by IoV's Kevin Cook

The replacement for the Z1?
To me, it just didn’t seem logical. When they told me that this was going to be the replacement for the HVR-Z1E I thought it was even more bizarre. I mean, what was wrong with the Z1? And surely that's only been on the market of a couple of years itself? Are things really changing that rapidly? I guess age must be creeping up on me. On checking back I was a little surprised to discover that I first reviewed a pre-production Z1 in December 2004. Even though the Z1 won’t quite reach its 4th birthday, when you consider how other technologies have changed over that period then maybe it is time for a change. Having said that, I’ve never been one for changing things for the sake of change alone. There has to be good reason to replace what has become one of the most popular Sony cameras of all time. I was even more intrigued when it was revealed that the Z5 would also be pitched as a suitable replacement for the even older standard definition DSR-PD170 DVCAM camera. This camcorder has continued to be used by many videographers, as one of the biggest downfalls of all the early HD cameras was their underperformance in low light conditions. So, to replace both the Z1 and the PD170 with this new pretender it must be able to tick a lot of boxes at a price point to match.









The Z5E's lens is one of the biggest changes over the Z1E

What was wrong with the Z1?
Before the Z5 arrived I started to think about all that was wrong with my trusty old Z1. Sure, low light performance wasn’t the best in town – even though it performed better than some of the much higher priced HD cameras. It had a pretty extensive menu system, but there is the odd control here and there which are a pain in the backside to have to go into menus in order to change. And the other bugbear with the Z1 was the iris control wheel under the lens. The Z1 lens itself wasn’t too bad, though I’ve never been a fan of focus rings which spin endlessly making it difficult to judge physically where you were. Then there’s the weight of the Z1, which does not feel too bad when first picked up but after a short while of handheld operation soon starts to strain on the old muscles. Could the Z5 really address all the issues?


Open the box...
Having been sworn to secrecy pending its launch at IBC, Sony delivered the pre-production Z5 only a few weeks before its big reveal in Amsterdam. As is usual in these pre-market review situations, the usual words of caution were given about this being a pre-production model and that the actual market model may vary slightly. You also need to keep in mind that you are never left these review cameras for very long, so it was dropped off on the Friday before the end of August bank holiday and it had to be ready for collection first thing on the following Tuesday. I point this out because I never got to put the camera to any real-world tests, but I did get to measure it up against my Z1 as far as the shortcomings mentioned above. One of the first things to strike you is its similarity with the Z1. It’s pretty much the same size and shape on first inspection. The top viewfinder, though ever so slightly smaller, is in the same position covering various controls for the VTR section when folded away. I liked this when it first featured on the Z1 so was glad to see it had not been changed.

Significantly more comfortable to operate than the Z1E





On picking up the camera I had my one and only real disappointment. It’s pretty much the same weight as the Z1. Unlike its predecessor, the Z5’s main casing seems to be made from a plastic material as opposed to the cast alloy body of the Z1. I’m not saying it felt flimsy, but it did make me wonder where Sony had managed to pack out the Z5 to bring it equal to the Z1 in weight. This is when I started to get a bid nerdy. Picking one camera up and then the next, the Z5 definitely felt more comfortable to handle. The lens (which I’ll come on to next) was about the same size; the XLR mic connection block, though positioned underneath the LCD panel (as opposed to the Z1 where it sits on the side of the lens) was roughly in the same forward position; the on-board mic, though slightly smaller, did not seem to be enough to make the difference. It had me scratching my head for quite a while, but I eventually twigged it. The grip on the Z5 is ever so slightly further forward than the Z1, but more importantly the camera’s centre of gravity is a good couple of centimetres further to the back of the camera making it less front heavy (one of the common grumbles amongst Z1 users).

The Front End
The Z1’s lens was one of those from the Carl Zeiss stable, and whilst there were a few critics of it when it was hailed as being one of the first HD lenses on a camera of its size, it was undeniably one of the stronger points of the camera. The Z5 lens is significant as it’s the first lens to come about through Sony’s acquisition of Konica Minolta’s Digital SLR business – and from what I’ve seen it represents another step forward for Sony. Called the ‘G’ series, the Z5’s fixed lens boasts a 20x optical zoom – compared to 12x optical on the Z1. It’s also a lot quicker than the Z1 lens in going from fully wide (at 29.5mm) to fully zoomed. There are also three wheels on the lens giving you accurate control of focal length, focus and (hip, hip hooray!) exposure. Though these rings are all still the endless spinning variety, the iris control is so much better than the Z1. And, with the addition of three neutral density settings, from my limited tests it seems to offer far greater control of exposure.

Low-light performance
Whereas the Z1 had 3 x 1/3” CCDs, the Z5 utilises the same 3 x 1/3-inch ClearVid Exmor Technology Sensors as seen in the recently introduced HVR-Z7E and HVR-S270E cameras. The Z1 was quoted as being a 3-lux camera, which was a somewhat backward step when compared to the likes of the PD170 at 1-lux. Though the Z5 has not quite reached the heady heights achievable by the PD170, it is rated at a much improved 1.5-lux. On my very rudimentary comparisons between my Z1 and the Z5, the difference is quite noticeable. With the cameras side by side, both set to completely auto everything, I turned the office lights off with only a small amount of daylight coming through the blinds. I think the pictures below speak for themselves, and it’s probably why Sony feel confident enough to say this is a suitable camera for PD170 users to make the move to HD with no loss of sensitivity. Sure, there’s gain being added to the Z5, but its generally a lot more sensitive to light than its predecessor.



Audio Features
The new directional microphone bracket which will hold the supplied ECM-XM1 directional mic has a simple quick release system. This is unlike the Z1 which you had to unscrew to release its grip on the mic. I had initially thought the mic bracket was not connected properly as it has a fair bit of play in it, but this was before I realised it has far greater rubber isolation mount between it and the camera body. I did say this was a pre-production model, so perhaps this floppiness is something that will not be apparent on the model released to market. Besides being able to record with both the on-board mic and external XLR input simultaneously, further improvements to the sound include the movement of the level control wheels from the back to the operator side of the camera. You no longer have to delve into menus to assign channels for XLR and internal mic – and between line-level, mic or phantom power - as they are controlled by nice little switches under a protective flap by the level control wheels and another by the mic bracket. Though I’ve never found this a problem on my Z1, apparently some users reported inadvertently switching the Z1s phantom power buttons so these protective flaps will be seen as another advantage with the Z5.

The HVR-Z5E with optional HVR-MRCK1 fitted at rear
Recording Modes
As with the HVR-Z1E, you have the option to record in either DV, DVCAM or HDV – but unlike the Z1 the camera can also give you 25p native progressive recording. However, the major difference with the Z5 will come with the addition of the optional HVR-MRCK1 CF Memory Recorder (as found on the HVR-Z7E and HVR-S270E) – making it a truly hybrid camera capable of simultaneously recording to tape and solid state media. With an anticipated price of around €725 when it comes out in October, I think the MRCK1 will be one of those ‘must-have’ accessories each time one of these cameras is purchased. It will attach directly on the back of the Z5 which explains why the battery connection point sits well into the body of the camera – enabling the CF memory recorder to sit flush with the camera body.

The same – but different
Getting back to what is similar to the Z1, I’m pretty confident that an existing Z1 user will pretty much instantly pick this up and start creating pictures. The buttons and knobs, white balance presets, trigger/zoom controls and menu configuration and navigation are all pretty much the same. The only thing you’ll need to worry about is what function you are going to assign the additional assignable button. There are now 7 in total! Other slight changes between the two are the addition of a second cold shoe which is suitable for attaching the likes of wireless mic receivers or other accessories. Though I’ve never had a problem with this, there is also an additional tripod pin-boss hole for additional rigidity when used on a tripod.

One feature which Z1 users will find odd is that the Z5 (along with the recently introduced Z7) will only be able to record in both PAL and NTSC unless you pay for an upgrade. I’ve got no idea what this will cost, but there are quite a few videographers out there who will shoot and edit in NTSC if they think there is a possibility that the client will want NTSC copies.


Conclusion
To answer my first nagging question of whether this really is a change for the sake of change, the simple answer is no! There are significant improvements which make the Z5 a natural choice for all those Z1 users whose cameras are coming to the end of their natural life – as is mine! Add the optional MRCK1 CF recorder, or even Sony’s HVR-DR60 portable hard disk recorder, and you’ll have a truly hybrid camera solution enabling you to shoot SD or HD - to tape, hard drive or solid state (or any combination of these), and always be able to adopt the best possible workflow for any given project. You’ll get the benefits of file-based ingest and access which comes with solid state; the peace of mind of additional hard disk archiving; and the familiarity, wide media availability and low cost of tape.

Sony have upped the ante once again
Other accessories en route include a 0.8x wide angle converter combined with a single 4x5.6” filter matte box. This will come along a couple of months after the camera, and it will be interesting to see how this compares to other third-party wide angle converters and matte box systems. The ‘G’ series lens is a great improvement over the Carl Zeiss in operation, speed and optical length - and that all important third control ring changes it from being a pseudo-pro lens into something that is much more akin to industrial and broadcast lens systems. I’m sure that Sony’s competitive manufacturers will hate me for saying this, but Sony seemed to have upped the ante once again. I’m also sure that when the HVR-Z5E gets its first UK airing at IOV2008 on 15th & 16th October, there will be more than one or two Z1 owners thinking about how they can justify the upgrade.