Sony HVR-Z5U HDV High Definition Handheld Camcorder

The z5u is a serious piece of equipment. I've had it for a couple of weeks now, and only until today I feel I know it well enough to write a decent review.

First off, the camera looks really sleek, feels solid and very well built. Its look isn't as metallic as the Z1, but the feel is very similar.

Of course, you can use it from day one with everything on auto, but if that's all you're ever gonna do, you're better off with something much less expensive, like those tiny HD cameras that are popping up everywhere.

Speaking of day 1, your first accesory is necessarily some kind of carrying bag or hard case. Sony has a backpack that's amazing, but costs more than 500 bucks. I got the Kata bag, which is perfect. I also got the large battery, and the cables that are not supplied with the camera (Firewire, HDMI, XLR extension). Also, I got SONY HD Master minidv tapes, as well as a 6pack of regular sony minidv tapes. After some preliminary tests, I must say the image on the HD Master tapes is noticeably better...

The main menu is easy to navigate, though it has enough levels you will get lost until you explore each a couple of times. One thing is, there are a lot of things on that menu, and the button and selecting wheel are really small... or perhaps my hands are too big? My main uses for this menu have been to select progressive or interlaced modes, and 60, 30 or 24 frames per second. Also, I've used it to assign all the assignable buttons under the handle, fine tune white balance temperature, set the handle zoom speed to its lowest setting (that way the handle zoom is my slow, controlled zoom, and the rear zoom is the fast one, very practical), and altering the gain setup (I left everything on 0, less grainy that way).

The range of the G lens is perfect, since it goes from a wide angle to a 20x zoom.

The 3 ND filters are great, though I've only really used the first one for an exterior shoot, which brought out the detail of a sunset brilliantly. The picture profiles are nice too, this is where you can make all sorts of color adjustments, including gamma, depth, wb shift, etc. Here I created a profile based on cinematone 2, only I connected it to a monitor and made some adjustments to my personal taste. These color profiles are assignable to easily accesible buttons, BTW.

Both the stereo and shotgun microphones are excellent, though I haven't used them extensively enough to offer a more complete evaluation.

I don't have the optional memory unit (MRC1K), but haven't found it absolutely essential. It would be practical, but I've had no problems capturing HD video via firewire on Adobe PremierePro CS3, running on a Mac. I might purchase it though, but only after a nice tripod, a lighting kit, and a DOF adapter kit.

Will post an update when this camera has endured more serious, long term usage, but initially it couldn't be better.

I love this camera. Tough, feature laden, reliable, and completely functional. It takes awhile to learn the the important features and I bet nobody knows all of them. One nit, however. It's heavy for its size. I finally surrendered to the fact and now use an aftermarket shoulder mount. Be sure to buy the obscenely priced HVR-MRC1 memory unit accessory.

I like the memory unit for two reasons. First, it's a back up to the tape. Second, it's faster to dump the data from a CF card to a computer than doing from tape.

Buy Sony HVR-Z5U HDV High Definition Handheld Camcorder Now

I've owned the Z5U for about 4 years now. It's a great piece of equipment. Out of the box you can get GREAT video with it. The detail is fantastic! You will be amazed with your shots. It is a pro-level camcorder, so if you're coming from a consumer-based camcorder, like a HV20/30/40 VX2000 or something similar, you will notice right away how much more substantial and robust this thing is. It's larger (not too much larger than a PD150), heavier and has more buttons and dials. The menu choices are much greater and can be daunting, I would seriously recommend Doug Jensen's "Mastering the Sony HVR-Z7U" training DVD [by Vortex Media] as these two camcorders are nearly identical. That DVD will cut your learning curve by 80%. It did for me, which made the investment in the DVD worthwhile. I go back and watch it every once in a while as a refresher.

Back to the camcorder, the first thing I noticed, coming from a VX2000 and HV30 is that it has as good or better low light performace than the venerable Sony VX/PDxxx cameras. That's saying a lot. It's also better in low light than the HV30/40 series in that it can withstand more gain w/o becoming grainy. Good ergonomics put the buttons right where you need them and preset buttons allow you to set your own favorite presets. The other thing I noticed right away is how it feels like a quality piece of equipment. The quality of materials and plastics to me feel great and contribute to a solid feel. Sony wisely provides what I think is the BEST hand strap in the industry. Really nicely padded. Putting my hand in that strap is like sitting in the compfy seat of a Cadillac.

I really like some of the other well-thought out touches: For example, the lens shade has barn doors that open/close with a slider, so you don't need a lens cap anymore (one of the best solutions I've ever seen). The eye cup is a quality piece of neo-prene like rubber that is the best I've seen/used. Sony provides an updated (better) mic than the PD150/170 that sounds pretty good, actually. Another good touch is that the battery is recessed into a *deep* cavity on the back of the camera so it doesn't protrude in an awkward way. Maybe the BEST feature this camcorder has is the lens itself wich has a wide field of view and very good zoom. Most users will no longer need a wide angle lense like in the old days.

Out of the box the video is quite good, but you may want to explore using "pro-color" settings for a warmer look. The steady shot has been vastly improved over the previous PD/VX camcorders (and a lot better than the Canon HVxx camcorders). Because it's a heavier camera, it helps prevent shaky looking videos. It's got two "shoe" mounts which is great for accessories. The LCD was pretty good when this camcorder was first realeased, and it's 'ok' now, but with the advent of smartphone display technology, it's too bad Sony didn't go back and improve the LCD with a larger/brighter unit. That would make this a more perfect camcorder. There is a lot of talk on other reviews about the crappy menu dial, and IS mind boggling how something like this could have slipped through Sony's quality control considering how well executed the rest of the camcorder is. Nothing's perfect I guess, but the good side is most users won't hardly need to use the menu dial. Pair this with a BOWER SS10 neoprene neck strap and you've got a nice, compfy rig.

Comparing to newer camcorders, the newer Canon XA10 (AVCHD) camcorder rivals or even exceeds this unit in low light and quality, in a much smaller package with a better LCD. But that's AVCHD, and if you want a solid, HDV camcorder in this format, this is a great product. Sony hit a home run with this one.

Read Best Reviews of Sony HVR-Z5U HDV High Definition Handheld Camcorder Here

This camcorder had great high-def quality. It was also easy to use. If you are looking for one I would recommend that you should buy this camera. Overall this camcorder was great for weddings and other events.

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I have several of the older Z1s that have received lots of run time. The HVR-Z5U fixes many of the issues we have had with the Z1s. Wider angle, longer lens, Zebra level entry on the monitor, much better management of the mic controls and other subtle improvements. And of course the slow motion feature. So over all we could have probably bought a different machine but this is one proven producer. Well worth the money.

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