My cameras
25 years of shooting in nature and 8 cameras
2009 to 2012 – I switch to HDV with the Sony HDR-FX7 camera
Still based on minicassettes, this time with the HDV label instead of MiniDV, this format allows the recording of videos in 16:9 at the resolution of 1440×1080 rectangular pixels. The rendering on the TV is therefore 1920×1080 square pixels. In addition, tape recording is still done in interlaced mode (50i), which requires encoding if we want to display in progressive (50p or 25p).
With a 20x optical zoom and a 1.5x digital converter giving very good results, the FX7 was particularly suitable for animal video. Compared to a 24×36 camera, the zoom corresponded to a 38-750mm, 1125 mm with the digital converter on.
Also equipped with a tri-CCD sensor, it produced a detailed image, a progress compared to MiniDV cameras, including the Canon XL-1
The only drawbacks of HDV are the derushing time, 1 hour for a 60-minute cassette (that's obvious) and the resolution of 1555 pixels, instead of just over 2 millions for real HD. And on modern computers, we no longer work interlaced, but in progressive mode.
Sony FX7
This video illustrates the employment opportunities of the FX7. Freehand or on a tripod, on dry land or on a moving boat.
The long zoom - freehand - on the Osprey perched in the cliff above the river shows the benefit of a lens covering the focal lengths corresponding to a 38-750 mm 24×36 camera equivalent.
English 
French