Sony's new HVR-Z5E. Is it better than the beloved Z1?

Hi all,
I'm chosing a new camera, i've been looking and playing with the Sony Ex1, amazing image quality, just too damn expensive in terms of buying SXS cards. I've been aware of the new HVR-Z5E which has been released in the US and UK, i'm living in Sydney, it's all very hush hush about when or if it will be released out here. Does anyone have any advice or knowledge to share on the HVR-Z5E ? Or any other advice on what Camera to buy with around $6000 US?

Many thanks guys

Dom

Dom, I am looking at the same camera; very nice feature set, and relatively portable.

I am in Saigon right now, but will be back tomorrow and will call the local Sony rep. I have a V1P that I am supposed to pick up this month but need to rethink, now. The most exciting thing about this camera is its capacity to record onto CF cards and tape---as a photographer I have over 40GB of these, so this alone is worth it for me, and I think that tape's the best archive option, and never need be touched after recording using this approach. cheers, kl

Dom:

You do realize that many people are shooting SD cards with the EX1? There is a hack, I tested it, it works well unless you are going to shoot higher frame rates, it dropped frames past 36 frames for me but YMMV.

As someone who was forced to shoot for a year with the Z1 before the HVX200 was available, I would not term the Z1 "beloved", the term, "cursed" comes to mind, but perhaps that just me?

Dan

Don't sell ourself short.
Buy an EX1, @ $6400 USD
You can use compact flash instead of S X S cards.
They do not work with some of the slo-mo functions
But function for all normal 1080-30P settings.
Look up K x S on google.
Read this too, lots of info on Kensington S XS expresscard flash reader and cards that work.
[www.dvinfo.net]