Dec 06 2007
Sony need Leo Fender
Q - why is this guy smiling?
A - because he has a brand new solid state (of the art) Sony PMW-EX1
Wrong!
correct answer - because he has a tripod for his brand new solid state
(of the art) Sony PMW-EX1.
The camera is the least handholdable Handycam I’ve used, handily displacing the HVX200 in this regard. Its handgrip is 4 inches off center laterally, and it’s smoothly rounded. There’s no flat surface, texture or sharp edge to gain any purchase on, so the camera cannot comfortably be held level with the right hand alone: it rotates in your grasp, sagging to the left. You can prop up the camera with your left hand, but not if you want that hand free to focus, zoom or adjust the iris. You can rotate the grip up to 90 degrees forward, changing the axis of insufficient resistance, but that only goes so far if you want to shoot at eye level Adam Wilt cinematographer.com
One of the few handicam reviews that even considers ergonomics. If you shoot from a tripod go ahead and buy a camera online after reviewing a couple of feature lists.
But if you shoot hand-held, get the camera in your hands before you put down the cash. A camera is not a cell phone. A camera is a creative instrument. Practical considerations like “how am I going to hold this thing?” do matter.
Q - Why did Hendrix play a stratocaster?
However pretty the Flying V, Gibson know they will never sell very many: everyone wants to practice sitting down once in a while.
Leo Fender revolutionized the music industry by producing an affordable guitar countored for the human body. No sign of Sony following suit anytime soon.
Yep I’m palming the blighters for weight and balance.. but wot about the tripod?
no nothing special about the tripod - just that the move to handheld is going gangbusters at the moment…huge market for 3rd party add-ons but why don’t Sony (and canon pana etc) design ergonomics in to the camera?