I'm not really a purveyor of HBO, since it costs me some extra green on an already too-high cable bill, but HBO's new 'House Arrest!' about Chris Columbo was shot entirely on HDV!  The documentarian, Jon Alpert, says he went to Columbo's house to shoot some screen-test footage for the project, but then wound up staying and shot an entire episode's worth of footage on his Sony HVR-Z1U.  For me, the jury is still out on the HVR-Z1U (mainly because I haven't been able to use it in extended periods yet,) but regardless, low budget docu-comedy making hitting the small screen. ...

The new Century Pro Series HD 2X Tele-Converter has been released by Schneider Optics. There are three models available that support the following camcorders: Panasonic HVX200, Panasonic DVX100A/B and Sony HVR-Z1u. The 2X Tele-Converter instantly mounts to the camcorder lens front to effectively double focal length range in the telephoto direction, while maintaining the lens' original F-stop at full telephoto. If you need a little more than the Century 1.6X can give, this might be for you. MSRP is $1495. ...

The title may have a lot of TLAs (two and three letter acronyms,) but Infocomm republished a great look at producing a TV style show for DVD on an HDV budget.  Yes, they've got more of a budget than I do, but in the article they've got some interesting ideas on how to get the best quality out of their relatively meager budget.  For cameras, they're using the HVR-Z1U (pictured right.)  Instead of just converting their 1080i masterpiece down to 480p in software, they found the best approach to be putting it on a digibeta deck (they already had,) then using the hardware conversion found in the deck to capture it in 480p.  Definetely an interesting read for anyone producing content in HDV. ...

16x9 inc. has announced a 0.75X wide converter for the HVX200 today which allows for a 25% more extreme angle of view. This thing is 20 oz., 40mm long, and features an 82mm screw-in rear thread. Want to use it on another camera? Feel free using the included 82-72mm step down ring allowing you to attach it to a Sony HVR-Z1U, as well as Canon XL-H1, XH-G1, and XH-A1 camcorders. If you just have to have this it'll be $995.00 and available at the end of October. ...

According to a recent interview with Millimeter magazine, Clint Eastwood seriously considering shooting in HD for his two new war features, Flags of Our Fathers and the upcoming Letters From Iwo Jima. Although eventually settling on traditional 35mm film, Eastwood did implement the use of Sony HVR-Z1U camcorders for select "trashcan shots", wherein the cameras were sealed inside of ammunition cases carried by extras acting in certain battle scenes. Some of this digital footage eventually landed into the final film. Despite claiming that HD will eventually overtake 35mm in the future, Eastwood said "I felt HD did not hold up quite enough compared to film for the way I wanted it to look. It obviously had some advantages, but I just felt I couldn't control atmospheres as well..." Nice article. ...

16x9 Inc. gives you more shot options with the new EX 1.5X teleconverter. This puppy has a 72mm thread and can be used with: Sony HVR-V1U, HVR-Z1U, HDR-FX1, HDR-FX7 Canon XL-H1, XHA1, XHG1, XL2 Panasonic DVX100B Sony HVR-V1U and HDR-FX7 owners will need a 72-62mm step-down ring which is included at no charge. List price is $875 but currently it's available at a promotional price of $795. ...

CreativeCow.net has a review of the new HDV instructional DVD, HandsOnHDV. The DVD is packed with about 90 minutes of informative tutorials and tips on how to get the most out of your new Sony HDV camcorder. The DVD is specifically targeted at users of the Sony HVR-Z1U and HDR-FX1. The DVD gets a perfect score from the reviewer and he finished the review by saying.It’s a real treat to be able to tell readers about a product that delivers more than you bargained for. The HandsOnHDV training DVD is one of those products. This is a MUST HAVE on anyone’s list who is remotely interested in HDV as a coming force in the industry.The DVD sounds like a good buy for anyone who is trying to master their new HDV camera and is available now for just under $85. ...

The Bodelin ProPrompter is compact teleprompter aimed at the growing market of professional MiniDV shooters. The ProPrompter is designed to work with most new pro-sumer DV cameras such as the Canon XL2 (pictured right), DVX100a and the Sony HVR-Z1U. The ProPrompter comes in two designs one features a 6.5" LCD and the other uses a Pocket PC for displaying the text. Each kit come with nearly everything you will need to get up and running, though the LCD version will need a laptop to output the text to the LCD. The ProPrompter looks like a really innovative product perfect for all the DV shooters out there and looks like it is even portable enough for field use, not a feature usually associated with Teleprompters. Both versions are available now for just under $1,700.[Via Engadget] ...

Studio Daily has posted a review of a new camera case, the Petrol Camporter.  The reviewer, Douglas Spotted Eagle, used the case for transporting his Sony HVR-Z1U, but the bag is designed for all cameras of comparable size (including the DVX, HVX, PD-170, etc.).  I own one of Petrol's U-bags for my own tripod, and I can attest that it held up very well on a particularly rough shoot in the Amazon jungle last year.  Many of Petrol's offerings are semi-rigid bags that effectively give you the best of both worlds: they protect your equipment like a hard-shell case, but are portable and lightweight like a softer bag (in my case, I didn't want to buy one of each, and the Petrol was a sound compromise).  Unfortunately I can't offer much praise for the company's Rain Covers, which I found to be entirely too difficult to manage (then again, the jungle is a fairly tough testing ground).  Eagle finds himself wishing for more straps for accessories, but loves the size of the case and the ...