Sony V1u (IN LOW LIGHT?)

[jimbeam]

Im looking for any info about the Sony HDV V1u camera being used in low light situations. (Good or bad)

If Im filming at night in the streets, I usually just use a camera light, mounted on the camera, and nothing else.
Not a Frezi, i usually use the Sony light- the HVL-20 DW2.

Since i've switch over to H.D now, it's become a lot harder to find a camera that can handle low light like the VX2000

I use the HVX200, and I film skateboarding, and following someone through a low light situation, sucks with this camera.
If you raise the gain, it gets real noisy, and just ugly looking. Im looking for a H.D camera that can handle low light like the vx2000
Also, its very heavy with the extreme fisheye, so i thought the V1u was the closest in size to the cameras i've grown up using. (vx1000-vx2000)
So if anybody has some tips, with the HVX handling low light better,
a good scene to set it on, settings etc...
Or any thing you've noticed with the V1u in low light, please help.
Thanks

[Huy Vu]

You're looking for the EX1, now that's a phenomenal low light performer. Based on spec alone the V1U is less sensitive than the HVX due to it's smaller CMOS chip size.

[Barry_Green]

EX1 should match the VX2000. The V1U is going to be about three stops slower.

[mrWr0ng]

i spent a number of months working with a director who had the V1U and I would often bring my HVX on shoots with him. His camera needed so much more light to produce a good image, it was almost unreal. We would set up light after light, blow circuits, set every thing back up, check the image and still get a mostly dark image.

I would never use that camera myself.

[DOSMedia]

Hey, im a snowboard and ski producer and shoot a lot of nightime stuff as well.
I just got my HVX on saturday and one of the main factors i bought it was cuz of low light.
What camera did i used to use? A V1U.
IT SUCKS IN LOW LIGHT!
It is probably the worst camera for its price in the low light and night time situations.
The reason is simple, it uses 3, 1/4" CMOS chips.
HVX is running 1/3" chips.
And the EX1 is using 1/2" chips.
I would say get the ex1 if your not running generators and lights at night.
If you want to run lights the HVX is good enough.
THe v1u is not a night time camera at all.
You have no idea how much it frustrated me at night. Ha i just stopped shooting at night with it about a month ago and waited for my hvx to come in

[Notlad]

I just bought two V1U's for use in my Wedding Videography business but if I could have afforded it I would have gone with either the Z7 or EX1.

The Z7 uses 1/3" sensors and has better low light performance than the V1 with the 1/4" ones. The EX1 with it's 1/2" ones is even better but the SxS media is very expensive like Panny's P2.