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Single Frame Recording / Digital Still on HVX-200?
Sort of a random question about a camera that hasn’t even shipped yet; but will the HVX-200 shoot stills, like the Canon XL-H1 supposedly does? Normally I tend to think video cameras should be video cameras and still cameras should be still cameras, but there is a project in the pipeline that would benefit enormously if this camera could capture stills or at least some sort of interval recording. I tend to think of the HVX-200 as the digital equivalent of a 16mm Bolex.
If anyone knows, I’d appreciate the info.
Thanks.
Jeff
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7 Replies
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If you mean discrete frames you could extract in post- yes of course. If you mean stills that are larger in resolution than 1080p or 720p- no. For that- you should have a dedicated digital still camera as that is what they excel at. That said, I’ve gotten excellent 300 DPI stills with post sharpening out of the SDX900 which is 480p. So I’d expect even better results from 720 and 1080.
Noah
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Obviously, I mean a single frame of whatever size the camera normally records at – not a 5 mega pixel image, or a frame larger than 1080. And no, pulling a frame grab in post wouldn’t work, and yes, I understand that a digital still camera is better. I’m hoping for a single frame record, sort of like a Bolex (you do know what that is – right), you know, snap one frame at time for animation. Obviously this was a problem with linear tape, but with solid state and HD, its pretty easy (in theory).
Thanks.
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Why is pulling a single frame in post bad?
Noah
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Noah thanks for the reply. (I was sort of rude in my last post – I’m sorry)
I could pull a series of stills, but it would add to the workflow doing a stop-motion movie. (I have pulled stills from progressive video before, but the camera had an interval record feature for 1/4th of a second making it easier to guess where the next *new* frame would be.) I’ve also done some stop-motion animation using a digital still camera, and it works great since it names the frames sequentially and thus they show up in that order on the timeline in post. However, I still like using a motion picture camera (digital or film) because it allows the animator to cheat by actually running the camera at speed instead of one frame at a time. I had spoken with a rep at DV RACK and he said that it might appear in a future release of their software, so that could be an option.
I had hoped since the new Panasonic has a variable frame rate feature, that it might also take single frames thus allowing those of us still sick enough to do stop-motion to create animations.
-Jeff
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I believe it does offer single-frame time-lapse intervalometer functionality. The DVX100 and DVX100A both had a similar type function (but due to tape, you had to record at least 1/2 second of footage per “burst”) but the HVX should be able to do the same thing easier (and single frame) direct to the P2 card.
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That would be perfect if it does. Since this camera can be “overcranked/undercranked” (I assume that is the correct term) and if it can record in short “bursts” it offers lots of cool artsy options not found on any other camera in this price range.
On a side note: how does someone view footage shot at, say, 60 frames per second? With Varicam there was some sort of plug-in required for your NLE, right? I apologies if this has been covered before. Perhaps I should do a forum search.
Thanks.
Jeff
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The device that you are talking about is called an intervalomiter (sp) used for timelapes work. Bolex and Arri sold one for their cameras that slaped on the side (Bolex) or back (Arri) now they are built into the Arri.
It would be great if the 200 had this feature, HD would add so much to the effect.
Chris
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