Test Shots with HVX200

[David S.]

Thanks for the information.

These reports are interesting to me, and I guess others, because of what they do not say with respect to testing other cameras.

In other words, I would love to take a HVX200, a Sony Z1U and the Canon HDV and video the sherpherd with the frisbee, the flag, and all the other things you shot.

I don’t want specs, and graphs, and monitors.

I just want a real world comparison footage shoot with someone like or me or Noah or Ned and any the mods here.

Same footage at the same time with journeyman shooters with the three camera. Throw a A1U in there for good measure. 🙂

Jan, if you lend me the cam, I promise to return it. 🙂

David S.

[Blub06]

I agree, did anyone notice the forest as we were inspecting the trees? I think we all appreciate the value of a deep technical analysis but there is a balance which I miss. Real world footage on several cameras would be extremely revealing. Speaking just for myself, there are many things that go into choosing one piece of equipment over another and the tech specs can easily be overwhelmed by non technical issues.

It is my guess that most of us have a feel for what will work for us best. For me, as an example, HDV has no place in my planning if a cable company like any of the Discovery networks refuse to allow it on any of their show, that solves the HDV conundrum for me.

I so wish I could see a CU of a persons face (a pretty woman) light to justify a table light etc, 10 seconds, that

[Donatello]

you test the camera’s with real clips and you’ll find all the camera’s have good images … now you need to get to what you want/need and take into account projects and workflow .. in the end you’ll find there is No ONE camera that does it all and there is no camera that knocks out the others …
i assume you’ve all read the http://www.DV.com write up on the 4 hand size HD’s, varicam, & cinealta ?? all good camera’s .. allot of bang for your $$$$ on the hand size HD camera’s.

[Mike Schrengohst]

Hello Chris,
Those are the kinds of things more potential fencesitters need to see.
Yesterday in Dallas, Gary Adcock gave a seminar showing a three-screen split
of a Z1, HVX200 and the JVC. Once motion gets into the equation then HDV is a thumbs down. It might serve a purpose if you are shooting test charts or a static vase of flowers. I am afraid that when I videotape events and such the people or the things I am taping usual move??!! I am working with a producer who shoots HDV but most of his stuff is corporate training and has no intention of producing for TV. So far all he is shooting is DV. My intention is to produce TV spots and docs that will hopefully get to the broadcast realm, I think the HVX is the most logical path I can find.

[Donatello]

“Once motion gets into the equation then HDV is a thumbs down”

you have to judge that yourself !! what is thumbs up/down to one person could be the opposite for another … HDV camera’s are being used already in broadcast …

all the camera’s have strengths- weakness .. you have to look at ALL area’s of the camera that are important to you PLUS you have to look at the workflow of each camera TODAY not what might be out next year for it …

when 24p 1st came out many were complaining about the not smooth ( strobbing) panning/tilting/motion of 24p ..WHY ? because most of the complainers had been shooting 60i and they compared 60i split screen with 24p = 60i is smoother .. now for the persons that came from a FILM background they said what strobbing??…

[David S.]

[Mike Schrengohst] “Once motion gets into the equation then HDV is a thumbs down”

But Mike, that isn’t my experience.

We shot a bunch of college basketball last weekend, and it wasn’t there.

We do have problems with a fast pan of heavily wooded and leaved trees.

But you emphasize my point. I’d like to shoot my college basketball footage with a HVX200 and a Z1U and then compare.

David S.

[Chris Elley]

Thanks for chiming in. Last night, I took the camera to the same places I went in full daylight. While the daylight shots awed me, the nighttime shots did not. We all know that shooting at night requires appropriate lighting, but I just wanted to try existing lighting one would find in downtown at night.

Where there was potential to capture at least some detail in peripherally lit shadows, it didn’t really happen. However anything that had some significant light reflecting from it in some way was fairly detailed. The camera did perform much better than the JVC HD100, with which I also shot our state capitol at night (from the same positions) just after that camera came out. I was so disappointed with that camera that I ended up scrapping the tape and making it a scratch track audio tape, so I no longer have that test footage for comparison. Trust me, it was not acceptable. For me, the Panasonic isn’t a miracle worker at night, but it is certainly much stronger than the JVC.

Ultimately, we all want the best picture and strive for the camera with best specs. That debate is endless and not one I wish to endure at the moment. I am now comparing my personal impressions of working with the aforementioned JVC, the Sony Z1U and now the HVX 200. In all situations I’ve encountered thus far, the HVX 200 works best for my purposes. I would also say that its usability is several steps above the other units.

The electronic controlled zoom on the Z1U does not work for me. The button placement on the Panasonic seems more intuitive to those of us who came from Beta SP and similar. The Panasonic’s ability to review shots instantly, ditch junk and record at any moment is wonderful! At the end of the day, I used far less storage on the P2 cards than I thought I would, because I could shoot something 3 or 4 times and ditch 1 or 2 takes in a matter of seconds. It is not arduous at all. My real work, documentary, won’t allow me to ditch as much (if anything), but I was still impressed with the ease and luxury of the process. Finally, one thing that really stood out last night was the power and detail in the optical zoom. I was able to clearly see the edges of signage at the top of a 40-story building. For my work, I don’t rely much on far away zooms, but it’s great to have in the arsenal if you need it.

I’m going to keep making mental notes as I go along and will share the wins and disappointments. I know this isn’t a shoulder mount or a Varicam, but as for handhelds, I have never had a more positive experience. I have no question that with some care in shooting, I will be able to produce content that easily conforms to broadcast standards. I’ve done it with far less cameras than this; now, I feel like I’m regaining some much missed latitude in my shooting since my “big camera” days.

Chris Elley
Austin, Texas
bbqfilm.com

[David S.]

Thanks for the update.

It sounds as if you do have a Z1U and the Panasonic.

Now if we could get 10 seconds of each as an athletic event from roughly the same angle.

Oh well.

David S.

[Leonard Levy]

Chris, what mode were you shooying in on the night exteriors, what was the shutter speed and did you use gain.
I know with the DVX at 24 P I always went down to 1/30th or 1/24 sec shutter speed for night ext.
Also could you not even get the exposure you needed with gain?

How well lit a city street was this?

Thanks for the posting your experience.
In your experience with the Z1, what kinds of images breakup the codec?

Thanks again.

[Steve Connor]

[Mike Schrengohst] “Once motion gets into the equation then HDV is a thumbs down.”

Ah yes, the urban myth, HDV can’t film anything that moves!

Steve Connor
Cardinal HD

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