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Why is quality so much better with my HV20 than with my 600D/T3i
Hi
Comparing video footage from my HV20 with my 600D shows that the sharpness and focus is soo much better on the old HV20 with a tiny 1/2.7″ CMOS sensor.I’m shooting dslr video with a canon 15-85mm zoom lens.
According to Photozone.de I get the best sharpness at f/5.6 so I tried that in broad daylight with 1920p25 and shutter at 1/250 and ISO 160 and zoom at 15mm.
I’ve tried manual and auto focusing.
Actually I tried alot of different settings on the dslr but the above settings are supposed to give best quality (yeah, right. It’s like there’s a veil of mist all over the footage).Still the HV20 outperforms the 600D when it comes to crisp, clear and sharp quality.
Do I really need to get me a new $2000 canon L or Zeiss lens just to get sharpness or am I doing something wrong or is this how it is?
Extrainfo: I usually import clips with mpeg streamclip (highest quality settings) but tried editing the clip directly in FCPX. No difference.
I shoot with cinestyle and applying the technicolor LUT in post. All other image “improvement” settings in the 600D turned OFF. -
5 Replies
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If you want sharpness like you get with the Hv20 on your DSLR, use a slow aperture of F8 or smaller and make sure if you are using a custom picture profile setting that the sharpness level is turned all the way or most of the way to the maximum. You can also check the sharpness settings for whatever picture mode you are using to shoot video. The small chip size on the HV20 also creates sharper, and a deep depth of field (as opposed to shallow) out of the box just because of the physics involved.
Having said that, increasing sharpness will make your video look less and less like film – film has a softer look to it than video. So yes HV20 footage may be perceived as sharper but there’s a reason I and many other left the camcorder style cameras behind. People with a photography background seem to be among those who are the best “pixel peepers” – and they often bring up this sharpness concern but for me it’s totally not a concern.
Steve Crow
Crow Digital Media
http://www.CrowDigitalMedia.com -
Thanks. You’re right. I’ve got a stills background and finally realized I can’t get that sharpness on my budget. 🙂
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Hi Lars,
“You should be able to get the sharpness on your budget.”
You are right the Canon HV20 is a real stunner and we have been using it along side 2 Canon 5D Mark II’s for over 3 years, the 5D images & video from a 35mm sensor are better at a price, but, on a split screen you may not notice .
However, setting the HV20 to cinema mode will in my opinion degrade the image , softer (as Steve says) you may like that.So set it on say Program AE or TV mode and it will select the sharpest possible aperture, say F11 to F22.That is what you have done, I think. You will need a 1920x 1080 monitor for best results to compare.
My grand daughter has bought a Canon 600D ( it is equipped with an EF-S Lens for the smaller sensor not the EF L Series Lens for the pro cameras., I have not used it, but, regardless, if it is similar to the 5D Mark II #go into,
You can improve the sharpness by adjustment in the camera Menu.#1. MENU>
PICTURE STYLE> scroll down to say > Landscape>Click on >INFO Detail Set and you will have a menu of, Sharpness, Contrast, Saturation, Color Tone.In Sharpness you have 7 levels to tune your camera to, try it. You will need to use the dial on the rear ? Read the Manual, you should not have that issue.
The problem you have is that the Lens designed for that camera may not be as professional as the EF L series professional lens System designed for the 35mm Sensors of the other Canon EOS Cameras.
We have been in the image business for over 30 years and the images out of the 5D Mark II is as good as or better than that out of a Zeiss equipped Hasselblad, a medium format camera.You will get it right or go back to Canon Service and get them to check it out.
Incidentally , you can buy the EF lens for that camera at a price, but,the zoom length will change as will the wide angle coverage.
Freelance Imaging & Video
AUSTRALIA -
You guys are so right. 🙂 I played around with the sharpness in the picture style and the footage really popped. Hmm, I loaded Cinestyle, dialed picture style to 0,-4,-2,0 and forgot about it not really reflecting over the settings.
I’m just a happy layman but in my opinion film these days are more about colour balancing than softness. Looking at the popular Cinema Picture Style sharpness is set to 3.Anyhow, my problem is solved. Thanks alot gents!
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Good result,
35mm film is still a tad better than digital “C” drive on the 100 foot screens in Australia , but, it is improving . The high definition quality that you get from 1920 x 1080pa, and you can do it yourself, is extraordinary.
Quote : (I’m just a happy layman but in my opinion film these days are more about colour balancing than softness. Looking at the popular Cinema Picture Style sharpness is set to 3.)
The world has changed ………………
Freelance Imaging & Video
AUSTRALIA
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