[Bill Parsons]

Thank you, Frank. I received the Elgato device and it works very well. I get a .mov file as output and can use it in FCP. I had no luck with the Black Magic devices and have a friend who was using the Intensity Shuttle and also finds it sometimes has problems.

It is surprising that there are so few solutions for a problem that so many of us have — and the clock is ticking on the videotapes. The images evaporate almost as fast as cooling coffee. 😉

Regards to all, Bill

[Bill Parsons]

I have been using the DVX200 for better than a year and like it. I have been using Panasonic videocam’s for many years, initially because the iris steps were smaller than those for the alternative brands. Now, I like that they offer a Leica-designed lens.

I video a lot of stage work, particularly dance, and the background is usually black so the auto iris blows out the highs trying to make the background gray. With the DVX200 I have been successful at using the auto iris more often.

The low light capability works for me. I keep iso switch settings 2 and 3 at 800 and 4000. Going higher than 4000 gets pretty grainy. When the lighting designers make dark stages, I figure it’s the duty of the choreographers to speak up or settle what what they get in the video image.

The autofocus works fine with good light. I find this with Canon’s, as well, and always prefocus manually for my stage video work. When I video stage work, I cannot tolerate the focus search during the video process. Blur? Not for me.

I also use the remote that plugs in and gives zoom, focus, and iris control. I only plug in the larger of its plugs, thus getting focus and iris but not zoom. I am a manual-zoom kind of guy, as I like zooms not to be noticeable. This device works well on my HPX250, but on the DVX200 it is not linear. At the end of the range near infinity, the steps are really small and frustrating to set up. To solve this, before the show begins I zoom in on a dancer, autofocus, set to manual, and zoom out. On this camera, with manual focus, when I zoom, the focus distance changes in small steps (as indicated on the screen), but the results seem to be in focus when viewed and edited.

Three drawbacks for me: It’s heavier than my HPX250 by a couple of pounds.

I wish the wide end of the lens were the equivalent of 24mm instead of the (maybe) 28mm.

I wish the viewing screen folded flat against the camera so it could be viewed from the side. This last feature is mostly useful to me during setup, but occasionally, I use it when working live.

I don’t particularly like menus.

I got the longer-duration battery for it and get 5 hours of use with it. Also, phantom power works and it did not on my other camera.

Best regards, Bill

[Bill Parsons]

Thanks to all. I am somewhat patiently waiting for the device from Elgato to arrive today. I am hoping that it will transfer to my MBP properly. I was somewhat ridiculously seeking the best video capture device. Of course, when I look at the images from S-VHS and VHS tapes that are 20 years old, I realize that there isn’t much point. The VHS images are mostly desaturated, some blue and some luminance. I can see the dancers. The S-VHS tapes are better. I also notice that retail VHS tapes have degraded less than the VHS ones that I recorded. Funny: when I played either before this — well, it’s years ago — they seemed to have the same quality.

The problem with using the Intensity Shuttle is that I had to upgrade to Big Sur (11.3) recently and the software for that device won’t work with this version of MacOS. Since the I-Shuttle has been sunsetted, there won’t be a software upgrade. I’m not getting rid of it, tho. It’s the Swiss Army knife of video conversion. If I have to use it, I have Mac’s with older versions of OS in the house (just have to ask the bride for permission to use them).

I have a composite to component device. The B-M UltraStudio HD Mini shows that the component inputs are set to 525i (StdDev), but there is no image on the little screen of the Smart Panel.

If the Elgato device doesn’t do the job, I’ll be on the phone to Black Magic again. They are the ones who sent me off to get the composite-to-component device.

If only my degree were in EE. I’ll keep this thread current so as to post the final resolution (note I do not say ‘solution’) to the problem.

Best to all, Bill

[Bill Parsons]

A further question about composite to component:

I am considering a converter and am looking at 2 boxes that are quite similar:

Composite S Video to Component RGB Multi Media Format Converter

and

Composite S-Video to Component Video RGB Sync On Green Converter

I want to connect video devices that output composite (yellow-white-red) via rca plugs to send video to Final Cut Pro on my MacBookPro (Big Sur, v. 11.3). I have a Black Magic UltraStudio HD Mini that interfaces with the MBP via thunderbolt-3 and requires component input. The converter will change my video composite signal to interface with the component inputs on the Black Magic box. I am looking for the best quality video signal.

I will not be converting in order to reach devices that use sync-on-green. Does SPG make a difference to the video signal quality/content that I should be aware of? Is it a useful feature that I want to have handy? I am not a gamer and am not trying to drive a video screen, just to get data to FCP.

Many thanks for the assistance.

Bill

[Bill Parsons]

Pablo, thank you for your response. The problem I am having is that my video sources only provide composite outputs and the Black magic device only accepts component inputs. I have found a device from Elgato that converts composite into a usb feed, but I have yet to test it. When it arrives, I should be able to capture to a computer — using the software that Elgato provides — into a video file that Elgato creates. I anticipate that I would then use that file as input to FCP for editing purposes. I am hoping that the Elgato device will communicate with FCP so I can capture into an FCP file rather than a disk file of Elgato’s choice.

In effect, I am looking for a device that will convert composite to component that I can use in the video streaming process. I thought that the Black Magic device was going to do that. It doesn’t.

[Bill Parsons]

Thanks, Eric. I ended up going with an external recorder. Got a Zoom F8 which is light and small enuf to attach to the side of the tripod. It has nice pass-thru features and enables me to capture booth sound and house sound as separate tracks. Since I video a *Lot* of dance, it allows me to capture foot and spoken sounds from the stage while not giving up the “good” board sound.

Still thinking about a 4k camera. I noticed the post elsewhere here about zoom lenses. I guess in a year, there will be a really good EVA-1 rig. Waiting….

[Bill Parsons]

I video dance and have a regular need to capture spoken sound, including whispers. In the theater, I strap a mixer on the tripod that takes input from a shotgun mic mounted on the camera, for angle of sound. The mixer provides significant gain allowing me to pick up a pin dropping on the stage from 100 feet away.

I use a lapel mic for some occasions, capturing into a Zoom recorder running 80% and 100% in the 2 channels. I overlay this on the video in post processing, adjusting levels as necessary (or possible).

For a recent dance video, I placed the Zoom on the floor where the dancers would be sitting/crawling and whispering. This worked very well. In fact the only problem was one of diction. Much of the time, their “speech” was not clearly understandable. I don’t have any suggestions for this particular problem. ????

Money seems to solve these needs.

[Bill Parsons]

How about a lapel mic? I am using an old Shure wireless lapel mic and it has a small area of pickup. I run it to a Zoom H4N and room noise is quite small.

[Bill Parsons]

I am looking at the EV-1.

Currently I have the Pan HPX250 and what I like are the 4-channels of audio (the on-camera mikes into channels 3 and 4 have saved my audio numerous times) and the 24mm-equivalent lens. I don’t like the weight as it’s so hard to handhold. Didn’t think 6 lbs was this heavy….

I have looked at the EV-1 manual and it appears that there are only 2 audio channels. This means I’ll have to get a field recorder to use on my gigs. I also can’t get any info about wide zooms for EF mounts.

SO, In addition to reviews of this camera, I’d like to get some feedback on what people do for field sound. There is a ZOOM mixer at not too much money. Anyone using this and if not, what’s the solution?

And, what wide EF zoom are people using?

Many thanks, Bill

[Bill Parsons]

Thanks for the input.
BTW, I am using Final Cut Pro on a MacBookPro.
I believe I have solved my problem. I am using the zoom-focus remote on the 250 because I need to ride ‘iris’ for dance performance video.
The remote has an auto and manual setting for each of the focus and zoom settings. The remote operates as if the auto setting is equivalent to ‘off.’ So, I needed iris and had that set to manual. I did not want focus, so set it to auto. The camera focus was set to manual and I pre-focused.
I seems that this wiring causes the focus to drift. During a shoot last weekend, I tried manual on both the camera and the remote. This does not cause drift and the focus stays sharp.
I still have to generate a DVD, but it looks a lot better in FCP on the mbp screen.
It’s a little frustrating when the client says, ‘the focus is soft.’ 🙁
Thanks for the responses. Regards to all, Bill