[Dan Brockett]

I shoot 1080 all of the time with my HVX and Letus Extreme package. It looks great and clients are thrilled with the look.

Not quite sure what the reasoning is there.

Dan

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[Dan Brockett]

Hi Rennie:

I am so glad that you found it helpful. Let me know if you need anything clarified.

Thanks,

Dan

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[Dan Brockett]

Hi:

4×4 will provide a softer light source because the surface area of the tubes is larger.

The 55 watt biax tubes used in the Divas are pretty small in diameter.

Dan

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[Dan Brockett]

Not trying to cop out but this horse has been beat to death here on the Cow and at DVX User and DV Info. Just search for HVX-200 vs. EX-1 and you will find threads that debate this for 30 to 40 pages.

I own the HVX and have shot a few projects with the EX-1. Both are capable of amazing images in skilled hands. Just comes down to the fine points.

Dan

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[Dan Brockett]

No cheap way to do real timelapse dolly shots but I recall seeing a bunch of posts a long time ago from guys using telescope motors to pan and tilt their Nikon D80s and getting some pretty awesome footage doing it.

Can’t recall which of the dozen production sites I frequent that I saw this post on. Just Google “timelapse telescope motors” and see what comes up.

Dan

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[Dan Brockett]

Laird Telemedia makes this setup which looks promising for smaller camcorders and monitors.

https://tinyurl.com/2g9scs

Enjoy!

Dan

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[Dan Brockett]

Hi Atom:

I too have been looking for input for a church-based video ministry that I am involved with. My problem is that I come from a documentary film making and television background and am trying to figure out how to generate effective content with no budgets, a team of people who have no television experience but are willing to learn.

I agree with the other posters, nobody will pay for your content without seeing what they are getting for their money. Both of your websites, while cosmetically nice, have no content, there is really nothing to see yet.

If you want to be successful, you will need to add actual samples of content, credible testimonials and a taste of what we can expect if we buy your product(s). Potential customers also need to see if you know what you are doing and if your advice is credible.

Good luck,

Dan

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[Dan Brockett]

Hi Stuart:

I think that the difference goes way beyond just gamma settings although those do help in making the EX-1 look less “video” looking.

I am not enough of an engineer to know why exactly the HVX has better looking color (at least in my humble opinion) but to my eye, the HVX looks much more like S16 than the EX-1. And the EX-1 looks good but it certainly doesn’t emulate 35mm film. The camera operators on the shoot last week where we used four EX-1s all called the look of the EX-1 “typically Japanese”. If you watch Japanese television, the Japanese tend to favor interlaced really clean and high key looks, which the Sony nails to a “T” except with a progressive scan.

The SDI out of the EX-1 is 4:2:2 uncompressed. Neat feature for shooting greenscreen in studio if you have a spare system sitting around to capture it or an HDCAM SR deck.

Best,

Dan

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[Dan Brockett]

Hi Ken:

You should read carefully…

The new HMC-150, while it promises to be a nice camera, is slated more as the HD replacement for the DVX-100B.

1. No DVCProHD codec
2. No variable frame rates
3. Unknown as far as which data rates Panasonic will include for the problematic to edit AVDHD codec. This is the same codec that Panasonic’s consumer HD cameras shoot, I have tried editing it, it’s a PITA as far as I am concerned. Long GOP that needs to be transcoded by the editing application into something that the application can handle.

This is designed for wedding videographers and event videographers who balk at the high cost of high run times using P2 cards and will be stoked that they will be able to buy storage at Best Buy and Radio Shack. Still 1/3″ CCD imagers. A decent camera, but as Jan Crittenden from Panasonic has pointed out elsewhere, definitely not a replacement for the HVX-200 and not meant to compete with the EX-1. Also, the $6,000.00 list is a bad guess, more likely to slot in at $3,500.00 to $4,000.00 list.

All the best,

Dan

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[Dan Brockett]

Hi Robert:

I own the HVX and have shot with it since they were introduced. I was a technical producer on a tv pilot that shot with three HVXs and shot over 800 P2 cards worth of material in a week https://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/tv_pilot_hvx_200_brockett.html
I am presently in productio on a feature documentary on the life of a famous musician and his band that I am shooting on the HVX.

I did a shoot this week with four of the EX-1s and a tabletop shoot last week with it. So I don’t know the EX-1 as well as te HVX but I did spend a few days with it and shot some nice stuff with it.

HVX-200 Pros
Better color and gamma for my taste
Like P2 better than SxS
Better ergonomics
More filmic look
Less expensive
IMHO, 4:2:2 DVCProHD codec is a better codec than XDCAM EX codec

HVX-200 Cons
Noisier picture
Not as good in low light
1/3″ imagers
960×540 imagers with pixel shift
Not as good of a lens
Crappy LCD, low resolution

EX-1 Pros
Sharper picture with native 1920 x 1080 imager
Much cleaner picture with much less noise than HVX
Better lens
Better LCD screen that is actually useful for focusing
Longer run times on equivalent sized cards

EX-1 Cons
4:2:0 color space (it works but it is not as good of a codec as DVCProHD IMHO)
35 Mbps long GOP codec (Long GOP is a PITA IMHO and experience with HDV)
Very video like image
CMOS imager has rolling shutter which artifacts in certain situations
Camera has well documented initial defects which are not being addressed and repaired to many users satisfaction, read the boards over on DVX User.
Higher cost

Frankly, with the EX-1, you may see CMOS rolling shutter artifacts with rapid movement. I like both cameras and would own both if I could afford it. I can’t so I am sticking with the HVX for now. The initial defects on the EX-1 have alienated me from considering it for at least the next six months. Panasonic will eventually have to answer the EX-1, not sure how or when.

If I needed a camera TODAY, I would order another HVX. In six months when they work out all of the initial defect issues, I would seriously consider the EX-1 if I could live with a lot more video-like image (most of my clients wouldn’t care). They are both good cameras with some serious limitations, it just depends on which set of limitations you can live with. If you are a filmmaker, you should also wait and see what the RED Scarlet will be, they are showing something at NAB in a few weeks.

Good luck,

Dan

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