Walter Graff
Forum Replies Created
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As for the AJ-HPC2000 P2 vs Sony XDCAM HD, I would love to see how the 2000 performs to make a value judgment. I have used the XDCAM cameras and have noting but praise for them. I have also used Panasonic’s first professional P2 cameras (SPX800) and loves the picture quality. I recently got a use the Sony300 and talked extensively to Sony techs about the guts.
I think specs are important but specs are only part of the equation and many times not always the most important part. I equate it to comparing a 350 horsepower dodge to a 454 Chevy. While specs tell us what’s under the hood, it will be the driver that determines which one makes it over the finish line in a drag race, not necessarily the larger engine. Humans are comparative animals by nature. It is how our mind works and sometimes it confuses us more than helps us. It is often confusing because we often think bigger numbers means better just as many think 1080i means better than 720p.
Walter Graff
BlueSky Media, Inc.
walter@bluesky-web.com
http://www.bluesky-web.com
Offices in NYC and Amherst Mass. -
Thanks Ron for the numbers. While I don’t doubt the numbers, nor the quality of the folks at Creative Cow, the internet has become an easy place to join the herd mentality as a whole. In fact I think Creative Cow has far more integrity than a lot of sites from my readings here. I was speaking on the web as a whole in my post, and not any particular site, person, or group.
Of course I’d rather ask questions on a board called HD1 users than a site called HDV if I was asking questions or discussing the XL HD1. With the first I usually find real users and with the second I find those who troll the web and have less real world experience with a topic yet speak from authority on a subject. Worse, are the folks who post biased information to push their favorite camera or manufacture. There are a few of these folks around the web and the sad part is that even though they have little real-wolrd experience and it’s is clear from their presentation that they are completely biased (presenting doctored or deliberately poor photos and information for ‘comparison’) folks somehow believe their rhetoric and then the cycle of bad information is spread.
Just thought it time that we took responsibility for what we say as a group and wanted to start a new way of being authentic on the web. I try to be authentic (not perfect though) and feel that if I am going to indulge in a conversation on a topic, I would appreciate it more if the person who makes a judgment call has or speaks as if from experience, has experience enough to make the judgment. Not that those who do not should not be able to ask questions or add to a conversation, but I object to speaking inauthenticity and it seems we have an epidemic on the web (not necessarily Creative Cow). That only confuses and cloud issues. So just asking folks to keep it in mind here and other places so that our threads can maintain integrity and valuable signal can rise above the noise.
Walter Graff
BlueSky Media, Inc.
walter@bluesky-web.com
http://www.bluesky-web.com
Offices in NYC and Amherst Mass. -
Ron, I find two types of people on the web for the most part. I’d say the first group consists of 95% of the whole. This group reads what everyone posts on the web and simply believes it. They never have actually tested many of the cameras, etc that are discussed. In fact they never actually saw it in person for the most part. Maybe they actually did see it on display at a place like BH, or some manufactured sponsored seminar that passed through town, or simply saw it on some manufactures website, but outside of that have no real experience with it.
The problem with this group is the posts they read and believe are by the folks in their very group. So it’s a catch 22, because you have folks with no experience using a piece of a equipment who write about all sorts of problems with the equipment, and others who never used the equipment reading it, and repeating what they heard as if it was true.
The second group of people consists of the remaining 5%. These folks have had real experience with the equipment. Either having purchased it and use it, rented it for a project and used it, or got there hands on it to test it extensively (more than looking and touching it in BH Photo).
As a person that falls into the second group, I’m getting tired of the rhetoric from the first. I test everything and most every time can not repeat all the internet rumor I read such as one format having audio so bad as to be unusable or another having so many artifacts as to look like a fireworks display. From now on, I will always ask anyone that speaks of some problem, feature, or advantage of a format, camera, piece of equipment, etc, on any of these websites exactly what experience they have in making such a comment. It may mean there are a lot less folks posting out of fear of being called out, but it will mean that fantasies and dreams will be left to sleeping and those that wish to discuss the merits, or disadvantages of the slew of equipment out there can have meaningful conversations without neophyte’s hearsay or rumor.
Walter Graff
BlueSky Media, Inc.
walter@bluesky-web.com
http://www.bluesky-web.com
Offices in NYC and Amherst Mass. -
Let’s not spread any rumors without fact. Have you seen XDCAM in action. To speak authentically would mean yo have used it and know it artifacts, etc. If not then all you are doing is creating rumor.
Walter Graff
BlueSky, LLC
https://www.bluesky-web.com -
Nice post! Yes this new Panasonic camera is a professional version of P2 aimed at broadcast news. Keep in mind it is not the first. P2 in the same configuration has existed for a few years albeit to lackluster sales. This is the latest attempt to try P2 again with HD in a news/broadcast atmosphere. Where the HVX is a consumer/prosumer version, this new entry is a professional broadcast version although as you pointed out the marketing people can’t seem to get narrow down their decisions about what this camera wants to. P2’s success hinges on another manufacture jumping on board with Panasonic. Without it, P2 in it’s current form probably will never make it far. Solid State definitely has a future but perhaps not in this form unless someone else helps them out.
Walter Graff
BlueSky, LLC
https://www.bluesky-web.com -
And you can add a flag to let the light hit your talent but to keep it from hitting the background. So if your light is to the side of the person, block off the light from hitting the background with an additional card such as foam core, or matte board placed between the fixture and the black background but out of the shot.
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It seem over the years that many different Ushio lamps have had problems. Anyone notice this?
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Great response Frank! I can not tell you how many times folks try to put folks in silhouette with a simple back light only to have the person become readable on TV. I have been known to do it myself till I switched to the screen idea which guarantees security for your subject.
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No he only had the sun, even better than an artificial light source…
Walter Graff
BlueSky Media Inc
http://www.bluesky-web.com
The first in my new DVD series is now available -
Warm light. A 1k open face that is sent through either a venetian blind patter cut out of foam-core or even a real venetian blind set up in front of a light on a stand will do it. It’s sunrise so keep it low like the horizon.
Walter Graff
BlueSky Media, Inc.
http://www.bluesky-web.com
The first DVD disk form my new lighting series is now available