Varun Nayar

well if its dvd output you could try out the cheaper sony z1 and panasonic hdv cameras. the canon's are the best but a little pricey. for the shots you have mentioned, which are mostly wide landscape's, a z1P (or Z1U) will do the job pretty well. they record on the good old mini dv tapes and the footage is compressed to a good enough standard for you to work on in post production.

well i presume u shot hdv 1080i50 and via the hdv codec or apple prores captured it into fcp mov files. well u can export them as uncompressed files (or DV/DVcam with 16:9 frame size) and use compressor to do a dvd output..it depends on the length of ur footage. u could use the compressor's apple dvd option to either select an mpeg or a h.264 compression. or u could downconvert on the fly from the camera menu itself and go straight to compressor.

well i hear it has no time code which might limit its high end television use...and there is a tricky exposure issue while shooting video...which i presume is no available auto exposure. but all that apart its a question of ergnomics...canon and nikon themselves are aiming these at photojournalists who might need the option of broadcast quality video as an added advantage. maybe someone might use it to get a tricky shot where a normal full sized camera wont go...

well it all depends upon the size of the imaging sensor. as david was saying, the Z1 CCD and your DSLR CCD or CMOS are way smaller in size compared to a 35mm frame...so putting on a 2X converter in a Z1 gives you almost twice the 2X focal length in 35 mm terms...the only way to get longer focal lengths is to buy an adaptor of letus or similar which lets you add external tele lens :ph34r:

hi its like this. docu commissioned and shot in DSR Sony Z1. DVcam format. captured and edited in adobe premier supported by matrox capture card. client needs it in Digibeta as its going on air in an international channel. Our matrox doesnt have a component out for the digibeta deck....what are the options. Should we take it via the z1, as a bypass. Like the docu goes from the edit to the digibeta via the Z1 (Z1 supports firewire and component). what generation loss can we expect. or is there any better way. or should it be done with a dvcpro deck as the middle man. thanks a ton varun poke

Hi, ...I was reading a book by Nick Gordon. A piece on macro interested me. So I picked up the Z1 and D30 and was practicing on everything from newspapers, coins, miniature cars...etc...I found the Z1 easier to handle in macro than the Beta D30. Even though the Z1 took me quite close...is there any way to get closer....like a filter or so as used in photography. The other question is what is the concept of maximum relative aperture of a lens and how do you calculate it. Thanks... Varun <|P.O.K.E|>

hi, thanks everyone who replied to my topic on underwater. we ended up not carrying the z1 housing. instead we are shooting with a new HDV camcorder sony and a dv sony camcorder both with simple housings. fogging has reduced a lot (thank you). But we forgot entirely about the counterweight issue. the housing and camera is so light that it becomes quite unstable underwater. I am on a very 'far away' island, so should i fabricate a 400 gm weight to be fixed on to the bottom of the housing.....please advice on options.... thanking you And, varun is my real name....someone posted saying to change my user id to my real name....which is Varun....

"I see that you have done some underwater filming before so are you familiar with concepts such as refraction, colour absorption, back scatter etc?......" :blink: no. I have dived in shallow waters with a handycam not in deep waters. We are planning to shoot HDV with the Sony Z1 P. This is only my 7th major work (and 3nd year) as a budding wildlife cameraman, and first for a underwater documentary. So I am still learning. Please educate me...

:D Hi bob, thanks. These NGO's have something on giant clamps and they are experienced divers. I will be taking a two day open water (dont really know) course before diving. But really, thank you for the advice on the fogging. The sony sport underwater housing for handycams came with a small bottle with some japanese written on it. they said it is used as an anti fogger but did not help. or we dont know how to use this liquid. Anyone know what this could be.....? thanks

Hi, i am going down to shoot underwater to cover some NGO's marine work. We are carrying a sony handycam 42E with its housing, a Sony Z1 with its housing and a Sony D30 Beta. Now i swim well but have never dived before. I urgently need to know about the procedures for an underwater shoot. The shoot majority will be in the lagoons bordering the sea (depth of 15-20 feet) where reefs are much clearer. Is it going to be hard to stabilise the camera. Last time we shot shallow reefs with the handycam, it created fogging in the lens after fifteen minutes. (depth of 6-7 feet). Any underwater specialists out here. Please help....(Doug Allan ???)

Hi, the place i work for has a sony beta d30 and just bought the new sony hdv z1 for normal shooting and especially for low light. we recently shot in a desert environment with two pota lights 150 each and a sun gun of 150 w too. the beta was giving an exposure of 4 without ND filter. whereas i was struggling with gain in 3, shutter speed 25 and even a fully open iris at 1.4. Is it true that the z1 is very poor in low light conditions. I compared the sony product directory and found this as below, Minimum Illumination Sony PD170: 1Lux @ 18db - 1.6F Sony Z1: 3Lux @ 18db - 1.6F Sony D30: .5Lux @ 36db - 1.4F So my boss asks, how can a six year old beta outperform the new hdv. I was figuring, is it that too much pixels are packed into a small 1/3 CCD...? or is it something else.. And what exactly is the function of composite in the camera menu, 1080i, 576i/P etc does it effect recording or is it only for playback. The handbook says playback, the company representative says recording....I mean if I select HDV isnt it automatically set to 1080i, and for dv 576i/P ???? Will be greatful to anyone to clear these clouds over my head... Thanks in advance

As far as I know, among DV's (not including HDV) Canon XL2 has the best resolution. 3CCD with around 600K to 800K pixel resolution, depending on aspect ratio. Its open architecture allows you to change lenses. And lot of changable media settings. I have used the PD170 of sony for some time now, and you can see pixelation sometimes. But the PD is very reliable in low light and crowded situations. I don't know much about panasonic or other models.

Hi, I am supposed to know this. I was told this and I forgot. We were shooting an interview in the forest of North East India. When I was preparing I got a rather good firing. (1) The DoP said the Interview will go into channel 2 and the ambience should always be on channel 1. Is this true. What significance does it have to the inner and outer track it is being laid on. (2) I was recording on PD 170. Is this the same for Beta and other camera's too with more than two channels. (3) At what level should the ambience sound be to the voice. Any advice and extra suggestions on sound recording welcome. Thanks in advance. (I wont forget this time) :unsure:

thanks guys, all the information has been very helpful...The thing is that I will be using a sony walkman pro till i get the money to buy a nagra or a dat recorder... Will post it sooner ( :) )

hi, I seem to have realised sound is essential for wildlife films. does anyone have any special experience or interests in wildlife sound recording. Can you tell me your equipment set up and any websites which can be of use. Where can I read experience, tips and tricks. Is it costly to set up a sound recording system for dv use. I usually use the ambience sounds from my PD 170. Any information would be appreciated..... Thank you (and sorry i ask more than i tell) (Sir David Attenborough Rules).