Carlos Martínez

Thanks, Walter.

As I took some time to raise this question, it took some time to get answers.

But my location findings check to what you say. Someone mentioned a 160ASA equivalence (even if I know I shouldn't use that), which falls within the +/- 2 stops you mentioned for safe shooting.

This project should be screened in TV only, so there shouldn't be much of a problem.

This week I should have an interior shooting, where I will use the 100 mark you advice on. That project will be transferred to film.

i've tryd all kinda computers still, firewire just don't work any more

I am very sorry to hear that. Apparently there's a routine to connect 1394 terminals to a computer, so there won't be any live potential that may fry the computer firewire or the camera's. Best thing is to connect them with their respective powers off.

The other way is to intertouch the ground metals first, so the eventual potential is discharged. Then you plug it in.

The third way, which I am implementing myself, is buying a firewire isolator, which should prevent such accidents happening.

do u guyz think that sony can replace this peace

Apparently they do. It may hurt your pocket, but I think it could solve the problem. Why don't you call them?

Does anyone know or would say the ASA equivalent is for the Sony Z1/FX1?

Can anyone provide a list of critical tests to be made for a project that will be transferred from HDV to 35mm?

To start with I only plan to shoot in 50i with the Z1.

But what about the other settings: skin detail, sharpness, etc.?

Swiss effects has a list that can be used as a starting point, but maybe someone else has other suggestions.

Capture of these tests might be made to an Avid Xpress Pro or to a Final Cut Pro, but I think you need an intermediate step for FCP, right?

We shouldn't do anything but cutting the tests on the program, leaving color correction and/or effects for the pre-transfer suite, where we should take the hard-disk to, properly exported.

Carlos

Yes but that would be utterly pointless as it has already had the compression applied by that point.

Then out the window goes portability, right?...

Files will be HUUGGEE... So you will need tons of HDs to take it all.

no, it doesn't. a real focusing ring has one position per distance, a scale that must remain constant as you zoom in and out, and it racks focus immediately when you turn it, not afterwards at a fixed speed using a servo. if these criteria are not fulfilled a follow focus isn't very useful. can you still focus accurately with the z1? sure, but that's another story.

You mean the camera racks focus when turned on even if the autofocus is off? Isn't anyone using a follow-focus on the Z1? Are you sure?

AFAIK, using a proper converter like Miranda HDV-bridge, you can convert HDV through the firewire interface onto HD. That would allow you using any HDV camera, even one not having HD-SDI output.

You should try these guys too:

http://geardear.com/

Quality seems very good and prices are more affordable than all the others.

Thanks for all the comments.

I am also thinking very much in the way you suggest. Consider the filters as "throw-away" types and see how they behave.

The other question is the Cokin bellows, that I was considering getting one, but apparently it has one problem that to rotate a filter you will also rotate the bellows. That is a problem, as you imagine.

The next is price, as the front diameter for the Century wide-angle I intend to buy is 92mm, which would not allow me using the one I wanted. The larger one is about the same price as the Geardear matte-box I was interested in.

So that would be a follow-up to my original question: has anyone used the Geardear matte-box?

This is the one I am talking about:

http://www.geardear.com/

i got a sony hdv cam and since yesterday my firewire port doesnt, i am tryng to import some dv footage on through final cut pro but the cam doesnt get regonize, and the same in imovie or even on a pc with windows movie maker, i already reset the cam but still it doesnt,

Let's make this check:

1) Is your 1394 input working properly on your computer?

2) What happens when you power your camera with the firewire cable connected? In XP it sounds a beep and automatically opens a window on what you want to do. I am not familiar with the Mac on that.

3) Is your firewire cable fine? Have you tried another cable? Can you try another camera with the cable and see what happens?

Hi,

I have been looking for the right Forum to put this in, and I think this might be the place.

I am buying a Sony Z1 camera, and as usual when I shoot video I want to to shoot "film style", coming from film as I do.

Before film people start crying out about how better is shooting in film (which I agree on), in my country (Brazil) it's far far far more expensive doing so. Both in raw material and rentals.

As one project I am starting will take me a long time, shooting in HDV might be a good compromise between low budget and good quality. And image control is what I want to talk about.

The question is the filter kit I want to buy for this combo. I was considering using several Cokin products on the Z1.

To start with they have a bellows, which might be an affordable and effective way to fight reflections... also reminding me of my Arri 2C years.

Cokin also manufactures an extensive filter list, being their graduated NDs the ones I am more interested in.

Has anyone here used them? In a range up to 10, grade 5 being "fair", how would you consider the Cokin filters?

Hello guys,

If I use a US Panasonic HVX 200 in 1080 24p mode would that play in the UK (PAL based) without any problems?

In other words. When in 1080 mode is it NTSC or PAL?

Can I get a US Panasonic and use it in the UK for 1080 stuff, or even 720 24P.

I don't think so. Except if you play it on a universal projector.

Will a US bought FIRESTORE run with a UK bought PANASONIC?

Does anyone have an informed answer?

That shouldn't be a problem. They record data, not video system.

The HD110 is an upgrade version of the HD100, not a full new model like the upcoming HD200 or 250. The differences between the 100 and 110 are relatively subtle.

Of course. But one of the things I had read were coming for the 110 was the capability to use the new film lens adaptor, along with the image correction.

As it is now it looks more like a firmware correction.

You could keep the camera right-side up and operate using an upside-down monitor, but you'd still then have to flip the image over in post.

Not very practical, isn't it?...

I belive the image is upside-down when using a normal lens adaptor, so the solution would be either to correct it in post or turn the camera upside-down. It's not a mirror-image.

Using the camera upside down is not something I might be interested on. Wasn't there a way to put a lens on the LCD screen and/or viewfinder to accomplish that?

What about panning and real right/left?

The HD110 flips on the LCD, not the image itself - that has to be fixed in post.

 

The HD200 & HD250 flips the image inside the camera.

Is that flip vertical or horizontal? Any way to correct it on the HD110?

One thing that had caught my attention when people, here and on other forums, were talking about the improvements the HD110 was to have, was a new adapter top be released by JVC for 16mm film lenses in PL-mount. A flip of somekind was also mentioned, which apparently corrected an inversion this mount implementation had.

Now the camera is released, and the only flip mentioned is about the LCD screen, that can flipped up front so you can shoot yourself and look at the screen.

What about that correction?

Me and some friends are looking to buy a film camera as we want to make a film with a real film look. Is the HVX200 or DVX100 good for that or is any other film camera better to go for it in the same price range? What about the Canon XL2 and the Sony HVR-A1e? Which camera can you consider as good to work with for realizing a film for 24p?

Daniel,

If your question is for real, you should consider other options. Buying a film camera is a large investment, particularly if you want high quality. Shooting film is very expensive and once it's gone it's gone. Audio is also recorded separately in film (although I prefer to shoot double-system even in video), which would increase your cost.

For film you should better rent your equipment.

Of course I am talking 16mm film, which would need blow-up to 35mm processing later on, making this process even more expensive.

But you can shoot HD video (forget the DVX100) in any fashion (60i, 50i 24p) and still get good results transferring to film after editing. Your larger expense will be there, but much less than film as a whole.

If you really want to go to film from video, I think it might be better to pick a JVC HD110, perhaps using cinema lenses.

This is all described in a pill: it's quite complex, as David said.

We have decided to shoot on the Sony Z1P - we couldn't get the footage of the P2 cards without very expensive additional software.

In any case, I would listen to the advice of using DVRack at least for monitoring your camera functions, if not as a backup for your camera HDV tapes. Remember dropouts are a potential problem in this media.

I shot with it for a week a couple of weeks ago and I think you can get good results, but it is ESSENTIAL that you have a properly caliberated monitor AT ALL TIMES. The LCD screen and the viewfinder and the rendering of clipped/zebra areas are unrepresentative garbage. Those screens make out you have loads of room in underexposure but immediate clipping if going to overexposure. I didn't have the luxury of a monitor (although I did request one and it was out of the budget) and as a result all the "overexposed/clipped" stuff I thought would turn out garbage looks fantastic with masses of simulated latitude, and all the stuff I shot "playing it safe" is muddy and 2/3s underexposed (at least logged onto FINAL CUT).

 

No doubt this camera slaughters the Z1, but if you are a first time user wanting the best out of it (ie a professional look) you have to fork out for a caliberated monitor. There's no argument.

Can you tell how well we can calibrate less expensive LCD monitors? In my case I 'd have two options: one is a general 9" type B&H used to sell, made in Taiwan, who behaves quite well with DV cameras; the other the 10" monitor on my Philips DVD player, which is comparable to a laptop screen.

From what I saw it's much better than the camera's screen.

Does anyone know which of this programs, or which other, works well with Avid Xpress Pro?

I need to use my monitor all time to check focus and exposure. Also the focus assist is tricky to use and poor in low light.

What monitor do you use for that?

You can use an AJA Kona card to go directly from the camera's component outputs into FCP5. You can use a Decklink as well, but I understand the Kona card performs a bit better. The material would be HD component at 720/60p (with the frames repeated in a 2:3 sequence if you're shooting 24p) so be prepared to have a LOT of hard drive space and a fast computer.

Is there any AJA Kona interface that can be used in a portable setup? If we are considering recording component on-location with a JVC HD100, then we would be using a laptop to download it onto an HDD.

How can it be computed HDD space vs HD component recorded time?

Carlos