Arlin Media

    I read.  I write.  I learn.  But applying technology to application can be one of the toughest challenges that I face.

     In trying to get to my next camera, I have been putting myself through this process of trying to look at every camera from every angle.  Technology, software, platform, delivery methods.  It can be mind boggling.  But it is also lots of fun.

    There are so many people on the internet by way of forums and other blogs, that know so much and have so many opinions, that you could literally read everyday almost non-stop.  This makes a great world.  But what do you do to cut through the noise and find the meat, the real substance of real information?  I guess that is the challenge… the quest, the Holy Grail of the internet search.

    I don’t know what that was all about.  I am talking about the differences between Standard Definition Video (SD) and High Definition Video (HD) in real world home and light professional applications.  Is it time for HD at home?  Does SD still have usefulness? 

    I have several cameras.  All HDV.  At the “shop” I have 3 HD and 1 SD camera.  It is amazing to me that I tend to grab the little Panasonic SD for most of my quick B-roll grabs.  Although it may be that it is because it is always right beside my desk charged and ready.

    I haven’t made a Blu-ray disc yet.  I have made a regular DVD with HD on it which I played in my PS3.  That was fun.  But when it comes to my work flow, which encompasses over 150 hours of shooting a year, I am still outputting SD.  Why?  “Wouldn’t you rather see HD?” you say?  Yep.  Then why SD?  Answer.  My audience isn’t ready.

    Delivering HD content to the vast majority of Americans is by broadcast.  Although the presence of Blu-ray is growing, it still isn’t there.  The vast majority of my customer base still uses a vanilla DVD player at home.  Fewer would watch HD on their computer, because most of them wouldn’t understand how to use anything other than Windows Media Player.  And few have a display actually capable of playing HD on their computer anyway.

    I usually capture in HDV when I’m working.  My machines don’t seem to mind the extra load.  But I render to SD.  I burn to DVD, or FLV.  So far it is the best compromise.  My raw files are there to output to Blu-ray when needed.  When will it change?  When my customer base demands it.  If I had that date, I would be the Wizard of Oz.

So I have read tech papers, forums, reviews and other sources of information regarding the format “war” between Blu-Ray and HD-DVD for months now.  It is always amazing to me, how people choose a side and fight like their family is on the line.  Expecially when it comes to technology.

If you like Nikon over Canon in a DSLR, there is someone lurking, ready to attack you for choosing incorrectly.  Or Mac vs. PC, Panasonic vs. Sony, and this one I am writing about. 

One of the first things I notice when reading arguments for or against any technology, is how much misinformation gets touted as truth.  In the ongoing discussions of HD-DVD vs. Blu-Ray one I have seen repeatedly is how HD-DVD will play standard DVD’s as well.  HD-DVD proponents have also noted how easy it is to use a standard DVD to burn your HDV content onto so you can view it on your HD-DVD player.  These are true statements.  But they are also true for Blu-Ray.

I have not felt strongly about either technology until I started investigating the claim that one HD-DVD proponent made about recording HDV onto standard DVD’s and viewing it on an HD-DVD player.  I then saw where many of the HD-DVD players have been selling for less than $300 USD.  I began to visualize how handy it would be to have this particular capability.  So I looked further into HD-DVD players.

Toshiba has a HD-DVD player, designated A3.  It sells for right at $300 everywhere.  But before I picked one up, I looked one last time into the Blu-Ray camp.  I had already made up my mind, HD-DVD was for me.  But then I found the one single compelling reason above all others that would make me become a Blu-Ray owner…  The Sony Paystation 3 is not only a game console, but a full on Blu-Ray player.

So I reasoned, why buy a HD-DVD player for $300, when I can get a Blu-Ray player, gaming console, and wireless internet delivered into my TV for $500.  (You can get a 40 gb model for $400 but it will only play PS3 games).  Decision made, I bought a PS3/80.

I have not regretted my decision so far.  I have watched Spiderman 3, and Pirates of the Carribean At World’s End in HD.  I have burned my own HDV files to a Standard DVD and watched my footage in HiDef, full 1080p with no issues.  You have to create your DVD as a data disc, but it works.  I have confirmed for myself that Blu-Ray can do everything that the HD-DVD can and more.  More because when and if I decide to burn my own BDROM discs, I will have up to 50gb compared to HD-DVD’s 15gb.

But the one thing I haven’t seen HD-DVD players do yet is play games.   I have never been much of a gamer.  But games in hi-def, you betcha.  Motostorm, Tiger Woods Golf, and a couple of others so far, a completely different experience than the old PS I played on years ago.  I know that which game console rules is another topic of discussion that has many hardcore proponents for each brand.  I didn’t seek to buy a game console.  My Blu-Ray player just happens to play a few games.

If HD-DVD’s continue to outpace Blu-Ray in the “cheap” department, I’ll add a HD-DVD player to my home theatre and I’ll have both technologies along with my game console.  How can you beat that?

Every once in a while, video camera manufacturers produce a product that becomes a “cult classic” virtually overight.  The Panasonic DVX100 comes to mind.  I believe that Canon may have accomplished a similar feat with the terrific Canon HV20.

I have been watching this camcorder for a while, checking out footage, reading comments from users.  It is intriguing to follow a product that becomes extremely popular, and then becomes a movement unto itself.  What is it that has made this camcorder so popular with Indies, videographers, and newbies alike?  Now that I have one, I think I can speak to some of the things that is creating the buzz over this camera.

First of all, it’s hi-definition.  It has a CMOS chip with a Full HD resolution of 1920×1080 with 2.9 million pixels.  The images are excellent.  The depth and clarity is just mind blowing, particularly when viewed on a Hi-def big screen. 

The camera records to Min-DV tape at a resolution of 1440×1080, which is pretty much the norm for HDV due to compression requirements.  But while nearly every other consumer camera offers only 60i, the HV20 offers recording modes of 60ior 24P, with additional playback modes of 30F, and 24F.  Not too shabby for a camcorder that costs less than $1000.

It is well-equipped with a full range of manual control over the important things like white balance, exposure, focus and more.  There is definitely a learning curve to master all of the controls, but they are in there.  How refreshing.  Once you begin to manipulate these things on one camera, it is extremely frustrating to get “stuck” in auto world where the camera does everything for you.  It really interferes with creativity.  Not so with this one.

One of the things I discovered early on in both videography and photography, is white balance, white balance, and by the way… white balance.  If you are going to have accurate color in your shots, be it stills, or video, you have got to manually white balance in every new environment.  One push, preset, measure or whatever else it may be called in your camera needs to be the manual control that you are intimately familiar with.

When I arrive at a new location for a shoot, or even if I am at the beach just goofing around, the first thing I do is manually set the white balance.  I either find something pure white on location, or use a laminated white card that I usually have with me.  If you aren’t familiar with the process it goes like this… select white balance from the menu, or hit the white balance button if so equipped, find one-push or preset in the list of white balance options, zoom in on the white object, card or source, engage the button or otherwise select engage, that’s it.  Now the camera “knows” what white looks like in the lighting environment you are in.  This one thing has a great impact on the quality and color of your images.

Anyway, you can white balance very easily with the HV20.  You can also manually focus, jump to instant focus, and go back to manual focus on the fly.  This can simulate “pulling” focus in a poor man kind of way.  It is quick, accessible, and fun to work with.

The HV20 has several options for adjusting color to look cinematic or more natural.  The cinema mode in conjunction with 24P, provides a nice combination to move away from the “video” look that we normally see out of consumer camcorders.  The HV20 in 24P gets softer and smoother looking as long as you avoid quick camera movements.  This feature has great appeal to those who want to make indie movies, commercials, or music videos.  Or even folks that want to give a family event that nice cinema look and feel.

I could go on and on about the rest of the features that this camera sports, but where is the fun in that?  Go to Canon USA and read up on it.  Go to a local electronics store and check it out for yourself.  But be ready to buy it because you will like it a lot… IF you can appreciate the differences between it and nearly every other consumer grade camcorder.

If you are one who is looking to buy their first camcorder, even if you have aspirations to be an independent filmmaker, produce music videos, documentaries or whatever, this is the one to start with.  Save your money over the more expensive prosumer cams.  Buy this one and go shoot.  You will fill in the answers to all of the questions you have about camcorders, and how they work, and do I need 24P, and how do you capture, and edit and on and on.  The camera is 1 piece of your production package.   You can save a lot of money by purchasing this one first, and spending your savings on other things that impact your imagery like lighting, 35mm adapters, microphones, etc.

I wish I would have had this one to learn on.  Don’t think that because it is “wrapped” in a consumer package that you will be less of a videographer than if you buy a ginormous shoulder mounted camcorder that costs twice as much and performs Half as much as this one.  No one cares how big a camera you have, but how good your footage looks.  Once you and everyone else view the images you capture with this, no one will question your equipment.  If you start with this camera, you can upgrade later and use this one for a deck. 

Check it out for yourself.  Go to Youtube.com and search on HV20.  Watch what is possible with this camera.   You just may get inspired.

I love my gear.  I like what I can do with it.  I like to use it.  But there are times when I don’t want to lug a bunch of heavy equipment around, but I still want to be able to take pictures and/or shoot video.

Well, I just solved the problem.  My wife helped me find and procure 2 great new pieces of gear.  The first is a Nikon Coolpix L11.

We found this on sale on black Friday at Ritzcamera.  It was $99 and came with a free printer (after rebate), a coupon for 20 photo prints, a coupon for a free photo album, and a fleece jacket. 

I bought a belt pouch for it and spare batteries and I wear it on my belt pretty much everyday.  I enjoy having the ability to get a shot that I would normally have missed.  No, it doesn’t capture images like my D70 with it’s arsenal of prime lenses, but it’s there when I need it and it’s fun.  (The pictures of the HC5 below were taken with this guy, as well as a couple of others at the end of this article).

I never thought I’d have a small camera again, but I like the poratability, and it’s manual features.  It takes a while to get the hang of changing the settings through the menu, but what do you want for $99?

The pictures are cear and crisp, although I find it difficult at times to tell if it is in focus due in part to the somewhat low-resolution screen.  I have to rely on the AF function which I don’t prefer to use ever on any camera.  But compromise is inevitable on a device this inexpensive. 

It has manual white balance, manual exposure control, and other necessities for artistic expression.  It will record video to the SD card that’s in it.  Not bad.  All in all it’s a great little camera.

The next piece of gear we’ve added to our arsenal is the Sony HDR-HC5 handycam.  Shown here with the .5 wide angle adapter that works great.  It is high-definition and records to Mini-DV tape.  No, I didn’t go for the Hard drive version, mainly because I bought this camera to be a cheap capture deck for my V1. 

The HC5 will playback all of the modes recorded by the v1 including 24 and 30p, due to both being “wrapped” in a 60i stream.  Bottom line, “don’t wear out the tape drive in a high end camera when you can use a cheaper version with no down side”.

Additionally, the HC5 stows nicely in my backpack, ready for a low-stress day out and about just shooting for the fun of it.   It has many of the same features of my previous A1U, but they are only accessible throught the menu via touch screen.  Not optimal if you need quick changes, but again, for an inexpensive camera, it’s nice to have the options.

This little machine shoots still images at 4mp, and has a built in flash.  The pictures of the Coolpix above were taken with the HC5.  It takes some really nice stills.  As long as you don’t want to blow them up too big, they are fine.  Nice feature to have when you are out goofing around. 

I immediately took it out for a low-light shoot, and I have to say it was pretty impressive.  The HC5 has a single CMOS 1/3″ 4 MP sensor.  Effective pixels are about 2.1MP.  It is supposed to record at a minimum sensitivity of 2 lux.  It performs a lot better in low light than I expected.  Sony has brought CMOS technology a long way.  As I have noted before, it is a whole new ball game.

The flip out screen is bright and clear, easy to see focus.  The picture is smooth and the color is vibrant.  It is absolutely amazing what manufacturers are able to deliver in a small package.  I really like this camera.

I had considered buying the Canon HV20.  It is supposed to playback tapes from my V1 as well.  It also records 24p.  The HC5 does not record 24p.  Only 60i.  Honestly, if you hold both of these cameras side by side, there is no question that the Sony is better made.  It is solid.  You get a sense that it will take a beating and keep on going.  The Canon is light and feels cheap.  Everything feels plastic.  Almost toy like.  I really was interested in the imagery that I’ve seen come out of the HV20.  But I just couldn’t get past the feel.  If it feels like that on the outside, what’s going on inside?  Is the tape mechanism solid? 

One may argue that I used a unscientific approach, but I know how hard I can be on my gear.  I’d rather shoot 60i and convert to 24p with Cineform.  That and I saw footage from both cameras compared.  To me, the HC5 and HC7 have a better picture.  I like the color and contrast better.  Maybe I’ve become a Sony guy, I don’t know.

But I sure like this handycam.

Here are a couple of pictures from the Nikon Coolpix L11

And from the HC5 (Still).

The Sony HVR-V1U.

I selected this camera to be my next upgrade.  Of all of the options I had before it, it has turned out to be the best compromise of all of the features I have been looking for.

I like CMOS.  I like the zoom range of the lens.  The resolution is fantastic.  It processes the imagery at a full 1080 4:2:2 colorspace.  The form factor fits what I do, and it has HDMI output.  All in all, it will do everything I need, including 24p.  The cost/performance was maximized based on my needs right now.

I realize that I previously commented on the CMOS chip size of this camera being 1/4″ posed a problem for me.  All I can say is that while I would prefer a camera with 1/3″ or 1/2″ sensors, an affordable solution with these characteristics isn’t on the scene yet.  But the pro’s that I read and learn from, such as Douglas Spotted Eagle, and others, have demonstrated that the EIP process that Sony uses with Clearvid, overcomes the 1/4″ size.  One reviewer commented that it’s a new ball game in the CMOS world.  That is not to say that 1/4″ sensors have as much sensitivity or DOF as the 1/2″ EXMOR chips, because they do not.  But for my purposes and budget right now, I will have to rely on 35mm adapters and lenses to control my DOF, and watch my lighting to overcome sensitivity limitations.  (Always challenges).

The JVC GY-HD110 was very close.  I like the full resolution chips.  But it does not have HDMI or SD-HDI out.  Only component out.

HDMI may seem like a small detail, but it will be HUGE in the next few months.  Cineform and others are working on an HDMI to PC card capture device that will be capable of capturing uncompressed 1080p at 4:2:2.  This will make us all HDMI crazy.  It will be an affordable way to capture very clear and clean uncompressed video.

This was one of the compelling features that pushed me to make the purchase.  That, and my new friend Daniel Boswell of DvArtistry.com who gave me a very good deal on a low hour mint condition V1U for a song.   Budget is a consideration, and this opportunity will make some additional items, such as the firestore FS-4 HD possible.

I simply could not stretch to the heights of the Sony PMW-EX1, or the Panasonic HVX200, both of which would have cost $5800-6500.  Both would have afforded advantages over the V1, but the timing is wrong financially.

Two of my primary objectives were to have 24P capability, and to enter a tapeless workflow.  With the Firestore FS4 HD I could have gone tapeless with my A1U, but not the 24P.  HDD capture is not as robust as the PC card options out there, but for the moment it is an improvement.

I have enjoyed this particular process, and am looking forward to my first shoot with the V1U.  As for what will be lurking around the corner?  Look out for more info on 35mm adapters, alternative capturing devices, and later in the year, perhaps a stab at building my own cinematic capture device. 

2008 will be a great year.

     A little over a year ago I began to follow the development of a new 4k CMOS Digital Cinema Camera called the Red One.  It is being developed by Jim Jannard, owner of Oakley.  He is apparently quite the enthusiast and launched this new company.

    He is very smart in my opinion for developing his company this way.  They took deposits on a camera in exchange for a reservation number.  Through online forums and user groups the word spread and people threw down their deposits.  So there are folks that have been waiting for this camera for over a year.  Why would someone do this?

    One look at the images that are coming from this camera and you’ll get a clue.   The heart and soul of this camera is the Mysterium CMOS sensor.  Here is an excerpt from Red’s website:

    “4520 X 2540 pixels… DATA TO BURN. At the heart of RED lives the 12-megapixel Mysterium™ CMOS sensor, Super 35mm sized, with unparalleled fidelity and flexibility.   It combines low noise with superior charge capacity for dynamic range and color fidelity that allows you to finally have a no excuse digital imaging alternative to shooting 35mm film.”

    Clearly high end digital cinema cameras are making the move to CMOS.  The Sony XDCAM-EX spouts a 1/2″ 12.2 megapixel sensor with the Exmor, and the Grassvalley Infinity series cameras utilize the Xensium 12.4 megapixel CMOS sensors.  In fact elsewhere on the Thomson website, they indicate that all of their cameras will be built on CMOS technology in the next 2-5 yrs.

    Red has captured many enthuiasts’ imaginations, hopes and dreams by providing a Digital Cinema production camera that is affordable.  For about $33,000 an individual can purchase a full package that will shoot 4k.  That is significant.  Serious DP’s and directors are already using these Red’s.  Probably the most notable to me is Steven Soderbergh’s quote…

His comments after finishing “Guerrilla”, shot in Spain.

“If the technical branch of the AMPAS, sometime in the next five years, doesn’t present RED with something heavier than a piece of paper, then they’re fools, and inattentive to boot.

Shooting with RED is like hearing The Beatles for the first time. RED sees the way I see. Someday I hope to find out exactly how Jim and his team made something so technologically advanced seem so organic, so beautifully attuned to that most natural of phenomena, light. But for now I’m just glad I’ve got my hands on the damn thing, because it’s actually making the film(s) better because of it emotionality. At the same time, I am still figuring it out, still trying to discover its secrets, still interacting with it. For me, this is Year Zero; I feel I should call up Film on the phone and say, “I’ve met someone.” Is it perfect? Not yet. But the flaws are fixable (the heat issue, which is being worked on; buttons that should be recessed; power cable from the rear of the camera), and anybody who doesn’t embrace the flashcard–regardless of time restraints–is an idiot.

But the best news of all is: If my lame hyperbole could adequately describe the image, it wouldn’t be RED.” Steven Soderbergh ”

    That is a pretty good endorsement if you ask me.  That quote seems to capture the essence of what Red is about.  Filmmaking in an organic, grass roots sort of way.  

    Some predict that this Red project will contribute to changing the way that feature films are made.  That is way beyond me or my skill level.  I think the images coming out of it are like nothing else.  There is definitely a growing interest in this Red.  Recently someone placed their Red camera up on Ebay for sale.  It was the Prague package from Red that cost the person 24k.  It sold for 38k in just 3 days.

    To Jim Jannard from Me:

    “I know that you are a busy man.  But you appear to be a master of development.  How about a smaller version of Red for say… $6500?  Compact for videographers?  I will buy a reservation for that one!”   

  There is a whole lot more to this Red than I’ve mentioned here.  For more info visit red.com .

    My quest for the perfect camcorder to meet my needs goes on.  I have been evaluating the Panasonic HVX200, the JVC GY-HD110, the Sony XDCAM-EX,  the Sony HVR-V1U, and the Canon XH-A1.   The Canon was ruled out quickly.  It was too consumerish for my preference.  The V1U wasn’t far behind.  Although I love my HVR-A1U, the V1U didn’t provide the big step forward I had hoped for.  That and 1/4″ sensors blew it for me.

    I respect the capabilities of the Panasonic HVX200.  It was my pick for several weeks.  But looking into the P2 situation gave some reason for concern.  Mainly the cost.  I also do not prefer the way they utilize cross-pixellation to achieve the HD resolution.  I’m not saying it doesn’t work, I just don’t like the idea.  The video samples I’ve seen are good, but frankly I don’t see it standing out enough to say it’s better than any of the cameras I’m considering.  There are many believers who would fill this site up with comments about that idea if they knew it was here, but that doesn’t change anything.  There simply is not a wow factor on the viewer’s side of that camera.

    The JVC HD110 system on the other hand, does wow me.  I have looked at clip after clip from this camera and the images do stand out.  I didn’t put the frames into Photoshop and examine the artifacts that so many are fond of doing.  I just watched as many clips as I could find.  There is a difference.  Because of that, and the fact that it is cheaper than the others, has this camera close to, if not at, the number one spot today.

    There have been many pro shoots done with this system.  There are many professional features on the 110 that help create a total package that is very desirable for the things I am wanting to use it for.  The manual Fujinon lense, and the fact that it is removeable.  The mirror function.  A small thing that get’s magnified when you are trying to shoot with a 35mm adapter.

    The custom peaking function is a big one.  It really does make it easier to control focus on that little LCD.

    The XDCAM-EX is my favorite of all of these.  Even though it doesn’t ship for a couple of weeks, I am in love with this camera.  Just to sort it out, here are the things I love about it:

• I Love the 1/2″ EXMOR CMOS sensors.   Don’t try to talk me out of it.  I LOVE them.  The imagery will be the best we have seen to date.  I believe (in the 1K world), the imagery will be as good as Red.  Forget the compression, recording to flash, the package and all of that.  I believe that the imagery coming off of those sensors will be far removed from everything else we’ve seen in this price range.  These are the same sensors that are in the new Sony A700 DSLR. 
• I Love the Expresscard/34 technology.  My laptop already has this slot, but does not have the P2 slot that the Panasonic needs.  This card will hold more, and hold it faster.
• I Love the lens.  It is a specially designed Fujinon.  Manual or auto, mechanical or servo.  This glass is great, and it is wide.  Or I should say Wide enough for what I need.
• I Love the XDCAM philosophy.  Uncompressed video would be better, but it’s too big to practically work with.  The compression technology that Sony has adopted for the XDCAM systems works.  There is an Archival path to the 23g XDCAM disks.  It will be a viable tape alternative now, and into the future.
• I Love the fact that there are no moving tape drives or mechanisms to adjust, clean or service.  Just quiet flash recording.

    I don’t like the fact that it is about $2000 higher than my present budget will allow.  In order to have the XDCAM-EX, I would have to give up my HVR-A1 for financial reasons.  I don’t like that idea.  I can pack my A1 in my backpack, suitcase, or whatever and take it anywhere.  It looks like every other camcorder and attracts no attention to me or what I’m doing. 

    So this is my dilemma at the moment.  Give up my A1 and purchase the XDCAM-EX.   Or keep my A1 and purchase the HD110.  Of all of the situations I’ve been in, this is a good one.  I can’t actually lose.  In a few weeks I will have a fantastic new tool to utilize.  Neither are bad.  Both have their advantages.

    Which one will it be?  The suspense is killing me.

    About 18 months ago I went to Amazon.com and added a Sony HVR-A1U to my shopping cart.  A week later I had a new best friend.  This very small and extremely light camcorder has exceeded my expectations on every front.

    I was definitely concerned about my decision right after I ordered it.  There were a lot of nay sayers out there citing specs about the low-light performance, the innaccuracies of the reds, the downsides to having only 1 chip, etc.  There are plenty of people who spend more time in online forums arguing specs and looking at frame grabs than they do actually shooting, and if you pay too much attention to them, you probably won’t be able to find a good enough camera to do anything.

   It didn’t take long for me to relax about my decision and get busy enjoying my new purchase.  The first time I watched the footage on my Plasma, I couldn’t believe how great the results were.  I’ve never looked back.

   The Sony HVR-A1U is a very small compact camera.  It is listed in the professional line on Sony’s website, but it is more accurately categorized as pro-sumer.  It has a 1/3″ CMOS imager, which in my experience has proven to add up to more usable resolution than cameras that have 3 1/3″ CCD imagers.  “Your out of your tree” some would argue.  The CMOS chip in the A1U is nearly 3 megapixels in resolution.  In comparison to most of the ccd cameras IN THIS PRICE RANGE, that is nearly twice the resolution.  I have found the difference in imagery to be significant.

    The picture is a bit soft, but I personally prefer it for the type of shooting I do.  Others prefer very sharp images, great. The depth that is visible, even when rendering or downconverting to SD is noticeable without measuring, analyzing or using meters.  People and the objects in the video have dimension, instead being flat.  I have spent many hours viewing this footage next to another camera and the difference is again, significant.  (If you like that sort of thing).

   There are a host of functions in this camera accessible through the touch screen menu system.  I have heard people complain about having to dig through menus and that they would rather have buttons.  I don’t get that.  There are close to 70 options that are set through the menu.  None of which get changed while you are recording.  Set up, dial it in, shoot.  No big deal.  Lot’s of options and flexibility.

   Low light?  I agree.  It does not perform as well os other cameras that have ccds.  I can’t really compare it to other CMOS cameras, as there heven’t been many.  You have to film in good light for this one to shine.  In low light I don’t see a lot of noise, the contrast just goes away.  There isn’t any background detail, it’s just dark.  Like any other tool, you learn to use it within it’s limits.

    Color balance, particularly reds are definitely an issue.   I actually talked with a Sony engineer about the desaturated reds problem.  The reds come out a bit pink.  I shot a Christmas musical and everyone was wearing red sweaters.  In post they were almost pink.  I color corrected and went on, but I wanted to know how to improve it the next time.  Sony told me to manually white balance, and give the “sensor” more light.  I confess that I did not white balance for that particular shoot.  I left it on auto.  I manually white balance like a madman now on every shoot and I have seen an improvement.  I have also seen improvements by using the built in Cinematone settings.

    The cinematone settings adjust the gamma to make it look more like film.  It works pretty good.  I use Type I as my normal shooting mode, and Type II if I am shooting a “movie”.  This has resulted in my colors looking more like I want to see them.  Your results may vary.

    The battery life is very good.  I can shoot for an hour.  I’m talking actual record time.  I’m sure I could get more if I upgraded the battery system, but since I have 3 of these (2 stay in the studio), I have access to 3 batteries.  The power consumption is quite low.

    Like I said I have 3 A1U’s that I use. One is my personal camera, the other 2 belong to the church where I work.  I leave those 2 setup for use.  I use them to record live events twice a week live to hard disk.  I run component out to a SD switcher and it works great.  We’ve had comments from other pastors about the quality of our footage.  They have spent more on one camera than we have in our whole setup.  This is a result of the image resolution that I was referring to earlier.  Go to kbbc.org and you can see the results of using these cameras this way.  (Remember that these clips are recorded in SD).

    What else can I tell you about this camera?  It is compact, light, and easy to transport.  You can put it in your Lowes Pro backpack and put it in the overhead storage on a plane.  Mount it on a spiderbrace and it works as a shouldermount.  Set it up with a 35mm adapter and you’ve got the filmic look you’ve been looking for.   Shoot outdoors with type I cinematone and you have the Discovery Theatre.

    It has an audio module that supports 2 XLR inputs.  That works great with the included shotgun mic, or an upgraded mic or 2.  Take it off and the built-in stereo mics give a very wide cinematic sound.  Great for filming nature, or events where you are capturing ambient sound.

    For $2500 you would be hard pressed to find a camera that can do so many different things.  I have found it to be reliable, user friendly, and responsive.  It allows me to capture what I see exactly how I want to see it.  I think it is underrated by many.  It is good enough to be used by the crews of The Dealiest Catch.  It has been used for many B-roll situations in other reality TV shows.  And it’s good enough for me to use every day.

    I am looking for my next camera right now.  The biggest challenge I am facing is how I can purchase my new one, and hang on to my A1U.  There are situations where only this camera will work for me.  I may be willingto compromise on my next camera, just to be able to hang on to this one.  That’s a pretty strong endorsement.

Trying to choose a new camcorder, particularly one with professional features, is a daunting task at best. In an age where information is right at your fingertips, via internet, you would think it would make life easier in this regard. Who knew too much information could complicate your life?

There are manufacturer’s websites loaded with information and marketing materials about their products. There are user forums filled with post after post from experienced users and wannabes citing opinions and criticisms of various technologies and features. There are blogs (like this one) that have good information and opinion, although many are biased (like this one?).

So how do you do it? What about a pros-cons list? Put the things you like about a particular camera in one column, and the things you don’t like in the cons. Then do the same thing with features. The features you know for sure you need or will use, out in the pros column, and then the features that you know you will not use, or are not important to you can be placed in the cons column. You’d be surprised how many features end up in the cons column if you are honest with yourself about what you would actually use on a day to day basis.

How about going to one of the user forums and posting the question “which camera should I buy?” It might sound goofy but there are a lot of folks that post that question on a regular basis. I wouldn’t do it myself, but you can read the results from folks that have already asked. There is a lot of great advice on those responses. But it always gets summarized near the end of the thread as something like… “… just make sure you get the camera that will work for you…”, thanks for that.

You could ask your family and friends for their opinions. They probably won’t understand what you are talking about when you start reciting specs and features, but they can give you constructive comments like “that one’s nice”, or “wow that thing looks huge!”, or “Circuit City is having a sale”, or my favorite “why do you need a camera that costs so much?”.

Calling or emailing sales people at the internet stores is another idea. Probably not a good one. Although I have gotten excellent results from the folks at Texas Media Systems. Always friendly and willing to quote a package at a great price. But they don’t have every brand I am considering so I have to consider the sales bias in conversation. Nothing wrong with that, folks have to make a living.

At the end of the day, the most experienced person you know, is yourself. There will inevitably be one model, or one camera, that looks, feels, sounds, smells or otherwise strikes you a certain way. It will be the one that you type into the Google search box the most often. The one that you spend hours looking for new footage to watch. The one that you get excited about.

I know how it is to want to make the best decision, especially on a large purchase. But I believe in the case of a camera that you will spend hours looking at, working with, and ultimately creating with has to be as personal a decision as anything else.

The folks that give you advice will not be the one’s shelling out the money. They will not be looking through the lens and editing the final output. The person who will have to be the most satisfied with how the camera performs, compresses, captures, edits and renders is you.

You should be like these people when you get your new camera.  Watching for the Fedex truck.  Pacing with anticipation as you think about what you will shoot first.  It should make you feel like a kid a Christmas.

A new pro camera ought to inspire you to do more than you have, go further than you’ve been, and be thrilled when you show your finished work to whomever it is that you show it to.   Ultimately, this decision should be selfish, based on your own emotions, knowledge, and passion.  Ready to scoff at the naysayers who told you to go with brand X.  Go your own way and make your own choice.

Here is a white paper I found that goes into great detail discussing the differences between CMOS and CCD.  It is on the Nikondigital.org website, but is an article put out by Canon.

http://www.nikondigital.org/articles/canon_fullframe_whitepaper.pdf

Enjoy.