The Terrific Canon HV20

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 1920x1080 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 1440x1080, 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 60i and 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 is normally seen 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 out there.

If you are one who is looking to buy their first camcorder, even if you have aspirations to be a 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.

New Toys - Just in Time for Christmas

December 14th, 2007 ·

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).

My First Music Video

Thi is my first video with theV1

And the Winner is…

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.

Nikon D70

October 23rd, 2007 · No Comments

    I shoot digital photography with my trusty Nikon D70.  The D70 is a 6.1 megapixel Digital Camera with Pro features and a max resolution of 3008 x 2000.

    I have never been a resolution fanatic.  In other words, I am as concerned, if not more so, with other features as I am max resolution of a camera.  Once manufacturers hit 6mp and beyond, we had in our hands the tools necessary to capture imagery worthy of print.

    The D70 workhorse is still available at many online retailers for under $700.  This camera has many advantages over many newer one’s, some that are priced even higher.

    The Color Sensor, that reads available light, and calculates exposure, white balance, etc., is nearly as important as the imaging sensor.  How well the camera “reads” it’s environment has a direct bearing on how well it manages contrasts and color space.  (At least that is how I undersatnd it).  The D70 has a 1005 segment color sensor.   It is strange that you don’t hear more about this spec.  Anyway, this camera does a great job of metering and adjusting color.

    I also enjoy using old 35mm lenses on this camera.  I set everything to manual and then I am able to shoot old school.  TTL metering doesn’t work, auto focus, iris, etc.  all function manually.  If you want to have some challenging fun, that’s the way to go. 

   I find old Nikkor lenses everywhere… for cheap!  I have 28mm, 35mm, 40mm, 50mm, 135mm and 205mm prime lenses that I paid less than 20 bucks a piece.  28-105mm, 70-200mm, and 28-80mm zoom lenses are just as inexpensive.  If you try to mount an old lense to your camera, be sure the mounts match up properly or you might damage it.  But once you figure it out you’ll find tons of creative uses for old lenses.

    Flash photographycan bring additional challenges.  The D70 on camera flash did me just fine until I learned about off camera flash technique.  Check out strobist.com for some terrific reading on ways to use flash and off-camera lighting that probably never occurred to you before.  It is amazing the effects and improvements you can make with flash photography just by using your flash OFF of you camera.  Reading the Strobist caused me to purchase many inexpensive old used flash units of every style and brand you can think of.  I use wireless gizmos to fire the flash units on tripods.  This one thing has impacted my pictures more than anything.

   As of today I haven’t created my picture gallery, but I will soon.  You will be able to see the results of off-camera flash photography.  If you don’t want to wait, head over to strobist.com and see for yourself.  If you would like to see the evolution of some of my sweet photography skills you can go to my Flickr page.

    Now that we chased those rabbits into the ground, I will summarize my love of my Nikon D70 like this:

                  It isn’t the highest resolution DSLR on the market.

                  It isn’t the highest level pro camera that there is.

                   It probably isn’t even considered one of the great digital cameras of the millenium.

     But when I take it out of the bag and shoot with it, it brings back everything I shoot, the way I see it, the way I want it, and that’s the way I like it.

      I hope you feel that way about your camera.    

  

Sony XDCAM-EXOctober 22nd, 2007

It appears that the price for the PMW-EX1 will hover somewhere around $6500. What exactly makes this camera worth the money? What features make it stand out? Is the technology in this cam compelling enough to make the jump? Let’s take a look.
What is it?
The PMW-EX1 is a compact Full HD videocam with Flash Memory Recording. Utilizing Sony’s SXS flash card, nearly 2 hours of HD recording can be stored on 2 16gb cards. The cards are based on Express34 technology and will be produced by Sony, Sandisk, and other 3rd party manufacturers which equates to… cheaper prices. The Sony SXS 8 gig card is reported to sell at $499, and the 16 gig at $899 as well. How long before the prices drop? (Not soon enough). The EX will store 1920 x 1080HD images using the MPEG2 Long GOP Codec.
MPEG2 Long GOP Codec.
Understanding compression formats used in digital video may take an engineering degree to understand. There are plenty of opinions out there about what is best. 8 bit, 10 bit, 4:2:2, 4:2:0. Do you know what these mean? Exactly how can understanding them impact your ability to make a documentary or short film?
The EX will record in 2 bit rates… 35mbps in HQ mode, and 25mbps in SP mode. SP mode supports 1440×1080 resolution which is supposed to integrate with standard HDV formats. The HQ mode captures at a resolution of 1920×1080. The color space is 4:2:0, and the compression is 8-bit. For Full HD at 4:2:2 you would utilize the HD-SDI out.
Quality.
Is the quality “good enough”, and what would be the limitations? The Panasonic HVX200 records to it’s P2 cards at a bit-rate of 100mbps with 4:2:2 colorspace. How much better does that make the usable footage? I have been looking everywhere for information that would clearly indicate the difference without bias. I am not sure it’s out there.
If you are in the Panasonic camp, the EX falls short and they assure you that you can tell the difference. If you are in the Sony camp they would argue that the Long GOP 4:2:0 is better suited for PC card capture, and that they have 3 years of experience with this codec on the rest of the XDCAM lineup. What are the realities? What is the true difference?
Until we see footage from actual users, I’m not sure that we can do other than speculate. I personally believe that the Long GOP format provides a more usable, editable stream. I can’t say for sure because I have never tried to edit either one. Visually I know that it looks much better than what I get from my current gear. It is also good enough for the networks.
The idea of buying a camera that has no tape drive, has already dropped ties to SD, and costs under $8000 is a very exciting proposition to me. The fact that some folks are already calling it “little red” is some indication of the visual perception of the imagery. After all, not many folks look for artifacts in every frame with photoshop. Most just watch whatever it is that you produce. If they don’t notice the technology because the piece is interesting, then the camera did it’s job in my opinion.
Is it worth the Money? Time will tell. I have to say I was extremely surprised at the price level of the EX considering all of the features it has. I don’t know if it will satisfy everyone’s needs, but I’m sure it will be popular enough to satisfy quite a few.

I am at the place where I begin to search for the next video camera for my arsenal. I have already spent many hours reading and comparing 3 main models:
Sony XDCAM-EX (Not available until mid Nov 07)
Panasonic HVX200
JVC HD110

All three are fantastic cameras. The XDCAM is my favorite so far.

It records straight to PC media, (Express 34 NOT nearly retired PCMCIA cards), it does NOT have a tape drive of any sort. It utilizes CMOS chips instead of CCD... a BIG plus in my book. (After all the RED camera uses CMOS... who will argue with that?).
The XDCAM is built on an already proven platform. There are over 21,000 XDCAM sytems in operation today which make it the fastest growing tapeless solution in the market. It can record nearly 2 hours of 1080p HD two 2 PC cards.
It IS quite expensive though. I am waiting to see what the final street price turns out to be. It may be worth saving a few more nickels for, as it is the most future-proof of the three options that I am considering. I base this on the fact that it records to flash cards that are cost-effective and still being expolited by manufacturers and that it is able to record at 1080p.


The JVC 110 is my second choice. It records at 720p/24 natively. It has a interchangeable lens, and is already an industry workhorse. No one should really argue the quality as it is currently used in production on such shows as Good Morning America, the series 24, and other high profile shows.
The Fujinon lens is apparently a great lens (at least in the opinion of people who count such as Davis Guggenheim and others (Check this link for more http://pro.jvc.com/prof/attributes/case_hist.jsp?model_id=MDL101642&feature_id=10 )
One of the things I am considering about this camera, is whether or not JVC will be releasing a 1080p version within the next 12 months. If so, I would not be a happy man if I had already purchased the HD110. JVC released an article promoting their position on 720p being relevant now and in the future. If you would like to read it it is at this link. (Bring aspirin, it goes way down the rabbit hole.) This document discusses the future of 720p in News. It was published April 2007.

The 3rd camera that is in the running is the HVX200.

Panasonic had a strong following for the DVX100, a standard definition camera that opened up affordable film look video for independent and amateur videographers. Check out Dvxuser.com and read all about it. The DVX lovers desperately want the HVX200 to be the end-all do-all in the HD world like the dvx100 was in the SD world. The Hvx200 initially started on the top of my list, but it has as of this moment dropped to the bottom. There are several reasons for this.
The HVX200 records Hi Def onto P2 cards. These cards are proprietary cards made for Panasonic and based on PCMCIA technology which has a max bit rate of 600mbs. Not only that but on the PCMCIA website there is a message that indicates that no more development in this technology is being pursued. I refuse to start with a camera at this price that has based one of the most important aspects of the camera on retired technology. Add to that the ridiculous price points that Panasonic has placed on these cards and it's more than I can bear.
For the life of me I can't understand why Panasonic users aren't up in arms, flooding feedback to Panasonic by the thousands to chastise them for this poor choice.
The images coming out of this camera are great, but so are the HD110 and from what little I've seen, the XDCAM-EX. For those that will take 1 single frame and blow it up and stare at it for hours on end to try and decide who has the best image, more power to you. Video moves 24-60 of those things you are looking at every second. When you take the whole package, including motion, lense type, color space, compression, etc. The quality is so good on every front, that there is barely enough room for personal preference.
So what is the conclusion? I wish I knew. What is the best bang for the buck? I wish I knew. I want to purchase a camera that will stay with me for at least 3 years. All three of these will probably accomplish this. I can't wait to see what I decide.