Canon high-def ??

Hi all,

Just got off the phone to a BBC producer who was not convinced that my (soon to be) A1E was going to be any good on their new 'blue chip' production for next year as it was only HDV not HD..???

But he did say he'd check it out and gave me some other numbers to try in the meantime.. "Well they used TRV950's on Blue Planet" I was going to say but I didn't want to come across as a stamp my feet spoilt twat..

Anyway...Had a look at the new Canon XL-H1..Wow. If your interested take a gander on the: dvinfo.net site under XL H1 watchdog.. This looks the BIZ and their forums are going mad over it.

£5500-6000 though.."Holy bank balance"

Dive safe

Dean (chase those goal posts) B

Well the XL HD1 is pretty sweet with the interchangeable lens. But still with the clips I'm seeing from the HDV200 at 720P at 60 fps, I'd give the edge to the Panasonic, esp for slo-mo and the fact it is DVC Pro HD, with 4x the bandwidth of DV/HDV. I've spoken with the Beebs and Discovery peeps as well. DVC Pro HD is totally accepted. HDV is not as a complete program but if you do have something they like, they will buy.

The point is if you are doing broadcast work, you'd most probably be renting and using HDCAM or some other derivative of HD.

Hi Drew,

Crikey O Mikey.?? You love that Panny !!!

I was thinking about this last night and remembered Doug Allan saying he was using the Z1E for filming the latest big block buster 'Planet Earth'. Is that not the same or similiar quality / resolution as the A1E ???

Bugger I'm getting confused. Lets sell up and get 5D and join Alex and the boys.!!!

Dive safe

DeanB

Dean

According to Andy, Brown Planet (aka Planet Earth) is in HD only. U/W sequences are HDCAM or uprezzed HDV. Most of the u/w guys using their own equipment wlll have jumped on the Z1 for the purpose of getting HDV since brown planet has been in production for over a year now. The A1 is pretty good but 1 CCD is still 1 CCD and the Z1 is 3 CCD. Properly lit, the differences are more difficult to see but u/w, 3 CCD will shine thru. HDV200 is out just now and the storage devices are now just making the rounds and out by Feb or March so it's not ready.

Yeah I love the machine. The best HD bang for buck. Gates has promised a housing but I'm hoping Sea Lux will come out with a electronic one.

Hi guys help me please. I'm using TRV950 with Blufin L&M.

Thinking to pass to HDV and A1e.....

Do you like A1e? Any idea? Some people speak about low light sensibility ect ect...

Any footage? I like A1e for little dimension but how about quality of footage?

Do you think it will be good and 3ccd?

Thank you

ERIK

Hi Erik,

I think its going to be down to what your using it for.??

For me, at the moment I am at the low end of the ladder and not looking to be employed by a big company for a while or have the finances to justify expensive gear / Excess baggage blah, blah..

I want to impress the big wigs with my eye for the shot and back it up with a camera that is going to do that justice and at the top end of what i can afford. Also try and make DVD's to market and sell to people (hopefully). So the A1E seems to be the way to go for now.

When i first purchased the TRV950, people said "no get the PD150 its better quality / low light etc... I would have loved to but ..Same reasons as above. But then I made a film sold a few copies (gave the money to charity) and won four awards with it. So I was happy with my results.

Other people here who do this for a living (lucky sods) have to keep up with the Joneses and have a bigger outlay.

Maybe one day me and you ???

To cut a long story short. The A1E is better than the TRV950 in all respects..So if your in the same situation as me thats the way to go..

Dive safe

DeanB

...

When i first purchased the TRV950, people said "no get the PD150 its better quality / low light etc... I would have loved to but ..Same reasons as above. But then I made a film sold a few copies (gave the money to charity) and won four awards with it.  So I was happy with my results.

 

DeanB

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Do you have any samples of your work on the internet ? I'd like to see some high quality work.

Hi guys help me please. I'm using TRV950 with Blufin L&M.

Thinking to pass to HDV and A1e.....

Do you like A1e? Any idea? Some people speak about low light sensibility ect ect...

Any footage? I like A1e for little dimension but how about quality of footage?

Do you think it will be good and 3ccd?

 

Thank you

 

ERIK

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Erik

I've checked out clips from Z1/A1/HD10/XLHD1 and the HDV200 and really if properly lit only the progressive picture of the HDV200(which really isn't HDV but DVC Pro HD) stands out from the rest significantly. For bang for buck, the A1 is great especially for macro subjects with lights. Where it will suffer is in deeper water or dirtier viz with less light. Main reason is the small lens and thus limited SWA options (domed). You will see the difference between 3 and 1 CCD for color and noise and the differences will be more pronounced once the conditions worsen.

High quality work

Nice choice of wording..No I haven't got round to putting my film up for all to see yet. I have a friend who is going to help me with my website in the new year so hopefully then

Drew, I think for people like me on a lower budget the A1E or the FX1 is probably the way to go. If your going to keep looking at higher end models you might as well go for the top HD cams and compare them to the panny. Again no contest, but the pannys cheaper. This argument can go on forever. Its just down to what you can afford. People said to me the TRV950 is crap at depth and no good with wide angle. But I filmed the bow of an oil tanker with a 120 degree lens at 35metres no probs. I've also filmed in a shite low viz quarry and its been fine.

god bless you all (and god bless little tim)

Dive safe

DeanB

Dean

A few of the guys here are using Z1 and you yourself checked out the XLH1, all within the price range of the HVX200.

The TRv950/PD10X are 3 CCD cameras....albeit really small CCDs. Under extreme conditions, when viz and light drops, the better low light performance will show, esp gain noise and color etc. I could say I shot a B-25 bomber at 49m with a filter and VX2100 or the HMS Prince of Wales in 7m viz at 65m. What does that prove? Once the viz goes crappy and the light level drops, the cameras will show their flaws. But in extreme cases.

Ultimately, they are tools and you choose the right tool for the job. The A1/HC1 is good bang for the $, esp for general use as I said previously. The HVX200 is excellent value considering the quality of the output. At 60fps at 720P, the slo-mo on that will be awesome. No more interpolated frames. Of course, it's not cheap for the general video population, but then again the PD170/150 was the price of the FX1 just 4 years ago. And the VX2100/2000 the price of the A1/HC1. Most people work on budget, so consider your budget and buy the best you can get for your needs.

Hi Drew,

Just tring to point out that (obviously) people have different opinions on the subject. In my own experience the TRV950 worked wonders for what I wanted it to do when I was told it was a waste of time and to save a bit more and buy the PD150.. I would have missed the shots and still be at home saving for a better cam..? By the time i have saved for the Panny or better i would be still sat here having this jovial banter with you and not out there filming with my shiny new A1E..

The BBC, Nt Geo etc.. are still going to except footage from all specs cams if its worth their while.. Lets just get on with impressing the hoards with the wonders of our oceans without going into debt trying to keep the major companies in champagne lunches..

If you do invest in the panny..I'll borrow it just to prove myself wrong !!!

Dive safe

DeanB

Don't know who told you that but obviously a person who believes that shooting with the better equipment will always be a good choice. Having a better performing camera gives you extra latitude that you may need should you be at location and the conditions are extreme. They probably also want the cleanest and best looking clips they can get, not just fine or good enough.

I like the A1 and will probably be buying it for travel in places where puddlejumpers are the norm. The macro ability is very good. I also liked the PD10X and had it for a few months as a travel camera. If you want it, I think it's still floating about in the antarctic sea somewhere. Don't ask!

As for formats for stock clips, well of course they'd accept clips if it's rare or just plain easier than sending someone all the way there so they can TRY to get it. Really depends on the producer/director. Sample case was the sardine run. For blue planet, the Beebs went 2 years running and got a lot of topside stuff on 16mm and digibeta, but had bad luck u/w. So they bought the sequences from a local shooter, shot on a "lowly" VX2000.

Go check out the HVX200 thread, there's a sample of 1080P compressed to H264. My HVX is a done deal, but not the housing. I've already junked the Z1.

Dumped the Z1..? I'll send you my address. As a charitable donation though..!!! Or is it somewhere in Antartica, Graveyard of the Video camera..Hmmm, Film Idea ????

I'll keep my eye on the Panny..You never know.?

Dive safe

Merry Xmas

DeanB

I have an HC1 and have only had it underwater once with no WA or lights. Half the time I used the filter, to my detriment. The other half I was trying to figure out how to focus but here's a clip if you want a peak.

http://67.122.16.97/lars/hc1/uwcatalinashort.wmv