CMOS chips- rolling shutter causing any ill effects for wedding videographers

[richmondfloyd]

I have been doing quite a bit of reading on the difference between the CCD chips and CMOS chips. Apparently, although the CMOS chips can cause some rather bad artifacts, see here http://freshdv.dreamhosters.com/mjeppsen/video/ex1_strobe_cmos_rolling_shutter_artifact.mov this effect can be greatly reduced if the electronic shutter is turned off - well at least with the EX1, i'm not sure about the Z7E.

I wonder, has anyone had any first hand experience of this with either camera?

Also, what is the difference between the SxS card set up on the EX1 compared to the CompactFlash that the Z7E uses. I'm pretty sold on the EX1, but am happy to be convinced otherwise. At this rate, I think i'd be better off getting a Z1 with CCD chips - damn site cheaper too - although as all the review sites keep telling me, the image quality of the EX1 is far superior to the Z1 and better for low light shots too.

[Steve Shovlar]

The Z1 is not in the same ball park as the EX1/EX3. Don't go there.

I shoot weddings and used an EX1 all last yar and an EX3 this coming season. Are there problems with camera flash? Sure there are. it causes a split screen with half the frame lit and the other half dark. What i d is use a flash filter right over the top of the guilty frame and hey presto its solved. The EX1/EX3 makes light compared to the ZU1.

I can't coment on the ZU7 but its HDV only isn't it? 25Mbs compare to the EX1/EX3 35Mbs at the HQ setting. With 16Gb Transcend cards now only £17.99 in the UK for an hours HQ filming, its all gravy.

[handsome pete]

I'm a full time commercial editor/animator and usually use my EX1 for short films. However, I have done some event videography on the side.

I have done several weddings so far with the EX1 and have got nothing but rave reviews for my work. Everyone thinks the footage looks fantastic and no one has brought up the partial exposure of camera flashes. I'm not sure many people realize that it's an issue. I've also noticed that I rarely have a problem with the flashes from the wedding photographers. It's usually froj the point and shoot cameras from guests.

That's the only issue that really shows up in the footage. It can be fixed in post, but that can get tedious. So unless it really bothers you, I would lean towards the EX1.

Also, the over/undercranking is a feature that I couldn't live without now. Though for event work I do wish I had some external controls like the EX3.

So in the little wedding videography I've done with the EX1, I really can't say anything bad about it. I use the videos I've already shot with it as demos for potential customers and it has already lined up 5 jobs this year. And I don't seek these out either, they pretty much find me. I loathe editing weddings, but it's hard to pass up the money.

[GuyB]

I agree Pete. I've shot a fair few weddings with the EX1 now and not a single person has made a single comment, even just as an observation, about the effect of rolling shutter on flash's. Yes, it is different, its not as much of a 'natural' look as its not how the eye sees a flash, but in the end it is actually better for the video as you often end up with the partial exposure in an unimportant segment of the frame and it doesn't obscure from the subject. Not so important in a single flash but when there are lots of them going of you end up with more visible footage of the subject and less visible flash...

[BradCube]

I've been pretty much exclusively using my ex1 for weddings thus far and have never once heard anyone (client or otherwise) mention the rolling shutter issue. I of course, notice it when recording, but compared with the benefits of the ex1 for wedding videography (I'm thinking variable frame rates and low light performance) it becomes a non-issue.