Snowboarding & HVX

[steev'sHVX]

any pointers?

[aj_newman]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzU4A3wPzsg (about half way through)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3-5pM8GM8Q (3 mins 10 secs in)

Tips:

1) Let the HVX cool down / heat up in a sealed back - or else you'll get condensation!
2) Its easier to ski with the HVX than snowboard
3) A small bottle of Dutch courage :)

Best of luck!

[BGust]

thats a really general question. i mean i could write a book on "snowboarding & hvx".
any thing in mind?
like aj newman said about condensation. you need to let the camera get acclimatized to any shooting situation. if you have a warm camera and you take it into a cold environment condensation will form on the lense. (like jumping out of the car on a cold morning with a camera thats been inside all night)
on the other end if you take a cold camera directly into a warm environment you will get condensation on the lense.
its not a big deal, as long as you dont have to shoot right then.
the lense will be fine.

If your a snowboarder I dont think it will be easier to ski with an hvx, but I dont know that for sure.

small bottle of dutch courage... ? i think we call this the green wax.
but yeah it will help too.

anything more specific and i will get back with you.

the biggest pointer is to always be open to pointers.

[steev'sHVX]

im lookin for maybe some steadycams but not to bulky. and im not just talking followcams i mean what a good tripod for the hvx that ill be carrying around. shutter speeds? fps? oh and to follow up. i shot some stuff in 480pn24 what format should i upload that in to fcp. those frames in between are screwin with me. oh and another thing what can i do about noise its killin me thanx

[Joe Kocsis]

LOL!! Guess it depends how good of a ski or snowboarder you are.. I've done years of follow cam on a snowboard.. I would have died on skiis!!




2) Its easier to ski with the HVX than snowboard


Best of luck!

[Joe Kocsis]

Don't catch an edge! In my experience the HVX is pretty sturdy, so when you crash and cover it with snow.. chances are it will be ok... just dry it off the best you can and continue your day... Probably not necessary to run to the jon and use a blow dryer or anything.. my HVX has even been complete covered( big splash from a big slash) with water during a wakeboarding rail jam, and was fine..

Good luck.. and have fun..

[BGust]

steady cam or tripod? that part was unclear. as for a tripod get someting sturdy and beefy. no sense in even carying a tripod unless its beefy, especially in snow.

shutter speed 1/250 is what i always use for action shots. unless the light is shit.

frame rate 32 fps gives it a little bit of a dreamy look. i shoot almost everyting at 32 now. sometimes more. not ever less than 30 though. if your going for a film look dont shoot 24fps. not even people who are shooting film use that frame rate for action.

it doesnt make any sense to me to shoot 480-anything with an hvx unless you need to shoot alot of stuff in one day, but even still i would never shoot 480. instead i would off load if i needed more space.

if your shooting 480 you might as well save your self some weight and use a sony handycam. or something like it.

about the noise: make sure your gain is not on. and shoot a higher resolution.
maybe the noise your seeing is from low resolution.

and, how to follow up? dont understand.

[steev'sHVX]

1st of all falling with my baby is not an option.

thanx bgust ill give the settings a try.

i dont plan on shooting in 480 its just that i have a 4gb p2 which isnt much help so ive been shooting on tape until i get some extra cash to buy some p2 cards.

good compact steadycams?

[goatty432]

Steev's...I purchased a manfrotto figrig earlier this year to try out while snowboarding (after I saw it being used in a couple of snowboard films) but never had the opportunity to try it out. However, the shots I've seen using it have looked really good, but they might've had some type of smoothcam filter on it via FCP.

We shoot all kinds of motocross stuff and have use the figrig for mutiple motion shoots in helicopters, truck beds, walking, etc and it seems to work pretty damn well. 300$ is hella cheaper than a steadycam too...

Definitely shoot 720p/30pN with your 4gb card...it won't hold as much as you'd prefer, but everything will look so much better than 480.

[steev'sHVX]

thanks goatty ill take a look at the figrig and start shooting in 720 im just affraid of having to upload every 3 mins but then again snowboard/skating shots are only a few seconds. i probly could get a good amount of hits in on my 4gb.

Best place to buy PCI Expresscard converter?

[goatty432]

You'll want to get a duel adapter if you have an express slot. It works wonders, as you don't have to hook your camera up to the computer. You can probably upgrade to a 16 gig quite reasonably cheap now, and that'll hold 34 minutes of 720p/30pN.

[steev'sHVX]

thats what i plan on and thanks to goatty, i plan on buying the figrig as well.

now what about some nice panasonic scene files. i just got them on my hvx today. recommend any for the mountain?

[BGust]

as far as sceenfiles go: I would research what settings the other filmers are using.
I usually try to get the same settings as the other guys im shooting with (in the same project)

if you are shooting where you are going to be the only camera guy i would experiment and see what you think looks best.

what kind of snowboarding will you be shooting?
the fig rig looks great, but ONLY if your up close and the lense is as wide as it goes

i find that i need to use the zoom more on my shots

i would instead invest in a quality tripod and head. if you need extra steadying of the camera: attach the camera to the tripod (legs fully contracted) and simply hold the rig by the triopd head (locked) this acts as a counterbalance. it helps me smooth out some follow cams while riding.

[steev'sHVX]

thanks ill be loookin into that. but for now my camerea and FCP got be broke. Donations are accepted:]

[filmguy123]

Resurrecting this thread because I'd like to shoot some snowboarding with my now-getting-sorta-older HVX200.

* Thoughts on using the DV MultiRig Pro as a sort of camera holder (configuring it to hold the camera below me and hold the top as a handle)?
* Thoughts on renting a 0.6 wide angle adaptor lens for the HVX vs. a Super Fish Eye?
* Thoughts on what to put around the camera? I have a Pelican Rain Cover should this do the trick?
* Thoughts on shooting at 720/60p, and then editing on a 30p timeline so that i have the option of making everything a 60p slow motion shot if I so desire?


And here's a big one...

* Thoughts on how to view what I am shooting (when the camera is not by my eye). Folding out the little LCD screen sounds risky if I go crashing - I can just picture it snapping right off

[Tim Le]

I've done some filming while snowboarding. Most camera ops just hold the camera in their hands. Using a rig or something is risky because if you go down, those parts could hurt the camera or you, at least that's my thinking. In some TV events, a camera operator on skis might use a V-shaped rig while going down the halfpipe but it looks kinda cumbersome and wouldn't work on a snowboard.

I didn't use any sort of cover for the camera because it sort of got in the way, but if you don't mind, it might be a good idea. When I would crash, I'd just quickly brush off the snow from the camera.

The HVX200 is decently wide (30mm equivalent), but another wide angle adapter might help. It depends on what you're shooting: freeriding or jibbing? The fisheye will push everything really far back so you have to get even closer to your subject. Maintaing that close of distance is while freeriding can be hard.

I don't usually use the LCD. It's hard to monitor it in the sunlight and after some practice you just get to know where the frame is. If you're going fast, it's also safer to keep your eyes up and not down at the camera. It just takes a lot of practice. The hard part is keeping the camera level and maintaining the right amount of headroom in the shot.

[robertrogoz]

It's much easier to shoot with any shoulder mount on skis or snowboard. I use EX1 for tripod and JVC GY-HM100 for hand held. ex1 or HVX are the most award size- weight cameras for hand held. We shoot everything 720/60p 1/120 shutter.

[Stephen Powling]

If you're doing follow cam's just use a wide angle or fisheye. That way you just point the camera at the rider and it should be able to capture them just fine. Also, using a wide angle or fisheye takes away a lot of shake compared to not using one if you are just doing follow cam's.

[robertrogoz]

If you're doing follow cam's just use a wide angle or fisheye. That way you just point the camera at the rider and it should be able to capture them just fine. Also, using a wide angle or fisheye takes away a lot of shake compared to not using one if you are just doing follow cam's.
GoPro works great for that. In good light the results are really great.

[Stephen Powling]

Agreed the GoPro is great for doing quick follow cam's through the park or where ever. I just wish the sound didn't come out so terrible with that waterproof casing.

[DOSMedia]

Resurrecting this thread because I'd like to shoot some snowboarding with my now-getting-sorta-older HVX200.

* Thoughts on using the DV MultiRig Pro as a sort of camera holder (configuring it to hold the camera below me and hold the top as a handle)?
* Thoughts on renting a 0.6 wide angle adaptor lens for the HVX vs. a Super Fish Eye?
* Thoughts on what to put around the camera? I have a Pelican Rain Cover should this do the trick?
* Thoughts on shooting at 720/60p, and then editing on a 30p timeline so that i have the option of making everything a 60p slow motion shot if I so desire?


And here's a big one...

* Thoughts on how to view what I am shooting (when the camera is not by my eye). Folding out the little LCD screen sounds risky if I go crashing - I can just picture it snapping right off


Im not sure why you would want to edit in a 30p timeline while shooting 60p? If you shoot 60p (which I HIGHLY recommend), then use a 60p timeline.

As for protecting the camera, you dont need anything unless its snowing. I went the poor mans route for 3 years and used seran wrap. It worked really well, it was just a pain in the ass, so I got a cheap Porta Brace rain cover. Havent used it yet, but its not quite the pain in the ass, thats for sure.

Go Pros are cool and all, but if your doing follow cams, buy a wide angle (really not a huge fan of fisheyes, but thats just personal opinion).
You cant compare a Go Pro to an HVX.

As for seeing what your shooting, I usually just open the LCD before I drop and make sure its recording and everything is exposed, ect, and then i close it. Just takes a little practice.

Remember to always check your exposure and get it set right. Snow is not easy to get a good exposure with and lighting is constantly changing.

Also, you will be shocked on what your camera can handle. Im not saying abuse it or not baby it, but the HVX can take a beating. Mines been fallen with off an 80 footer, then landed on the next day, and then dropped out of the car after that. Its also been dropped off a snowmobile onto ice, partially buried in a slide, fallen with in my backpack, rolled over by a snowmobile, and been used in temperatures as low as -60. I really try not to abuse it, but thats just some things a camera will go through in 3 years of making ski movies. Camera still looks good and works (knock on wood).

Be careful with condensation though, especially up at Hood where the snow is pretty wet when it snows. Thats always my biggest concern.

Hope that helped some