Should you use the HVX200 for the Big Screen?

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pekar1876

Active member
I'm putting to together a feature film at the moment, www.thefighterfilm.com and just wanted to ask about using the HVX200. I own a HVX200 and use it for promo work and will be using it on a upcoming doc.

When I saw Lonesome Jim and November on DVD I thought they looked great having been shot on the 100 and was very excited about the 200 and P2 cards but I haven't been that impressed with the footage seen online (i know its compressed so am not that worried)

Have any of you seen a feature film shot on the 200 on the big screen which you have been impressed with?

Or is it best to only use the HVX200 for films which will end up on DVD or online?
 
I can't tell you first hand, but I have heard that the 720p and especially the 1080p footage comes out good after a 35mm transfer.
 
Just spent the last three days at a film festival where just about anything that wasn't shot on film was shot on an HVX. Lots of big screens; lots of great-looking footage.
 
although i heard good and bad stories about the big screen HVX'd footage,
if i was investing in a feature for the big screen, i would await the HYDRA as it gives you more resolution, dynamic range, sampling and manipulation of the raw image. The HVX already looks good on the big screen, BUT, with HYDRA it'll look
freaking awesome 4:4:4 with about 11-13 stops at 2k!:happy:
 
I'll believe in Hydra when I see it. Yes I know it looks awsome on paper, but that's just it, on paper.
Don't missunderstand, I would LOVE hydra, but after the Cineporter debacle, I am properly wary of promises.
Dave
 
i know the feeling dave, but i believe the HYDRA has a large market waiting especially with those wanting to do a filmout, or impress a distributor if the film is picked up. having a 2k raw master files will be a bonus.
 
Barry,

What do you mean when you say "when shot properly"?

Do you mean settings or camera work. If settings, could you please tell me which settings are the best for the big screen.

Thank you
 
Well, I mean that things are in focus, lit properly, etc. There was a film released recently that used the M2 adapter and people were complaining about the quality and that it was surprisingly soft, etc; the DP came on and said that much of that was to blame on the 2nd unit who just frankly messed up many shots.

If you know what you're doing, get your shots in focus, light properly and such, the HVX can do an outstanding job on the big screen.
 
HVX on a big screen looks pretty freaking fantastic. If your budget only allows for an HVX + Adapter and nothing more than that as far as camera goes, you'd do pretty well with it (as Barry ALREADY stated) with a good crew.
 
I would say as long as your movie is set during the day and in bright light you should be fine.
 
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David Jimerson said:
Just spent the last three days at a film festival where just about anything that wasn't shot on film was shot on an HVX. Lots of big screens; lots of great-looking footage.
Click to expand...

Can you tell us about this fest?

I'm planning a fest in my country and liko to invite some HVX200 productions.

Thanks.

PS: I apreciate the info about some one or any contact about a feature shoot with the HVX200 (short or full, blown to 35 mm)

Thanks.
 
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look at iraq in fragments, that was shot on dvx. although a lot of money went in to the transfer but just shows you the possibilities.
 
With the carefulness of lighting, settings, and proper menu setups, you can have a nice filmout, some shots in sarah landon sucked cause of slipups of crew members in settings and lighting.
 
I think there's a HUGE distinction between seeing a digital projection and a film print.

If you plan on a film print I'd consider avoiding adapters from what I've seen.
 
Without being specific, what I saw was very soft. Alarmingly so.
Softer than filmouts I did several years ago from a Canon XL-1.
Perhaps it was the print, no way to tell.
 
Obviously something wrong then, because Kholi and Smelni and lots of others of us have seen large-screen projections of HVX footage and it looks fantastic.

So perhaps there was something wrong with the film transfer you saw, or the adapter they used, or something like that.
 
yeah I was about to say the same thing, if you shoot it and light it like film, there should be no problem competing against film with the hvx
hey barry by the way, what gamma curve, detail and master ped do you recommend for a film transfer from the hvx at 1080 using a letus extreme?
 
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