HMC150 - Wow, the manual focus and zoom motors are sure LOUD!

T

TheGuitarzan

Member
While preparing for an upcoming shoot I decided to finally try a pair of head phones with my new HMC150.

W - O - W !!!!

The Auto Focus servo motor is LOUD! I couldn't figure out what that noise was at first, then I noticed that when the AF number changed I heard the noise.

Then I thought I'd try the zoom. Yikes! It SCREAMS!

Anyone else notice this noise? The AF is the most annoying because it's always going to be there unless you film dead people via a tripod.
 
TheGuitarzan said:
The AF is the most annoying because it's always going to be there unless you film dead people via a tripod.
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That's phunny!!

Yep the motors are noisy but only when you're in a super quiet room - no biggie for me though, weddings are usually loud affairs :) If I ever get asked to do a funeral or wake I might have to reconsider ;-)
 
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When exactly do you use the zoom and when exactly do you leave AF on?...

Not just that but unless you're using the built in microphone in a silent room you shouldn't have a problem.

What are you shooting?
 
Thomas Lew said:
When exactly do you use the zoom and when exactly do you leave AF on?...


What are you shooting?
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If I'm shooting a short I'm almost always going to use my Redrock with prime lenses.

However, there are many (MANY!) things I shoot where I use a zoom and keep the camera on AF. (weddings, school productions, sports). 2 of those items lend themselves to very quite rooms and the need to zoom.

I am aware of the "purest's" arguments against zooming (when I was in Hollywood I encountered many of them, most directors though who didn't know how to use a camera), but have usually disagreed with it.
 
the AF on this camera just like the HVX is spotty and has a mind of its own. I wouldn't recommend using auto focus on pretty much any HD camera. Just will give you very mixed results... plus it's not exactly a professional way to do things.
 
oh yeah... noisy

oh yeah... noisy

I have found the autofocus to be a lot noisier than I had expected, too.... in school gyms with the sound system going. On another front, I do so enjoy the "professional" comments about using autofocus. This auto is quite good IMO... when it goes astray, a gentle touch on the ring and we're back in shape. I have to "run and gun" shoot all the time - events, concerts, sports... having to manually pull focus for variables I won't know about until they happen is just not practical. That being said, this auto is very good.... but noisy.
 
To each there own... but I've never found an autofocus that can do anything remotely as fast as I can. Being an AC for years and years is hard to break... One way though to avoid the camera noise is to use an external mike and a seperator.. then you'll loose alot of the noise. I had the same issues with the XL1 years ago and putting on a seperator or whatever its called cured all of the camera noise.
 
Yeah something better than the stock mic mount that comes with it would definitely be better! I can't imagine how much worse it must be using the built-in mics. I still love this camera though. I'm trying to talk the wife in to two for the "home" work...
 
So I take it you don't follow Sergio Leone in cinemagraphic style? Or the Hong Kong Kung Fu Bowing Crane Zoom style, for that matter...
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Or the Robert Altman school. Use a good shotgun and mount it helps.
 
Never use the onboard mic, unless in some rare cases.

Shotguns are really useful. I also usually use a wireless transmitter.

And learn to use manual focus. Zoom in, focus, then zoom out.

Or stay wider when you can't zoom it. Or push the auto focus button for a few seconds.

I am in manual focus about all the time.
 
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