How do your clients feel about the 150?

mikeymic

mikeymic

Active member
I'm wondering if clients who are looking for an HVX200a are ok with trying this new camera. I can understand if someone's already doing a project with the 200 that they would want to keep everything consistant. My real question is about clients who like your HVX200...how do they react to the news that you'd like to shoot on the 150?
 
Clients don't really know the difference nor care. I personally think it's an upgrade on the HVX200... so if people liked what I did before, then it's even better. Now a 200a or 170 might garner more influence on a rental type of thing, but a client doesn't really get into EX1 vs. 170 vs whatever. It's if you deliver the goods and are easy to work with.
 
Justyn said:
Clients don't really know the difference nor care. I personally think it's an upgrade on the HVX200... so if people liked what I did before, then it's even better. Now a 200a or 170 might garner more influence on a rental type of thing, but a client doesn't really get into EX1 vs. 170 vs whatever. It's if you deliver the goods and are easy to work with.
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The only time that I've ever heard of this being a problem is when you are doing work for someone else who specifically requires a P2 workflow. The camera itself is not the issue, they just need to match up to their other cameras within their workflow.
 
In this case, you can convert it in DVCProHD with the AVCHD transcocer and deliver a P2 folder on a hard drive.
 
when it's converted to DVCPRO HD and or Pro Rez.. who could really tell what it was shot on?


True.. some people have opted for P2 instead... clients, but that's more on one -off freelance jobs. When it's something I produce, then I"m going to opt for the 150 alsmost every time.. REGARDLESS of BUDGET.


That's the thing. The 150 purchase wasn't really necessary due to budget or finances. It was done out of appreciation for what it offers, and how much easier it will make my productions.
 
Very true David. I'm totally loving this camera. How have you felt about it? I mean.. it's not a step down from the original HVX at all... and in so many ways it's better. I'd like to shoot a 170.. haven't done that yet, but I still think I'd have gone with the 150 over the 170.

I was out shooting something the other day with another guy who was shooting P2. He missed tons of opportunites because of his offloading.. and he had to lug around a laptop and offload while we were shooting. I'd say he easily missed 10 percent of the stuff that I got simply by his time offloading and setting up his comp. That's SIGNIFIGANT in my eyes...
 
My only real issue is with editing. I'd like to stay with AVCHD until delivery. And I don't particularly care for transcoding to pro res, although I do like the quality.

Pluses -- good low light and extraordinary image at 720 anything. We really cannot distinguish much difference between it and our 170. Overcranking is achieved with Cinema tools, and shoot 720/60p is a breeze given the low cost of the SDHC cards.

We have a 16 GB and 8GB Panasonic card and several transcends and San Disks.

I just bought an extended battery from buy.com.

We have seriously considered selling our low hours 170 and getting another HMC150.

Another plus is blu ray DVD playback with our Panasonic using cards. Or easily creating a 24 mbps BDMV red laser dye disc and playing that back.

Negatives -- editing.
 
customer's don't know anything about cameras. that's why they go to a professional... because they want someone to do all that techy stuff for them because they have no idea how to.

of course, there will always be one or two customers who might know a bit about cameras... but 99% won't know anything at all, let alone the names of the cameras.
 
Oliax said:
customer's don't know anything about cameras. that's why they go to a professional... because they want someone to do all that techy stuff for them because they have no idea how to.

of course, there will always be one or two customers who might know a bit about cameras... but 99% won't know anything at all, let alone the names of the cameras.
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it seems to me like a lot of people just hear specific camera names and refuse to go with anything but that camera, although they have no clue. gotta love the hype trains.
 
Oliax said:
customer's don't know anything about cameras. that's why they go to a professional... because they want someone to do all that techy stuff for them because they have no idea how to.

of course, there will always be one or two customers who might know a bit about cameras... but 99% won't know anything at all, let alone the names of the cameras.
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Many of my clients do know many of the capabilities of camcorders and ask questions about capabilities.

And being a professional means what?
 
David S. said:
Many of my clients do know many of the capabilities of camcorders and ask questions about capabilities.
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when they ask questions about capabilities it's not "what shutter speed will you shoot in?" or "is it 4:2:2?" or "does it have variable framerates and if so, which ones?"

it is always along the lines of "does it look really good?" or "does it look good like a movie or film?"

99% of clients couldn't care less if you use an HMC150 over an HVX200 because they don't know the difference.

David S. said:
And being a professional means what?
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you don't know?
 
I guess I don't. I know DPs and editors, etc. who are experienced and knowledgeable.

But how would a "customer," as you phrased it, know that.

And yes, many of my clients are familiar with color space, etc. It all depends on who your clients are.
 
They ask, is it HD and is it 16:9?
I paid off my HMC150 on my second check from a client. More and more it is used in professional world they will appreciate the work flow more and more. I had a shoot in an army base and transferred my 16gb class 6 card using usb adapter in 10 minutes. The producer transferred those files into her NLE and she was very happy with the results. No technical b.s. was discussed. She new it was HD and it was 16:9... that was enough.
 
green thumb said:
it seems to me like a lot of people just hear specific camera names and refuse to go with anything but that camera, although they have no clue. gotta love the hype trains.
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My friend who uses a dvx100b responded to a craigslist ad and the dude ONLY WANTED SOMEBODY WITH A GL2 :zombie_smiley::zombie_smiley::zombie_smiley::zombie_smiley:
 
High-profile clients that I work with such as L.L.Bean don't care so much about the camera (size, recording format, etc...), as much as they like the fact that it shoots tapeless and I can immediately show them the recorded footage, as well as provide a quick turnaround.

I guess it really depends on how experienced the client is who you are working with. That being said, if they were experienced enough to care, they would already know that the HMC150, and other pro-sumer cameras, is a very capable camera for most shooting applications.
 
Yeah I have had people only wanting HDV.

99% of the other times, they don't care as long as it is HD.
Sometimes they have wanted tapes (when it was dv only) so they could just take the tape after the event.

IF that is the case, I still have an old Panasonic MX3000 . I don't have any other dv cameras.
 
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