7D drawbacks vs HVX/Redrock Encore setup

J

Joe Kocsis

Well-known member
What are some of the drawbacks of the 7D when comparing it to something like an HVX/Redrock Encore setup?

If you want to go into detail about what you know to be better please elaborate as well..

Let's keep this thread to what you KNOW from experience and not what you THINK from reading the specs...
 
1. Audio is the biggest upfront drawback but that's been elaborated on so I won't go into detail.

2. The P2 workflow with the HXV is way more elegant in terms of being able to edit right away - not having to convert to an intermediate format (at least if you're using AVID you don't have to convert). Even in FCP using log and transfer with P2 is not bad at all. I wish log and transfer worked with the 7d footage.

3. The HVX (4:2:2) is certainly better but I must say that the 7d image is pretty nice (when compared to the HVX with a Redrock adapter).

4. Actors loved the "size" of my HVX/Redrock camera setup :) but my light kit became much more versatile and powerful when it's used with the 7d. My HVX/Redrock ISO is somewhere around 180. We had to pump in so much light and that takes quite a bit more time on set and between setups. The 7d is so much better for indoor shooting.

5. The viewfinder and the monitor on the HVX is better but - sadly - with the redrock and the external marshall monitor that camera setup was HEAVY (no handheld) but the 7d gives me not only handheld but also the depth of field that I spent all that money to try to achieve with the HVX.

All in all - the things I miss about the HVX are a major annoyance with the 7d - but what the 7d brings to the table can't be denied. Price, image, small footprint shooting (I shot at the airport yesterday), depth of field and with a few adapters I can still use my nikon lens set.
 
Carlone,

I'm confused by #2, and others have stated the same thing. What is confusing to me is that I just drop the 7D .mov files right into my editor and edit, color correct, and everything else with no difficulty even though I don't have the fastest computer around. Could you please elaborate on what difficulties you have while editing as I'm not understanding when people keep saying this.
 
From first hand experience:

1. My issue with the audio is syncing. You can record right to the HVX via XLR without AGC. For the 7D, you have to use a recorder like the H4N. QUALITY is not the issue, as the H4N, from my experience, records equal or superior audio to the HVX (YMMV). This is especially annoying in run & gun situations involving event photography/interviews.

2. The compression from the HVX is more robust and easier to work with out of the camera. While I think the image quality itself is better from the 7D, I can't ignore the fact that the h264 really knocks it down pretty good.
 
Tx for the responses.. I ended up buying a 7D.. I'm still trying to figure out what audio recorder t buy... The H4N sounded ok, but the noise floors of the H4N (from what limited samples I've found on the net) seems pretty high.. Any comments from H4N users?
 
Joe Kocsis said:
Tx for the responses.. I ended up buying a 7D.. I'm still trying to figure out what audio recorder t buy... The H4N sounded ok, but the noise floors of the H4N (from what limited samples I've found on the net) seems pretty high.. Any comments from H4N users?
Click to expand...

i have a h4n and i love it so far. there are so many examples out there that yes will sound bad and that is probably due to incorrect set up. I mean it could be user error and therefor you have pple who will bash the h4n. In my experience i have not experienced any bad noise at all. Plus you should be cleaning up your audio with something like soundtrack.. example here

Examples of h4n within dvxuser and vimeo will show you some good and not do good examples. do your research first then buy. Here is a decent vimeo h4n example Do i think is is top notch? No. Sounds like the mic is a bit to far but you get the gist of what im saying. know your EQ, set up mic properly use eiter Lav or Boom, and use proper mic.
 
Used our HVX200 today after many productions with my 7D and the HVX is so boring. But it's way easier to handle and I love the form factor of it.
 
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