AC90: AC90 to replace an HMC150, a few questions

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fastfinger

Well-known member
I'm considering getting the AC90 to replace my HMC150. I want the better image stabilization, better zoom and a smaller/ lighter cam since everything I do is hand held.
A few concerns I have:
1) I shoot in very bright conditions and always make use of the ND filters to keep my Aperture between 4-6. Will I need an additional ND or will the built in system work for me?
2) Will the better image stabilization be a problem for fast close up panning. I shoot motorcycles and the GH2 stabilization is unusable when using the camera this way. It jumps around and I need to turn it off completely. Is the stabilization good for this use? Also are any adjustments possible with stabilization?
3) As good as the GH2 is the image does not look great if lighting is off. Seems the HMC150 handles anything you throw at it but harsh lighting ruins the video on my less expensive camcorders. Any concern in this area?
4) I have over 20,000 hours on my HMC, will the AC90 hold up to hard use?
5) Are there any other run and gun type cameras I should consider

Thank you in advance
 
fastfinger said:
" ...4) I have over 20,000 hours on my HMC"...
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:Drogar-Shock(DBG): What do you shoot???
The camera has been out for about 3 years which makes 6,666 hours a year or 128 hours a week. If you charge $75 an hour to shoot (which is a deal) -- you'd make a half a million dollars a year. :-KnockedOut(D At that rate who cares if you have to throw out your camera after 6 months.
 
ELN614 said:
:Drogar-Shock(DBG): What do you shoot???
The camera has been out for about 3 years which makes 6,666 hours a year or 128 hours a week. If you charge $75 an hour to shoot (which is a deal) -- you'd make a half a million dollars a year. :-KnockedOut(D At that rate who cares if you have to throw out your camera after 6 months.
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Sorry, over 2,000.
 
fastfinger said:
and a smaller/ lighter cam since everything I do is hand held.
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It'll be lighter, but not all that much smaller overall. If you want a really small camera, get the HMC40; in general I think the AC90 is about the same size as the HMC150. But, truth be told, I haven't put them exactly side by side so I don't know this for sure.

1) I shoot in very bright conditions and always make use of the ND filters to keep my Aperture between 4-6. Will I need an additional ND or will the built in system work for me?
Click to expand...
If you want your iris in that range, you will need an external ND filter. Five stops of ND should get you in that range.

2) Will the better image stabilization be a problem for fast close up panning. I shoot motorcycles and the GH2 stabilization is unusable when using the camera this way. It jumps around and I need to turn it off completely. Is the stabilization good for this use? Also are any adjustments possible with stabilization?
Click to expand...
Haven't tried something like that, I don't know for sure, it's definitely much more stabilized than the 14-140 on the GH2. There are three possible settings for stabilization in the AC90: off, or normal, or hybrid.

4) I have over 20,000 hours on my HMC, will the AC90 hold up to hard use?
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I would imagine so, it's from the same factory and it's a professional camcorder, but ... there's no way anyone has had one long enough to rack up that kind of use. 20,000 hours is 28 continuous months of 24-hours-a-day operation!
 
Thank you... The stabilization when panning seems pretty unique to the way I use the camera since I seem to bee the only on complaining about it on the GH2. I'll just have to test it myself. The size I thought was just a little larger than the 40 especially with no ND filters. I want a smaller lighter camera if I don't have to sacrifice quality.
Yea, I misread the hours, only off by 18,000 haha

Thank you again for your help
 
It's a lot larger than the HMC40. It's more along the size of a DVX100, perhaps as big as the HMC150. Maybe between the two, but anyway, it's in that ballpark.
 
fastfinger said:
2) Will the better image stabilization be a problem for fast close up panning. I shoot motorcycles and the GH2 stabilization is unusable when using the camera this way. It jumps around and I need to turn it off completely. Is the stabilization good for this use? Also are any adjustments possible with stabilization?
Thank you in advance
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I shot a video with a guy jumping a bicycle full zoom about 30 mins prior to dusk. https://vimeo.com/56426372 Maybe this will help. OIS was on.
 
fastfinger said:
I'm considering getting the AC90 to replace my HMC150. I want the better image stabilization, better zoom and a smaller/ lighter cam since everything I do is hand held.
A few concerns I have:
1) I shoot in very bright conditions and always make use of the ND filters to keep my Aperture between 4-6. Will I need an additional ND or will the built in system work for me?
2) Will the better image stabilization be a problem for fast close up panning. I shoot motorcycles and the GH2 stabilization is unusable when using the camera this way. It jumps around and I need to turn it off completely. Is the stabilization good for this use? Also are any adjustments possible with stabilization?
3) As good as the GH2 is the image does not look great if lighting is off. Seems the HMC150 handles anything you throw at it but harsh lighting ruins the video on my less expensive camcorders. Any concern in this area?
4) I have over 20,000 hours on my HMC, will the AC90 hold up to hard use?
5) Are there any other run and gun type cameras I should consider

Thank you in advance
Click to expand...

1.) I use a 0.9 ND filter and the aperture hits 6.4 with the blue sky and clouds properly exposed at 1/60 shutter speed.

2.) The IS doesn't jump at all.

3.) The dynamic range is the same as the HMC150.

4.) Probably the same as the HMC150.

5.) IMO, the AC90 is the best run and gun camera on the market right now.
 
Shooting with allot of close up, fast panning video, would I see the benefit from a higher bit rate camera? I know with the GH2 hack, improvement was seen mostly in scenes with allot of movement.
The Sony PMW200 maybe, looks like there are not really many light weight pro camera options.
 
HMC 150 is CCD. Are the other cameras you are considering. What about the Jello effect on fast pans.
 
fastfinger said:
Here is the problem I was having with the GH2, it was higher speed stuff.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oW2AwaNeXyE

Thank you
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You are moving the camera very fast for what you are shooting. I am surprised it looks as good as it does for such quick pans and zoomed as far as it is. With the quick movements you are doing I am not so sure the OIS will be of benefit since it probably will consider your following the motorcycle a type of unwanted motion and try to compensate by not following or lagging behind. Does the GH2 shoot 60p? I saw some strobing/stutter in that last slow motion. It sure would be fun to film what you do.
 
The entire shot may include a rider at a distance, it's not all panning and I need stabilization for that. What I ended up doing with the GH2 was turning it off mid shot. A pain really. I also shoot shutter priority to blur the background. This caused additional problems since in that setting the aperture adjusts for exposure changes in steps. I always shoot 60fps. The GH2 is a great camera but really unusable for my kind of shooting.
 
I'm not concerned about the jello effect, I think if it is visible it will just distort the background slightly not the rider. I don't think it will be even noticed.
I'm also looking at the AC130/160 because of the increased zoom.
 
I own both the 130 and the 90. If within your budget, go for the 130a. Better yet, if you are a professional who uses manual, try to locate a 130/160 at a much lower price. The 90 is a great camera but has exposure quirks in bright situations and there is just something more solid both physically and with the actual picture with the 130160 series. Also, the 22X lens is a good selling point.
 
Dear Mr. Green,
in the test from the Dominican Republic you announced your coming book on the AC 90.
Will I get it soon at Amazon/Europe? I'm sure to get such a good "textbook" like the HMC Book.
Should I keep my HMC 151 or should I stay for an AC 90 with the lens and the chips of the HMC 151 ?
Greetings from your despondent German translator.
Berndt
 
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Thank you Lou, how does the stabilization on the 130a compare to the 90? The increased zoom would be a big advantage.
 
The 90 has a better stabilization. Really good. Don't get me wrong. The 90 is an excellent camera-sharp under good lighting But....... The 90 tends to be too sensitive outdoors and an external ND filter is almost mandatory on bright days to open up the iris to prevent a soft picture. No problems with 130 in this regard. It is my personal opinion that the 130 seems to produce a more solid picture-something hard to explain in writing.
 
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