Any EX1 regrets?

Fohdeesha said:
That makes about zero sense.
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...I thought i was typing in English...

Let me type it out again...
It seems what you really want is 1920x1080 with 4:2:2 color.

Maybe you don't understand what I'm saying... let me try again...
It seems what he really wants is 1920x1080 with 4:2:2 color.

That seems to be very straight-forward... ok about about
It seems he wants the resolution from the Sony EX, and the color from the Panasonic.

maybe, perhaps, that makes a small, little sense to you?
 
My only regret with the EX1 is that I couldn't get more of them. There isn't another camera in the price range I'd rather own. Period.

Same people talking smack about how this camera is overly sharp are drooling over the Scarlet and RED.

Whatever.
 
I recently moved from Panasonic to the EX-1 and 3. I used the HVX and Varicam extensively the past 2 years so maybe my perspective can be of some help.
The first time I used the EX-1 I was very impressed by the sharpness, light sensitivity and the LCD. Especially the LCD made a huge difference on my work, I could actually "see" things that on the HVX I hope were there. That same day I had some issues with the rolling shutter and that was not very impressing.
At the end after careful and elaborate considerations I decided to start a project with the EX-3. The camera has its issues and de rolling shutter is the biggest for me, and it will limit my filming, but the low light capacity on the HVX also limited my filming and increased my color correction tremendously (noise issues).
So, there's no simple answer for your question right now.
At this price level you'll have to make a choice.

On this month's American Cinematographer magazine there's an article with Roger Deakins saying that every shot he ever did on his life was a compromise.
It figures.
 
TheMusician said:
Thanks for the report basspig. I've seen and listened to some of your stuff and it looks and sounds great. Glad that it has increased your workload.

I will be shooting occassional weddings along with my other work. Have any had problems with photographers or family shooting flashes during the ceremony? Do they have to be close to really cause a problem? Do the clients even notice if there is a half exposed frame or do they totally miss it?
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Photographer's flashes are really not going to be a problem--unless you export that one frame for use as a photographic print for the bride. I shot a concert last Thursday where, despite a pre-concert announcement banning flash photography and recording devices, was rife with flashes going off. The only thing is messed up was a few frames of my keyed video--not because of rolling shutter--but because the flash momentariliy caused the backdrop's color to change to white and no longer be in the key color range. In a normal video playback, no client who was not intimately familiar with this issue and a cameraman, would ever notice it.

Yeah, I've been shooting a lot more video lately than with HDV and SD prior. I've also been subcontracting for others, because I have the EX1s.

Last Thursday, I relied upon the EX1's audio circuitry to record a concert, with external microphones. That audio turned out excellent (well up to the limit of Molly Hatchet's PA system, which was better than most I've worked around.
 
weixiang623 said:
...I thought i was typing in English...

Let me type it out again...
It seems what you really want is 1920x1080 with 4:2:2 color.

Maybe you don't understand what I'm saying... let me try again...
It seems what he really wants is 1920x1080 with 4:2:2 color.

That seems to be very straight-forward... ok about about
It seems he wants the resolution from the Sony EX, and the color from the Panasonic.

maybe, perhaps, that makes a small, little sense to you?
Click to expand...



That part makes perfect sense. What I don't understand is how you think less color compression will equal the more blurred, soft film like image that the hvx has.
 
Alexdias, I really appreciate that input from someone who has used both Panasonic and the EX1. I understand what you are saying concerning rolling shutter being a problem with the EX1, but noise being an equally big problem for you on the HVX200. It seems that things are a little different now since Barry Green and others are reporting that the HPX170 has noise levels and sensitivity comparative to the EX1. But apart from the rolling shutter, are you happy with the look that you have been able to get from the camera with your style of shooting compared to the HVX?

Basspig, thanks again for the report on the Molly Hatchet shoot (which must have been a really cool gig for you) I am only concerned with flashes if they are up too close. It seems like if they are far enough away and are behind the camera, it is really hard to spot much difference. It is when the camera is pointed at the flashes or flashes are right up on the subject like a paparazzi shoot that I have seen the biggest problems. I really don't have any concern for rolling shutter for 90% of what I shoot. But I am concerned about taking a wedding gig with a flash-happy family snapping a million pictures and tearing up the footage. I would really love to hear from people who have experience using this camera for a wedding where the occassional flash was taken. Anyone?
 
Regarding flash... I haven't done a wedding but a couple months ago my 2 year old boy got a hold of my wife's point-n-shoot camera and was just clicking away while I filmed him with my EX1 (this was indoors), the flash was going off like crazy (I guess flashing is fun, ha!) and I did notice the half-frame rolling shutter thing happening. I was only a couple feet from him so it was close-up frame-filling flashes, but I was thinking this scenario is the weakness of the EX1. I literally run handheld with my EX1 a lot, jarring footage at times ( just got a stabilizer but haven't tried it yet), with no rolling shutter, but the flash thing is definitely a concern. I don't know about post-editing tricks to minimize it, I just know what I saw. From a distance camera flashes seem to be fine, but in your face, no.
 
It seems that you want a bit more the HPX170. Buy the look that you like more. "28 day later", "Festen" and "Blairwitch" have been shot with miniDV. "Cloverfield" with a noisy HVX. And they were big success. HPX will be even better on the big screen. And you have more chance that your work, even music videos if you do some, will be seen on monitors, tv, internet, DVDs .... HPX will be f**** good on these. Filmlike, fantastic colors, great motion.
 
I went with the Glidecam 4000. After I got it I received an email from Sanda saying they're ready for purchase, ha! I'll see how Sanda does in the user reviews, but I'm keeping the Glidecam for now. I haven't even had a chance to try it yet. I got the forearm brace for it too. I'm gonna hafta get back in good shape to use all this stuff in the backcountry... or vice versa. Ha ha!
 
TheMusician said:
Do you wish that you had gotten an HPX170? ... OR, are you simply glad you did buy it and would do it again?
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I was --><--- that close to being an HVX200 person way back when. I've had an HVX in my life for 6 months whilst blushing as a serial Z1 owner. I shot my best work on an HVX, but it wasn't paid work.

The HVX wants an entourage around it. It needs to be fluffed, and loved, and it will perform amazing things. One of my shoots had a significant amount of SFX in it, and all people would say is how nice it all looked (they didn't see the SFX, but did notice the V6 filmic setting).

But now I have an EX1. It shoots progressive, it has a wide dynamic range of exposure, and it has a killer lens for sharpness and DoF without extra hardware. My work niche (corp/doc/candid) doesn't work well with Letus et al.

Clients have noticed the difference, are paying a small premium for it, that pays for the camera and for more cards over time.

The HVX/HPX range produce beautiful pictures, but needs a team behind it. Or plenty of time. I have to shoot alone, no rehearsals, no second takes. The Z1 was hateful for its sheer bloody adequacy. The HVX became unmanageable due to its entourage (for me!). The EX1 (and the EX3 which I will buy next year) is ideal. I can get film look, I can do better than DSR-570 look, I can achieve a new 'HD' look (very popular), and yes: it's a handful, it's not perfect, it will bite your hand if you feed it rubbish, the audio is a bit frightening if you're not careful, but for all its sins, it will work with you when you work with it.

But if I were not doing what I do, and were doing more theatrical stuff (including commercials and higher end corporate)? If I were doing more ENG or broadcast stuff? 2/3" rules. Or if I were making a movie on my own? HPX. If that were my goal, I'd be confident I could make good quality Corporates with it to fund my production.
 
I've never had any regrets in regard to many of the problems i was afraid of such as rolling shutter/skewing etc as in the real world it's never affected me, however for the line of work I've recently gotten into which is mainly short films/theatrical based work, I have come to envy the more 'filmic' look i see from the hvx. I'm aware of the vast control I have over my EX1 in regard to picture settings however I have never managed to emulate that warmth i see time and time again on the panasonic, hopefully this will change when i purchase an sgpro, however here lies another problem as this particular 35mm adapter has yet to give me reference to any footage that looks 'superb'.

I love my EX1 but I think i would have opted for the panny if I knew then that I would be doing alot of films, that doesn't mean the EX1 can't do the job and do it well, I'm just saying that for me personally I like how the panny produces images more.
 
Had the unfortunate opportunity to edit footage shot with the EX-1, compared to P2 the workflow is horrible, nothing but problems. Then again this is basically a Panny site so I'm surprised more people could not or did not identify this problem. Plus if you do any pro work there is a lot less hand holding needed to be done with the editor or post house when working with P2.

In all honesty if Sony was selling the F900 for $1,000 I would find a problem with it because I hate Sony, so you can take everything I printed with a grain of salt.
 
wow, sorry to hear you had such problems editing ex1 footage magma. What problems did you have? Im just curious because I've never had a problem with the footage, infact the whole post production process is one of the things I like most about this camera, i mean for myself working in FCP its as simple as: mark clips, import, start editing.
 
Hot magma said:
Had the unfortunate opportunity to edit footage shot with the EX-1, compared to P2 the workflow is horrible, nothing but problems. Then again this is basically a Panny site so I'm surprised more people could not or did not identify this problem. Plus if you do any pro work there is a lot less hand holding needed to be done with the editor or post house when working with P2.

In all honesty if Sony was selling the F900 for $1,000 I would find a problem with it because I hate Sony, so you can take everything I printed with a grain of salt.
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what problems did you have? I honestly can't imagine the workflow being any simpler. double click in the project panel, and import the bpav folder. andddd your done, get to editing.
 
Daniel Alexander said:
I love my EX1 but I think i would have opted for the panny if I knew then that I would be doing alot of films, that doesn't mean the EX1 can't do the job and do it well, I'm just saying that for me personally I like how the panny produces images more.
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Then why not sell the EX1? They sell for $5,000 on ebay and there's one right now with a bid on it.

You can pick up a NEW HVX200A for only $199 at B&H ($5,199)


http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/con...(ENG)_1881_Panasonic_AGHVX200A=&A=details&Q=#
 
Matt and Daniel, thank you both for lending me some insight into your experiences with your cameras. I have been responding to posts similar to this one over in the HVX forum, and one thing that I am certain of is that both the EX1 and the HPX170 are both incredible cameras. But even more so, at this point in the game and at this price range, there are always tradeoffs such as these:

- DVCPROHD is 100mbps 4:2:2 which is beautiful, but the codec only resolves 1280 x 1080 - a tradeoff

- The HPX170 uses spacial offset, which is a proven and effective technology, but leaves your image looking soft - a tradeoff

- Panasonics ergonomics are top notch, the EX1 is the bottom of the barrel - a tradeoff

- The EX1 delivers a beautiful full 1920x1080, but at this price point the only way that you can get it is to accept a rolling shutter and 4:2:0 color - a tradeoff

And the list goes on and on. I would buy a Scarlet today if it were available, but it is not and so I am stuck in the tradeoff decision making that I am sure each of you has delt with. I am pretty sure the next generation of CMOS will perform much better, but I need a camera today so I must make a choice.

Thanks for all of the input. Are there any other wedding shooters that would care to let me know if they have run into any serious issues with flashes during the ceremonies, or if lots of flashes have gone off but it rarely ruins your footage?
 
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