Choosing a Camcorder

D

degrechi

Member
Hello everyone, this is my first post on here. Here is my situation. I have sold my DVX100 and a GL2 and I’m in the process of looking for an HD cam. I’m looking at a bunch of different cams; HMC40, HMC150, Canon xh a1, Sony hdr-vx1, Sony hdr-vx7. I would be able to buy the HMC40 and VX7 new but the others I would need to buy used.

95% of the time I will be shooting ski/snowboard footage in locations around the Rockies. I have spent a great deal of time reading reviews, comparisons, and other blogs on these cameras but I was looking to get some opinions on here about what my best option would be.

One other thing to consider is audio quality isn’t really a huge concern of mine for any of the cameras.

Thank you for any insite you can provide.
 
- $2000-2500 maybe as high as $2600 but i'd rather keep it around the $2000 level.
- OS/Editing/computer on my personal computer i dont have software but i will have access to mac's with final cut that edit HMC150 and HVX200 footage on a regular basis so that shouldnt be a problem
 
The choice of which video camera is a personal thing and there is not "one size fits all" camera. There is going to be be some give and take in terms of advantages and disadvantages in selecting a camera.

The HMC40 sits in a class by itself, no other camera in that price range matches the level of features that the HMC40 offers. Now if one has more money to spend, you can always get a more expensive camera that offers things beyond the HMC40, but at around $2000, the HMC40 offers an impressive range of features.

Given that you stated that you could get the HMC40 new, but more expensive cameras would need to be purchased used, I'll assume that your budget is around $2000 (give or take).

I'm going to admit my bias here, I feel that tape is on the way out. However, there are users out there that like tape and feel comfortable using tape. This is a personal choice and subject to your feeling.

The second area where I have a bias is against interlaced video. With interlaced video both slow motion and freeze frames do not work as well as progressive video. The majority of users here seem to agree with me on this issue, but I respect anyone who doesn't mind working with interlaced video.

My own personal biases would push me away from a camera that can NOT record a true progressive and does not record to solid state memory. The first is important, because cameras, like the canon A1, have an interlaced image sensor and a processor that de-interlaces the video. Good, but not as good as a true progressive.

There are trade-offs you will need to consider, the HMC150 has a CMOS image sensor that offers a 3 stop advantage in low light and deals with flash photos, as well as whip pans better than the HMC40. On the other hand, in enough light, the HMC40 has a much sharper image than the HMC150.

There has been some impressive video posted that shows what the HMC40 can do:

Rich Ryan's Do Dog Show video, shows how the image looks with rapid pans (last part of the video).

http://vimeo.com/6564309


Dan Carter's Grand Canyon video, shows how the camera can produce stunning video as well as night shots. (Yes, night shots are possible with the HMC40.)

http://vimeo.com/7544862


Swiat Obrazu's video shows the range of the camera.

http://vimeo.com/6145756



I hope this helps ...


Bob Diaz
 
Thanks Bob that does help a lot.

The question I have is how low of light is "low light"? the lowest light I would be shooting in would be a cloudy day and maybe on occasion in slight snow. Do you think the HMC40 would have any real issues shooting in those types of lighting conditions?
 
The HMC40 can shoot very good video in far less light than that. A while back, I measured the light on solar panels during heavy overcast in the rain. The light was 1/16 that of full sunlight.

With the HMC40, assuming a shutter speed of 1/60th of a second, 0dB gain, and F1.8 (wide open); that would be 1/80th the light of full sun. Drop the shutter speed to 1/30th and increase the gain to +12dB and it becomes 1/640th the light of full sun. (About the light of a well lit room at night.)

Too little light will NOT be your problem, too much light might be a problem with full sunlight and snow. A ND .9 (3 stop reduction) would be a handy filter to have in snow.

It is possible to deal with excessive light by selecting a higher shutter speed. In general I try not to pick too high a shutter speed because this might cause a strobe like effect; it's most noticeable at 24p and 30p frame rates. In general I pick a shutter speed of around twice the frame rate. 1/48 or 1/50 for 24p, 1/60 for 30p and 1/120 for 60p.

When dealing with fast action, the 720/60p selection is ideal. More frames per second translate into a smoother reproduction of fast action. There are exceptions, a person shooting a video that will be transferred to a film will want to chose 24p and a person shooting at the 1080 resolution will want to use 30p.


Please check out Dan Carter's Grand Canyon video and you'll see that the camera performed very well in full sunlight AND even at night under well lit conditions.


The issue of not enough light occurs in those who shoot wedding videos. Both churches and reception halls love to lover the lights to a minimum to have the "romantic look". Great for people, tough for HD video cameras.


Bob Diaz
 
BEcause the HMC150 used CCD sensors, it does not suffer from rollling shutter while the HMC40 does and this may be something to remember.
 
ya i thought about that and that is one of my main concerns on whether im better off getting a 40 instead of a 150. I will be shooting a great deal of fast action too.

anyone else have any opinions on this???

THANKS!!!
 
CMOS can deal with fast action; however it's all in how one shoots it. One needs to follow the action:

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I AGREE


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Bob Diaz
 
Another difference between the 150 and the 40 is that the 150 has a nice wide lens, equivalent to a 35mm photographic lens. It also has built-in xlr audio inputs; this capability has to be added to the 40. It's also a bit heavier, which may make it more stable if hand held.
 
In comparing Apples to Apples, to match the XLR standard on the HMC150, add $300 to the HMC40.

To match the wide angle lens, standard on the HMC150, add $200 to the HMC40.

Both items would bring the HMC40 to around $2,500 and the street price fro the HMC150 is around $3,500.


Bob Diaz
 
One thing that's not mentioned is that in broad daylight, the HMC40 has a much sharper picture.

I wouldn't consider the extra weight of the HMC150 as being an advantage. In some cases, the smaller size and weight can also be an advantage so it depends on your shooting style. If I was a news reporter in a battlefield and I needed a professional camera, I'd much rather bring an HMC40 than an HMC150.


Now if you're shooting in a lot of places that has very little lighting than the HMC150 has a big advantage.
 
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