Focusing the HVX-200 ?

[escozooz]

You can't measure focus on the HVX can you?

I think that going by eye focus is asking for trouble. If you are wide open or using an adapter get a follow focus and treat the HVX like it was a film camera. Mark actors, mark focus wheel, pull focus.

I can't believe people use the auto-focus. :kali: (AUTOFOCUS)

 

[xray]

Hi XRAY,

I am just wondering that the whole focusing thing wasnt a bigge topic before, i mean in the 3 month before the european modell was released i heard a lot of stuff on the forum, but no serious concerns on the focus(as fare as i remember).

Works the focus maybe different(a little better) in the ntsc modell?I dont thonk so, but i am trying to find out why not more people talk about it..!

I dont think the NTSC modell is working differently in that matter.

You did hear -between the lines- the stories from people not happy with the LCD performance, or that they liked the sony Z1 screen. But for SD work (like you did with this documentary on DVCPro 50) you didn't hear much. The people who can edit it, work on 720p I think. But read most of the reviews and see the productions they made, it's almost Indy film, music clips, commercials, places where you can control the light and movement and direct people.

Not so with most of the documentary work although some people are using it like you do. Over here, I think the Z1 and the JVC HD100 are more used for that kind of work, long recording times, not too heavy, shoulder support, better focus on the LCD or viewfinder. All the other things with the HVX worked out good for you?

 

[xray]

You can't measure focus on the HVX can you?

I think that going by eye focus is asking for trouble. If you are wide open or using an adapter get a follow focus and treat the HVX like it was a film camera. Mark actors, mark focus wheel, pull focus.
I can't believe people use the auto-focus. :kali: (AUTOFOCUS)

You can measure focus in meters, so you know where to "look for". Did you mean that with measurement?

 

[hvx_germanboy]

Hi xray,

yes i think your suggestion is right, mostly people seem to shoot in a controlled environment with the hvx, but thats actually a pitty, cause i think the cam is great also for documentary.(if you dont think about the focusing issue for a moment!)

We did some great footage, we decided to do it in dvcpro 50 , cause there wount be a blow up probably(also if it will be for festivals, just too expensive) and hd isnt around the corner here in europe i think, also if much will change in the next 2 or 3 years.

Apart from the focusing we where very happy with the cam, had 6 4gig p2 cards, which was a bit tricky in interviews, but somehow they did it also back in the days with 16/and 35mm, so mostly we got what we want, you have to force it little more.
I hope this issue will be over in 1 or 2 years with bigger and cheaper cards.

I am sure that it was the right decission, cause i couldnt live with a interframe compression(i also edit and i really dont want this hassle) and we filmed also a lot of pictures with much motion like traffic and i just looks great.

I heard u being really critical in the past XRAY, what about you, did u decide for a cam 2 buy?

 

[DC]

Check out this site for fixing a monitor and other gear on the hvx. Seem's to be a more solid option then the one screw on top of the handle. It works with the hvx but will cover the handle-zoom.

http://www.vfgadgets.com/HDVbracket.htm

Upon more evaluation of this . . .

I realized that the tilt feature of the raised monitor adapter is actually a better solution because I find that I need to constantly adjust the view. If the monitor was flat against the HVX's handle, I wouldn't be able to tilt it.

 

[kjonesdp]

Infinity focus

Infinity focus

On my HVX it's possible too focus beyond infinity in manual mode. Roll a little past infinity and distant objects go slightly soft. This is very hard to see on the LCD since it's usually a wide shot with small details, but I learned the hard way when I was setting up an intervalometer shot and used the focus assist. Is this problem normal to the HVX?

 

[rgbuser]

On my HVX it's possible too focus beyond infinity in manual mode. Roll a little past infinity and distant objects go slightly soft. ... Is this problem normal to the HVX?

It's not a problem; it's a design feature. The lens on all cameras focuses to infinity at slightly different settings according to the temperature - due to expansion of the mount, of camera etc. In addition, the inifinity point may vary a tiny bit according to the focal length setting. There has to be some provision for the variation, hence the allowance to focus past infinity - or there will be times we can't focus to infinity.

Gets a bit tough when we can't always blame the tools!
best
Tom

 

[DC]

Upon more evaluation of this . . .

I realized that the tilt feature of the raised monitor adapter is actually a better solution because I find that I need to constantly adjust the view. If the monitor was flat against the HVX's handle, I wouldn't be able to tilt it.

And after even more evaluation of this . . .

http://www.vfgadgets.com/HDVbracket.htm

I'd just mount the tilt head into the handle adapter. That way I can continue working like I normally do and not worry about possibly damaging the handle of the HVX200. The only real downside I can see is losing access to the controls on the handle. But I never use them so it doen't really matter to me.