YouTube is constantly changing its compression methods. If you upload today, then the lowest-quality video will look pretty good, my 640x360 videos hold up perfectly well, they do not seem to be recompressed to 240 lines and low bitrate, like it was couple of years ago.
HMC40 - First Look
- Thread starter Barry_Green
- Start date
I think the biggest difference I've noticed is how these videos all look at full screen. The difference is dramatic between SD and HD. Here's an example of two videos. The first one was shot with very high end sd cameras(all interior vendor shots with a $50K camera) by a professional, then the second and third videos I shot using the HMC40. Play them all at full screen and the difference is huge.
Professional SD Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxXEKmDZmcY
HMC40 Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLV3ABx2jDA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4utezpM6s8
Chris
Professional SD Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxXEKmDZmcY
HMC40 Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLV3ABx2jDA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4utezpM6s8
Chris
Wonder where they keep all their servers. Must be an underground city. I was thinking of what they will do when there are billions of hours of footage on their servers and they realize they can't just expand infinitely. A big delete button and start over?
Amazing difference!
John_in_NY
Active member
Chris, your HMC40 videos look great. I think the definition of the camera shines through, despite any limitations of encoding for youtube.
Barry, thanks for posting your evaluation of the HMC40. Someone had expressed his lack of interest in resolution charts or something to that effect, but I have been very anxious for a review like this. I was just as anxious for a similar evaluation of the HMC150, but I was disappointed at the relatively low resolution of the sensors. That is why I passed on the HMC150. Sure, the 150 is better in low light than the 40, but it is more feasible to compensate for low light sensitivity (with a light) than it is to compensate for low pixel count.
I find it pretty lame. Spending another $10-20 for a cheap stereo mic is not much compared to the price of the camera. BTW, the PMW-350 has stereo mic included.
ATL Media Group
Veteran
Most have mono mics included... Not very good mics, but some sort of mic for audio. Most pro cams don't include batteries or chargers either. We always had to consider that when purchasing a full size pro cam. Same with lens... Resellers would sell a "Package" that included a lens or the base unit without lens/batteries/charger.
I understand "packaging" when it comes to removable lenses. I cannot understand saving on a cheap stereo mic, forcing me to use both XLR inputs and an external stereo mic or even more, using two mono mics in a situation when all I need is some ambient sound.
But then again, this does not apply to the HMC40, it does have a built-in stereo mic, thanks to consumer-cam genes ;-)
But then again, this does not apply to the HMC40, it does have a built-in stereo mic, thanks to consumer-cam genes ;-)
ATL Media Group
Veteran
Actually.... Most have an XLR in the front for the addition of a mono on-board mic... The new Sony has a special 5 pin XLR to accommodate it's mic in hopes you upgrade to the other 5 pin xlr mic they sell for over $1000!
Barry_Green
Moderator
Every Panasonic handheld pro camera has a built-in stereo mic. I didn't know there were any handheld pro cameras from any manufacturer that didn't have one.
ATL Media Group
Veteran
Doesn't the Sony HVR-V1U have an external mic only?
Yes, external mic only. And to add insult to an injury, no 3.5mm mic input, only two mono XLRs.
I know. But it is not a tablet-sized mic like on the HMC40, because the HMC40's handle is removable. The HMC40 has a mic pulled from a consumer cam. I would not mind even such a small mic on the V1. What baffles me is that the FX7 has a proper built-in stereo mic right in the handle, but the V1 does not. But enough digressing, this is the thread about the HMC40 after all.
Which is stupid.
ATL Media Group
Veteran
Not really when you consider most ENG situations call for a separate sound op.... I worked for CBS on a Sat truck for a while as a shooter... we ALWAYS had a sound op that handled the lavs, mics, and mixing audio in general. The on cam mic was not used or if it was used it was just to get close for a quick run and gun situation which might have been .5% of our shoots.
99.99% of pro cams record mono audio. I am very surprised Sony released an ENG cam with a stereo mic! Weird.
Yeah, the location mixer sends tone to the camera, you then adjust your pots till you camera audio levels are at -20. That way when the levels on the mixer are at 0 the levels in tha camera are -20.
-20db is the industry standard for reference tone. That is why the camera's do not have built in mics. The onboard shotgun mic is usually for what ATL said. Run and gun, or wild sound for syncing/back up. The camera op's job is not supposed to be monitoring audio levels (though headphones should be a must for making sure the cam is actually getting audio.)
-20db is the industry standard for reference tone. That is why the camera's do not have built in mics. The onboard shotgun mic is usually for what ATL said. Run and gun, or wild sound for syncing/back up. The camera op's job is not supposed to be monitoring audio levels (though headphones should be a must for making sure the cam is actually getting audio.)
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Chamber005
Carbonite Member
This guy is at 1900 bucks new on Amazon now. Is it actually better than the HMC150? The price difference is huge.
BobDiaz
The Professor
The word "better" is a bit misleading here, it all depends on how one defines better.
IF getting the highest number of lines or sharpest resolution, the HMC40 is "better" than the HMC150. IF one defines "better" as lower price, no question the HMC40 is "better".
However, if one defines "better" as more controls, shooting in the lowest light possible, coming standard with a wide angle lens, coming standard with XLR connections, CCD instead of CMOS , ... then the HMC150 wins.
In looking at the price of the HMC40, if you want the XLR, add $300. If you want a wide angle shot, add $200. These prices vary, but even if the total comes to $2500, that roughly $1000 less than the HMC150.
Both cameras are good cameras, it's just a question of which camera best fits your needs.
Bob Diaz