HVX 1stop faster in SD this way???

[joe 1008]

In the very soon future I have to buy my own equipment. Actually I'm leaning to the DVX because it´s one stop faster than the HVX. Most of my work for now will be SD, HD is an extra that would be very welcomed but is not really necessary at this moment. But more latitude and a better over all look of the HVX (judged by screenshots and trailers) are even in a SD environment positive points to be considered.
But there are those run ad gun shots where you can't use additional light and the "slow" HVX would be a real disadvantage compared to the DVX. So I am thinking about a workaround like this:

Shoot the scene in 1080p pushing the gain as much as you need. (1080 has obviously the finest noise)

Denoise it in post (what would be the best software for that purpose?) which probably would result in a softer image.

Resize it to SD to get a neat and clean image.

Is there any hope that this would be a workaround? Does anybody has any experience with that problem/solution?

 

[Can Scanner]

If you use 16:9 SD, the HVX will provide more resolution, as its CCDs are 16:9 native.
And let's not forget DVCPRO 50, which looks much better than DVX footage.
Not sure about the f-stop comparison though.

 

[joe 1008]

My question is precisely about the f-stops. The high resolution of the small 1/3" sensor makes the HVX slower than the DVX. I am looking for a workaround for SD shooting, mostly run and gun style.
When you shoot HD and have plenty of lightning the sensitivity is an none-issue. But there are situations, you can't light and you have to push the gain. If there is any way to achieve an SD image at DVX-level and DVX-speed that would be VERY interesting, for my purpose at least.

 

[Justyn]

It's one stop faster than the HVX in DV mode? That seems like a lot. I've shot quite a bit of stuff on the HVX in low-light in DV mode and it has looked so sweet. That's actually the only time I ever decide to shoot to tape instead of shooting to P2. It's been a marked improvment over my canon DV cams.


The HVX offers so much more.. and of course.. costs quite a bit more.

 

[joe 1008]

You mean the HVX in DV mode is FASTER than any Canon DV?

 

[Barry_Green]

It's one stop faster than the HVX in DV mode?

The DVX is always 1 stop faster than the HVX.

But in 480/60i mode the DVX is two stops faster.

 

[joe 1008]

So, Barry, with the HVX there is no workaround for difficult situations? Like shooting with much gain in 1080p, fixing the noise and resizing to SD in post? (I mean not as a standard method but as a rescue in difficult situations)

 

[Barry_Green]

Well, I don't have a decent de-noise application so I can't try what you're suggesting.

I did put the HVX in 12dB and shoot HD, and also SD, and then downrezzed the HD to SD to see if it would be cleaner than shooting SD at 12dB, and it wasn't. It was about the same.

(which makes sense, actually, because that's what the HVX does internally -- it processes everything at 1920x1080 and downrezzes to the recording format).

But your question relates to using a de-noiser first and then downrezzing, an idea which may indeed have some merit. I just don't have a way to test it adequately; if I had "grain surgery" or something like that I'd try it.

 

[DavidBeier]

I don't know if that'll work but I'll say this:

Light is essential for the HVX200. Without enough light, the noise ends up costing you so much detail it's quite astonishing.

It's also not nearly as good for run and gun since you have to spend more time making adjustments.

That said, it's still gonna give you a nicer SD image than the DVX100 will. True 16x9 chips, twice the color space, and variable frame rates are all indispensible to me these days even though I'll still deliver my stuff on DVD.

 

[DavidBeier]

I don't know if that'll work but I'll say this:

Light is essential for the HVX200. Without enough light, the noise ends up costing you so much detail it's quite astonishing.

It's also not nearly as good for run and gun since you have to spend more time making adjustments.

That said, it's still gonna give you a nicer SD image than the DVX100 will. True 16x9 chips, twice the color space, and variable frame rates are all indispensible to me these days even though I'll still deliver my stuff on DVD.

 

[TwistedLincoln]

Keep in mind that regardless if your plan works, shooting in 1080i will yeild only one minute of footage per gb, so for your "run + gun" scenario, it might not be ideal -- at least without a P2 store or notebook.