HVX for TV drama shoot - QandA

J

jamestmather

Well-known member
Hi,

First off - this is not designed to be inflammatory so don't take it in that spirit.

Background to the post - I'm shooting a TV drama - four hours long - the camera discussed was a Sony 900 - I'd just completed a drama on one and found it cumbersome and as unwieldy as shooting using a bathtub with lens. The director wanted a smaller camera (The 750 with digiprimes was now mentioned). Then however, he mentioned the "even smaller" Hidefs - I sent him various adapter footage (which he loved the general feel of) - we have agreed to do a test using my HVX plus a DOF adapter in the coming week or so.

And here is the crux of my 2 part dilemma . I am intrigued (and somewhat challenged) by the idea of using the HVX with adapter - but have been testing lately.

QUESTION 1 - THE HVX
I now find myself concerned that the HVX is not a viable production camera - the reason? - unpredictable macroblocking and noise on anything that isn't lit like a supermarket. The camera seems to have no tolerance in this regard - worryingly over-lighting nighttime exteriors and admonishing everyone that you'll take it "down in post" is fine if it's just you - but not ideal from a professional standpoint. I've had great success with grain reduction but it requires an edgy lighting strategy and some post tinkering (neither of which are general practice on pro sets or edit suites). This camera just doesn't do dark footage which, if your drama has significant nighttime portions, feels a bit kamikaze.

2. THE ADAPTER
Some adapter footage I have seen has been remarkable - others not (CA, Edge bleed, resolution loss, vignetting, etc). But I find that the adapter footage - even within single projects - is wildly unpredictable - some bad, some good - but, in pretty much all cases, still falls short of the resolution required for a proper job. Vignetting (in a kind of lomo way - could live with - it's kind of pretty) - The biggest problem is resolution loss due to diffraction and a general Chromatic Aberration feel to the image. That said, I am hoping that a proper setup will make this issue redundant. I am taking delivery of one shortly and, IMHO it is the best out there that I have seen, so here's hoping but the more I critically examine footage the more worried I'm becoming.

Despite feeling like I'm taking the easy standard route by doing this - I'm leaning back to the 750 - the other way feels fraught with problems.

Any thoughts?, disagreements, suggestions, jokes?

Thanks

j.
 
Most of the adapter footage I have seen, especially on this site, always looks soft to me. Maybe that is more a problem of the lenses being used than the adapter itself, I dont know. The only footage I've seen that I would consider sharp was from the P&S adapter and the Movie tube. Maybe that's 'cause they were using better lenses or maybe they are just better adapters than the M2 and Brevis. If I were in your situation I would rent a few different ones and do some tests.
 
well, we got very sharp images with the HVX and SGPro, and we did use a lot of light, but really there was no "bringing down in post." It was just lit well. The dark scenes, the light, all of them. There are scenes in a darkish diner, a scene outside at night(underlit, we needed another 2K I think, Timur thinks more) but in general, we found that the camera really performed...
 
james trust me once you get your sgpro, you will feel alot better. it outperforms the mini35. Ive used the mini35, with zeiss superspeeds. The glass was great, but i'd take a sgpro w/ pl mount ANY day, over the p&s.

Make sure you buy the "high end" glass. The S.S.C. canons, or the (insert nikon terminolgy for better quaility glass).
 
hopefully you got that one used or cheap... I have a GL1 and have used a Gl2.. Nice image but absolutely aweful design and seems more designed for full auto users...
 
Congrats. Why though didn't you drop just a bit more cash and get the HD cannon or a sony or JVC? That can is already several years old now... and must have set you back close to 2K? Or was it a deal?


So, what do you need to know about the cam? I've used it a lot and have a GL1... Send me a PM
 
Thanks for the feedback - Much appreciated - I find myself drawn to the idea of shooting it on the system for the hell of it but want it to perform well. (If a D20 underperforms then, hey, it's Arri's problem - in this case my necks on the block so want the producers to like what they see). Plus - internet research boils your brain - I'd say Wayne's burning an effigy of me right now with all my questions and blather.

Timur, I agree with you - The best footage I have seen from commercial adapters is from Wayne's system - no doubt. I am also aware that what is being attempted in optically almost impossible - MacGuyver would be proud - Wayne is clearly an optical genius and I chose the SGPro based on quality and nothing else.

I got myself a set of Nikons based on conversations with macgregor - 50mm 1.8, 28mm f2, 105mm 105, and am considering an 85mm f2 and a sigma 20mm f1.8 (despite my urge to "Nikon" this one no point in your widest lens killing you on stops, right?)
 
Timur and James,

What secret information do you have about the SGPro?
Have you compared it to the other adapters when they weere properly set-up?

I have looked at the Brevis compared to the Redrock and can tell you with certainty that with the standard CF#1 screen the Brevis is sharper and also has a bit more depth of field. The greater DOF is not quite as pretty, but I think features would be good for a dramatic piece as too little DOF is problematic.

There still is optical distotion however and I would love to get my hands on Wayne's achromat to see if its any cleaner. Would love to know if you have done any comparisons.
Wayne's achromat on a Brevis or Redrock would tell a lot as frankly the most important variables here are the screen and the achromat.
 
I had the problem with the macroblocking. However, With Detail coring at +2, the problem is gone, at least for me. Any experience with this?

I ordered a brevis, and am shooting a short film mainly shot at night. I'm using 1/25 shutter and untill now things look great... On a HD CRT. In an LCD however, on the "Dinamic"settings, every single one I try I get a noisy and color bleeding picture. Put it to standard and everything is back fine...
 
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