HVX LCD screen not up to par?

We used to call it "24P Normal" here on the boards. But yes, the quicker we adopt "24P Standard", the better off we'll be, as it'll help avoid confusion with the forthcoming HVX 24PN mode.
 
What would be the best portable HD monitor to use with the HVX in the field? LCD or CRT? And if possible a monitor that you can use with batteries.
 
Barry, Thanks for the info and your support of the focus on the HVX. My original comments were based on just messing around with it for a couple seconds at DVexpo. I posted this topic hoping that you and others who have used it a bunch, and in comparison with other cameras, would come to it's defense. And you did, which eases my concerns about it.

I only used the FX1 for half a day, and I did like the LCD, but my end product just ended up on SD DVD. I know this is maybe a stretch to say, but perhaps the nicer LCD on the FX1 was a negative for me on that shoot because it was lulling me into a false sense of security thinking I always had it in focus.

While I would like to have the nicest LCD screen of comparable cameras (which it probably doesn't have), I would rather have the nicest FOCUS ASSIST function of comparable cameras (and it sounds like this one has it).

Also good to know that you shot all that footage without a monitor. I saw it all and never thought anything looked soft. Great Work!
 
we used the 17" lcd by Panasonic, and it was very nice. It has a blue gun, scope, and a split screen capture mode so you can compare shots. I would say thats about as small as you wanna go.
 
So can someone outline a description on how the focus assist works and how it's displayed on the LCD? I did not realize they included the feet/meter info! That's good news.

thanks,
Steve
 
taubkin said:
So the focus is displayed in feet/meters or in those useless F numbers, such as F47?
Click to expand...
Both.

And, for racking focus between shots, those "useless" numbers are actually more useful. i.e., if you're setting up a rack focus, it's easier to remember to rack from MF38 to MF72 than it is to remember to rack from 8.62' to 31.44'...

Anyway, it does both.
 
So can someone outline a description on how the focus assist works and how it's dispayed on the LCD?
Click to expand...
Focus Assist brings up a magnified window in the center of the screen. It shows you what looks like a 1:1 pixel extraction straight off the HD frame. Using it you can get absolutely precise focus.

Imagine the old focus technique of zoom-all-the-way-in, focus, zoom-out and shoot. Okay, with the focus assist it's way better, because after you zoom all the way in you hit the focus assist button and this window pops up in super-close-up mode. If you're shooting a head shot, you could use the focus assist and be able to focus on an individual eyelash if you so chose.

Focus Assist also works in combination with EVF DTL, so you get the white sharpening "peaking" feature as well.

And, unlike the Canon and Sony, Focus Assist works while you're recording. Because it's only a small window, rather than full frame, you can still see the rest of your frame and continue to follow a shot even with the window up (granted it's tricky and takes a bit of practice, but at least it can be done). With the Sony and Canon, once you hit their record buttons, "focus assist" goes away. So if you need to adjust focus in the middle of a shot, the Panasonic lets you do that, whereas the Sony & Canon leave you at the mercy of using just the ~220k LCD panel.

Versus the JVC, the JVC has a form of focus assist that's super-hyper peaking. It turns the whole screen black & white, except for the peaking outlines -- those are displayed in color. It can be used during recording as well. When it works, it works very very well. But there are circumstances where it doesn't work -- basically, any circumstances where autofocus doesn't work will also give JVC's Focus Assist problems. In low-light or flat-contrast situations, the JVC system can't autodetect high-frequency sharp edges, so it won't highlight anything -- and that leaves you trying to judge focus using the low-rez LCD viewfinder. Which won't be successful. In the same circumstances the HVX's EVF DTL wouldn't work either, but the magnified focus still will so you can still focus accurately.

Hands down, the HVX focus assist beats the others.
 
Thank you Barry. I'm looking forward to trying this out.
By the way, you working nights or what man? :) I saw your posts over
dvinfo forum posted after 3:00AM

Steve
 
What about the brightness of the LCD screen. I ubderstood from Jan C.L. that it is not a reflective LCD so how does it perform in daylight (outside) and on a sunny day. From what I heard on various fora the LCD of the FX1?Z1 performs good. Any experience with the HVX. Furthermore I think the LCD of the HVX should be good enough to operate the cam without an external monitor since it is still a semi-pro handycam and not a professional shoulder mounted cam.
 
Don't know about you...but it's hard to light and focus a shot with a tiny LCD screen for reference.
 
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