If you had to shoot with a stock HVX and nothing else

robertwerden

robertwerden

Well-known member
If this was all you had, what would you do to get the best possible results?

IE scene file settings, camera resolution ect. as well as making due with available lighting and sound from the on board mic.

Please let me know as this is what im working with and I just don't seem to be getting the results I want.
 
exceedingly vague question. "best" is very subjective and it all depends on what youre trying to achieve...
 
Barry's book is a good start for getting different looks. It all depends on what kind of look and results you're after.
 
I would use the camcorder's zebra settings to insure proper exposure. If there was not enough light, I would determine whether to use a slower shutter speed and/or frame rate OR to use additional gain. If too much light, I would use the built in neutral density filter to cut light down.

I would try to keep in the mid to near open f-stops to utilize the optimal exposure position for the glass.

If the scene was noisy because of low light, I would use the B-Press preset because it is least noisiest. However, obtaining a certain look from another preset may take precedence as a choice. Most of the menu settings would not degrade quality but would rather lend to acheiving whatever look is required for the particular project and pleasing your personal taste.

Probably the best thing you could do would be to take test footage or do some type of rehearsal of a similar scenario first. Do some trial and error and see what works the best.

Resolution settings would match my delivery needs and I would not consider them crucial to my success of capturing the scene.

With the on-board mic, I would make sure to get as close to the sound source as possible and to adjust the volume levels on the camcorder to where the sound was dancing between -12db and -6db. The marks on the camcorder are for -20db and -12db, so I would keep the average sound above the -12db mark.
 
What kind of results are you expecting?

On a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 is "America's Funniest Home Videos," and 10 is Hollywood, what are you after?

John gives some good advice you can try to help.

But realistically, unless you can find a way to add your own light, or at least control the light you have, and not use the on-board microphone, the higher up the scale you want to go, the more disappointed you're going to be, especially in terms of audio. You'll never get good sound from the on-board mic.
 
I will echo Kevin's advice - Barry's products are a great shortcut. I like the two dvds he has.
 
wgzn said:
exceedingly vague question. "best" is very subjective and it all depends on what youre trying to achieve...
Click to expand...

yeah. If you'd be a little more specific you'd get a really great answer. Period piece of the old west, I'd set the color temp to -7 in 720p/24p. The more specific you get the better the answer will be... Try again.
 
Bring lots of light for starters. The HVX loves a well-lit scene. Use NDs to work as wide as you can to help defeat deep focus. Without a converter, shooting "OPEN" or below a 2.0 will give you that more cinematic DOF. Naturally, you should balance your DOF choices to fit the piece and stay consistent in your style to whatever extent possible.

Take the time for good composition. You will be surprised how much your framing and appropriate camera movement will add to that "cinematic" feeling you might be looking for.

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