Need some good info using HVX for PAL

[ThrillMedia]

Hey,
I am bidding on a job and would like some general info on workflow etc. I have been in video for quite a few years but this would be my first HD and HVX shoot and edit plus they are requesting PAL so that adds one or two more question marks.

I was planning on renting an HVX for the shoot and editing on my PC. I have the Adobe video suite but would need to upgrade to the newest version for HD. The client request that I author PAL DVDs for delivery.

We will be shooting in an airplane which should work well for the HVX. My questions are this:

Can I switch between NTSC and PAL on a US version of the HVX? Since I am going to PAL should I shoot 24P or 25P? 720P or 1080i? Has Adobe worked out any quirks with editing the footage? Is this going to be relatively trouble free edit or are there extra problems that may crop up during workflow?

Anything I should watch out for? ANY tps will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Curtis

 

[pete archer]

Hey,
I am bidding on a job and would like some general info on workflow etc. I have been in video for quite a few years but this would be my first HD and HVX shoot and edit plus they are requesting PAL so that adds one or two more question marks.

I was planning on renting an HVX for the shoot and editing on my PC. I have the Adobe video suite but would need to upgrade to the newest version for HD. The client request that I author PAL DVDs for delivery.

We will be shooting in an airplane which should work well for the HVX. My questions are this:

Can I switch between NTSC and PAL on a US version of the HVX? Since I am going to PAL should I shoot 24P or 25P? 720P or 1080i? Has Adobe worked out any quirks with editing the footage? Is this going to be relatively trouble free edit or are there extra problems that may crop up during workflow?

Anything I should watch out for? ANY tps will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Curtis

Hi Curtis, I am not a pro on the HVX 200 but I can tell you that much: you can not switch on the HVX 200 between PAL and NTSC ( only Sony HVR Z1 can do that, but the Sony only offers interlaced modi). I have tested the HVX on the 1080 25p setting in PAL which looked good -but in the direct comparison to the Z1 not so much better that it would have blown me away.
Since I work with Apple I don't know about support for 720P in Adobe - Apple does not support 720P as of yet.
I also noticed in my test that the HVX is very sensitive to good lighting - ie. punishes bad lighting ( hence the excitment of folks about the camera who have time and
possibilities for careful lighting). I don't know what possibilities you will have in a plane to set up light.
My advice is very simple: as a professional it would be worth the money to rent the HVX for 2 days - one to make yourself familiar with it, the 2nd to go in a plane and simulate at least on shoot you are likely to encounter in your assignment, take the footage home to your editing place and try the workflow. After all that you can make a truely professional decision. Pete

 

[ThrillMedia]

Hi Curtis, I am not a pro on the HVX 200 but I can tell you that much: you can not switch on the HVX 200 between PAL and NTSC ( only Sony HVR Z1 can do that, but the Sony only offers interlaced modi). I have tested the HVX on the 1080 25p setting in PAL which looked good -but in the direct comparison to the Z1 not so much better that it would have blown me away.
Since I work with Apple I don't know about support for 720P in Adobe - Apple does not support 720P as of yet.
I also noticed in my test that the HVX is very sensitive to good lighting - ie. punishes bad lighting ( hence the excitment of folks about the camera who have time and
possibilities for careful lighting). I don't know what possibilities you will have in a plane to set up light.
My advice is very simple: as a professional it would be worth the money to rent the HVX for 2 days - one to make yourself familiar with it, the 2nd to go in a plane and simulate at least on shoot you are likely to encounter in your assignment, take the footage home to your editing place and try the workflow. After all that you can make a truely professional decision. Pete

Thanks Pete! I am sorry I didn't get back to you sooner. I had to go out of town and wasn't able to get back until now. Yes, I was planning on renting for a couple of days to get some practice in before the shoot and to check out the workflow.

I just saw that I posted this under the wrong category so I will continue in the proper locale...sorry for the error.

Thanks,
Curtis

 

[SPZ]

Conversion from 1080/24p to 1080/25p is easy and quick, no quality loss whatsoever. In a Mac platform, just go to Cinematools (free with FCP) and convert the 24p File to 25p. You can do the same conversion with compressor on FCP. No quality loss.