New Panasonic 4K 60P Camcorder HC-X1000
- Thread starter Dafilman21
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tflak
Veteran
Didn't notice you are in UK — of course you would shoot 25p. I use FCPX and just drop my 60p (50p PAL) in a 24p timeline (without conforming) and FCPX does a great job of adjusting the frame rate to play at normal speed. I also prefer 24p motion and shoot my 60p at 1/60.
The converter I mentioned is mono. Think you could get stereo with the MiCon 5 Connector for Rode MiCon Microphones (XLR) and use the Rode ROMICONC1.2 MiCon Cable.
The converter I mentioned is mono. Think you could get stereo with the MiCon 5 Connector for Rode MiCon Microphones (XLR) and use the Rode ROMICONC1.2 MiCon Cable.
tflak
Veteran
I use the Sennheiser AVX-ME2 and a Rode NTG4+ with mine. Out of interest, do you guys still record to an external audio recorder and then feed it into the camera? I'm able to borrow a Zoom H6 for this weekend's shoot
I go straight into the camera - its pre-amps are pretty good.
tflak
Veteran
This is a very long post about a camera which I don’t feel has gotten the respect it deserves. Hopefully, others will find something in here helpful.
Purchased the HC-X1000 when it first became available and have been using it primarily for wildlife while hiking an average of 3-4 miles a day, 5-7 days a week through fields, forests, wetlands, etc. My hikes normally start just prior to sunrise and can last as long as 5 hours. Obviously, lighting conditions can vary from open areas to forests, hour to hour, and even minute to minute. The majority of my shots tend to be at the long end of the zoom - often at 99. Although I frequently also stop to shoot insects, flowers, etc. using the amazing macro capabilities of this camera. My GH4 sits on a shelf. Even though it’a a great camera in it’s own right, I just can’t fiddle with it when shooting wildlife in changing conditions. Especially when I can get everything I need using a single built-in lens with NDs.
Contrary to what others have reported, noise has NOT been a problem for me. I always shoot 4K 60p 150M, and deliver at 1080. That said, even prior to reducing 4K to 1080, the noise is negligible.
Regarding iZoom — I prefer zooming the 4K in post over shooting in 1080 in order to take advantage of iZoom (which is only available when shooting 1080). To my eyes, 4K scaled in a 1080 timeline yields cleaner results than iZoom and they are comparable in terms of max zoom.
Have developed a couple of “rules” — never set the aperture higher than 4.8 (5.2 when absolutely needed) — and use AGC with max set at 9 dB. Now, AGC has bitten me a few times when it changes during a shot, but surprisingly rarely. And I find it far simpler to use AGC when shooting wildlife than messing around with gain because framing and focus are my top priorities and things happen quickly.
I found the following Scene File Settings to work really well (for me) in reducing noise and delivering a pleasing picture with very little color correction needed. And this includes shooting in virtually any conditions (including shooting indoor interviews using two 400W tungsten eqiuv. LEDs):
V DETAIL: -2 (These detail settings are ADDING detail, so -7 is the camera shooting without sharpening)
H DETAIL: -2
DETAIL CORING: 0
CHROMA LEVEL: -2 (Plenty of color from this camera, you can always saturate more in post)
CHROMA PHASE: 0 (More green or more magenta if it suits your taste)
COLOR TEMP A ch: 0
COLOR TEMP B ch: 0
MASTER PEDESTAL: -1 (This is one that makes a pretty big impact, so tune to your own tastes)
AUTO IRIS LEVEL: -2 (I rarely use auto)
DRS: OFF (Even better, assign this to a User button for when you need it)
DRS EFFECT: 1
GAMMA: CINE-LIKE-V (Most people seem to be using HD NORM for the cleanest picture, but this works for me)
KNEE: DISABLED (this is disabled with the CINE gammas)
MATRIX: CINE-LIKE
I’m sure these could be improved upon and any feedback would be appreciated. In fact, I originally asked for feedback on these settings way back in this thread prior to actually trying them. Didn’t get any replies, so went ahead and have been using them ever since with good results. I'm an old dude and so tend to like finding one Scene File that fits a variety of shooting situations versus trying to remember how I've set various Scene Files and what they're each best suited for.
One last thing about using the HC-X1000 for shooting wildlife. I don’t use a tripod (anymore) and carry this camera for up to 5 hours at a time over varying terrain and in a position where it’s always ready to shoot at the press of the record button. Now consider that I’m in my late sixties and have had back problems (which is why I doubt I’ll be getting the DVX-200 - aside from not wanting to give up the zoom range). There are two essential pieces of gear that allow me to do this. The VariZoom DV Media Rig with the Varizoom Rock Style Zoom, Focus, Iris control mounted on one of the rig's handles. Can’t really say enough good things about this setup — would estimate it’s increased my chances of capturing good, usable wildlife shots about 80-90%. Used to carry the camera attached to a light tripod balanced on my shoulder (with tripod legs already extended) so all I needed to do when I saw wildlife was put it down, hit record, face it in the right direction, frame the shot, and focus. Needless to say, I missed a lot of shots. And even if the wildlife was still there — when zoomed to 99 any adjustments would cause enough shake and/or sway that the footage was less than acceptable and beyond salvaging (even via stabilization in post) during that brief time of camera adjustment. Or I’d get the shot locked down and the OIS would cause the image to noticeably shift because it was on a tripod. Which was all enough to ruin a lot of otherwise great shots. With the VariZoom rig none of this is a problem anymore. The camera is always at a level where I can see the image and therefore be constantly adjusting for changing conditions prior to even seeing my subject. So when a deer walks out, I’m all set and only need to hit record (a button on the remote controller on rig’s handle), frame the shot, and adjust the zoom and focus (again using the remote controller) all without causing any shake or sway.
Icing on the cake is a SmallHD 501 monitor (with sun hood) mounted to the VariZoom’s accessory mount on the rig’s horizontal bar. And the SmallHD's remote control on the 2nd rig handle (camera remote controller on the other). With this setup, I use the SmallHD for my main monitor and rely on the camera’s LED for the info display. Which, incidentally, is not available via HDMI out when shooting 4K 60p — have not used the HC-X1000 on a jib yet, but this will be a big problem when doing so. Only solution I can think of is a small pair of close-focusing binoculars.
Best of all, I can carry this entire rig (with all its advantages) for long periods without any strain on my old body. I am in wildlife shooting heaven. The HC-X1000 is a great wildlife cam. Absolutely no regrets about having purchased it. And I have a couple of AF-100s and a GH4 to compare it with. And also had an AC-160A which I sold to buy the X1000. So it's not like I haven't tried other Panasonic cameras. The HC-X1000 is a bargain for what you get.
Purchased the HC-X1000 when it first became available and have been using it primarily for wildlife while hiking an average of 3-4 miles a day, 5-7 days a week through fields, forests, wetlands, etc. My hikes normally start just prior to sunrise and can last as long as 5 hours. Obviously, lighting conditions can vary from open areas to forests, hour to hour, and even minute to minute. The majority of my shots tend to be at the long end of the zoom - often at 99. Although I frequently also stop to shoot insects, flowers, etc. using the amazing macro capabilities of this camera. My GH4 sits on a shelf. Even though it’a a great camera in it’s own right, I just can’t fiddle with it when shooting wildlife in changing conditions. Especially when I can get everything I need using a single built-in lens with NDs.
Contrary to what others have reported, noise has NOT been a problem for me. I always shoot 4K 60p 150M, and deliver at 1080. That said, even prior to reducing 4K to 1080, the noise is negligible.
Regarding iZoom — I prefer zooming the 4K in post over shooting in 1080 in order to take advantage of iZoom (which is only available when shooting 1080). To my eyes, 4K scaled in a 1080 timeline yields cleaner results than iZoom and they are comparable in terms of max zoom.
Have developed a couple of “rules” — never set the aperture higher than 4.8 (5.2 when absolutely needed) — and use AGC with max set at 9 dB. Now, AGC has bitten me a few times when it changes during a shot, but surprisingly rarely. And I find it far simpler to use AGC when shooting wildlife than messing around with gain because framing and focus are my top priorities and things happen quickly.
I found the following Scene File Settings to work really well (for me) in reducing noise and delivering a pleasing picture with very little color correction needed. And this includes shooting in virtually any conditions (including shooting indoor interviews using two 400W tungsten eqiuv. LEDs):
V DETAIL: -2 (These detail settings are ADDING detail, so -7 is the camera shooting without sharpening)
H DETAIL: -2
DETAIL CORING: 0
CHROMA LEVEL: -2 (Plenty of color from this camera, you can always saturate more in post)
CHROMA PHASE: 0 (More green or more magenta if it suits your taste)
COLOR TEMP A ch: 0
COLOR TEMP B ch: 0
MASTER PEDESTAL: -1 (This is one that makes a pretty big impact, so tune to your own tastes)
AUTO IRIS LEVEL: -2 (I rarely use auto)
DRS: OFF (Even better, assign this to a User button for when you need it)
DRS EFFECT: 1
GAMMA: CINE-LIKE-V (Most people seem to be using HD NORM for the cleanest picture, but this works for me)
KNEE: DISABLED (this is disabled with the CINE gammas)
MATRIX: CINE-LIKE
I’m sure these could be improved upon and any feedback would be appreciated. In fact, I originally asked for feedback on these settings way back in this thread prior to actually trying them. Didn’t get any replies, so went ahead and have been using them ever since with good results. I'm an old dude and so tend to like finding one Scene File that fits a variety of shooting situations versus trying to remember how I've set various Scene Files and what they're each best suited for.
One last thing about using the HC-X1000 for shooting wildlife. I don’t use a tripod (anymore) and carry this camera for up to 5 hours at a time over varying terrain and in a position where it’s always ready to shoot at the press of the record button. Now consider that I’m in my late sixties and have had back problems (which is why I doubt I’ll be getting the DVX-200 - aside from not wanting to give up the zoom range). There are two essential pieces of gear that allow me to do this. The VariZoom DV Media Rig with the Varizoom Rock Style Zoom, Focus, Iris control mounted on one of the rig's handles. Can’t really say enough good things about this setup — would estimate it’s increased my chances of capturing good, usable wildlife shots about 80-90%. Used to carry the camera attached to a light tripod balanced on my shoulder (with tripod legs already extended) so all I needed to do when I saw wildlife was put it down, hit record, face it in the right direction, frame the shot, and focus. Needless to say, I missed a lot of shots. And even if the wildlife was still there — when zoomed to 99 any adjustments would cause enough shake and/or sway that the footage was less than acceptable and beyond salvaging (even via stabilization in post) during that brief time of camera adjustment. Or I’d get the shot locked down and the OIS would cause the image to noticeably shift because it was on a tripod. Which was all enough to ruin a lot of otherwise great shots. With the VariZoom rig none of this is a problem anymore. The camera is always at a level where I can see the image and therefore be constantly adjusting for changing conditions prior to even seeing my subject. So when a deer walks out, I’m all set and only need to hit record (a button on the remote controller on rig’s handle), frame the shot, and adjust the zoom and focus (again using the remote controller) all without causing any shake or sway.
Icing on the cake is a SmallHD 501 monitor (with sun hood) mounted to the VariZoom’s accessory mount on the rig’s horizontal bar. And the SmallHD's remote control on the 2nd rig handle (camera remote controller on the other). With this setup, I use the SmallHD for my main monitor and rely on the camera’s LED for the info display. Which, incidentally, is not available via HDMI out when shooting 4K 60p — have not used the HC-X1000 on a jib yet, but this will be a big problem when doing so. Only solution I can think of is a small pair of close-focusing binoculars.
Best of all, I can carry this entire rig (with all its advantages) for long periods without any strain on my old body. I am in wildlife shooting heaven. The HC-X1000 is a great wildlife cam. Absolutely no regrets about having purchased it. And I have a couple of AF-100s and a GH4 to compare it with. And also had an AC-160A which I sold to buy the X1000. So it's not like I haven't tried other Panasonic cameras. The HC-X1000 is a bargain for what you get.
Very interesting,what software do you use ? it realy surprises me you dont use a tripod for wildlife,pretty sure i could not manage long shots without one.Does the cam have photo style options CNED CINELIKE D STANDARD NATURAL CUSTOM Etc .
Good post tflak.
I agree. 1 thing I do differently though is using AF, and a 1/250 - 500 SS.
Oh yer, "late 60's", don't think of that as old in this day and age! My mother is still a working registered nurse and she is 75. She like's to help people , so she says why not still get payed for it while she can. That and a couple of 18 hole rounds of golf a week (walking the course) is what she likes.
I agree. 1 thing I do differently though is using AF, and a 1/250 - 500 SS.
Oh yer, "late 60's", don't think of that as old in this day and age! My mother is still a working registered nurse and she is 75. She like's to help people , so she says why not still get payed for it while she can. That and a couple of 18 hole rounds of golf a week (walking the course) is what she likes.
You have to get the hang of it, otherwise the birds have flown the coop before you get it right. You might be able to use a Monopod, but tripod is just to slow. Unless your just sitting around hoping something will show up.
tflak
Veteran
Am using FCPX — and the VariZoom rig combined with 4 axis stabilization usually results in some pretty steady footage. Phil vG is right-on about just needing to get the hang of it, and a tripod being too slow. Have you ever tried filming a flock of wild turkey that you unexpectedly happen upon? Tried a monopod, but that was still slow and unsteady compared to the rig I'm using now. A lot of times, am standing on very uneven ground or even in deep wetlands muck - which tripods and monopods don't take kindly to being sunk into. Of course, how steady my shots are depends a lot on what type of terrain I'm standing on when wildlife shows up, and how long I need to hold the shot. In cases where I'm less steady than I'd like, I find that CoreMelt's Lock and Load plug-in does a fine job of steadying things in post. Much better than the built-in stabilization in Final Cut.
You may find that reading through this entire thread would give you a good understanding of what features are available on this camera — like the various scene file settings you've referred to as "photo style options" above.
Thanks, Phil vG. Hmmm... as much as I'm extremely impressed by the X1000's amazing auto-focus capability... I find that nailing really precise focus when shooting wide-open at zoom 99 can still be a bit chancy with auto-focus. Which is one reason I use the SmallHD 501 monitor with its insanely great PQ and excellent focusing aids (not to mention waveform, false color, etc.). That in addition to having focus control with a thumbwheel on the handle of the rig instead of on the camera allows me to nail focus without risking jiggling the camera or possibly spooking wildlife with unwanted movements.
Don't you find you need more light when shooting with 1/250 - 500 SS, compared to something like 1/60? I'll even go to 1/30 if pressed for more light rather than bumping up the gain.
Your mother sounds like an incredible woman. Only hope I can remain that active when her age. Thanks for sharing.
You guys may be right but personaly i need a tripod[a good brace may be an option at times],with this previous cheap tripod this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xi4b-j4zuqU its not as good as i like ,without a tripod it would have been worse,although a heavier cam may be ok for some handheld even for me at times,cheers regarding the scene file settings.
tflak
Veteran
That's some really great footage and you did a nice job of following their motion. That type of shooting situation really begs for use of a tripod or monopod. Your footage could have benefited greatly by the use of a good fluid head. Am assuming you are getting better results with your Miller Air. The added weight of the X1000 over the FZ1000 should be a good thing with the Air setup. I really love Miller tripods and wouldn't buy anything else - have the Miller Solo DV 3-Stage 75mm Carbon Fiber Tripod with a Sachtler head. Much too heavy for hiking, but I use it whenever a tripod is called for in a relatively static shooting situation.
Wasn't aware of the new Miller Air system before seeing it mentioned in your post - looks like a great system that gets excellent reviews. Do you have the alloy or fiber version? There's apparently less than a lb. difference and the fiber is $200+ more. So unless you're carrying it around for long periods at a stretch, the alloy version would probably be just fine. If this system had been available when I was buying my tripods it would have probably been my choice.
If wind is still a problem once you get the X1000, you might want to consider something like a Utility Apron that you can attach to your tripod and then add rocks for weight. Also handy for holding other stuff.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/554126-REG/Manfrotto_166_166_Tripod_Utility_Apron.html
Otters are not native to my locale - really wish they were - they are wonderful creatures. Really enjoyed reading "Ring of Bright Water" in my youth. You're fortunate to be able to capture them like this.
Yes, but getting a good slow motion "replay" is my No1 priority, art comes second.
I would be using a tripod for that sort of thing as well (it's a shame you only had that one for that filming!).
Well over my budget!
Cheers tflak i realy love filming Otters and yes hope i get better results with the HC-1000 and Miller air this season with them,[and yes its alloy],the only concern is not having izoom in 4K so i hope switching over to HD to get the izoom option does not take long.Plenty of Otter films on my you tube site https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjt0voX51NgYpNBec5oBfmg?feature=mhee
tflak
Veteran
Really enjoyed your grebes footage. Am curious what was going on when you punched in on them - were you switching to digital zoom on the camera or scaling up in post?
Not sure I understand why you would switch over to iZoom considering you said you produce in 4K so you can enjoy it on your 4K monitor. Think you'll find that shooting in 4K and then scaling it up will give you better quality than taking 1080 footage shot using iZoom and plunking it into a 4K timeline. But maybe I'm misunderstanding your intent.
In any case, think you're going to very much enjoy your HC-X1000 and Miller Air.
The "BUCKHAM FAIR 2015" video, I wish we had weather and grass growth like that during Summer here in Aus!
What mic do you have picking up the sound in that clip?
The real close ups were probobly filmed with my FZ72 HD camera with its extender screwed in,plus i zoom as well,hell of a zoom but not great quality i know,the software i use does allow crop scalling,i dont mind the lower quality for some real close ups,maybe one day i will get both.Good filming to you,all the best Chris.
Hi Phil for events like that i use my Rode stereo mic,Do any of you guys know if this http://www.inta-audio.com/studio-re...799?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term will allow me to use my RSM with the HC-X1000 when i get it,its not coming for a couple of weeks it seems .By the way i spent 4 Months in south Australia n your summer 1979/80 so i know all about your climate.
tflak
Veteran
Should work. Looks like the same converter I linked to for you in a previous post (from B&H), which works fine for me when using the Rode Filmmaker Kit with the HC-X1000. That mini-jack is described as "dual mono" instead of "stereo" - which I believe is more related to the fact that the mic is mono rather than any real difference in the jack itself. The mono mic has it's signal sent to both contacts of a stereo jack. At least that's how I understand it.
Interestingly, the B&H description of said converter is apparently mis-labeled, according to some of the reviews on their site. It actually should be labeled the same as the product you linked to - in other words, "stereo". Think maybe B&H was going by actual function versus the type of jack that gets plugged into it. It's a bit confusing. It may help to read through the reviews on the B&H site to gain further clarification on what Rode setups it works with.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/387850-REG/Rode_VXLR_VXLR_Mono_Mini_Jack.html
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Well i have orderd one now so i hope its ok, i have just heard my X1000 is coming on monday now sooner than i thought.
tflak
Veteran
Thanks for that excellent post. I'll play with these settings tonight/tomorrow. It's a wedding and I have no idea what the lighting will be like, preparing for the worst
Hope you had some luck playing with the settings prior needing to shoot the wedding. I have not used this camera indoors except for with controlled interview lighting. Don't envy you shooting a wedding - lots of pressure to get things right when you don't really know what to expect. Best of luck with your shoot. Will be interested to hear how it goes.