Shooting HVX in the snow

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Paul Watt

New member
I'm wondering if anyone here is shooting skiing/snowboarding with the HVX. I currently use 16mm, but I'm considering this cam as a potential replacement. My biggest concerns are the dynamic range, and how close it is to 50D as far as res and colour reproduction.
 
Paul Watt said:
I'm wondering if anyone here is shooting skiing/snowboarding with the HVX. I currently use 16mm, but I'm considering this cam as a potential replacement. My biggest concerns are the dynamic range, and how close it is to 50D as far as res and colour reproduction.
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I've not shot 16mm in some time, though shoot a lot of 35mm stills, so I'm not familar with 50D's performance, but am with film in general.

I just passed on my pre-order for the HVX because I'm leaning to view that unless you must have the extra pixels, 1/3" HD rez cameras don't offer anything more than extra resolution and lose a little sensitivity and latitude compared to SD cams like the DVX100b. Plus, you need to carefully factor in workflow costs for any of the new 1/3" HD cams.

One note is that the HVX offers you 4:2:2 color space without having to resort to recording 4:4:4 color to a computer attached to the camera (which would likely not be suitable for skiing/snowboarding shooting), however, I've yet to see that this give the images the kind of color gamut film offers. In some test shots the colors "look better" than SD 4:1:1 or HDV 4:2:0 but as yet, I don't see tests that it is reproducing a wider gamut of colors.

The HVX offers true variable frame rates, although 60fps is tops for slo-mo.

From what I've seen, shooting in sunny snowy conditions will reveal the limitations of any of 1/3" HD cameras - a 2/3" camera with better latitude/dynamic range might be well worth the money in your situation depending on what things are important to you and the cost savings you probably would realize, especially if you need to shoot large amounts of stock.

If possible, you might want to try a rental/test for both.
 
..the HVx carries a better lattitude than the DVX from everything ive been shooting so far. I havent done any specific testing, but Ive shot enough DVX .. it was pretty obvious to me from the first time i used it as far as lattitude. the colors are pretty much like the DVX, but smoother and more detailed than the DVX. ill possibly be doing some snow shooting early next week. depends on if it snows again or not.
 
I live in Québec, so I will have to shoot outside. I live very close to the saint-laurent river, so I will go see how it look in the winter with the camera (if I have access). Must be a pretty nice sight. I just hope I dont kill it within the first few days I get it
 
Neil Rowe said:
..the HVx carries a better lattitude than the DVX from everything ive been shooting so far
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I'm not seeing that from what's been shot. It would be nice to see a side by side test.
 
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