Should I replace my HVX?

ripupthehwy said:
Come on guys! What about the cmos chips and the rolling shutter problems associated with it that we all squawked about when panasonic released the HPX300
Seems that concern is out the window, along with good in camera audio. I suspect there will be HVX/HPX type video cameras out eventually to rival these SLR's. Otherwise the market will dry up from what you guys are saying. I would never ditch my HVX for shooting a movie with a little SLR camera but I guess I'm missing something here. lol Or is this just all about a cheaper price??
Click to expand...
Spend ten minutes with the DSLR and you'll think "boy, this is everything I need."

Spend three hours with it working on a real project and, yeah, you'll miss everything that a real video camera has.

The new crop is stunning for their price, but for sheer usability they don't hold a candle to a professional video camera.
 
All right - just sold my letus for $1100 which puts me within striking distance of this camera...still debating on selling the HVX to pay for the lenses or putting those on the credit card and using work to pay them off...anyone have any good lens suggestions (want to spend around $1,000 total on lenses so nothing too crazy) really looking for a standard 50mm type lens (so 35mm on this cam. right?) and a good zoom to cover the bases on everything else.
 
livelikeriley said:
All right - just sold my letus for $1100 which puts me within striking distance of this camera...still debating on selling the HVX to pay for the lenses or putting those on the credit card and using work to pay them off...anyone have any good lens suggestions (want to spend around $1,000 total on lenses so nothing too crazy) really looking for a standard 50mm type lens (so 35mm on this cam. right?) and a good zoom to cover the bases on everything else.
Click to expand...

Hey buddy I really think you should sell for your stated financial reasons. If you aren't using your setup for paid gigs then you don't really need it. It is best to get something cheaper and more versatile.

Sell your hvx and just get the stock kit Canon 7D. It's probably still faster than your hvx setup anyway. Shot with that for a couple months and then revisit buying lenses.
 
By the stock kit do you mean the f3.5 lens...I'm worried that's way too slow for most situations...perhaps I'm wrong...I was thinking I'd need at least a 2.8 and pref. a 1.4? No?
 
livelikeriley said:
By the stock kit do you mean the f3.5 lens...I'm worried that's way too slow for most situations...perhaps I'm wrong...I was thinking I'd need at least a 2.8 and pref. a 1.4? No?
Click to expand...

No I don't think it will be to slow for MOST situations. What exactly do you plan on shooting? It should be faster than your hvx200/letus setup which means it is fast enough correct? You stated you had crap lenses on the Letus so it should be a major upgrade from that.

I am buying the 7D also but don't get caught up in the hype and start buying things you don't NEED just to have them go unused like your hvx200/letus setup did.

Pay off some bills and shot some great videos!
 
Am I the only one that thinks shooting f.1.4 or even f/2.0 on anything longer than 50mm for narrative work looks spazzy? I mean by all means go for it if you've only got 1 person in frame and they don't really move much but still...
 
Just a couple quick thoughts.

On paid gigs form, function and reliablity rule. HVX, XHA1 and the likes are needed.

Doing your own thing, being an auter type of filmmaker, aesthetics rules. You have time to d--k around and get what you need. And it will look sweet!

Now the last issue is time. Please take this as something to think about only, not actual financial and market advice. Just something that I think might happen.
Given the rate these large sensor cams are coming out, alot of small chip cams are gonna hit the block! Ebay and even the DVX market place is gonna be full of people wanting to unload and upgrade. This is gonna severely and adversely affect the resale value.
Conversely, if you hold on to your HVX and wait for new vDSLRs to come out, the old vDSLRs are gonna hit the block as well so you might pick up a used or even refurbished one dirt cheap. After the 7D saturates the market, I'm thinking about still buying the GH1 if used prices plummet, it's a great 720p cam and if used properly is useable at 1080p.

If you are serious about selling a small chip cam, the sooner the better. Especialy before the GH1 and 7D start meeting market loads. Cause at that point :(
 
I'd probably sell the HVX and leave it at that.

But yeah if you want a camera... that canon 7d, some lenses, a sound recorder, and a nice rig to make it look and function abit more professional may be that much more worth it.
 
The more I shoot with the GH1 the more I feel my HVX200 will be gathering dust for a very long time. Today I shot a show with dancers going full force and many camera movements and not a single drop of "mud" on 1080p. I was hand holding the camera and geting the hang of it and improving as it went along. The only glitch I had was running out of memory card because I did not erase what I had dumped in the computer. The GH1 did exactly what the HVX would have done even better because it has a much bigger sensor to boot. One thing I won't miss is my tired arm at the end of the day from the weight of the camera.
 
Do take this advice with a grain of salt.

I agree with the videographer vs filmmaker point said before, but, in a realistic perspective, either you are in Hollywood and/or are one of the very few with big Government or investor baking, or you're one of the majority that does filmmaking as a passion and often at the cost of their own hard earned money, with little to no return in profits. In that case, you have to have some sort of revenue, and videography is as close you can get to stay in the "filmmaking environment". Saying this, I suggest you keep the HVX.

I would also wait and test the 7D myself before jumping on board and seeing if it really suits your needs. Yes, we are seeing very pretty pictures, but will it do everything the HVX does, specially for certain work or paid jobs? Also, is it Broadcast quality? The HVX certainly is. Also having the HVX keeps the door open for 1080 50/60i productions, for example, which is pretty much required for videography or delivery (there are different takes on the 720p 60 vs 1080 60i as to which is "better". But this is another topic), or for quick interviews with professional audio and situations where you need fast delivery like ENG, and of course, lets not forget that the HVX offers controlable Variable Frame rates, like shooting at 32/36 fps, which gives a nice slow mo that is not extreme like 60P, or the fantastic "frame rate hack" shots of 2fps- extra creative options you can't get with current VDSLR's...

Again, in an ideal world, we would all be getting paid for filmmaking, but always keep your doors open for revenue- we are in difficult times, and having a versatile camera like the HVX definitely opens more doors for those situations that a VDSLR just can't manage.

Personally I'm definitely keeping my HVX+ Brevis, but will almost certainly (waiting for the September 29 announcement) get a 7D for my personal filmmaking projects. Will I have to wait a bit more to get a good set of lens? Sure, but I will feel better knowing that I have the HVX securing my (financial) back if needed...
 
John Caballero said:
The more I shoot with the GH1 the more I feel my HVX200 will be gathering dust for a very long time. Today I shot a show with dancers going full force and many camera movements and not a single drop of "mud" on 1080p. I was hand holding the camera and geting the hang of it and improving as it went along. The only glitch I had was running out of memory card because I did not erase what I had dumped in the computer. The GH1 did exactly what the HVX would have done even better because it has a much bigger sensor to boot. One thing I won't miss is my tired arm at the end of the day from the weight of the camera.
Click to expand...

Yeah, the GH1 would be the perfect HDslr if wasn't for the weak codec. One thing you must miss is the HVX better codec and the ability to grade footage without it falling apart and the lack of compression artifacts.
 
livelikeriley said:
Thanks Nik...I guess because I was shooting digital throughout film school I never gave much thought to F-Stops...can you give me a scenario where I might need a 2.8 or 1.4 - I was under the impression that for ANY low-light type stuff I would need them...but maybe not? Are either of these good "all-purpose" lenses?

http://www.amazon.com/Tamron-17-50mm-Aspherical-Digital-Cameras/dp/B000EXR0SI

http://www.amazon.com/Canon-EF-S-17-55mm-Lens-Cameras/dp/B000EW8074
Click to expand...

Well it is always better to have a faster lens but you do not need the fastest lenses to shoot most situations. Compared to your original hvx/letus setup it will be as good or better in low light. That should be good enough to get started with.
 
Keep your HVX. You'll use it most of the time.

The 7D is an addition to the HVX for specific shots.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top