So: HMC150 as an 'A' cam, Either the HMC40 or GH1 as the 'B/C' camera?

MadHMC150

MadHMC150

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We are "C" cameraless at the moment and we were set on the GH1 for the similarity and SLR DOF capabilities. Now with the GH1 back ordered for a while, and the HMC40 coming out around the same time, we are re-evaluating the situation.

So we shoot anything really, but I would say most of our work is in Event/Wedding/Concert/Music Video type stuff. We have all the XLR connections we need, so audio is not a problem. I want to hear from some HMC owners, that's why I don't want to post this in the GH1 thread.

What is your guys opinion on the Panasonic GH1 vs the HMC40? Even a Canon T1i?

Is there any footage available of the HMC40? If and when please post it...

I'm not up on the shutter issues with the CMOS, but how will these compare?

Also no ND filters? hrm.

Thanks for your feedback -

Jon
 
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I'm right there with you. I currently have a 150 as my main cam for weddings, with the Canon HV30 as my B cam. It's ok with plenty of light, but doesn't match up well with the Panny in low-light situations.

I too am seriously looking at the GH1. I just want the cameras to mesh well in all areas. I don't have much hope that the HMC40 is going to work for me, so it's not really on my radar.
 
DNathan said:
Jon, did you sell your 70?
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Yeah man, I made a few bucks actually... It was an ok C cam if you really need it but after a few projects, the HMC150 just blows it away. For what I shoot, it's hard to even try an match it in post. At this point I may even consider the Canon t1i.
 
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Ah, the Canon t1i is in stock and pretty good deal. So I have to shoot manual zoom? fine by me.
 
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the T1i also has a great low light... we did some testing with one, and the image at 720 looks really good. I wouldn't think twice about mixing T1i's 720P footage with the HMC150 1080P. In my opinion they mix in nice!

now if canon could do the "full manual exposure control" firmware update like the 5DMKII... that would make an awesome camera.
One more thing, the DOF is really good (you can get really shallow and do some great rack-focusing shoots)

Now to the HMC40, i would need some feedback before thinking about buying... I have a small cmos sony cam HVR-A1U that should be about the same size as the HMC40. I have to admit is nice having a small camera on my bag of tricks, just being able to mount it on a light stand and putting it up high is really cool (i would never try that with a bigger cam). But the Low-light on the Sony A1U is lacking. If the HMC40 is a big upgrade to the A1U I might be interested in one!

Currently i was looking at the Canon HFS series to replace my small Sony cam (i like the fact that the canon it's also AVCHD)

At that price range and since its a C-Cam you have many options!. Let me know if you get the HMC40 and how it compares to the HMC150... I just want something small so i can do some timelaps shoots (and before you guys tell me there's no feature to do it) i just need to let it run for an hour or two and then speed it up in post!
 
Superfresa66 said:
the T1i also has a great low light... we did some testing with one, and the image at 720 looks really good. I wouldn't think twice about mixing T1i's 720P footage with the HMC150 1080P. In my opinion they mix in nice!

now if canon could do the "full manual exposure control" firmware update like the 5DMKII... that would make an awesome camera.
One more thing, the DOF is really good (you can get really shallow and do some great rack-focusing shoots)
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The SLR's would kill 2 birds with 1 stone since it would replace a Rebel xti we use also. They would allow us to take 'Pictures' if a client needed that with their videography, although we would recommend a professional photog if need be.

The downfall is using a SLR as a video camera is people think you are taking pictures, not video. Even with my HMC people are always just walking right infront of me with their little handicam, I'm not sure how much worse this might make it 'to get the shot'.

With the t1i its an auto exposure in video? Yeah sounds like that firmware update makes sense for the t1i also, lets hope. I just wish they put 24p in there, even if its 720. They know no one would buy the Mark II if the t1i had all the goodies.

I have a bunch of canon accessories all ready piled up... ::Hovers mouse over Buy Now button::
 
The downfall is using a SLR as a video camera is people think you are taking pictures, not video.
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I seen a couple of seminars from people doing video with the 5DMKII and the way they address this problem was by putting a shoulder support/rig for the camera and mounting a LCD next to it. It also helps if you get something like a matbox or a video lens shade on it. You can also use a glidecam or steadycam on it!
The way i would use it would be to get some of the "eye candy shots" with the DSLR and the rest with the HMC150...

One of the studios that recommended using a shoulder rig and LCD was Still Motion http://stillmotion.ca/ they use 4 5DMKII for video only (only 2 guys)
 
I checked out their work, its top notch. I agree they would be perfect for the eyecandy short shots. They are limited to 4 gig files and then stop recording which might be a pain on long record times.

So, If I went with the T1i I could afford the Manhattan LCD but I'm pretty sure the t1i doesn't have a live HDMI out. Not only that, It would be very hard for me to put the monitor on the SLR and not on my HMC, hah. I all ready have the shoulder mount and I'll get a lens hood, which might be enough to get people out of my way.

Steadycam would be amazing, we don't have the chest/arm support yet so even the HMC gets heavy after a few minutes.

Maybe another reason to wait for the GH1.

Well, now looking at the GH1 I don't think it has live HDMI out either - looking for some confirmation those 2.
 
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What about using a HMC150 as your B cam. I am in a similar situation, I have a 151 and a SD100. The SD100 is poor in low light (compared to the 151), I think the HMC40 would come somewhere between the SD100 and the 151, but for a bit more money I could just get another 151, I think this might be the best option in the long run.
 
studio1972 said:
What about using a HMC150 as your B cam. I am in a similar situation, I have a 151 and a SD100. The SD100 is poor in low light (compared to the 151), I think the HMC40 would come somewhere between the SD100 and the 151, but for a bit more money I could just get another 151, I think this might be the best option in the long run.
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I am interested in how you cut the SD100 with the HMC150. The SD100 is very soft and somewhat muddy. I think it is good for DVD downconversion only.
 
Studio > Our A and B cams are the HMC150. Its great always having 150 footage to depend on. With our live events and weddings 3 cameras are ideal. Another 150 would be perfect but I would loose some diversity also its not that great of a deal right now on 150. It's a bunch more then the aforementioned ones.

How bad do you think converting 30p to 24p is going to look if need be?
 
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Cranky said:
I am interested in how you cut the SD100 with the HMC150. The SD100 is very soft and somewhat muddy. I think it is good for DVD downconversion only.
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All my stuff is down converted to DVD at the moment. You are right, the SD100 is much softer, but it's better than nothing :)

It is handy if I want a Diary Room cam though and I would still use it for that even if I had a second 150. The IA mode is handy for when locked off as the auto focus is superior to that of the 150.
 
studio1972 said:
It is handy if I want a Diary Room cam though and I would still use it for that even if I had a second 150. The IA mode is handy for when locked off as the auto focus is superior to that of the 150.
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I don't like the IA mode. I don't like sudden changes in WB and exposure, but I do like face recognition, which, by the way, works with WB, shutter speed and iris locked, only focus left on auto. Even more, focus tracking works with manual focus, then you flip to auto, it properly tracks, then you flip back to manual at the end. But it all clumsy and does not always work.

What is a Diary Room?

"We use modern digital camcorders which provide professional quality without being overly large." -- He-he.
 
I set up the camera for wedding guests to leave messages, I call it a diary room so that they understand it's like big brother where people just talk to the camera. IA is handy as if I set it up outside it will add gain, or even change the shutter speed to maintain exposure.
 
So, as a 'for now' kind of decision - we might go with the T1i.

There are pretty nice setups we can achive with the money we are going to save.

Check out this thread with his setup... http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=178276


IMG_9320.jpg
 
Got the T1i in the mail yesterday!

For pictures, this is a well vested upgrade to the Rebel xt we were using. The pictures are superb.

For video? My quick tests produced very good video, although not at the HMC150 level I was hoping for. Never the less it is far superior the the HMC70 we were using. We are giving up long record times and audio capabilities but gaining sweet DOF and much better quality video. It's what we needed in a 'C' cam.

With the money were are saving will go to the T1i setup:
f/1.4 50mm lens for best low light.
24" HDMI LCD for studio monitor and editing (just got in the mail today).
Adapters for our matte box.
Buncha batteries, memory cards etc etc.

I will have some samples up shortly of how they edit up.
 
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MadHMC150 said:
I will have some samples up shortly of how they edit up.
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Might be a little while longer... All my test footage was eaten by the Taiwan Transcend gods. Side note, unless your willing to shoot as manual as the t1i can go, don't get it. Its auto features are pretty useless.

I haven't figured everything out, so with a little more time I will be shooting it all manual anyways.
 
Working with the new setup... with the shoulder mount, custom cf rails and matte box.

t1i_mattebox.JPG
 
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