sold HVX and bought XL-H1

P

pdsage10

Well-known member
So, I finally stepped up and switched from the HVX to XL-H1. The low res, low light problems, no HD-SDI and non removable lens are the main reasons why I switched.
So, I just finished DP'ing a short film with the canon and love the images that I am getting with it. I used to think that HDV and GOP would be a problem, but after just one project I found that this camera doesnt look like other HDV cameras.
I will post some frame grabs and maybe some raw footage later.
 
I'm glad to hear you enjoyed shooting with the Canon. I too have a lot of respect for this camera. Canon's HDV implementation is the standard, as far as I'm concerned. And you have the option to bypass it all together. That's what is brilliant about the whole system.

It'll be interesting to see how Canon responds to Sony's EX3.
 
pdsage10 said:
So, I finally stepped up and switched from the HVX to XL-H1. The low res, low light problems, no HD-SDI and non removable lens are the main reasons why I switched.
So, I just finished DP'ing a short film with the canon and love the images that I am getting with it. I used to think that HDV and GOP would be a problem, but after just one project I found that this camera doesnt look like other HDV cameras.
I will post some frame grabs and maybe some raw footage later.
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I kist watched your demo reel and now I wish I was in High school so that
I could take your course. Your work is astounding. I have an HVX and a Red rock m2
cinema that I haven't used yet and today I got a deal on the H1 and I was planning in selling it since I can only afford to keep one bu now it may be the HVX that leaves me. I plan on filming my music video's this summer.
Thank you for some GRET images
 
to be honest, canons image is so on point I don't believe they need to respond to the sony or anyone else for that matter. Is it the glass? i dunno. all I know is, my canon a1 has gotten weigh more airtime than that of my hvx200, do to canons razor sharp image and tweakability.
 
Musicprogirl- thanks for taking a look and the compliment.

So, here are some screen grabs from a night exterior scene that I just finished shooting with the XL-H1 (not colored yet). I was using a modified Kodak 5296 preset (saturation dialed down among other things). Project title: "The True Price of Betrayal".
 
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Absolutely Beautifl!

Absolutely Beautifl!

pdsage10 said:
Musicprogirl- thanks for taking a look and the compliment.

So, here are some screen grabs from a night exterior scene that I just finished shooting with the XL-H1 (not colored yet). I was using a modified Kodak 5296 preset (saturation dialed down among other things). Project title: "The True Price of Betrayal".
Click to expand...

Your images not only look like film but they look like they came from a great film.
Is there anything you miss about the HVX? And most importantly.....
I know ALOT 9if not most) of the beauty of your images is strictly due to your talent
and I'll bet your HVX footage is AWESOME too. Is the Canon easy to get a great image from or is there a BIG learning curve and do you have any footage you shot with the HVX?

Also... The lighting is incredible too. What did you use?
And ... (sorry for all the and's) since you are an instructor did you ever think of making a how -to video on how to do a film on HDV? I have video's on how to do lighting, how to work a camera, etc. BUT I would definitely purchase a video on exactly how you made your film. I'll bet alot of people would.

Thank you for inspiration
 
The footage in my demo reel on my site is mostly HVX/M2 footage with some XL-H1 footage mixed in. I will updating it later in the year with more XL-H1 content.
The Canon does have a learning curve, but if you get Canons Console program, designing custom presets will become second nature. It allows you to adjust all of your image settings from your computer while viewing a live image from you camera. Then you just save the new preset to your camera or SD card.
The only thing that I miss from the HVX is the P2 workflow, but I am getting used to the tape workflow again.
 
You gave up 24p for 24f ?

MADNESS !

443822600_41e8ec1e9d.jpg
 
I know I know

All subjective.

I find the Frame Thingy to look off and just not all together right. - The cadence seems too fast compared to progressive, the footage looks inherently videoy and the gamma seems to struggle.

Personal preferences of course.
 
Did you import those images via hd-sdi or firewire? Looks really nice, great lighting. Does the Canon do undercrank/overcrank? That's one thing I love about the HVX.
 
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Thanks brickmedia. Those shots where actually captured on tape. I am currently working on a project which is all HD-SDI out (using Prores 4:2:2 codec for capture). As for overcranking, just switch the camera to 60i and then in post deinterlace the clip and play the resulting 60p clip back at 24p. Slowmo in 1080p.
 
Good stuff pdsage10.

I recently screened the rough cut of my film to a small audience. And you know what? Not one attendee said, "You know it kinda looked like 24F and not 24P. It really took me out of the movie." ;)
 
there is a reason I sent my hvx200a bact to b&h. LOW RES, LOW RES LCD, AND BAD DETAIL ON WIDER SHOTS. although I still love pannys look. I'm able to get the look of the dvx, hvx and alot more different cams with the a1. To me its the closest thing in its price range competing with the ex1 in terms of res.

I don't care if this cam is recoreding in 24a,b, or C. WHEN YOU DIAL IN THE RIGHT PRESETS, you can produce a masterpiece of a film that would scream film. Also the highes dynamic range on the a1 was a deciding factor that led my hvx back to the store. the highlights just blows out so much pleasing to the eye.
 
Uhm, at the end of the day, for the XL-H1, XH-A1, and XH-G1:

24F = 24P.

So what if the chip is interlaced? There are still 24 discrete fps. That's all that matters. The rest is marketing-speak and has little to no bearing on aesthetics.

Not trying to be obnoxious, just trying to refute what I regard a persistent bit of misinformation.
 
Robert Sanders said:
I recently screened the rough cut of my film to a small audience. And you know what? Not one attendee said, "You know it kinda looked like 24F and not 24P. It really took me out of the movie." ;)
Click to expand...

Let me know when your going to have another showing or if I could get a screener from you. I really want to see it.
 
reem12 said:
the highlights just blows out so much pleasing to the eye.
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I have to agree with you here. It is my opinion that the H1's highlight clipping rolls off smoother than other cameras in it's league. I even think it handles highlights better than the EX1.

Because of this I think it's best to expose for the blacks and let the highlights clip from time to time. It's way better to have an entire film with good noise characteristics with a couple blown highlights than an film with no clipped highlights but is noisy as hell. To me noise is far more distracting than blown highlights. And let's face, all 1/3" cameras are noisy. Protecting highlights and then lifting it out of the mud in post is a bad practice on these cameras, IMHO. Sacrilege advice, I know.
 
pdsage10 said:
Let me know when your going to have another showing or if I could get a screener from you. I really want to see it.
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We'll be done a couple months. We'll be having a big screening at The Landmark in Westwood. We'll be inviting everyone.

Everyone?

E V E R Y O N E!!!

;)

*You gotta love Gary Oldman in The Professional.
 
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