Upgrading - Stupid Question... Be nice!

M

mrtechnician

Active member
Hello,

This is going to be the stupidest question you will ever get.
Anyways here goes...

I currently film wedding on a Pana GS400 - yes I know a GS400, hey it does the job pretty weel considering other people are using Z1's and my footage looks heaps better outdoors than theirs. Thats no joke, we have compared them side by side in terms of colour and quality in standard def.

I also have a background in short film, and am really considering buying a HVX202 (aussie version/PAL). I love panasonics rendition of colour to tape. The stupidest question I ask is, how much better is the HVX202 in low light than my GS400 with a 50w light that will asssist. I know dumb question but Im forking out heaps of cash and dont want to buy something thats is going to be bad like my current GS400.

I have played with the Sony Z1. The lowlight is awesome, but I downloaded the test footage one of you guys put up on the firm compared to the A1 and the HVX looked pretty bad (but hey there was only one candle in the room). I found the Z1 i played with was really bad when it comes to shooting manual. to go from 0dB to 18dB you had to flick a switch from M to L to get past 9dB. Where as on my Pana GS400 I can control it from the ring from Full Open - 18dB in one go. Is this possible on the HVX.

I dont like the new canon NR feature as it blurs the image too much when moving. So I see that as a waste of functionality.

Please as I need to buy one in the next 2 months.

Thanks
 
It is really hard to answer a question of how the camera performs when your easiest solution would be to rent the camera for a few days, shoot with it under your typical production scenarios and see if it is for you. The HVX is extremely versatile and there are any number of settings which can be used to optimize a variety of shooting situations. I do not advise boosting the gain. But seriously-- give it a try.

Ned Soltz
 
Check the footage section, then make a decision. We all love ours. And you can to for a low low price of 5299 at SpecComm. Also Check the STICKY in the Gernal section on where to buy.
 
Ultimately, using one will give you the best answer.

That being said, lowlight and unpredictable lighting such as that found at weddings is not the HVX-200's strong suit. I shoot weddings on occasion, and I would not use my HVX. I'd much rather use my 100A, all things being equal.

I shoot with the Sony Z1U for a syndicated show. While the picture is nice (for interlaced), the mechanics of the camera are a nightmare. I have strong dislike for the layout, heavy menu operation and obtuse buttons. For a dynamic situation like weddings- yuk.

I'm crazy about my HVX for it's intended uses. If I were buying a camera for weddings primarily, it would not be my first pick. Although I don't have any experience with them, based on user feedback and footage I've seen, the Canon seem like the way to go.
 
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