Denniscasey
Well-known member
Last few weeks used HMC40 to video two automotive action events: (1) the Miller Mile in Milwaukee where 1920's and 1930's race cars lap the Milwaukee Mile race track at "conservative" speeds of 60 mph; and (2) Kohler Challenge in Elkhart Lake, WI where vintage sports cars and F1 cars race each other around the 4.5 mile hilly and wooded (shade and sun) course at speeds sometimes exceeding 100 mph. Item (2) I have videotaped several times in past with Sony VX2000 (3 of the 1/3 inch CCDs).
I try to describe situation below, but to cut to chase my questions are (and fitting my amateur status they are many and unabashedly display I have much to learn):
1. Is there a way I could use more manual settings to get better exposure and focus vs full auto I used (camera new to me and very dynamic changes going on)
2. I probably should have used ND 0.9 filter I had just acquired--would that have improved color and sharpness of images (have read it probably would have?)
3. HMC40 sometimes would snap in and out of focus as described below--why do you think?
4. Primarily wanted video but had thought I could get better "still" photos of cars at speed by selecting frame (tried both 720P 60 and 1080i 30 and so far have just begun looking at "still" frames but don't see much difference--recognize action was very fast and my panning was often not that steady). Manually selecting faster shutter speed --1/250?--would have helped "still" photo frame selection, but I have read fast shutter speeds mean slow panning or get jerky look? I foolishly did not record shutter and exposure setting camera was selecting in full auto. When I look at individual frames of video I took of cars at rest I seem to see jagged edges at transitions from sun to shadow--but for this I view on my 23 inch combination 1080p monitor/TV using HDMI out from HMC40 so could be monitor.
5. Overall camera did great on full auto, but I think color was a bit washed out and fast moving cars not as sharply defined as I had hoped.
Shooting situations are exciting but challenging to video: Situation (1) above was full sun around the concrete track and could stand right next to track. Picture clock laying down--I was panning cars approaching along straightaway from 3 o'clock position; came within 10 feet of where I was standing at 12 o'clock; and I continued panning until cars reached 9 o'clock position. Cars in full sun throughout pan. Many times I noted camera would maintain focus throughout 3 o'clock to about 11 o'clock position during pan, and then snap out and back into focus--nothing in way for camera to focus on instead of car I was following and very consistent about position it lost focus--I was not zooming. Exposure quite good throughout.
Situation (2) my filming location was on slight hill above and about 20 feet from closet part of track. Using same clock metaphor, cars come down hill beginning about 70 feet away and generally in full sun at 2 o'clock; pass in front at 12 o'clock within 20 feet of me usually in shade at this point and then accelerate up slight hill moving from shade into sun until I stop following again at about 9 oclock position and maybe 200 feet away and moving fast when I stop camera. Camera would maintain focus from 12 o'clock until about 11 o'clock position where it would sometimes snap out of focus then quickly back into focus.
HMC40 is still new to me so I am not using it to full advantage through multitude of manual settings and using full auto settings. However, particularly in situation (2) I don't know if I could maintain focus and correct exposure as cars rapidly come from far to near and then far again moving through sun, shade, sun at high speed.
I also tried tripod and handheld and I have to say using tripod was challenging due to wide sweep of very rapid panning and in situation (2) having to move camera up and down to follow cars through elevation change so reverted to my standard hand held for fast panning in most cases.
With apologies, I still have not learned to edit so I could post video to give better idea of what I am talking about. Dennis
I try to describe situation below, but to cut to chase my questions are (and fitting my amateur status they are many and unabashedly display I have much to learn):
1. Is there a way I could use more manual settings to get better exposure and focus vs full auto I used (camera new to me and very dynamic changes going on)
2. I probably should have used ND 0.9 filter I had just acquired--would that have improved color and sharpness of images (have read it probably would have?)
3. HMC40 sometimes would snap in and out of focus as described below--why do you think?
4. Primarily wanted video but had thought I could get better "still" photos of cars at speed by selecting frame (tried both 720P 60 and 1080i 30 and so far have just begun looking at "still" frames but don't see much difference--recognize action was very fast and my panning was often not that steady). Manually selecting faster shutter speed --1/250?--would have helped "still" photo frame selection, but I have read fast shutter speeds mean slow panning or get jerky look? I foolishly did not record shutter and exposure setting camera was selecting in full auto. When I look at individual frames of video I took of cars at rest I seem to see jagged edges at transitions from sun to shadow--but for this I view on my 23 inch combination 1080p monitor/TV using HDMI out from HMC40 so could be monitor.
5. Overall camera did great on full auto, but I think color was a bit washed out and fast moving cars not as sharply defined as I had hoped.
Shooting situations are exciting but challenging to video: Situation (1) above was full sun around the concrete track and could stand right next to track. Picture clock laying down--I was panning cars approaching along straightaway from 3 o'clock position; came within 10 feet of where I was standing at 12 o'clock; and I continued panning until cars reached 9 o'clock position. Cars in full sun throughout pan. Many times I noted camera would maintain focus throughout 3 o'clock to about 11 o'clock position during pan, and then snap out and back into focus--nothing in way for camera to focus on instead of car I was following and very consistent about position it lost focus--I was not zooming. Exposure quite good throughout.
Situation (2) my filming location was on slight hill above and about 20 feet from closet part of track. Using same clock metaphor, cars come down hill beginning about 70 feet away and generally in full sun at 2 o'clock; pass in front at 12 o'clock within 20 feet of me usually in shade at this point and then accelerate up slight hill moving from shade into sun until I stop following again at about 9 oclock position and maybe 200 feet away and moving fast when I stop camera. Camera would maintain focus from 12 o'clock until about 11 o'clock position where it would sometimes snap out of focus then quickly back into focus.
HMC40 is still new to me so I am not using it to full advantage through multitude of manual settings and using full auto settings. However, particularly in situation (2) I don't know if I could maintain focus and correct exposure as cars rapidly come from far to near and then far again moving through sun, shade, sun at high speed.
I also tried tripod and handheld and I have to say using tripod was challenging due to wide sweep of very rapid panning and in situation (2) having to move camera up and down to follow cars through elevation change so reverted to my standard hand held for fast panning in most cases.
With apologies, I still have not learned to edit so I could post video to give better idea of what I am talking about. Dennis
