Jim Forrest
February 29th, 2008, 01:23 PM
Well I got my HVR-S270 wed. the 27th. I have been playing with it for the last 2 days.
Here is what I like-
It is very solid. I am used to DVCpro cameras 2/3in from work (last year retired), but this camera is very well made and looks like it could take some punishment if needed. It is also heavier than I expected, about the same weight as DVCpro I was using at work. This is not a prosumer camera.
I got the Anton Bauer batt plate so I can use my Dionic 90 batteries and that slipped on quite nicely. Then just use the AB battery setting in the menu.
The HD picture is gorgeous ( I never shot with HD at work so all Hd looks great to me). I am impressed with the SD dv also.
I am just using MiniDV tapes because I use the Sony GVHD700 to playback and capture. SD looks just great, certainly as good as the DSR300 I have and even as nice as the Ikegami HL-DV7AW I had briefly. Of course I doubt if the S270 can work as well as the 1/2 or 2/3inch chip cameras in low light but who knows?
Lots of bells and whistles in the menu settings. You can assign a profile from different kinds video settings from film looks to high saturation colors look.
Has a great handle zoom so if you are standing up while shooting and looking thru the LCD viewfinder you can zoom in and out using a rocker on the handle and even set the speeds.
What I do not like is the lens that comes with it. It has great optics but I am just not used to a lens that has auto focus and really very little iris control. Even on manual both are sluggish. I know it will take different lens but all my money with into the camera. The focus ring is awkward as well. You push the ring forward for auto and back for manual. It should be the other way around. When I am using manual I seem to push it forward and go into auto and then I lose control of focus.
I know I only trust manual iris and manual focus, so this could take some getting used to.
I will add more as I explore the camera more. But so far I really like it and it is really an on the shoulder camera that has the look and the weight/build of an ENG camera.
I found a solution to my iris problem. In the menu there is a setting for smooth gain. If this is turned off the iris is no longer sluggish and responds well.
Here is what I like-
It is very solid. I am used to DVCpro cameras 2/3in from work (last year retired), but this camera is very well made and looks like it could take some punishment if needed. It is also heavier than I expected, about the same weight as DVCpro I was using at work. This is not a prosumer camera.
I got the Anton Bauer batt plate so I can use my Dionic 90 batteries and that slipped on quite nicely. Then just use the AB battery setting in the menu.
The HD picture is gorgeous ( I never shot with HD at work so all Hd looks great to me). I am impressed with the SD dv also.
I am just using MiniDV tapes because I use the Sony GVHD700 to playback and capture. SD looks just great, certainly as good as the DSR300 I have and even as nice as the Ikegami HL-DV7AW I had briefly. Of course I doubt if the S270 can work as well as the 1/2 or 2/3inch chip cameras in low light but who knows?
Lots of bells and whistles in the menu settings. You can assign a profile from different kinds video settings from film looks to high saturation colors look.
Has a great handle zoom so if you are standing up while shooting and looking thru the LCD viewfinder you can zoom in and out using a rocker on the handle and even set the speeds.
What I do not like is the lens that comes with it. It has great optics but I am just not used to a lens that has auto focus and really very little iris control. Even on manual both are sluggish. I know it will take different lens but all my money with into the camera. The focus ring is awkward as well. You push the ring forward for auto and back for manual. It should be the other way around. When I am using manual I seem to push it forward and go into auto and then I lose control of focus.
I know I only trust manual iris and manual focus, so this could take some getting used to.
I will add more as I explore the camera more. But so far I really like it and it is really an on the shoulder camera that has the look and the weight/build of an ENG camera.
I found a solution to my iris problem. In the menu there is a setting for smooth gain. If this is turned off the iris is no longer sluggish and responds well.