Hi all!
New to the board since beginning my search for a new camera.
Going to Bora Bora and want to take as much home as possible, so I'm looking at an HDV.
Dilemma is this:
I'm not a pro or even amateur, just hobbyist. I AM a computer guy.
After Bora Bora, I'll probably only do vactions and special events.
I do have an HDTV.
I do have a computer and software capable of editing HDV.

I am leaning toward the A1, but have a question: it doesn't have HDMI as far as I can tell, so which output would I use to play my movies in their full glory on my Sharp Aquos?
Is the A1 worth it for a hobbyist as myself?
Excellent board!
Tim

If you are really just a hobbyist, I suggest the HC1 or HC3. On a vacation, you want the simplest camera possible. The A1 has some professional features that you don't need. The HC1 or HC3 should capture HDV video nicely and you can edit away when you get back.

The HC1 has microphone inputs and an earphone output. The HC3 is said to have better low-light performance and is smaller. There is only about $100 difference in their price. You choose.

Have fun,
Buddy

Thanks Buddy!
But that's not what I was wanting to hear...I WANT the A1, but I think you are probably right, the A1 may be too much camera for me.
One more stab at it though.
Is the A1 easy enough to use for a hobbyist? I'm tech savvy, and I already have a DV camera that I use. It's a Canon Optura 20, which I have been very pleased with. But when I bought my HDTV, I started salivating over the quality!

Also, any takers on the outputs? I know the HC3 has HDMI; which output would one use on the A1 for HD?
Tim

If you are willing and have the time, with some research and about a month of practice, I believe you can learn to use the A1 well enough. The HC3 is a point and shoot camera. You will get better results from the A1. The "superior" low light performance of the HC3 is not really much better if you know how to use the A1. The HDMI outputs will look slightly better on fixed pixel displays (LCD), but not that big a difference. I use component outs and they look amazing.

Now THAT's what I wanted to hear...Just ordered it! Ouch, but When I get back from Bora Bora, It'll all be worth it...

Thanks Buddy!
But that's not what I was wanting to hear...I WANT the A1, but I think you are probably right, the A1 may be too much camera for me.
One more stab at it though.
Is the A1 easy enough to use for a hobbyist? I'm tech savvy, and I already have a DV camera that I use.
Absolutely no problem whatsoever. The A1 is easy to use. If you don't need all the features straight from the word go, then you just use what you need and dig into the menus etc when you like !! It's like learning about PC's - nobosy will expect you to be a C++ application developer after 1 week.....but that doesn't mean you can't start using and enjoying a computer pretty quickly. (analogy tailored for your background a little...).

The A1 is, more or less, the same hardware and software as the HC1, with certain menu features removed / switched off. Hardware wise, of course there's the XLR module and ext. mic etc. but other than that, it's essentially the same easy-to-use cam. Now of course, to get the absolute best out of it may take a little longer, and a tool is only as good as the person holding it, but you'll be fine.

No HDMI, but you can i think connect the A1 direct to your TV in a full digital connection if your TV has a firewire socket. (not many do, i know).
Otherwise the best quality is via component connection.

I'd advise to take a circ.polariser filter to Bora Bora, and also a simple monopod as that will make your footage much steadier than just pure handholding.

COOL! Tim, that is.
It's ordered. I am looking for a monopod, and what's a circ.polariser? Is it some sort of polarization filter? can you recommend one?
Thanks again for the advice. Really, just confirming my decision was a good one. (That's a lot of money!)
Tim

Agreed about the minimal differences between HDMI and component viewing. It depends on too many variables beyond the camera to justify a purchase. I've seen component look better than HDMI/DVI and vice versa.

I just recently placed an order for my A1 and I'm eagerly awaiting its arrival. I was also deciding between the HC1, HC3, and A1.

COOL! Tim, that is.
It's ordered. I am looking for a monopod, and what's a circ.polariser? Is it some sort of polarization filter? can you recommend one?
Thanks again for the advice. Really, just confirming my decision was a good one. (That's a lot of money!)
TimYes. - it's a circular polarizer filter. Circular refers to the way it polarises, not the physical shape (although obviously it is round!). Make sure it's a circular polarizer and not a linear polarizer.

Many companies make filters, but the two most well-known i think are B+W and Hoya.
Go and do a search on www.bhphotovideo.com for "polarizer". Filter to Hoya and B+W. 37mm is what you need. Prepare yourself a little as polarizers are amongst the more pricey filters. It's worth spending the money as the more expensive ones are multi-coated and that's a good thing.
If you get a Hoya, try to get a SMC (=SuperMultiCoated) but i checked and i don't think Hoya do a SMC polarizer in 37mm. But they do do a 37mm polarizer - just not in SMC. Can't go wrong with Hoya or B+W.

Excellent. Ordered a Hoya. Also a monopod. I love B&H. I've ordered audio equipment from them before.
Now I need to get my passport.
OFF TOPIC
Anyone been to BORA BORA?
Tim

Excellent. Ordered a Hoya. Also a monopod. I love B&H. I've ordered audio equipment from them before.
Now I need to get my passport.
OFF TOPIC
Anyone been to BORA BORA?
Tim
Hi Tim
Been to Bora Bora as well as the other islands. I have the A1, just returned from Africa. First thing, you need filters. Especailly the polarizer. Get a tripod, you need to have the camera stationary and let nature do the movement. With the A1 you can use a proper microphone and get much better sound. Trust me, sound makes a big difference. Even the waves crashing on the the beaches will be more exciting with a proper mic. It appears you do not have the time to really investigate all the nuances and benifits the A1 has, so worst case put it in auto. Bora Bora is a very bright environment with lots of reflective light. Use the polarizer and a tripod with a good mic and you will be amazed.
DKane

Good advice there from Dkane i think.

What mic are you going to get for the A1 Tim? The standard mic isn't the best. Recommend something like a Rode NTG1 + Deadcat windshield. That'll work well and give a really noticeable improvement over the standard Sony ext.mic.

Thanks for the insight, guys.

Dennis
I ordered the Hoya HOCP37 37mm Circular Polarizer Glass Filter from B&H.
What other filters might I need?
I have ordered a good tripod as well as a monopod.

Stu,
For $250 I am hesitant to order the NTG-2, but as this is the "trip of a lifetime" -- should I trust the stock Sony microphone?
I can hardly wait to see the footage, and I can already see this is going to be more than just a hobby.
Tim

Thanks for the insight, guys.

Dennis
I ordered the Hoya HOCP37 37mm Circular Polarizer Glass Filter from B&H.
What other filters might I need?
I have ordered a good tripod as well as a monopod.

Stu,
For $250 I am hesitant to order the NTG-2, but as this is the "trip of a lifetime" -- should I trust the stock Sony microphone?
I can hardly wait to see the footage, and I can already see this is going to be more than just a hobby.
Tim

Tim
The polarizer is very good, I might recommend a neutral density filter as well. Remember video has a very narrow exposure latitude (all video cameras) so you must be carefull when shooting during midday. This is possibly the worst time for video. Your best shots will be in the morning and later afternoon. Keep the sun to your back if possible. The ND will help in those situations where the polarizer is not having much effect. A haze filter might be of value also.
regards
DKane

I admit i haven't actually heard the stock Sony mic that comes with A1 but a lot of people who then 'upgrade' to another mic do say its then obvious how average it is. Rode NTG1 is a bit cheaper : $229 at B&H and it's also shorter too (compared to NTG2) so that should keep the package size down.

Hi Tim
Been to Bora Bora as well as the other islands. I have the A1, just returned from Africa. First thing, you need filters. Especailly the polarizer. Get a tripod, you need to have the camera stationary and let nature do the movement. With the A1 you can use a proper microphone and get much better sound. Trust me, sound makes a big difference. Even the waves crashing on the the beaches will be more exciting with a proper mic. It appears you do not have the time to really investigate all the nuances and benifits the A1 has, so worst case put it in auto. Bora Bora is a very bright environment with lots of reflective light. Use the polarizer and a tripod with a good mic and you will be amazed.
DKane

Dennis!
What (Power) adapter do you recommend for Bora Bora?
Tim

Dennis!
What (Power) adapter do you recommend for Bora Bora?
Tim
Fortunately the A1 comes with a universal power supply, it will run on both 110, and 240. Bora Bora is French so I think it is 240, but been a long time. Do bring universal adaptor plugs. You can bring a power converter if you want (I do) but I don't think you will need it. In fact I don't think I have ever used mine.
DKane

Fortunately the A1 comes with a universal power supply, it will run on both 110, and 240. Bora Bora is French so I think it is 240, but been a long time. Do bring universal adaptor plugs. You can bring a power converter if you want (I do) but I don't think you will need it. In fact I don't think I have ever used mine.
DKane


Thanks for the info! I want to be all ready to record my vacation.
Tim

Bora Bora is French so I think it is 240

It's in fact 220V / 60Hz (and not 50Hz like in France or in Europe) with mainly the European (continental) type of plug (physically different from the US one): but all the Hotels propose an 110/220V with a dual European/US plug into the bathroom on which any small device, like a consumer camcorder, can be connected.

So in every cases, the power supply of the A1 will work...

It's in fact 220V / 60Hz (and not 50Hz like in France or in Europe) with mainly the European (continental) type of plug (physically different from the US one): but all the Hotels propose an 110/220V with a dual European/US plug into the bathroom on which any small device, like a consumer camcorder, can be connected.

So in every cases, the power supply of the A1 will work...

That's excellent information, the less I have to buy/carry the better!
Tim

im thinking of getting either the HC3 or the A1U. I'm in 9th grade. I am kind of a hobbist. I film skate videos, short films of any kind, music videos, "fooling around with poeple & seurity guards" (pranks & the kind of stuff u see on www.ebaumsworld.com) which cam would be perfect for the types of things i film?

Right now I have a DCR-TRV103. I have been useing it for about 4 years. With the DCR-TRV103 I just finished filming a short film on the end of WWII. It came out real nice but it could have been a thousand times better. The DCR-TRV103 is very old and big. Just last night i went down town with friends and took it with me so I could film the security guards when we get into trouble. When I do those kind of things I wish i had something smaller like the HC3.

so lets say I were to get the HC3. Could I get a lens hood & high quality mic like the A1U, so that when I want to film 'prank videos' that I could just use the HC3 alone and when I want to film a big project like the WWII thing I could use the HC3 with the mic, lens hood...etc?
I also do a lot of blue/green screening.

Here is a demo trailer for the WWII film. I tested out different effects in the trailer. the quality isnt too good, b/c I had to compress it to upload it to that site.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTBSOO3Rniw
keep in mind that I made this with the DCR-TRV103, i was limited to supplies and it was a social studies project.

here is a rough draft of one of the scenes in the short film.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RI35bJ5SIlY
I wasn't using the tripod so its a lil shakey & in the last part i didnt add the shots for the Americans

Hopefully some on this board can give you some info. I'm using the A1 and loving it. But it would have been out of reach for me when I was your age.
:)
Tim

frankly , if you want a good time there, just forget all about video, computer and so on... take your swimsuit, mask and snorkel and just have fun.
...and et your wife/friend take the pictures

frankly , if you want a good time there, just forget all about video, computer and so on... take your swimsuit, mask and snorkel and just have fun.
...and et your wife/friend take the picturesErr....
88.3% of good pictures/video is the person holding the equipment IMHO.
Wouldnt let wife/gf anywhere near my camcorder!
And in my experience, most ladies on a beachy island like Bora Bora will have no inclination whatsoever to do anything but sunbathe. And talk (of course). They'd take deliberately bad video just so they won't be asked again..
(just a bit of fun, tongue-in-cheek, no flames pls..)

When are you off to Bora Bora Timbo ? are you pretty happy so far with your A1? Anything spring to mind that you'd like to know before you go?

Err....
88.3% of good pictures/video is the person holding the equipment IMHO.
Wouldnt let wife/gf anywhere near my camcorder!
And in my experience, most ladies on a beachy island like Bora Bora will have no inclination whatsoever to do anything but sunbathe. And talk (of course). They'd take deliberately bad video just so they won't be asked again..
(just a bit of fun, tongue-in-cheek, no flames pls..)

When are you off to Bora Bora Timbo ? are you pretty happy so far with your A1? Anything spring to mind that you'd like to know before you go?

I tend to agree. My wife will take pictures (TONS of them) but the camcorder is my baby.
I go in late July. Dreaming about it!
I do have a question: I was shooting some test footage with a circular polarizer and the Sony wide angle.
1 - I noticed when I was zoomed in you can see the corners of the lens.
2- While panning-even slowly-there's distortion in vertical lines such as light poles etc.

I think I have it set up correctly: first the polarizer then the wide angle. It's tricky getting it snug since the circ want's to turn.
Thanks for all the help!
Tim

Bit surprised you're getting slight vignetting with a polarizer and WA lens.
It will vignette slightly in photo mode but this is the first time i've heard of an A1 vignetting in tape mode when using a pol and a WA lens.

the distortion of vertical objects is probably due to the rolling shutter uses on that cam. Generally it's not that noticeable apparently.

On the pol and WA lens thing - i recommend putting the pol filter on the camera and then putting a rubber band round the pol filter, as this will give something to grip with the tips of your fingers when you screw on the WA lens. - without, like you say, the pol filter rotates, so really you need to squeeze a finger or two in there and stop it rotating so that you can screw on the WA lens. Be careful to make sure the WA lens really is screwed properly onto the pol filter as you do NOT want it to fall off the camera. Obviously with a pol filter, it's often that you're rotating the whole affair to get a different polarizing effect, so unless the WA lens is screwed firmly onto the pol filter, you may be actually *unscrewing* the lens and it might fall off = bad news.
- just a heads up.

Does anyone else who has an A1 or an HC1 have any vignetting at all *in tape mode* when using a WA lens (VCL-HG0737Y?) on their camera with a circular polarizer filter?

Bit surprised you're getting slight vignetting with a polarizer and WA lens.
It will vignette slightly in photo mode but this is the first time i've heard of an A1 vignetting in tape mode when using a pol and a WA lens.

the distortion of vertical objects is probably due to the rolling shutter uses on that cam. Generally it's not that noticeable apparently.

On the pol and WA lens thing - i recommend putting the pol filter on the camera and then putting a rubber band round the pol filter, as this will give something to grip with the tips of your fingers when you screw on the WA lens. - without, like you say, the pol filter rotates, so really you need to squeeze a finger or two in there and stop it rotating so that you can screw on the WA lens. Be careful to make sure the WA lens really is screwed properly onto the pol filter as you do NOT want it to fall off the camera. Obviously with a pol filter, it's often that you're rotating the whole affair to get a different polarizing effect, so unless the WA lens is screwed firmly onto the pol filter, you may be actually *unscrewing* the lens and it might fall off = bad news.
- just a heads up.

Does anyone else who has an A1 or an HC1 have any vignetting at all *in tape mode* when using a WA lens (VCL-HG0737Y?) on their camera with a circular polarizer filter?


Thanks for the tips, I think that should help. I'll try and post an example later today.

Originally Posted by Mike Gugger:
"so lets say I were to get the HC3. Could I get a lens hood & high quality mic like the A1U, so that when I want to film 'prank videos' that I could just use the HC3 alone and when I want to film a big project like the WWII thing I could use the HC3 with the mic, lens hood...etc?
I also do a lot of blue/green screening."


Mike, you should get a professional tool. It's never too early to learn using the right tools. The A1U is perfect for your "dual purpose" use. It can be a professional looking/working setup with the external mic attached, or with the mic removed, it becomes "stealth."

The HC3 does NOT have an external mic input (maybe with the hotshoe?) or manual controls that you would want for filmmaking. The HC1 is nice, but the A1U has many pro features that you will want to explore sooner or later. There is a lot of menu (good for greenscreen tweeking) color and gamma adjustment that is disabled in the HC1 and, of course, never abled to begin with in the HC3. The HC3 does NOT have filter threads, while the A1U/HC1 will allow you to use wide angle conversion lenses, even the Century Optics Extreme Fisheye! Perfect for skate videos.

The HC3 is fine if you need the absolute smallest HDV camera available currently ;-) but is not a professional tool, while even the HC1 has manual control and mic/lens options.

Alas, price is often a factor, so get the best tool you can afford.

Is the HC1 discontinued?

Is the HC1 discontinued?Yes.
It's no longer being manufactured, it's been removed from sony.com, but some bigger stores still have stock. $1349 at B&Hphoto.

The HC3 DOES have filter threads, so wide angle adapters would be possible with all three cameras: HC1/A1U and HC3. The HC3 has 30mm threads vs. 37mm for the HC1/A1U.

My goof :-\

The HC3 also does have *some* manual control, the only glaring ommission being shutter speed and audio
Exposure/white bal/saturation/focus/ae shift are all available on the ctrl dial with even more than this available via touch screen menus