Wow. Awesome video Scott! FCP is a great piece of software.

I really like the multiple videos going on at once. Is that a FCP exclusive feature or can other software do that?

Since I am running Windows XP, I wonder if Avid or Premiere or (?) has a similar feature. I would love to try it out!

Thanks for the feedback guys.

Erick: quicktime 7 or latest VLC will play the file (it's a H.264/AAC mov)

Carlos: Most post production software will allow for multiple video streams at once, so it's not a Final Cut exclusive :)

I've also just edited together some more HD1 footage from a trip to Italy (I sound all jetsety and travelled, but it's not true :)). We went up a cable car from Courmayeur to see Mont Blanc, and we sort of weren't ready for just how light headed we would get up there :) http://static.talentlessclown.com/FirstToFly.mov

Scott -- What version of FCP are you using? Are you importing the HD1 footage directly into the program? When I have gone to the Apple Store with my HD1 footage, I could not get the FCP on display to recognize the MP4 files. The store does not yet have the new universal version installed (! This is the store in Palo Alto that Steve Jobs visits regularly !) so I have been using iMovie and biding my time. How long does rendering into H.264 take? My attempts in Quicktime Pro have taken something like 20 times the running time of the footage (rendering in 1280 X 720), whereas rendering into Apple Intermediate HD takes about 2X.

I got Final Cut Express HD 3.5 (the universal version) running on my iMac. I simply drag the mp4 files directly into the project (or use import>files) and it reads them perfectly. Rendering and exporting to H.264 isn't real time but I haven't timed it to know what factor it runs at. I do all my basic editing using the real time approximations to check how I'm going and occasionally render short bits near transitions to get an idea if it's going to work and then let it render while I'm doing something else to check the entire edit. As a rule I let it export to H.264 overnight while I sleep :) It doesn't take all night but it does get me to stop editing and actually sleep, if it was instant I think I'd just tinker all night, never call a project "done" and get myself a sleeping disorder :)

I can't believe Im doing this.. But here it is.. Sunday morning 2am I was at a kickboxing fight in North Hollywood, when these two guys on in the ring the crowd did go positively wild... So I pulled out the HD1 just in time... 13 seconds later it was game over.

Check it out at www.bophoto.com/HDV/video - WARNING - this is almost 90megs..!

Shot handheld, iso200 anti shake turned on. color balance using the warmbalance cards "minus green" for flourecent light. a little magenta but much better than what it looked like with the cameras standard setting.

In retrospect I think it could have shot at iso100 and hold a bit more highlights.. But it still capture the feel very well of the action.

Bo

www.bophoto.com/HDV

Just called Sanyo and they gave me addres to have fixed. they said that all the orginal batch of hd1 has the bad lense mech. They have replaced the problem lenses with the new ones they are sending out.

Even though some still may consider this camera as a "toy" , actually people forget that it is progressive camera. And try as you might progressive motion is darn good!

Anhar

Carlos,

You mentioned a few post back about editing your files in Virtual Dub after converting them with MP4aAVIEdit. When I try this I get an error in VD that is saying "Couldn't locate decompressor for format 'MP4V' (unknown)".

Do you know where I can download this codec... google wasn't much help.

Right now I am converting them to Huffy through the program... but that takes forever and generates HUGE files on the longer clips.

And to keep with the threads topic here are two videos of my 1 week old daughter. Videos were converted with MP4aAVIEdit, 2:1 high quality scaling reduction, saved out as Huffy, then converted to Flash 8 video at 700kbs.

Kiara in her rocker (camera is placed at her feet)
http://www.evilfree.com/andrea/blog/video/rocker.html

Playing with our baby
http://www.evilfree.com/andrea/blog/video/tickels.html
(this would look much better if the camera wasn't moving so much)

I know that I can get some beautiful flash video once I get a chance to go through some of my other shots. The 2:1 reduction really cleans up everything and gets rid of the noise, and you are still left with 640x360 progressive image... very high for web video.


Also people have mentioned editing their videos with Vegas. Does Vegas accept the mp4 file natively or must they first be converted into another format. Does any PC editing software natively support the mp4 files?

Thanks so much!
Adam Schroeder

Adam,

I think you only need the DivX codec, but to ensure compatibility, try to install a codec pack, like K-lite. Search for "codec pack" in google.

You can edit the original clips with Vegas, but i don´t know if the software uses its own codecs or uses the installed codecs in Windows. Codec Pack again:-)

Thanks for your clips.

Enjoy!

I had the HD1 for less than a week when I took this video. Thanks to all, your samples convinced me to buy this camera and I LOVE IT. Glad I found this site, as the reviews made it sound as thought I'd be watching grainy out of focus video...boy are they WRONG!!!!

http://files.filefront.com/Grasshoppers_shortavi/;5178255;;/fileinfo.html

WOW. very nice, you had to be patient to get that close to the grasshopper..!

Yeah, I totally agree with you, some of the reviews made the camera sound pretty terrible. As it is... the results I have seen have been much better than suggested by the reviews.!


Bo

www.bophoto.com/HDV

Thanks - hardest part is getting focus.
Just got back from San Juan...got some good Lizard shots.

Will combine to make nice movie..but here are just a few sample shots to see the incredible detail...


http://files.filefront.com/Grasshopper___small_lizard___large_lizard_short_samplesavi/;5210222;;/fileinfo.html

Gary,

I think to me the most impressive part when talking about resolution, is in the very first part of the second sample you uploaded, behind the grasshopper there is a piece of spider web... its sooo thin and still rendered beautifully...

It looks like you are using the anti-shake on some of the shots..?

Bo

www.bophoto.com/HDV

Yes I used anti-shake...all but the grasshopper were handheld. I know from reading previous posts that best results are from anti-shake off. Sometimes I forget....

Yeah technically speaking it is better with the anti shake off. but I have found it to be very helpful, when I hold the camera with two hands, I support the monitor with the left hand to keep it level and do by tilting by the elbow joints and panning by turning my body, this give me a very steady platform and adding the anti shake to this really do eliminate the small vibrations for a very steady final image. the boxing on my site were shot that way.


Bo

www.bophoto.com/HDV

Carlos,

You mentioned a few post back about editing your files in Virtual Dub after converting them with MP4aAVIEdit. When I try this I get an error in VD that is saying "Couldn't locate decompressor for format 'MP4V' (unknown)".

Do you know where I can download this codec... google wasn't much help.


You just need a MPEG-4 video decoder, so you can install Divx (but i don't like the crap they install), or try to install Xvid and configure the decoder to decode "mp4v" files.
If you have ffdshow installed, it can do it too.

I just wanted to say hello to all and thanks for the info on this camera. I work at a public access television station and have been waiting for a camera of this resolution and price to come along. I have shot on panasonic dvx-100's and Canon xl-1s. I imported the footage Carlos had available, 37 shots avi, into Vegas, exported it as an mpeg 2 and burned it to dvd. I never got this quality resloution for a regular tv signal from either of the above mentioned cameras. The progressive scan is true as well. Beautiful motion and detail. My only question is, did Carlos really use a Sanyo hd-1? Just kidding. All of the footage posted looks great! I am planning on buying at least 2 of these cameras. I do multi cam shoots alot and for the price, this camera is awesome! Thanks also to Bo for the links for mp4toavi and the player link as well. The reason I think this camera got a bad review by many is that there was no extensive effort to handle the mpeg4 files this camera captures correctly by the reviewers. Thanks again,
Arlan

It would be cool if there was a dedicated Sanyo hd-1 user group site. I know its work and I don't want to belittle DVi, but none the less, it would be cool.

Brought the camera out last night for the 4th of July firewooks show across the street and learned that the build in microphone is NOT able to handle the pop's

http://eyespot.com/blogs/Bo

Bo

www.bophoto.com/HDV

I started a thread where people can record their serial numbers, and problems that seem to be fixed on their cameras. To track manufacture fixes Sanyo might implement over time.

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?p=507913#post507913

I've posted some footage up of London during the 2min silence for those who lost there lives in the July 7th bombings last year. I used a 5cm tripod between my legs so its not great but worth checking out if your interested in the quality of the camera on a cloudy day.

http://www.archive.org/details/LondonJuly7th2006 - no signup needed or nagscreens.

I highly suggest people use Archive.org for storage HD footage, because it costs nothing and will be there for ever.

Thanks for the tip, do they allow you to change or remove footage if you want to?

I'm not sure, actually.

hi,

in HD1 640*480 60fps is 60 progressive frames or 30 interlaced ?

anybody please send one short ( 2-3 sec movement theme ) HD1
640*480 60fps uncompressed mp4 video...

thx !

Robert

HD1 640*480 60fps is 60 progressive frames

and the recorded video same the DV quality ?

dv is 720*480 (ntsc), 720*576 (pal), compress rate 1/5.

ok the size smaller , but my question is the "real look" quality

Here are some samples I did with my HD1:

Moscow, 07.30.2006, Gorky park, cloudy:
Attraction 1 (http://www.sendspace.com/file/kfxotm) - 12Mb, 16:09
Attraction 2 (http://www.sendspace.com/file/svt9fq) - 13Mb, 17:37
Attraction 3 (http://www.sendspace.com/file/ef0h8e) - 5Mb, 17:40
Locomotive (http://www.sendspace.com/file/0c16tq) - 12Mb, 19:00
Ship (http://www.sendspace.com/file/e5oju1) - 11Mb, 19:07
Trampoline (http://www.sendspace.com/file/x4plt6) - 14Mb, 19:17

Hi,

A framegrab from a short film of a tropical butterfly taken at the "Plantasia" in Swansea S.Wales.

http://www.sendspace.com/file/0cln9i

A couple of things to note here :-

1. HD video is now of sufficient resolution to pull a decent still picture from. Thereby allowing you to video a scene and then pick the best stills a la multi shot / bracket shooting facilities on still cameras . Very useful if the subject is moving around(!)

2. There has been some of negative press about the form factor of this camera. However for someone with weak fingers/hands/arms - eg from Arthritis, the weight combined with the angled pistol grip holding position is ideal.

Rgds.

I have downloaded Dimitri's Gorky Park samples but they don't play very well on my PC. I'm sure they would, if I had the right viewer, or codec, installed. Does anybody have any suggestions, please?

I have downloaded Dimitri's Gorky Park samples but they don't play very well on my PC. I'm sure they would, if I had the right viewer, or codec, installed. Does anybody have any suggestions, please?

Try VLC player: http://www.videolan.org/

Ah, thanks very much. :) That is so much better. These are all handheld shots, Dimitri? No tripods?

EDIT: That Sendspace makes a refreshing change after some of the awful storage/download sites I have had to download from recently. :)

Ah, thanks very much. :) That is so much better. These are all handheld shots, Dimitri? No tripods?

without tripod with the following settings:

Image stabiliser: OFF
White balance: cloudy
Sensitivity: ISO50 OR ISO100
Focus: manual
Exposure mode: Aperture priority - 3.5

Focus - manual? Wow, you must have fast fingers. I see you have image stabiliser "off". How does it affaect the quality of the picture if you have it turned "on"?

Focus - manual? Wow, you must have fast fingers. I see you have image stabiliser "off". How does it affaect the quality of the picture if you have it turned "on"?

I tried to film with stabiliser on - the picture seems to be unsharp.

I see, thanks. I just can't make my mind up about this camcorder. :o

The file:
http://files.filefront.com/HD1Footage_37Shots_by_cralosavi/;5053140;;/fileinfo.html

Sample is nice but very tricky to rate because of lack of camera movement, which is keyfactor considering mpeg-4 compression

While I do see increased resolution- the quality of samples I've seen posted seem "lacking" in some way. I just don't see the absolute resolution so to speak- details seem lost, and the colors seem "boosted" too much. The video almost looks like upscaled DV. I do think the HD1 is a step in the right direction and it has "its" place in videography but I think it's going to be awhile before it's near current HDV quality.
For it's pricepoint it isn't a bad camera especially when "web" video is your target- but I think just about anyone who has used a HDV camcorder would find it's lack of fine detail and general video quality lacking.
I'd like to get one sometime but more of a "webcamera" for web posts and webvids not for DVD distribution- but I'm hoping this trend continues.
(Just my opinion)

Hi, Thanks for your comments.
The clips were shooted with different settings, I´m still learning to use it, but most of them was:

Tripod and Remote Control (to eliminate vibrations when zooming or pressing buttons).
Image Stabilizer: OFF
Exposition Measure: MULTI
Iso: Auto and 50
White balance: AUTO
Filter: NO
Manual Exposure: S (F AUTO, Shutter 1/60)
Scene Select: FULL AUTO.

No Noise Reduction, No Flicker reduction, no Digital Zoom.

I´ve noticed that sometimes the footage looks sharper when zoomed.

It´s a shame the diagonal "\" bug of the codec/scaler, if Sanyo corrects it with a firmware update, the quality could be amazing in good light conditions for a camcorder of this price.
I´m e-mailing Sanyo reporting the bug. If many users e-mail them, maybe they will correct it soon. I´m telling them too to keep the video out when shooting, and a higher bitrate option. This would be great.

Thanks again.
Bye!

Carlos Serrano.
CG Animator.
www.i-real3d.com

Carlos.

I see you mentioned that you used ISO 50 on some of your shots. I see in the specifications page for the HD1 it specifies a minimum ISO-200 in the video mode and an ISO-50 in still mode only. I haven't received my HD1 yet so I can't confirm this. Just curious is there a 50 ISO setting in video mode?

Paul

Yes, I use ISO 50 whenever I am shooting video outdoors. I find it gives a better effect that ISO Auto. There is also ISO 100 and I can't remember after that...

So there is an ISO 50 setting for video? great. I wonder why the specifications page for the HD1 says that for video the lowest ISO setting is 200... Must be a missprint.

Paul

Paul,

Actually no, there is ONE ISO setting menu. which you access by pressing the menu button to the right. it starts at iso 50, there have been a good bit of discussion about this, and I do believe that the concensus was that this means iso50 for still but is iso200 for video at the same setting, each change upward clicks both values up one notch... which could explain the seemingly higher noise level in video than stills...

However, judging from the lack of sentisivity at max, iso 400 which according to this should be iso 1600, I would say that it is a typo, the video is pretty consistent with a slightly over rated iso400 and not more.

Naturally this is just my personal opinion and not based on any scientific research. ;-)

Bo

www.bophoto.com/HDV

Yeah, Bo's right... a long time ago we worked it out and it turned out that the ISO settings were not realistic.

http://www.dvforever.com/article.php3?id_article=124&artsuite=2

Lots of people have disappeared, so here is to reaching out to you:

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=83398
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=87867