Just played with the S10 at Best Buy at DVinfo.net

Zack Birlew · April 5th, 2009, 10:39 AM

I've got to say, picking up the S10 felt like picking up my GL1 for the first time. I don't know what it was but I was just reminded of that moment when I picked it up. The camera seemed like a really nice step forward from my HV20. Controls were there to adjust the image, the screen was much nicer to focus with, and I liked the feel of the camera in my hand, much better than the HF series.

However, my one problem with the camera, though this may just be some user error since I was playing with the demo camera in Best Buy after all, was the small dial towards the front of the camera. It's designed to be a multifunctional dial and would be pretty useful for a lot of things but when I tried to focus with it in manual focus mode, the focus was slow as molasses. What's up with that? Are all the cameras like this or was this a busted model? My little HV20 wheel could focus in and out with barely a finger tap but this unusually firm dial took forever to go from foreground to background. Maybe it was just a busted camera but it did cause me to jump back from my initial positive reaction with the camera. Any thoughts on this?

Also, I didn't have enough time to figure the camera's ins and outs, but was there a way to see what your exposure and shutter speed were at and how exactly would you get exposure, shutter speed, and aperture manually controlled? It looked like to me that you'd have to go into the menu options and adjust each one one after the other with the multifunction dial but that seemed off. I hope that there isn't a compromise between auto exposure and shutter speed.

Michael Galvan · April 6th, 2009, 08:43 AM

I really like my HFS10 so far ... great image quality and good feel during use.

But yes, you are correct: manual focus with the dial is SLOW as molasses. It's much slower then the little wheel on the HV series, which is a shame cause the dial on the HFS10 is much much better in terms of grip and feel.

Manual focus with the dial is just unusable. I've relegated exposure control to the dial, which is far more responsive (so it makes it the camera's iris ring).

If I do manual focus, I use the joystick, which is much more responsive for manual focus for whatever reason.

Bob Curnow · April 6th, 2009, 09:54 AM

Keep in mind that you 'should' be able to use the remote control to focus. That way, there is no virbration to the image. Inconvenient yes, but an option...

Bob C

Joey Atilano · April 6th, 2009, 12:27 PM

Is the joystick for focus really precise?

Lou Bruno · April 6th, 2009, 04:04 PM

YES....very good but I use the IRIS aperature in the LCD area.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joey Atilano

Is the joystick for focus really precise?

April 5th, 2009, 10:39 AM	#1
Zack Birlew Major Player Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 613	Just played with the S10 at Best Buy I've got to say, picking up the S10 felt like picking up my GL1 for the first time. I don't know what it was but I was just reminded of that moment when I picked it up. The camera seemed like a really nice step forward from my HV20. Controls were there to adjust the image, the screen was much nicer to focus with, and I liked the feel of the camera in my hand, much better than the HF series. However, my one problem with the camera, though this may just be some user error since I was playing with the demo camera in Best Buy after all, was the small dial towards the front of the camera. It's designed to be a multifunctional dial and would be pretty useful for a lot of things but when I tried to focus with it in manual focus mode, the focus was slow as molasses. What's up with that? Are all the cameras like this or was this a busted model? My little HV20 wheel could focus in and out with barely a finger tap but this unusually firm dial took forever to go from foreground to background. Maybe it was just a busted camera but it did cause me to jump back from my initial positive reaction with the camera. Any thoughts on this? Also, I didn't have enough time to figure the camera's ins and outs, but was there a way to see what your exposure and shutter speed were at and how exactly would you get exposure, shutter speed, and aperture manually controlled? It looked like to me that you'd have to go into the menu options and adjust each one one after the other with the multifunction dial but that seemed off. I hope that there isn't a compromise between auto exposure and shutter speed.

April 6th, 2009, 08:43 AM	#2
Michael Galvan Major Player Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: New York, NY Posts: 775	I really like my HFS10 so far ... great image quality and good feel during use. But yes, you are correct: manual focus with the dial is SLOW as molasses. It's much slower then the little wheel on the HV series, which is a shame cause the dial on the HFS10 is much much better in terms of grip and feel. Manual focus with the dial is just unusable. I've relegated exposure control to the dial, which is far more responsive (so it makes it the camera's iris ring). If I do manual focus, I use the joystick, which is much more responsive for manual focus for whatever reason. __________________ www.michaelgalvan.com www.screenanthology.com

April 6th, 2009, 12:27 PM	#4
Joey Atilano Major Player Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Garden Grove CA Posts: 239	Is the joystick for focus really precise? __________________ My videos http://www.youtube.com/user/lucasberg

April 6th, 2009, 09:54 AM	#3
Bob Curnow Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Sonora, CA USA Posts: 50	Keep in mind that you 'should' be able to use the remote control to focus. That way, there is no virbration to the image. Inconvenient yes, but an option... Bob C