First Shots w/ My Canon XH-A1 at DVinfo.net

Will Mahoney · February 29th, 2008, 12:49 PM

Here is my first attempt at HD and the first day I shot anything with the A1. I shot some footage at the local park (Rocky River Reservation) and in my back yard last weekend and finally the export settings and whatnot correct in Premier elements.

I use Steven Dempsey's Vivdrgb setting for color and I had a polarizer filter on the lens, which really pulled some beautiful colors out of the evening sky.

Big fun and lots more to come.

And sorry for the depressing Ben Folds song, it was short and mellow and fit the footage.

Feedback?

Edit: And here's the link: http://www.vimeo.com/739660

Trish Kerr · March 1st, 2008, 07:30 AM

Definitely a sad feel to the footage with that song! It was a tad on the dark side here and there but I guess you were filming early evening so without adding gain, to be expected. Love the animal in the tree. The bridge shots were nice as well - some slow outs and ins.

Unfortunate about the pans - they would have been good to mix in to offset the stillness of most of the other footage. I'm wondering if panning at dusk is even more risky with the stuttering. (image stabilization on or not)

congratulations on your new camera! You're going to love it. Having just purchased an hv30 as a b-roll camera/vacation etc, and struggling with the gyrations to mimic manual control I'm discovering just exactly how spoiled we've been with the A1!

trish

Robert Wide · March 1st, 2008, 09:46 AM

Hi Will,

Beautiful colors and nice focussing! Did you use an adapter?

Robert

Will Mahoney · March 1st, 2008, 10:14 AM

Trish: I appreciate the feedback. Oh, and the pans would have been so beautiful. But you live and you learn.

And the animal, his name is Squirrel, is my dog's biggest nemesis. We were in the back yard, filming [as if my dog would film something, but she ads emotional support :)], and that S.O.B. Squirrel came around and started giving her the business. He sat still long enough for me to get that shot, then insulted my dog and ran off.

Robert: Thanks for the kudos on focusing. It was my first day with the A1 and I was really, really trying to figure out how to focus well. Oh, and no adaptor or anything, just a UV filter and a circular polarizer, both from Tiffen.

Morgan Crossley · March 1st, 2008, 03:20 PM

looks good, but is there something wrong with your aspect ratio? looks squished in the vimeo windo with the bars on the side.

Will Mahoney · March 2nd, 2008, 08:38 AM

Yeah, what the hell? I don't know why it's squished. That's my third time uploading it to the site. The first two times, the aspect was cool but there was no sound. Now there is sound, but the screen is squished. I'll upload a new version when I get to work tomorrow.

Thanks...

Jim Miller · March 3rd, 2008, 07:24 PM

With that music and those dark images I was expecting to see someone jump from the bridge! But then you moved to more pleasing images - then back to the bridge! Surely someone was going to jump or at least throw something off - maybe a body - or...... a squirrel perhaps!

Will Mahoney · March 6th, 2008, 01:37 PM

That damn squirrel! I'll hit the park again this weekend and get some daylight shots. And I'll remember to turn off the image stabilization when panning!

Thanks for the feedback!

Bryan Gilchrist · March 10th, 2008, 10:06 PM

Nice footage!

I wish I had those kind of backgrounds to work with, but I live in Florida, and all I have to look forward to is the occasional nice sunset (when it's not raining) and everything being green year round. :(

Will Mahoney · March 11th, 2008, 08:46 AM

Well, it's the opposite here. Yes, when my family comes up from Florida they are blown away by the simple parks system up here. They're like "What? Hills and trees? Huh? A stream, wow!!" and they freak out.

Meanwhile when I go to Florida I'm like, "Whoa, look at that boat! Wow, a manatee!" and they look at me like I'm an idiot.

Both sides of the same coin, my man.

February 29th, 2008, 12:49 PM	#1
Will Mahoney Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 259	First Shots w/ My Canon XH-A1 Here is my first attempt at HD and the first day I shot anything with the A1. I shot some footage at the local park (Rocky River Reservation) and in my back yard last weekend and finally the export settings and whatnot correct in Premier elements. I use Steven Dempsey's Vivdrgb setting for color and I had a polarizer filter on the lens, which really pulled some beautiful colors out of the evening sky. Big fun and lots more to come. And sorry for the depressing Ben Folds song, it was short and mellow and fit the footage. Feedback? Edit: And here's the link: http://www.vimeo.com/739660 __________________ http://exposureroom.com/members/WillMahoney.aspx/ www.youtube.com/truckaccessories Last edited by Will Mahoney; February 29th, 2008 at 12:50 PM. Reason: I forgot to add the video link. I mean, that was the whole point for the post, so how did I forget. At least it's fixed...

March 1st, 2008, 09:46 AM	#3
Robert Wide Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 49	Hi Will, Beautiful colors and nice focussing! Did you use an adapter? Robert __________________ XH A1 / FCS2

March 1st, 2008, 10:14 AM	#4
Will Mahoney Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 259	Trish: I appreciate the feedback. Oh, and the pans would have been so beautiful. But you live and you learn. And the animal, his name is Squirrel, is my dog's biggest nemesis. We were in the back yard, filming [as if my dog would film something, but she ads emotional support :)], and that S.O.B. Squirrel came around and started giving her the business. He sat still long enough for me to get that shot, then insulted my dog and ran off. Robert: Thanks for the kudos on focusing. It was my first day with the A1 and I was really, really trying to figure out how to focus well. Oh, and no adaptor or anything, just a UV filter and a circular polarizer, both from Tiffen. __________________ http://exposureroom.com/members/WillMahoney.aspx/ www.youtube.com/truckaccessories

March 2nd, 2008, 08:38 AM	#6
Will Mahoney Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 259	Yeah, what the hell? I don't know why it's squished. That's my third time uploading it to the site. The first two times, the aspect was cool but there was no sound. Now there is sound, but the screen is squished. I'll upload a new version when I get to work tomorrow. Thanks... __________________ http://exposureroom.com/members/WillMahoney.aspx/ www.youtube.com/truckaccessories

March 6th, 2008, 01:37 PM	#8
Will Mahoney Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 259	That damn squirrel! I'll hit the park again this weekend and get some daylight shots. And I'll remember to turn off the image stabilization when panning! Thanks for the feedback! __________________ http://exposureroom.com/members/WillMahoney.aspx/ www.youtube.com/truckaccessories

March 1st, 2008, 07:30 AM	#2
Trish Kerr Major Player Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Canada Posts: 294	Definitely a sad feel to the footage with that song! It was a tad on the dark side here and there but I guess you were filming early evening so without adding gain, to be expected. Love the animal in the tree. The bridge shots were nice as well - some slow outs and ins. Unfortunate about the pans - they would have been good to mix in to offset the stillness of most of the other footage. I'm wondering if panning at dusk is even more risky with the stuttering. (image stabilization on or not) congratulations on your new camera! You're going to love it. Having just purchased an hv30 as a b-roll camera/vacation etc, and struggling with the gyrations to mimic manual control I'm discovering just exactly how spoiled we've been with the A1! trish

March 1st, 2008, 03:20 PM	#5
Morgan Crossley Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 113	looks good, but is there something wrong with your aspect ratio? looks squished in the vimeo windo with the bars on the side.

March 3rd, 2008, 07:24 PM	#7
Jim Miller Major Player Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Tampa,Florida Posts: 236	With that music and those dark images I was expecting to see someone jump from the bridge! But then you moved to more pleasing images - then back to the bridge! Surely someone was going to jump or at least throw something off - maybe a body - or...... a squirrel perhaps!

March 10th, 2008, 10:06 PM	#9
Bryan Gilchrist Major Player Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Florida Posts: 224	Nice footage! I wish I had those kind of backgrounds to work with, but I live in Florida, and all I have to look forward to is the occasional nice sunset (when it's not raining) and everything being green year round. :(

March 11th, 2008, 08:46 AM	#10
Will Mahoney Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 259	Well, it's the opposite here. Yes, when my family comes up from Florida they are blown away by the simple parks system up here. They're like "What? Hills and trees? Huh? A stream, wow!!" and they freak out. Meanwhile when I go to Florida I'm like, "Whoa, look at that boat! Wow, a manatee!" and they look at me like I'm an idiot. Both sides of the same coin, my man. __________________ http://exposureroom.com/members/WillMahoney.aspx/ www.youtube.com/truckaccessories