Wedding with XH A1 & HV 10 at DVinfo.net

Rex Cooper · January 20th, 2010, 11:14 PM

Hi all! A little new here on posting...I've spent most of my time reading in here since 2008 trying to learn and now I hope someone can help with a couple of basic questions that I can't find the answer to. Thanks for all of the great info so far!

I have been asked by a family member to video and edit their wedding this March. I have a Canon XH A1 and a HV 10 that I plan to use (can't afford to rent another XH A1).

With that being said, should I shoot in 60i on my XH A1 so that it will match the HV 10 or can I shoot in 30F and then change in post? I recently bought Sony Vegas Pro 9 (not familiar with it yet) and thought I read somewhere that you can do that...? From what I understand is that the HV 10 only records in 60i.

Also, should I use the camera color defaults or my favorite custom presets on the XH A1 since I can't customize on the HV 10? What I'm trying to ask is what would be the easiest way to get the video to look similar when I combine the footage without having to do a lot of post work?

Thanks in advance for the help!

Chris Barcellos · January 21st, 2010, 12:46 AM

Whether or not it the HV10 shoots something else or not, I would shoot it all in 60i, because it is more forgiving in camera movement situations.

Taky Cheung · January 22nd, 2010, 01:09 AM

I wouldn't use a HV10 in wedding. It's just too amaturish. Should look for a HV30 or HV40 as second cam. Then you can shoot 30F and PF30 and match them together.

Ken Wozniak · January 22nd, 2010, 09:39 AM

If I was in your situation (and I have been), I would really try and get the wedding shot with just the XH-A1. You'll spend too much time in post trying to tweak the footage to match. The cameras are physically and electronically too different to match easily.

Usually I work solo, so I do most of my weddings with one cam. It requires some extra planning ahead of time, being a bit picky with directions at the rehearsal, and some creative editing, but it works. Just shoot lots of B-roll.

However, if you must go with two cameras, and you MUST use the HV10 as camera two, I have the following recommendations:

1. Try and match the XH-A1 to the HV10 using custom presets. It will be impossible to match it exactly, but get it close.

2. Shoot in 60i. I agree with Chris Barcellos about the forgiveness of 60i where camera movement is concerned. You can always get a 30F or 24F "feel" in post, but you can't go the other way.

Rex Cooper · January 23rd, 2010, 07:57 PM

This is some great advice...thanks!

I have decided to start looking for an HV30 after your posts and especially since they are wanting two angles. I was afraid the HV10 would look pretty bad if I couldn't match them; they are quite different.

So if I get an HV30, does anyone know the best settings on matching the HV30 and XH A1?

Thanks again for the help!

Anyone want an HV10 for a deck or family vacation cam? $300? Hardly used...original box and all the attachments...extra battery...

Taky Cheung · January 24th, 2010, 01:02 AM

I used to shoot XH-A1 and HV30 as b-cam. It's a bit challenging to use HV30 as you have to lock exposure using the light trick so there won't be grainy footage. But if you go with that for friends and family wedding, I put together some tips you can read it here. You can even mount the remote control on tripod handle bar and then route the signal to the front using a TOS cable. Then you can use the remote control as a LANC controller.
Gear Up for Weddings | L.A. Color Blog

I use the Matrox RTX2 card that allows me to match the footage pretty closely.
Color matching XH-A1 and HV30 | L.A. Color Blog

But if you don't, there is another way I did to match the footage closely. Use the Preset #13 OUTSIDEN. That matches closely to the HV30 output.
Settings to match XH-A1 and HV30 Footage | L.A. Color Blog

Good luck!

Robert M Wright · January 24th, 2010, 03:17 PM

I've never used an HV10. Can't you lock down exposure with it, like you can with the other HVs? If so, and you are shooting 1080i60 with the A1 anyway, I don't see a whole lot of point in dumping the HV10 to get an HV20/30/40.

Lou Bruno · January 29th, 2010, 05:58 PM

You will when you see the difference in quality. Don't forget, we are talking about a 37mm lens. The other cameras allow more light as the lens' are larger.

Truthfully, if I were the father paying for a wedding and observed the HV-10 palmcorder as a camera being used, I would have some severe reservations about the video person.

Robert M Wright · January 29th, 2010, 08:36 PM

Just because the camera has a filter diameter of 37mm, doesn't mean it's has a slower lens than an HV20/30/40 with a filter diameter of 43mm.

Robert M Wright · January 29th, 2010, 08:44 PM

I just looked them both up - same speed: F/1.8-3.0 (and same focal length: 6.1mm - 61mm).

January 21st, 2010, 12:46 AM	#2
Chris Barcellos Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Elk Grove CA Posts: 6,838	Whether or not it the HV10 shoots something else or not, I would shoot it all in 60i, because it is more forgiving in camera movement situations. __________________ Chris J. Barcellos

January 22nd, 2010, 01:09 AM	#3
Taky Cheung Inner Circle Join Date: May 2007 Location: Los Angeles, USA Posts: 2,114	I wouldn't use a HV10 in wedding. It's just too amaturish. Should look for a HV30 or HV40 as second cam. Then you can shoot 30F and PF30 and match them together. __________________ LA Color Pros Blog RODE Authorized Reseller . Comer LED Camera Lights . TakyBox HTML5 Menu Generator

January 22nd, 2010, 09:39 AM	#4
Ken Wozniak Regular Crew Join Date: May 2007 Location: South Bend, IN Posts: 179	If I was in your situation (and I have been), I would really try and get the wedding shot with just the XH-A1. You'll spend too much time in post trying to tweak the footage to match. The cameras are physically and electronically too different to match easily. Usually I work solo, so I do most of my weddings with one cam. It requires some extra planning ahead of time, being a bit picky with directions at the rehearsal, and some creative editing, but it works. Just shoot lots of B-roll. However, if you must go with two cameras, and you MUST use the HV10 as camera two, I have the following recommendations: 1. Try and match the XH-A1 to the HV10 using custom presets. It will be impossible to match it exactly, but get it close. 2. Shoot in 60i. I agree with Chris Barcellos about the forgiveness of 60i where camera movement is concerned. You can always get a 30F or 24F "feel" in post, but you can't go the other way. __________________ Woz

January 24th, 2010, 01:02 AM	#6
Taky Cheung Inner Circle Join Date: May 2007 Location: Los Angeles, USA Posts: 2,114	I used to shoot XH-A1 and HV30 as b-cam. It's a bit challenging to use HV30 as you have to lock exposure using the light trick so there won't be grainy footage. But if you go with that for friends and family wedding, I put together some tips you can read it here. You can even mount the remote control on tripod handle bar and then route the signal to the front using a TOS cable. Then you can use the remote control as a LANC controller. Gear Up for Weddings \| L.A. Color Blog I use the Matrox RTX2 card that allows me to match the footage pretty closely. Color matching XH-A1 and HV30 \| L.A. Color Blog But if you don't, there is another way I did to match the footage closely. Use the Preset #13 OUTSIDEN. That matches closely to the HV30 output. Settings to match XH-A1 and HV30 Footage \| L.A. Color Blog Good luck! __________________ LA Color Pros Blog RODE Authorized Reseller . Comer LED Camera Lights . TakyBox HTML5 Menu Generator

January 29th, 2010, 05:58 PM	#8
Lou Bruno Go Cycle Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Huntington, NY Posts: 815	You will when you see the difference in quality. Don't forget, we are talking about a 37mm lens. The other cameras allow more light as the lens' are larger. Truthfully, if I were the father paying for a wedding and observed the HV-10 palmcorder as a camera being used, I would have some severe reservations about the video person. __________________ Lou Bruno

January 20th, 2010, 11:14 PM	#1
Rex Cooper New Boot Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Fayetteville, AR Posts: 8	Wedding with XH A1 & HV 10 Hi all! A little new here on posting...I've spent most of my time reading in here since 2008 trying to learn and now I hope someone can help with a couple of basic questions that I can't find the answer to. Thanks for all of the great info so far! I have been asked by a family member to video and edit their wedding this March. I have a Canon XH A1 and a HV 10 that I plan to use (can't afford to rent another XH A1). With that being said, should I shoot in 60i on my XH A1 so that it will match the HV 10 or can I shoot in 30F and then change in post? I recently bought Sony Vegas Pro 9 (not familiar with it yet) and thought I read somewhere that you can do that...? From what I understand is that the HV 10 only records in 60i. Also, should I use the camera color defaults or my favorite custom presets on the XH A1 since I can't customize on the HV 10? What I'm trying to ask is what would be the easiest way to get the video to look similar when I combine the footage without having to do a lot of post work? Thanks in advance for the help!

January 23rd, 2010, 07:57 PM	#5
Rex Cooper New Boot Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Fayetteville, AR Posts: 8	This is some great advice...thanks! I have decided to start looking for an HV30 after your posts and especially since they are wanting two angles. I was afraid the HV10 would look pretty bad if I couldn't match them; they are quite different. So if I get an HV30, does anyone know the best settings on matching the HV30 and XH A1? Thanks again for the help! Anyone want an HV10 for a deck or family vacation cam? $300? Hardly used...original box and all the attachments...extra battery...

January 24th, 2010, 03:17 PM	#7
Robert M Wright Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Minnesota (USA) Posts: 2,171	I've never used an HV10. Can't you lock down exposure with it, like you can with the other HVs? If so, and you are shooting 1080i60 with the A1 anyway, I don't see a whole lot of point in dumping the HV10 to get an HV20/30/40.

January 29th, 2010, 08:36 PM	#9
Robert M Wright Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Minnesota (USA) Posts: 2,171	Just because the camera has a filter diameter of 37mm, doesn't mean it's has a slower lens than an HV20/30/40 with a filter diameter of 43mm.

January 29th, 2010, 08:44 PM	#10
Robert M Wright Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Minnesota (USA) Posts: 2,171	I just looked them both up - same speed: F/1.8-3.0 (and same focal length: 6.1mm - 61mm).