Various posts concerning GR-HD1U and JY-HD10U

[Leonard Richardson]

Hi

Just got my new mic " Rode NTG-2 " today, and got there SM3 mount for the camera. Looks very nice! I'm waiting on the cables I ordered. Will be a few more days. can't wait to use it. I'll also use it on my MG-505

[Steve Nunez]

Post a pic of the finished setup- we'd love to see it.

[Steve Nunez]

Did Apple's newest 5.1 update to Final Cut Studio improve the "capture" process using the HD1U and 10U cams in HDV mode?

I had sporadic problems during capture in the previous versions of FCP- has the update fixed the instabilities with these JVC cams? The firewire connection would sometimes drop and I got various messages which all led to frustrations capturing foootage.

If anyone is using a 10U or 1U with FCP 5.1 please let us know, thanks.

(Note: I don't have a JVC HD1/10U at the moment but am contemplating buying another one if the FCP update resolved the sporadic issues.)

[Mike Pittman]

I'm hoping there's a fantastic answer for this that I've not thought of. I've purchased an HD10 with the hope that I'd learn to use it and be able to expand my wedding services to include a very simple wedding video for those who don't want to pay $2000 for a video, but don't want Uncle Bob recording either.

So, I picked up a lapel mic to put on the groom or pastor, and a shotgun mic to record ambient noise and use later at the reception if I decide to record any video there.

The problem I've run into is that the headphone out on the camera is WAY louder than what's coming out when I pull the video into the computer. This is a larger problem because I'm using a small mixer to get the levels where I want them. That means as I monitor, I have very little idea how the sound will ACTUALLY come out when taped. I've been using the levels indicator on the display to get the audio right, but that's rather tough.

Is there a fix to this? Is this a known problem? If this can't be taken care of with the camera, what should I do to know how the sound will be in the end? There has to be a way, because there are just too many people out there using this camera successfully.

Thanks!
--Mike

[Steve Nunez]

Hello guys, has anyone shot with the HD1 or 10U in SD mode and can comment on the dynamic range or latitude of the footage as compared to it's HDV footage?

I wasn't pleased with the 10U's dynamic range and had allot of highlight clipping (overexposure) in HDV but didn't shoot in SD mode to compare- anyone have any words?
Did the footage look like HDV only scaled down or was there better range in SD mode?

Thanks guys.

[Ken Hodson]

As far as highlight cliping go, that is one of the main reasons to use ND's or variable pola's. Must have equipment with these cams, keeping that over exposure down to a minimum.
AspectHD/ConnectHD allows access to some info found in those superwhites. It offers %15 percent more infomation overall. Apparently the info is there but cliped when captured under normal circumstances. So a little quick adjust in the NLE and you can make those highlights look a lot better. You can find out more about this on the Cineform forum on this site. It helps a lot.
I have used an UltraCon filter with this cam as well, and it can really help the image, especially in high light/contrast situations. It brings out detail in the blacks and brings down the whites allowing them to have more detail. I wouldn't use it in low light though as it will cost you a full stop of light.
As far as the latitude of the SD mode, I would say that is is the same as HD. But it is much better in low light, as you gain a full stop of light, making images far less contrasty looking.

[Bill Parker]

I've been using the Merkury optics 52mm .45x wide angle lens w/ the HD10 and have been happy with it until I zoomed all the way in and discovered the edges of the image went completely out of focus. I'm wondering if anyone else has had this problem. It creates kind of a nice effect, but not one I was looking for! Thanks.

[Steve Leone]

there could be one or two reasons I could think of to explaine why your headset out seems to be hot....first of all, make sure you are sending your mic into an input set to mic level in - run a quick sound check to check your input level and adjust accordingly...;
If you are using a mixer, send tone first, and be sure to monitor return....
I usually set my tone at -20 db on the camera with the mixer outputting at 0 db, to be safe.....this will give me more headroom (20 db of headroom) since you never want to go over 0 db on your camera....my mixer has a limiter with adjustable threshold, and I have that set at just between -3 and -1 db on the mixer meter....that way by the time the signal is hitting 0 db on the mixer (or -20 on the camera) the limiter is really starting to have an effect. By the time I hit +6 db the limiter is pretty much squashing the signal, and its almost impossible to overdrive the signal. This will prevent transients like percussives from overdriving the signal.

Be sure you dont have an impedance mis-match between your mixer and the camera....I usually put the mic into an imput set to mic level in on the mixer, but send line level out of the mixer into imputs set to line level in on the camera. If you send line from the mixer into mic on the camera you will have an impedance mis-match and you will overdrive the input for sure...it will sound way loud and super-distorted , so dont ever do that...make sure youre all matched up!!!!
Line level signals can be anywhere from 20 to 40 db too hot for a mic preamp to handle.
make sure the level out on the headphone amp is set to a reasonable level, starting off at around 25-30 %, then adjusting for comfort....still blowing your ears away at VERY modest levels?? the most obvious cause at that point , assuming that the input level and the meters are correct, would be that you are using very low impedance headsets. Good headphones tend to have higher impedance, somewhere between 64 and 200 ohms....Sony's field headsets tend to be the exception at 32 ohms...obviously, the lower the impedance the louder the headset will be, with 32 ohm cans being MUCH louder than a pair running at 200 ohms...keep in mind that the apparent loudness is a subjective thing, and that the only CORRECT level is the one you are seeing on the meter on your camera....as loud as it sounds, the critical thing is to record at a level that the meters would suggest will reproduce well in post...the meters on the JVC are not the best to look at, but you can rough it in and keep from going over 0db, which is the most crucial thing.
FYI...I use Sennheiser HD280 headsets, which are 64 ohm cans...they sound great at about 60% loudness..overall, I'd say JVC did a nice job with the headphone amp on the 100.....ever try to use an old XL-1 or the original DVX100a?? as a rule, use cans that are between 32 and 100 ohms for field recording since most cameras dont have heaphone amps that will drive cans with higher impedances than 100 ohms.
always try to monitor return during a shoot....a good mixer will have a monitor return to allow you to hear monitor off your camera while pluging into the headphone out on your mixer.

[Beej Curtis]

Hi everyone,

Found the board and joined to get some help with my camera if poss please?

I am making videos for step by steps of my airbrushing classes for my website and all had been going great until recently. My camera started to stop recording and said 'Head Cleaning Required' and then it said it had gone into safe mode? I couldn't find anything in the manual referring to Safe Mode but, I went off and got myself a Sony cleaning cassette as I thought that perhaps, as I was filming myself airbrushing artwork, maybe some overspray had found its way into the camera somehow? Also, about a year ago, the flip over view finder stopped working properly and now when I turn it around (so I am looking at the camera lense) it remains upside down and won't flip?)

Did some filming a few weeks ago and the machine actually chewed a tape! I thought I was back in the 80's for a moment turning the tape spools with a pencil like an old cassette from my mix DJ days!!

Anyways, cleaned the heads with said SONY tape (it has never had this done b4 and I had used the camera for about 3 years) and all seemed to be well, finished painting Justin Hawkin's guitar (the Darkness) and filmed all this for a step by step but, then I went to play back some of the tapes a few days later (and I know they recorded OK on the day as I tested them) every tape I put in the machine displayed no time code, flashed for a second, the date then dissapeared and then nothing, as if nothing was on the tape at all?

I tried tape after tape and exactly the same thing, even tapes I knew damn well were full of stuff, but no time code showing on the viewfinder and then, the current date drops out too and all that remains are flashing, horizontal lines on the blue screen.

Does anyone have any info? My son has just started a film-making course while studying fine art at Uni so eventually between us, we're going for a decent 3-chip but for now, this has been a perfect unit for what I need to acheive and it is such a shame that it is deciding to pack up like this.

Any info would be very welcome and if there are any UK browsers on here then a good point of reference for assistance should it need some pro care and attention, would be most appreciated. I am based in Salisbury and can be contacted through my website (or here).

Thanks everyone, much appreciated.

PS: the camera is running off the powerpack but, I think i remember that when the battery gets inserted it had an odd affect like this but i can't quite recall now? I has been fine for a while (apart fro the Head Cleaning message) but my wife took it to tape a friends newborn and she thoght the battery was OK and so put it in but, I don't think it was charged at all. It was after this that it went funny again.

Beej
---
www.organicimage.com - Award-winning Airbrush Art

[Ken Hodson]

Unfortunately you have posted in a wrong forum. This forum is just for the HD-1/10 HD cams. Sounds as if you need to find your local JVC service center.

[Marco Baldo]

Hi friends,
is there a software not expensive like DVrack HD to control my shootings (to adjust better my settings) using a laptop pc?
(all of this to have a more improved display than the 3,5 inches of my cam?)
thank you for the answers!

Sulu.

[Ken Hodson]

Search for HDVrack, VLC player, videoLAN, you will find lots of previous dicussion. Also try the main page threads for a search.

[Thomas Foss]

We will be using this camera to shoot in a movie theater for our church (Pastor will be displayed on the screen) with spot and some light trees. Not the best lighting. How can I get set this camera for the best low light. What adjustments can I make. Thanks for your help.

Thomas

[Ken Hodson]

I'm guessing you wanted this info for X-mas: but maybe it will help in the future.

Switch to the 480p60 mode (SD on the switch- not DV) Leave it in Auto or switch to Manual and 1/30th shutter. If there is high motion, 1/30th will produce a film like motion blur. But when shooting at a distance 1/30th works well, but if not to you liking select 1/60th shutter. SD 480p60 at 1/60th shutter is much better the 720p30 1/30th shutter in low light. Test and see.

If using 720p30 mode use a 1/30 shutter, which it usually defaults to anyways. But I do not recommend HD in any low light situation.

Try to keep AGC off, as it causes a lot of chroma noise, but if it is too dark without it you might just have to switch it on.

Bottom line is when using this cam make sure you have adequate lighting.

[Thomas Foss]

Thanks Ken, I knew you would know the best settings.