Planning to get JVC HD100, need some input

Evan Agee · October 14th, 2009, 08:02 AM

I'm curious as to how you become used to it. Do you need to be looking into the eyepiece or at least the LCD, or is it a matter of estimating distances and adjusting properly on the fly? Probably a combination of the 3 I would guess. Are there any references you would suggest for getting used to life without auto focus?

Eric Darling · October 14th, 2009, 08:14 AM

This type of lens never has autofocus. Most pros who use this kind of camera actually started with other broadcast/industrial lenses of similar design, and I'm in that camp. You will need to get used to the tried and true method for those in the know - zoom all the way in to the end of the lens, then focus, then pull out to get your framing. This is always an effective method unless the subject or camera are moving against the focal plane.

Professional lenses like the Fujinon that comes with the HD100 have a servo/manual switch on the bottom allowing you to switch between the servo zoom rocker and manually adjusting zoom via the ring on the lens. You'll probably find that to be a helpful starting spot, where you can get your lens into manual mode, quickly crash zoom in for your focus, and then zip to your framing. It takes some practice, and I highly recommend you go out and try a lot before your first "on the clock" shoot.

But, in the end, you will probably end up liking manual focus on the camera a lot. It means your lens won't be "hunting" for the right focus as things move in the frame. One less thing to worry about.

Chris Davis · October 14th, 2009, 08:20 AM

I use the method Eric described - zoom in, focus, then pull out. The focus-assist is another method, as it changes the view to gray scale with a blue line around what is in focus. Some people don't like it, some do. I do like it.

One nice thing about buying used - you can typically sell it for the same price if you buy and decide you don't like it.

Shaun Roemich · October 14th, 2009, 08:52 AM

Regarding focus:
- stationary subject - zoom in to preset focus, pull out to frame
- moving subject - if you CAN zoom in to set, go ahead at every available opportunity, otherwise it's a combination of watching the image in the viewfinder and knowing the distance to "target" and adjusting accordingly. As well, knowing a lot about how to control focus using depth of field comes HEAVILY into play here. The more wide angle you are, the more likely you are to be in focus regardless of focus setting. As well, a stopped down lens (f8 and up) provides IMMENSE depth of field in a 1/3" camera.

Practice, practice, practice. It comes quickly but you NEED to put the work into it.

And make sure your lens is properly back focused or else any attempt to focus with be futile.

Alex Humphrey · October 14th, 2009, 06:14 PM

I have a HD110, and I know I'm faster and 90% of the time more accurate than any autofocus camera. Also, if you are in a wide shot, f5.6 or so and focus at say 10 feet, and everything is in focus. Just a FYI if you are ever shooting a wide shot and don't have time to focus.

Basically I use the focus assist, and I can focus quickly and easily on the fly for sports etc. You might get tripped up if you focus, then have to zoom in on the subject after you focused at medium, but often times in an uncontrolled environment you don't have the luxury of time to zoom in and focus. But the Focus Assist works great. Turns your eyepiece or LCD BW and anything that comes into focus will turn blue. You can select different colors and peaking levels. Basically it's the BEST focus assist of any camera I've seen for under $6,000 and probably higher. Just wish there was a 2/3 chip JVC Pro-HD. oh well, we can dream right?

Ted Ramasola · October 14th, 2009, 09:06 PM

I'd like to add this info since Alex mentioned the focus assist.
Turn down peaking. Not totally off but use just a little since peaking fools you into thinking the image is sharp when its not, also it makes the footage seem grainy when the recorded image is not.
use peaking with caution and with practice. Focus assist is better.

Evan Agee · October 14th, 2009, 10:45 PM

Thanks a ton for all of the info guys! I purchased an HD110U and a Firestore FS-4 from two different guys here on the forums and I'm absolutely thrilled to grow into this camera. I'm planning to pickup a few extra batteries initially, any idea if these 3rd party batteries for sale on eBay would work in the original charger? I'm thinking of this type:

BN-V408U REPLACEMENT BATTERY PACK FOR JVC CAMCORDERS - eBay (item 280408943806 end time Oct-15-09 03:49:53 PDT)

Ted Ramasola · October 14th, 2009, 11:17 PM

you need at least a v428. that 420 you posted will do but only for around 15 min.

Evan Agee · October 14th, 2009, 11:32 PM

I thought the factory battery held a charge for about an hour?

Ted Ramasola · October 14th, 2009, 11:43 PM

thats too optimistic. the jvc v428 will do 40ish on regular use. And thats when you dont use the LCD and servo too much.

As i said earlier, you would need 10 pcs of the v428 to get you through a day of shooting. Its math is off really cuz it takes 4 hours to charge buts gets sucked up in less than an hour.
DO NOT use 3rd party quick chargers for these batteries.
1. They will render your batteries useless in a short time, you'll see some bulging of the battery cases.
2. They can load abnormal charges blowing your camera fuse which has happened to a LOT of users here. -and to me. Good thing we have a capable tech support that can replace pcb fuses here where i live.

Ted Ramasola · October 14th, 2009, 11:50 PM

My advice to you is not to bother for this v428 replacement batteries even though they're cheap and go for the IDX type batteries or the anton bauer types. They charge fast and last a day.

In real use you will freak out and miss out on important shots due to constant swapping of batteries.

I've been there.

Joe Bowey · October 15th, 2009, 10:50 AM

I have a JVC hd 100 I am selling. Only a few hours on it with 2 IDX batteries and charger, Protabrace bag, Filters, Focus 101 100mm tripod and tripod bag PLUS LOTS OF EXTRAS like 4 year warranty with free professional head cleaning. All EQUIPMENT IN NEW LIKE CONDITON not a scratch and all original boxes.

I have not posted yet but e-mail me.

Reason I am selling 1. finished shooting project and will be spending lots of time edting. 2. IRS is auditing me for $3000 but I am fighting it. 3. I have twin boys recently which keep me busy.

I am looking at $2400 for all. The tripod itself sells for $1400. and like I said all maintained professionally and is in new condition.

hopefully I will post in classifed soon with pics.

Enzo Giobbé · October 16th, 2009, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evan Agee

Hey all, new to the forums, but excited to get to know everyone.

I'm planning to purchase a JVC GY-HD100U in the next couple of days hopefully and I'm looking for some suggestions (with explanations) as to what accessories I should definitely consider right out of the gate. This is my first professional grade camera and it's definitely a change from the prosumer world I've been living in.

I see a lot of talk about the Anton Bauer system, would love to know more about that and whether or not it's necessary. I've also heard a lot about the Firestore system and would like to know more about it. Also any specific tripod recommendations, etc would be helpful.

Basically, what do I need to know/have in order to get the most out of this camera out of the box?

Thanks in advance!
Evan

Evan, go for it!

The HD100 if the Model A of HD cameras, and will continue to be used for many, many years to come. And yes, as other have posted, you will need either the IDX or Anton Bauer battery system (most used ones already have the battery plate on them).

Things to watch out for are the "split screen defect" which should have been fixed under warranty, but may have been neglected, and JVC won't fix it for free out of warranty, and make sure the Firewire port is not fried.

Other than that, GREAT CAMERA!

BTW, it does have autofocus, it's called your left hand :)

Evan Agee · October 17th, 2009, 09:30 AM

Just an update guys, I purchased the following from guys here on the forum:

JVC GY-HD110U w/original accessories
Anton Bauer kit with gold mount, charger and 2 batteries
Firestore FS-4 60GB with 3 batteries

I also picked up this tripod Davis & Sanford | Pro Vista Tripod with FM 18 | PROVISTA7518B

Should all be here by the 21st, can't wait!

Ted Ramasola · October 17th, 2009, 09:57 AM

Then you're good to go! welcome to the prohd club.

Just remember, never plug anything on the camera firewire port while the camera is ON. Always turn it OFF before you attach anything on the firewire port. Do this religously and you'll be safe.

My next advice to you once you have your unit is learn about checking your backfocus so you will be sure to get a sharp image from your lens.

Second, try to look at the sticky at the top of this forum section and look for the right scene files to use with this camera, since out of the box, the image might not be to your liking. I suggest you try tim dashwood's recipes.

Good luck,

Ted

October 14th, 2009, 08:52 AM	#19
Shaun Roemich Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Vancouver, British Columbia (formerly Winnipeg, Manitoba) Canada Posts: 4,088	Regarding focus: - stationary subject - zoom in to preset focus, pull out to frame - moving subject - if you CAN zoom in to set, go ahead at every available opportunity, otherwise it's a combination of watching the image in the viewfinder and knowing the distance to "target" and adjusting accordingly. As well, knowing a lot about how to control focus using depth of field comes HEAVILY into play here. The more wide angle you are, the more likely you are to be in focus regardless of focus setting. As well, a stopped down lens (f8 and up) provides IMMENSE depth of field in a 1/3" camera. Practice, practice, practice. It comes quickly but you NEED to put the work into it. And make sure your lens is properly back focused or else any attempt to focus with be futile. __________________ Shaun C. Roemich Road Dog Media - Vancouver, BC - Videographer - Webcaster www.roaddogmedia.ca Blog: http://roaddogmedia.wordpress.com/

October 14th, 2009, 11:17 PM	#23
Ted Ramasola Trustee Join Date: May 2005 Location: Allen, Texas U.S.A Posts: 1,117	you need at least a v428. that 420 you posted will do but only for around 15 min. Last edited by Ted Ramasola; October 14th, 2009 at 11:45 PM. Reason: added text

October 14th, 2009, 11:43 PM	#25
Ted Ramasola Trustee Join Date: May 2005 Location: Allen, Texas U.S.A Posts: 1,117	thats too optimistic. the jvc v428 will do 40ish on regular use. And thats when you dont use the LCD and servo too much. As i said earlier, you would need 10 pcs of the v428 to get you through a day of shooting. Its math is off really cuz it takes 4 hours to charge buts gets sucked up in less than an hour. DO NOT use 3rd party quick chargers for these batteries. 1. They will render your batteries useless in a short time, you'll see some bulging of the battery cases. 2. They can load abnormal charges blowing your camera fuse which has happened to a LOT of users here. -and to me. Good thing we have a capable tech support that can replace pcb fuses here where i live. Last edited by Ted Ramasola; October 14th, 2009 at 11:52 PM. Reason: typo, added text

October 14th, 2009, 08:02 AM	#16
Evan Agee Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 93	I'm curious as to how you become used to it. Do you need to be looking into the eyepiece or at least the LCD, or is it a matter of estimating distances and adjusting properly on the fly? Probably a combination of the 3 I would guess. Are there any references you would suggest for getting used to life without auto focus?

October 14th, 2009, 08:14 AM	#17
Eric Darling Major Player Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Savannah, GA Posts: 463	This type of lens never has autofocus. Most pros who use this kind of camera actually started with other broadcast/industrial lenses of similar design, and I'm in that camp. You will need to get used to the tried and true method for those in the know - zoom all the way in to the end of the lens, then focus, then pull out to get your framing. This is always an effective method unless the subject or camera are moving against the focal plane. Professional lenses like the Fujinon that comes with the HD100 have a servo/manual switch on the bottom allowing you to switch between the servo zoom rocker and manually adjusting zoom via the ring on the lens. You'll probably find that to be a helpful starting spot, where you can get your lens into manual mode, quickly crash zoom in for your focus, and then zip to your framing. It takes some practice, and I highly recommend you go out and try a lot before your first "on the clock" shoot. But, in the end, you will probably end up liking manual focus on the camera a lot. It means your lens won't be "hunting" for the right focus as things move in the frame. One less thing to worry about.

October 14th, 2009, 08:20 AM	#18
Chris Davis Trustee Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Willmar, MN Posts: 1,400	I use the method Eric described - zoom in, focus, then pull out. The focus-assist is another method, as it changes the view to gray scale with a blue line around what is in focus. Some people don't like it, some do. I do like it. One nice thing about buying used - you can typically sell it for the same price if you buy and decide you don't like it.

October 14th, 2009, 06:14 PM	#20
Alex Humphrey Major Player Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: california North and South Posts: 642	I have a HD110, and I know I'm faster and 90% of the time more accurate than any autofocus camera. Also, if you are in a wide shot, f5.6 or so and focus at say 10 feet, and everything is in focus. Just a FYI if you are ever shooting a wide shot and don't have time to focus. Basically I use the focus assist, and I can focus quickly and easily on the fly for sports etc. You might get tripped up if you focus, then have to zoom in on the subject after you focused at medium, but often times in an uncontrolled environment you don't have the luxury of time to zoom in and focus. But the Focus Assist works great. Turns your eyepiece or LCD BW and anything that comes into focus will turn blue. You can select different colors and peaking levels. Basically it's the BEST focus assist of any camera I've seen for under $6,000 and probably higher. Just wish there was a 2/3 chip JVC Pro-HD. oh well, we can dream right?

October 14th, 2009, 09:06 PM	#21
Ted Ramasola Trustee Join Date: May 2005 Location: Allen, Texas U.S.A Posts: 1,117	I'd like to add this info since Alex mentioned the focus assist. Turn down peaking. Not totally off but use just a little since peaking fools you into thinking the image is sharp when its not, also it makes the footage seem grainy when the recorded image is not. use peaking with caution and with practice. Focus assist is better.

October 14th, 2009, 10:45 PM	#22
Evan Agee Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 93	Thanks a ton for all of the info guys! I purchased an HD110U and a Firestore FS-4 from two different guys here on the forums and I'm absolutely thrilled to grow into this camera. I'm planning to pickup a few extra batteries initially, any idea if these 3rd party batteries for sale on eBay would work in the original charger? I'm thinking of this type: BN-V408U REPLACEMENT BATTERY PACK FOR JVC CAMCORDERS - eBay (item 280408943806 end time Oct-15-09 03:49:53 PDT)

October 14th, 2009, 11:32 PM	#24
Evan Agee Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 93	I thought the factory battery held a charge for about an hour?

October 14th, 2009, 11:50 PM	#26
Ted Ramasola Trustee Join Date: May 2005 Location: Allen, Texas U.S.A Posts: 1,117	My advice to you is not to bother for this v428 replacement batteries even though they're cheap and go for the IDX type batteries or the anton bauer types. They charge fast and last a day. In real use you will freak out and miss out on important shots due to constant swapping of batteries. I've been there.

October 15th, 2009, 10:50 AM	#27
Joe Bowey Major Player Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Glendale, AZ Posts: 217	I have a JVC hd 100 I am selling. Only a few hours on it with 2 IDX batteries and charger, Protabrace bag, Filters, Focus 101 100mm tripod and tripod bag PLUS LOTS OF EXTRAS like 4 year warranty with free professional head cleaning. All EQUIPMENT IN NEW LIKE CONDITON not a scratch and all original boxes. I have not posted yet but e-mail me. Reason I am selling 1. finished shooting project and will be spending lots of time edting. 2. IRS is auditing me for $3000 but I am fighting it. 3. I have twin boys recently which keep me busy. I am looking at $2400 for all. The tripod itself sells for $1400. and like I said all maintained professionally and is in new condition. hopefully I will post in classifed soon with pics.

October 17th, 2009, 09:30 AM	#29
Evan Agee Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 93	Just an update guys, I purchased the following from guys here on the forum: JVC GY-HD110U w/original accessories Anton Bauer kit with gold mount, charger and 2 batteries Firestore FS-4 60GB with 3 batteries I also picked up this tripod Davis & Sanford \| Pro Vista Tripod with FM 18 \| PROVISTA7518B Should all be here by the 21st, can't wait!

October 17th, 2009, 09:57 AM	#30
Ted Ramasola Trustee Join Date: May 2005 Location: Allen, Texas U.S.A Posts: 1,117	Then you're good to go! welcome to the prohd club. Just remember, never plug anything on the camera firewire port while the camera is ON. Always turn it OFF before you attach anything on the firewire port. Do this religously and you'll be safe. My next advice to you once you have your unit is learn about checking your backfocus so you will be sure to get a sharp image from your lens. Second, try to look at the sticky at the top of this forum section and look for the right scene files to use with this camera, since out of the box, the image might not be to your liking. I suggest you try tim dashwood's recipes. Good luck, Ted