U.S. HD100 Delivery/Report

[Nate Weaver]

I got my camera yesterday, here in Los Angeles. I was very lucky because the numbers available are very small, but keep in mind I had a good chunk of money down on it in March! I'm not going to say which dealer I got it at because he definitely does NOT have enough to go around.

I myself am very satisfied with the things I was concerned about:

1-Chromatic Aberration on the 16x: It's there, but only jumps out on the long end of the lens. I only use long focal lengths for the odd occasion, so I'm not concerned in the slightest. I consider something like this par for the course when all preceeding lenses marketed as "HD" come in north of $10K. If this was the tradeoff so the lens was the right price, and passed the necessary resolution to the chips, then I say they made the right choice.

2-Dead pixels: I have no dead pixels, but some that spend more time on than off while being noisy in 18+ gain. I don't plan on ever shooting more than +6 gain, so again I'm not worried.

3-The "Split": For those of you just tuning in, there's an issue with two halves of the image being SLIGHTLY different brightnesses/colors while in +18 gain. I've seen some cameras where I didn't notice it until it was pointed out to me. Mine has it also, but again, it's a high gain issue and I'm not concerned. Keep in mind it's non existant at lower gains, unless you get a microscope out. At 0 gain. it's not there even with a microscope.

After spending 3 fat paragraphs talking about what's not-quite-right, I'd like to try to give this some balance...overall, I'm VERY VERY happy with my purchase. I can't say enough good things about the build quality or the ergonomics, or how nice it is to be shooting with a camera set up for a professional at the $6k mark.

I expect this camera to really clean up, especially for people still delivering in SD...shooting HDV 24P and then downconverting is almost as good as doing the same thing with an F900, and that's awesome.

[Chris Hurd]

Thanks, Nate, glad to hear that you finally have it in your hands! Please keep us advised... and if you shoot anything that you'd like to share, just let me know and I'll make some server space available to you. Much appreciated,

[Tim Baker]

So let me ask you some questions if you don't mind.

Since having the camera and obviously having shot with it:

1)How are you planning on or how are you monitoring in the field?

2)I just bought a Sachtler DV4 set of sticks...is that going to be adequate or would you suggest some different camera support items?

3)Are you using the Firestore or just tape? If not did you purchase the deck...and if so...are they planning on it being compatible with other HDV formats now or in the future?

4)I am also getting the Libec zoom controller for mine...do you have one...or have a suggestion on that?

Thanks for you input and help.

[Steve Mullen]

Originally Posted by Nate Weaver

Chromatic Aberration on the 16x: It's there, but only jumps out on the long end of the lens. I only use long focal lengths for the odd occasion, so I'm not concerned in the slightest.

I'm glad you mentioned this obvious point. For years many of us complained that cameras were being shipped with long lenses when most of us shoot in close quarters and need wide. I really can't think of many times -- except to control DOF -- when I'm going to shoot zoomed in. So the whole CR issue seems like a tempest in a teapot.

Moreover, those of us old enough to have watched the very first color broadcast and visit studios -- we know efforts were made to prevent tiny specular details. If one is shooting a "movie" your DP should be smart enough to ask for work to be done on the set.

Dead pixels: I have no dead pixels, but some that spend more time on than off while being noisy in 18+ gain. I don't plan on ever shooting more than +6 gain, so again I'm not worried.

THt worries me. I found in a bright room, I needed +18dB gain with a Z1. Looks like natural lighting may not be enough for shooting with either camcorder.

3-The "Split": For those of you just tuning in, there's an issue with two halves of the image being SLIGHTLY different brightnesses/colors while in +18 gain.

Is this on the LCD/VF or is it recorded?

Great report!

[Michael Maier]

Hey Nate, congrats on the new camera! Glad they are starting to go out now.

About the split screen, is it not present at all at 0 and 6+gain or is it still there if you really look close? In this case, do you think it would show up on a film out or if digitaly projected in a 15ft or so big screen?

You lost me on the pixel remark. What you mean?

Thanks Nate.

[Thomas Smet]

Quick questions about the split screen issue.

1. Is the split exactly in the middle of the image right at the 640 pixel mark?

2. Is the color brightness difference consistant every time per gain setting or does it shift over time?

The reason I ask is because I can write a pluign or filter for NLE's that will adjust the left half to match the right half based on certain gain levels. I can also make a plugin that will mask any dead pixels. Or I can bundle everything as one JVC HD100 plugin for a quick automatic fix.

Wedding videographers who like to shoot with no lights (not me) will need as much of the gain as they can get so this may be an issue for them. A JVC filter plugin to use during editing might be an easy way to fix any of the current issues.

[Nate Weaver]

Originally Posted by Tim Baker

1)How are you planning on or how are you monitoring in the field?

I've done pretty well in the past just making a point to learn how the LCD reacts in different conditions and drawing experience from multiple camera LCD/CRT comparisons.

In other words, for many things, I probably won't be. If I get in a pinch I might bring an NTSC monitor.

Originally Posted by Tim Baker

2)I just bought a Sachtler DV4 set of sticks...is that going to be adequate or would you suggest some different camera support items?

DV4 might be a little light, but I'd think it'd work.

Originally Posted by Tim Baker

3)Are you using the Firestore or just tape? If not did you purchase the deck...and if so...are they planning on it being compatible with other HDV formats now or in the future?

Just tape for now. I plan on a Firestore later.

[Werner Wesp]

Originally Posted by Thomas Smet

Quick questions about the split screen issue.

1. Is the split exactly in the middle of the image right at the 640 pixel mark?

2. Is the color brightness difference consistant every time per gain setting or does it shift over time?

The reason I ask is because I can write a pluign or filter for NLE's that will adjust the left half to match the right half based on certain gain levels. I can also make a plugin that will mask any dead pixels. Or I can bundle everything as one JVC HD100 plugin for a quick automatic fix.

Wedding videographers who like to shoot with no lights (not me) will need as much of the gain as they can get so this may be an issue for them. A JVC filter plugin to use during editing might be an easy way to fix any of the current issues.

THAT would be very, very interesting indeed, especially if the user can assign himself which pixel to replace by the average of the neighbours.

Would always be handy if you come home after a shoot and a dead pixel has turned up on the (important) footage. By the way: it is not unusual to loose some pixels as the CCD block ages. You can be unlucky and have one right in the middle of your screen after 1 year.

Obviously you can send something like that in, but you could notice it after taking very important footage...

(By the way, your name sounds very dutch or belgian...? I'm from Belgium too...)

[Nate Weaver]

Originally Posted by Michael Maier

About the split screen, is it not present at all at 0 and 6+gain or is it still there if you really look close? In this case, do you think it would show up on a film out or if digitaly projected in a 15ft or so big screen?

It's not there at 0 or 6. Maybe the tiniest bit at 9. Maybe. I mean, at this point we're talking about me with my nose to the monitor squinting.

Originally Posted by Michael Maier

You lost me on the pixel remark. What you mean?

Ok, so in 18+ gain/iris closed you're looking basically a screen full of blinking christmas lights, looking for one that's on and not blinking. I was trying to say that there were SOME pixels spending much more time in the "on" state than the "off". Not a dead pixel, but one that's exhibiting a small amount of the same condition that causes dead pixels. Make sense?

18+ gain is only shooting Bigfoot as he runs through your backyard anyway. Or maybe I'd put it as "18 gain looks so crappy anyway I'm not gonna split hairs as to HOW crappy it is".

[Nate Weaver]

Originally Posted by Thomas Smet

Quick questions about the split screen issue.

1. Is the split exactly in the middle of the image right at the 640 pixel mark?

I would bet. I heard somewhere it's the result of two image processors working in parallel on the same frame, and one being out of calibration to the other. Sounds feasible to me.

Originally Posted by Thomas Smet

2. Is the color brightness difference consistant every time per gain setting or does it shift over time?

Don't know, haven't observed it for more than a few seconds at a time. I'd bet it's static over time, but varies in balance between cameras.

Originally Posted by Thomas Smet

The reason I ask is because I can write a pluign or filter for NLE's that will adjust the left half to match the right half based on certain gain levels. I can also make a plugin that will mask any dead pixels. Or I can bundle everything as one JVC HD100 plugin for a quick automatic fix.

Based on what I've seen, that might be the ticket for the times you HAD to go for the gain. I personally have set my GAIN H for a roof of +9. If I want more I'm gonna have stop what I'm doing and go in a menu to get it.

[Dan G. Brown]

Originally Posted by Steve Mullen

Is this on the LCD/VF or is it recorded?

I was curious about the same thing. Can someone answer this? I believe that it is recorded.

Dan Brown

[Barry Green]

The split-screen effect is recorded. It is not a viewfinder/LCD thing, it's something in the processing of the image and it shows up on tape, on the analog outputs, and in the vf/lcd.

[Michael Maier]

Thanks for the explanation Nate.
Are you going to invest on a firestore for the camera, or you think the ProHD is safe enough? Talking about drop outs.
Also, what's your opinion on HDV tapes? You think one should only use the sony HDV or JVC ProHD (I would think they are the same, since JVC normally doesn't make tapes) or good ol' fuji mini-Dv is just as good?
The whole HDV drop out issue kind of reminds me of DV early days, where Betacam and Digibeta users used to say DV was not good because it had too many drop outs. Funny thing is in more than 4 years using DV, I never had a single drop out.

[Thomas Smet]

Does anybody know where I can find info on the hard drive option for the HD100 and does anybody know how much it will cost?

[John Jackman]

Originally Posted by Steve Mullen

THt worries me. I found in a bright room, I needed +18dB gain with a Z1. Looks like natural lighting may not be enough for shooting with either camcorder.

Steve, with all due respect this doesn't match my experience with the Z1 at all shooting in a normally lit room. Since the day I use +18db for anything except surveillance video will be long in coming, I would have made a lot of negative noise - more than would have been visible in the picture.