The Panasonic TM900 Users Thread

[Guy Caplin]

Fariz, to record sound in an ordinary room you need a lapel/tie-clip microphone for each person and clearly if you have more than two people you will need an audio mixer.

I can recommend these:-Neck mic

If you are in a large room (7 metres by 7 metres by 3 metres high at least) with fitted carpets, curtains and a tiled ceiling you might get away with a couple of mics on table or floor stands, but even with a room of this size, the room acoustics frequently mar the quality of the audio recording. Don't even attempt to use table mics in small rooms on more than one person. Lapel/tie-clip microphones are definitely the way to go.

Remember, a cheap mic in the right place is always better than an expensive mic in the wrong place.

Basing Broadcast Services

[Al Bergstein]

You could also use two boom mics, placed just out of camera if you can't afford lavs, but certainly lavs are preferred.

[Clayton Moore]

I'm looking at shooting some air show stuff soon. I'm thinking the TM900 at 60p is perfect for that. My question is the use of an ND filter for that.
http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=46mm+neutral+density+filter&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=3781452735&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=550506961923756104&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&ref=pd_sl_420h7ktlg8_b

Any advice ? Anyone who may have already done an air show with this camera?

Clayton

[Andy Wilkinson]

Done a couple of airshows with the TM900. Those NDs are a good idea. Be aware that if you put a ND on the front and re-attach the little hood then it will vignette a little on full wide, especially with IOS on. However, in reality, at airshows you rarely shoot full wide so do not worry.

Getting correct exposure of planes against a bright sky, often in changing light conditions (more of a problem in the UK than California!) as well as keeping the plane(s) in frame during fast pans are the main challenges. I have had tons of fun shooting at Flying Legends airshows at Duxford here in Cambridge with the TM900 - and a few other cams over the years.

Don't forget that decent sound is a major part of it (the TMs mics are naff in anything above a slight breeze as most of us know) so you should also consider a plug in mic. I use Rode VMP with deadcat - but that is still prone to some wind noise.

[Clayton Moore]

Thanks for the information, I was going to use my Zoom H4N and record out to the 900 and onto the zoom at the same time.





Any "specific" ND ideas x4, x6 ?

CM

[Greg Mlotkowski]

Here is a vid I put together using the TM900. I did use two cams, the other a HC-X900M, but its not shown here because I needed precise control with the zoom, and I don't have confidence with the HC-900M. I need to add some JB weld or something that will provide better feel (earlier I described this button as flush to the housing, sometimes you just cannot find it in time). Everything as set to manual mode, and I provided both a 720p and 1080p version. I am very impressed, as you can see, colors consistantly changing along with light intensity. The DVD came out teriffic.

1080p

GPS High School presents "Thats Entertainment" Trailer 29Aug12 1080p on Vimeo

720p

GPS High School presents That's Entertainment Trailer 28Aug12 720p on Vimeo

[David Rankin]

Hi, new here...

I have nothing but good things to say about this video camera. I have been shooting (for work) with an XHA1S for over two years. I think this cam does easily as good as the XHA1S.

Here is a slow motion video I shot the other day storm chasing of the "front wall" of a flash flood. 1080 60P at 720 24P. I love the final results.

Cheers!

Flash Flood in Slow Motion. Panasonic HDC-TM900 Slow Motion Test - YouTube

EDIT:

BTW, I studied this thread very carefully before buying this cam. A lot of good information here and thanks to all those who contribute to it. :)

[Richard Folwell]

"Trying to be as portable as I can I am looking for a good lightweight tripod and pan head for my TM900. Also need a suggestion for a good video light. Any advice is appreciated."

I'm pleased with the combination of a Davis and Sandford Vista Voyager with a Manfrotto 701HDV fluid head. 2kg, with a short QR plate.

[Clayton Moore]

Amazon.com: HDV-Z96 96 LED Light For EOS 5D II 7D 550D Lighting: Camera & Photo

 

Amazon.com: HDV-Z96 96 LED Light For EOS 5D II 7D 550D Lighting: Camera & Photo

HDV-Z96 DSLR led video light - YouTube

[Al Bergstein]

So my wife and I went out for a little day sail yesterday with friends, on board the 100 year old Adventuress. She is used as an environmental awareness ship, run by the non profit, Sound Experience. I brought along my TM900, not thinking I'd do much filming, but then I remembered my friend John Sparrow's sea chanty, and decided to marry it all up and help them raise money for the 100 year anniversary celebration. Not much forethought here, but enjoy non the less. I think it highlights the little camera quite good. No color correction done on the footage. Rendered out in SD for quick playing on cell phones, etc.

Adventuress - A day on the water on Vimeo

[Dave Therault]

I am considering the TM900 (over the HMC150) for indoor hockey (webcast and post production distro), primarily because of the 1080p60 slo-mo potential at a low cost. I would love to find 1080p60 in a camera in the price range of the HMC150.

My questions are:

1) How usable would the TM900 ring be for manual focus for close-up hockey action?

2) How useable would the remote zoom control (rigged on the wand with an optical connection to the front of the camera) be for a smooth but responsive zoom effect? (I would imagine that it would be physically awkward to use the power zoom rocker along with the ring for focus, which would take both hands off the wand.)

3) How much of an improvement in image quality would I see in the 1080p60 at 30fps for slo-mo over my current use of my HV30 in 1080 60i deinterlaced for slo-mo?

Thanks.

[Keith Moreau]

Originally Posted by Dave Therault

I am considering the TM900 (over the HMC150) for indoor hockey (webcast and post production distro), primarily because of the 1080p60 slo-mo potential at a low cost. I would love to find 1080p60 in a camera in the price range of the HMC150.

My questions are:

1) How usable would the TM900 ring be for manual focus for close-up hockey action?

2) How useable would the remote zoom control (rigged on the wand with an optical connection to the front of the camera) be for a smooth but responsive zoom effect? (I would imagine that it would be physically awkward to use the power zoom rocker along with the ring for focus, which would take both hands off the wand.)

3) How much of an improvement in image quality would I see in the 1080p60 at 30fps for slo-mo over my current use of my HV30 in 1080 60i deinterlaced for slo-mo?

Thanks.

1) The focus ring, in my experience, is almost useless for fine focusing and tracking. For gross adjustments, yes, but you really never know if you are actually in focus or not unless you are using a HD external monitor (which I occasionally do) . Maybe if you have the peaking function on you can tell better but really though it is a nice idea, really for anything moving it's tough. Autofocus works much more reliably

2) Not realistic and kludge using optical path for the remote, especially for the fine control you want. It's basically zoom or no zoom, no graduations. Also a pain to set up the optical path for any camcorder, you'll never wind up getting it to work reliably. Use the onboard lever, it's actually pretty good.

3) You will see twice the vertical resolution and temporal resolution in the pure 60P mode than trying to slow 60i down, especially for sporting events. Don't even try to do this, also the 60i mode is a lot lower bitrate than the 60P mode, so you will get more artifacting as well. The is absolutely no reason not to use 60P. If you want 30P output this is easily converted using any NLE.

Good luck!

[Mark Rosenzweig]

"I am considering the TM900 (over the HMC150) for indoor hockey."

Here is a TM900 hockey video (in a dim arena):

Panasonic TM900 HD Video: College Ice Hockey on Vimeo

Shot 108060p.

[Dave Therault]

Originally Posted by Keith Moreau

1) The focus ring, in my experience, is almost useless for fine focusing and tracking. Autofocus works much more reliably

Kind of what I thought with such a small form factor. I really don't like AF for sports. I shot for a while on a GL2 and found that focus ring adequate. Perhaps I'll get the HMC150 for it's manual control, and use Twixtor for post-production slo-mo.

[Dave Therault]

Originally Posted by Mark Rosenzweig

Here is a TM900 hockey video (in a dim arena)

Shot 108060p.

Then, again, that 1080p60 for <$1000 sure in appealing! (I could get 2 of them for the price of one used HMC150).

Thanks for posting this nice footage (and I enjoyed poking around your Vimeo :)

And thank you, Keith Moreau for your long informative post.