discreet palm sized cam to cut with HVX

[Phillip Palacios]

Hi all,
As part of a project I am working on here in the States I will be taking a trip to India end of July. This will include going into a little more rural areas. I would like to attract as little attention *as possible* so I am a little wary of bringing my HVX with cards and P2store all along with me. Ideally I would like a VERY touristy looking camera that will intercut with the HVX and not look horrible. I am shooting 24pN here. About the only 24p cam I have found that is small enough to be touristy is the Canon HV20.

I guess my other option would be to make the footage absolutely different, so India has a very different look than U.S. And with the new FC the footage can reside on the same timeline.

Opinions Please (and cam recomendations)
Thanks
Phil

[Barry Green]

The HV20 is the only tiny-form-factor 24P camera on the market so far.

Panasonic's own HSC1U would probably match the gamma and colorimetry of the HVX200 quite well, and it's much smaller than the HV20, but it's 60i-only...

HV20 might work for you, but it depends on what you're doing with it. The rolling-shutter effect is extremely bad on the HV20 in 24p mode, unlike any other cam on the market. If you're doing stable interviews or something, it's probably the one to get. But if it's moving shots you're looking for, you've got to be aware of what the rolling-shutter does to the footage; if you're going into any circumstances involving vibration then the HV20 in 24p would probably be the single most unsuitable camera to use.

[Douglas Villalba]

I agree 100%.
The camera has a beautiful image when handled correctly, but it is very light an hard to hand hold. You would at least need a mono pod for any 24p work. At 60i its all OK.

[Phillip Palacios]

thanks guys,
Barry the Panasonic HSC1U is AVC right? how does that work in FC? I didn't see any sequence settings that support this, would I have to conform the footage to somthing else (DVCProHD, 8bit, etc...)?

Phillip

[Robert Lane]

AVCHD is currently not supported in FCP6 but should be later this year.

[Randolph Duke]

I am also considering the HV20 as a easy carry B-roll camera to HVX.
I thought I read the pulldown/shutter roll can be fixed in FCP using cinema tool.

[Barry Green]

Pulldown is entirely unrelated to "rolling shutter". Pulldown can be removed by Cinema Tools; rolling shutter artifacts are embedded in the video and can be inconsequential to devastating, depending on the severity of the issue. For many shots the rolling shutter effect will result in little to no effect on the video; maybe a tad of "leaning" to buildings and such when you pan sideways. But under certain light conditions, such as slow-cycle fluorescents, you'll see black bars or flickering in the video. And in extreme cases involving vibration (such as a helicopter) you'll see such unbelievable distortion, stretching and wobbling that you won't believe your eyes -- it looks like the footage was filmed through a layer of jiggling jello.

For example, this clip was from a helicopter:
http://www.ssontech.com/content/skool.mov

So you have to be very specific about the circumstances you take the camera into. It might be fine, it might be excellent, or it might be unusable.

[Douglas Villalba]

I carry my HV20 everywhere I go. I used to take the HVX but it is really to heavy and too big. Specially if you carry it just in case you see something you would like use for stock or in case a news develops in front of your eyes.
That is what this little $875 consumer grade camera is good for.
As bonus I use it as a deck for my other HDV cameras.

[Dean Harrington]

I've found the DVX 100 to fit that bill quite well. I'd suggest you think about that. It would be the best match for the HVX.

[Salah Baker]

I figured the EXTREME would be pointed to by you know who.
http://www.ssontech.com/content/skool.mov

If you are going to do a pro shot and spend $ for a helicopter dont use a consumer cam...
other than that the rolling shutter BS KNOW THY CAMERA LIMITATIONS...
VariCam has its BS limits too

Red is a cmos right?
Think that was SynthEyes idea behind the post = CMOS BAD

[Ian G. Thompson]

I think the HV20 would be an excellent cam to cut with the HVX. People have displayed that here and in other forums. Barry is right about the rolling shutter issue. But really...you can work around it.

By the way...Red is a CMOS cam but it will more than likely not exhibit these types of wobbling issues. Those extreme artifacts are a result of "Rolling" shutter (which the HV20 has) and I believe the Red has a "Global" shutter.

[Salah Baker]

I know the hv20 (sub pro cam, folks)
HVX is a sub pro cam also,
Red is a cam that is on hold at this time that cant be compared to any other (lack of real use, short ads that red lets you see)

[Phillip Palacios]

Originally Posted by Salah Baker

I know the hv20 (sub pro cam, folks)
HVX is a sub pro cam also,
Red is a cam that is on hold at this time that cant be compared to any other (lack of real use, short ads that red lets you see)

"Pro" is a pretty subjective term.

Anyway, I think I am just going to take the HVX because where I am going, my skin color alone is going to attract attention, and I am comfortable shooting the HVX. I'll just limit myself to my P2Cards when I am out.

Thanks for the heads up on the rolling shutter issue.
Phil

[Randolph Duke]

Last year on the fourth of July I was walking across the Brooklyn bridge and hanging out in the Park in NY with my DVX100b. (just the camera- no tripod)
I was filming my friends, city B-roll stuff, etc.
I was stopped TWICE by police and security and asked for a permit and to explain what I was I doing. Their excuse:
They were concerned because it's a three chip camera. (!?)

No big deal- but kinda annoying and a bit embarrassing.
This summer I'll be using the HV20.
No three chips - but HD- and I doubt I'll get stopped.

[Gene Crucean]

What do you expect in NYC?

Try bringing your HVX into the subways ;)