Various questions Sony HVR-A1

Timothy Shiels · July 2nd, 2007, 12:55 PM

I'd like to set the first two time code digits to correspond to the tape numbers for a project.

After setting TC to 01:00:00:00 in the TC PRESET in the standard set menu, the camera still records beginning TC on a new tape as 00:00:00:00. When I go back into the TC Preset menu, it's still set at 01:00:00:00.

Any thoughts how I can get the TC Preset to record properly to tape?

Thanks,
Timothy

Andrew Lee II · July 7th, 2007, 04:10 AM

I have looked at a comparison of footage which is shot at different Cineframe rates, but I can't really see much difference. I am new to this, could someone point out what I should be looking for. I am trying to decide whether the settings on an HVR A1E will be suitable for good looking footage with a cinematic feel or whether it will just be rubbish.

Thanks for your help.

The link to the formats movie is here: http://www.ninjacinema.com/Video/cineframe%20test.avi

Manuel Guzman · July 9th, 2007, 04:44 PM

Sadly, even though I purchased my Sony HVR-A1U last Christmas, only in the past week have I had the chance to really play around with it. My mom wanted to babysit our newborn last week so it gave my wife and I a chance to visit Sacramento for a day. This is the video I shot with my Sony HVR-A1U.

www.manuelandjulie.com/sacramento

I picked up a few accessories when I first purchased the camcorder (Manfroto video head, spare batteries, camera light). I am considering buying a new boom mic although I am not sure I really need it. I originally purchased the camcorder to shoot video of my newborn son but could see myself using it for family get togethers in the future. I really wish the camcorder had HDMI out as opposed to component.

Steven Bills · July 10th, 2007, 01:32 PM

Pretty cool. The quality was good. I wanted to see bigger pans though...

Pretty cool.

SB

Marco Wagner · July 12th, 2007, 05:19 PM

I know some of you are wondering if down convert in the A1U is worth anything. Below are two grabs. One is a grab from the Premiere Pro 2.0 after capturing from the A1U using the downconvert option. The other is a grab from a simple workflow from Premiere Pro 2.0 to VirtulDub 1.6.19 and back into Premiere Pro as SD 16:9.

Grab Labeled VDUB workflow:
Captured in PPRO 2.0 as 1080i HD
Exported as uncompressed Microsoft AVI 1440X1080i
Imported to VDUB
Exported from VDUB resized to DV 16:9 uncompressed 720X480
Imported to PPRO 2.0 as DV 16:9 (interpret footage)
Export Frame

Grab Labeled DWNCONV workflow:
Opened PRO 2.0 project as DV 16:9
Captured with A1U set to downconvert (HDV-->DV)
Put on timeline and export frame

I did this with only PPRO 2.0 and VDUB, no HD plugins or Cineform.

RESULTS - You tell me. Seems like Vdub does a decent job, but the in camera downconvert looks softer...

Peter Wright · August 4th, 2007, 11:58 PM

Auto Lock is off
Under Camera Set Menu, Auto Shutter is OFF
When I toggle to SUTTER SPEED, it shows 150 and the text
"SHUTTER SPEED,
150
and the OK button are greyed out and not functional.

What have I forgotten?

- edit ... Panic over - I'd accidentally switched Night Shot on!

Hubert Hofer · October 25th, 2007, 02:26 AM

hi,
has that happened to anyone ? First, my 18 mths old Sony A1 had a stuttering kind of LCD & after an hour it went totally off. view finder still ok though. 4 days later the LCD touch panel on the same age HC1 wouldn't respond & in an hour it too went off. view finder ok. will be sending them away to get fixed soon & hopefully they'll be ok again.

Clay Coulter · November 17th, 2007, 06:06 PM

I just bought the Sony VCL-HG1737C 1.7x High Grade Telephoto Conversion Lens for my HVR-A1U. After shooting with it, I was disappointed to see pronounced vignetting around my image when I zoomed back to a wider angle. When I am zoomed in for close-up, I can't see the edge of the conversion lens and the close-up images are quite good.

Can anyone with experience in using telephoto conversion lenses direct me to a lens which will not vignette so badly?

BTW, I did configure the A1U for the Tele conversion lens setting.

Thank you in advance for your help.

Boyd Ostroff · November 17th, 2007, 06:54 PM

While I don't have an A1, I have used teleconvertors on my Sony PDX-10 and Z1 and they also vignette. I think this pretty much comes with the territory. You're magnifying what the built-in lens sees, so it's inevitable that you'll vignette at some point as you zoom out. I suppose if you had a huge lens of some kind you might get away from this, but probably not very practical. If you could somehow adapt a conversion lens with 72mm threads to your A1 it might get you close to full zoom range, but it would be really big and awkward at best.

On my Z1 with a 1.6x Century teleconvertor I can zoom just about 50% of the way out before vignetting. I think you'll find similar limits on most conversion lenses. Unless I'm mistaken, the setting for the teleconvertor in the menu only affects the way the image stabilization works.

Carl Adams · November 23rd, 2007, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack Zhang

Can anyone post a link to a .pdf of the A1's User's Manual when it becomes availible?

Apologies if this has been listed further down the thread I haven't the time to read through at the moment.

Just read this and thought I can help as I have a PDF Manual.

I hoping I can work out how to add attachments to a post, as this is only my third post on this forum
If I cannot attach, I shall upload it to a page on my server and give you the link to download.

Hope this helps
Carl (:})

OK I can not add attachments for some reason so I shall upload to my server and give you the link in the next 30 mins

OK here it is:
http://www.adamsmedia.co.uk/adamsmed...0Download.html

Maybe someone could shed some light why I cannot add attachments?

Chris Hurd · November 23rd, 2007, 04:51 PM

See the sticky thread http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=82071 for the A1 owner's manual download in PDF format.

Carl Adams · November 23rd, 2007, 06:08 PM

Apologies chris-I am new to this forum and did not realize that was there, otherwise I would have pointed users in that direction. It would have saved me some time.

I did not mention, but I have also uploaded a HVR-A1E Service Manual.pdf for download there as-well for those who are interested. It has some nice exploded views!

All those techie's out there can see exactly what's inside!

Carl (:})

July 2nd, 2007, 12:55 PM	#91
Timothy Shiels Tourist Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 1	A1U Setting Timecode Preset I'd like to set the first two time code digits to correspond to the tape numbers for a project. After setting TC to 01:00:00:00 in the TC PRESET in the standard set menu, the camera still records beginning TC on a new tape as 00:00:00:00. When I go back into the TC Preset menu, it's still set at 01:00:00:00. Any thoughts how I can get the TC Preset to record properly to tape? Thanks, Timothy

July 7th, 2007, 04:10 AM	#92
Andrew Lee II Tourist Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: London, UK Posts: 2	HVR-A1E and Cineframe I have looked at a comparison of footage which is shot at different Cineframe rates, but I can't really see much difference. I am new to this, could someone point out what I should be looking for. I am trying to decide whether the settings on an HVR A1E will be suitable for good looking footage with a cinematic feel or whether it will just be rubbish. Thanks for your help. The link to the formats movie is here: http://www.ninjacinema.com/Video/cineframe%20test.avi

July 9th, 2007, 04:44 PM	#93
Manuel Guzman New Boot Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Elk Grove, California Posts: 12	My first realy video recording with HVR-A1U Sadly, even though I purchased my Sony HVR-A1U last Christmas, only in the past week have I had the chance to really play around with it. My mom wanted to babysit our newborn last week so it gave my wife and I a chance to visit Sacramento for a day. This is the video I shot with my Sony HVR-A1U. www.manuelandjulie.com/sacramento I picked up a few accessories when I first purchased the camcorder (Manfroto video head, spare batteries, camera light). I am considering buying a new boom mic although I am not sure I really need it. I originally purchased the camcorder to shoot video of my newborn son but could see myself using it for family get togethers in the future. I really wish the camcorder had HDMI out as opposed to component.

July 12th, 2007, 05:19 PM	#95
Marco Wagner Trustee Join Date: May 2005 Location: Saint Cloud, Florida Posts: 1,043	HD to SD Grabs (Vdub vs. A1u downconvert) I know some of you are wondering if down convert in the A1U is worth anything. Below are two grabs. One is a grab from the Premiere Pro 2.0 after capturing from the A1U using the downconvert option. The other is a grab from a simple workflow from Premiere Pro 2.0 to VirtulDub 1.6.19 and back into Premiere Pro as SD 16:9. Grab Labeled VDUB workflow: Captured in PPRO 2.0 as 1080i HD Exported as uncompressed Microsoft AVI 1440X1080i Imported to VDUB Exported from VDUB resized to DV 16:9 uncompressed 720X480 Imported to PPRO 2.0 as DV 16:9 (interpret footage) Export Frame Grab Labeled DWNCONV workflow: Opened PRO 2.0 project as DV 16:9 Captured with A1U set to downconvert (HDV-->DV) Put on timeline and export frame I did this with only PPRO 2.0 and VDUB, no HD plugins or Cineform. RESULTS - You tell me. Seems like Vdub does a decent job, but the in camera downconvert looks softer... Attached Thumbnails __________________ www.facebook.com/projectspecto

August 4th, 2007, 11:58 PM	#96
Peter Wright Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 193	Can't change A1 shutter speed from 150 Auto Lock is off Under Camera Set Menu, Auto Shutter is OFF When I toggle to SUTTER SPEED, it shows 150 and the text "SHUTTER SPEED, 150 and the OK button are greyed out and not functional. What have I forgotten? - edit ... Panic over - I'd accidentally switched Night Shot on! Last edited by Peter Wright; August 5th, 2007 at 12:44 AM. Reason: update

July 10th, 2007, 01:32 PM	#94
Steven Bills Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Vineyard, Utah Posts: 192	Pretty cool. The quality was good. I wanted to see bigger pans though... Pretty cool. SB

October 25th, 2007, 02:26 AM	#97
Hubert Hofer Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Torres Strait - Australia Posts: 76	A1 & HC1 LCD gone off hi, has that happened to anyone ? First, my 18 mths old Sony A1 had a stuttering kind of LCD & after an hour it went totally off. view finder still ok though. 4 days later the LCD touch panel on the same age HC1 wouldn't respond & in an hour it too went off. view finder ok. will be sending them away to get fixed soon & hopefully they'll be ok again.

November 17th, 2007, 06:06 PM	#98
Clay Coulter Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Nashville TN Posts: 29	Vignetting With Tele Conversion Lens/A1U I just bought the Sony VCL-HG1737C 1.7x High Grade Telephoto Conversion Lens for my HVR-A1U. After shooting with it, I was disappointed to see pronounced vignetting around my image when I zoomed back to a wider angle. When I am zoomed in for close-up, I can't see the edge of the conversion lens and the close-up images are quite good. Can anyone with experience in using telephoto conversion lenses direct me to a lens which will not vignette so badly? BTW, I did configure the A1U for the Tele conversion lens setting. Thank you in advance for your help.

November 17th, 2007, 06:54 PM	#99
Boyd Ostroff Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 11,802	While I don't have an A1, I have used teleconvertors on my Sony PDX-10 and Z1 and they also vignette. I think this pretty much comes with the territory. You're magnifying what the built-in lens sees, so it's inevitable that you'll vignette at some point as you zoom out. I suppose if you had a huge lens of some kind you might get away from this, but probably not very practical. If you could somehow adapt a conversion lens with 72mm threads to your A1 it might get you close to full zoom range, but it would be really big and awkward at best. On my Z1 with a 1.6x Century teleconvertor I can zoom just about 50% of the way out before vignetting. I think you'll find similar limits on most conversion lenses. Unless I'm mistaken, the setting for the teleconvertor in the menu only affects the way the image stabilization works.

November 23rd, 2007, 04:51 PM	#101
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,369 Images: 513	See the sticky thread http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=82071 for the A1 owner's manual download in PDF format. __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

November 23rd, 2007, 06:08 PM	#102
Carl Adams New Boot Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: London UK Posts: 14	Apologies chris-I am new to this forum and did not realize that was there, otherwise I would have pointed users in that direction. It would have saved me some time. I did not mention, but I have also uploaded a HVR-A1E Service Manual.pdf for download there as-well for those who are interested. It has some nice exploded views! All those techie's out there can see exactly what's inside! Carl (:})