AG-HMC150 for weddings?

[Rick Steele]

Originally Posted by Dave Blackhurst

No need to transcode AVCHD with a dual core and Vegas Pro - worked just fine for me native

Encouraging to hear this. Even SD stutters a bit in Vegas for me on my quad. But I prefer a 22" preview window too. :)

the key question for me is will it improve over an FX7 and have comparable features to that cam?

Well, without using either cam I can almost guarantee the 1/3" chips in the panny will outdo the smaller ones in the FX7. I can't say much about anything else though. Here's a video I found which was made at the last NAB about the camera. Granted, these are Panasonic people beating their drum but it's all I've been able to find so far. Be patient... they don't actually start talking about the HMC-150 until the 9 minute mark (or thereabouts):

http://www.macvideo.tv/camera-techno...eviewid=101497

[Tony Spring]

Originally Posted by Perrone Ford

Ummm, how is a 1/3" chip camera with smaller glass going to be similar to the EX1?

I see your point but reports I've read are comparing the HMC150 to the EX1s low light. Maybe it's because the 150 has less pixels on it's smaller chips, this could provide low light similar to the EX1 but a softer image.

[Noa Put]

Originally Posted by Rick Steele

But now you're getting into a high dollar solution. I suppose if what I shot was "mission critical" I'd consider this but they're only weddings.

Even with the firestore the a1 is still cheaper then most of it's xlr equiped competitors in Belgium (taken the cashback I got into consideration) and since weddings are a major part of my income I do consider many shots I take mission critical. I also work alone which only gives me one opportunity to get it right. Eventhough I have a backup cam, I only use it in case my main cam would give up on me or in rare occasions when I have the time to set it up and when I'm absolutely sure it's standing in a secure place were no guests are allowed.

[Perrone Ford]

Well, by that measure, my DVX is similar in low light to the EX1 also. I think the HMC150 is going to be a great camera, but its still got 960x540 1/3" sensors. And that's really not similar to the EX1.

Originally Posted by Tony Spring

I see your point but reports I've read are comparing the HMC150 to the EX1s low light. Maybe it's because the 150 has less pixels on it's smaller chips, this could provide low light similar to the EX1 but a softer image.

[Noa Put]

Originally Posted by Ethan Cooper

As far as editing problems with AVCHD, don't forget your not so distant history. Remember when HDV came out & we had a hard time editing that. Everyone was moaning about long gop editing and how long it took to render. When was the last time you heard that one?

That's why my transition to HD some weeks ago was virtually painless with my xh-a1 and I don't regret to have waited this long before going to HD.
When I make a purchase I try not to look back and just make the most of what I have, at the end all HD cams do the same and it's the person behind it that makes the difference. :)

[Rick Steele]

Originally Posted by Tony Spring

I see your point but reports I've read are comparing the HMC150 to the EX1s low light.

Where are these reports Tony? I can't find anyone who has even touched this camera much less used one.

[Perrone Ford]

There was someone in Tennessee (Memphis?) that got hands on, but I don't know if they compared it to anything.

[Rick Steele]

Originally Posted by Noa Put

That's why my transition to HD some weeks ago was virtually painless with my xh-a1 and I don't regret to have waited this long before going to HD.

I'm still setting myself up for the worst. It would be different I suppose if I were coming from a low-light underperformer but the VX series of cams is tough to beat in this regard albeit the SD 4:3 output. But it's time to upgrade - my shooting schedule allows it now so I'll get on with it.

I'm really only after the native widescreen capabilities as nobody has ever requested HD from me anyway. Whatever cams I go with though, I always thought I would just be downconverting the footage to SD which still looks pretty darned good. I don't think you can do that with the AVCHD footage though. I'm still trying to figure out what this blurb from the spec sheet means:

"Variety of editing solutions (Render files to almost any format or media)"

I suspect it's just marketing hype and they're talking about independent transcoders.

[Perrone Ford]

Originally Posted by Rick Steele

I'm really only after the native widescreen capabilities as nobody has ever requested HD from me anyway. Whatever cams I go with though, I always thought I would just be downconverting the footage to SD which still looks pretty darned good. I don't think you can do that with the AVCHD footage though. I'm still trying to figure out what this blurb from the spec sheet means:

"Variety of editing solutions (Render files to almost any format or media)"

I suspect it's just marketing hype and they're talking about independent transcoders.

I don't understand. You can transcode any footage. AVCHD is nothing special.

[Dave Blackhurst]

Hi Rick -
To answer a couple of your posts, take a poke around DVinfo...

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=127164 Thread title is "hands on..." also several other threads in the new additions section discussing this cam.

"Low light" is a relative thing in my book. If the light is too bad, I want an on-cam solution for fill at least anyway - my Sony 10/20W light with diffusion is where I've landed, at least until a suitable LED solution shows up (the lower priced ones are typically very "blue", where indoor light is orange, so I find they clash). I don't expect my camera to take a clean shot of a black cat in a dark room, I can barely see that well anymore <wink>! The big enenmy in low light is noise and grain - I think the reason HD has gotten such a bad rap in "low light" is the footage degrades to SD quality as the lights go down, and it sticks out like a sore thumb when put side by side with HD in good light...

Native widescreen is probably a good idea - I don't know if you can even buy a 4:3 TV anymore?? What I found is that even when rendering out to SD in the final product, by starting with a higher res SOURCE, the end result ends up looking much better, like a "store bought DVD" if you will, rather than looking like a home video... I'd rather be in position to reduce res or soften a look than be trying to pull detail out of nothing! Of course the higher res means focus becomes more critical too, but you learn to live with it.

Bottom line about "format or media" - Sony's consumer PMB software has converters built in for SD, just select a clip, press a button... Think of the video not as AVI or AVCHD, or HDV... it's 1's and 0's = data... which with a bit of manipulation in the proper program (typically an NLE, with the requisite codecs, of course) can be "converted" at will to whatever final format you require for output/display.

Choose your camera, choose your editing solution, get a reasonably fast computer, attack the learning curve with a vengeance, and you'll be up and running in no time! Your goal is to build a house, don't waste TOO much time or fret too much on which hammer you will use!

I may like Sony gear, but I know guys are getting killer results with Canon, and as I said, I've used Panasonic with great results in the past. With the way technology advances, you're far better to be brand and technology agnostic IMO...

[Rick Steele]

Originally Posted by Perrone Ford

I don't understand. You can transcode any footage. AVCHD is nothing special.

I know but "In camera?" I don't think the 150 does this.

[Perrone Ford]

Originally Posted by Rick Steele

I know but "In camera?" I don't think the 150 does this.

Ah yes... But you should be able to get a downconvert via firewire or analog out. Or were you talking about writing SD to the CompactFlash Cards?

[Dave Blackhurst]

All it is is a workflow consideration - I know with the Sony SR11, "dumping" files (via USB, NO firewire on any of these - you're just transferring files from one "drive" to another) takes no time at all, around 1/3 real time or less - then the conversion is just select the file, and convert...

No real need for "in camera" conversion, although I'd expect you can shoot in SD if you really need to, and the camera can convert output over the video outs to some extent...

My take is record at the highest resolution unless you've got a really good reason, then reduce the resolution downstream. Getting great results with the SR11 that way and it's always worked with HDV, so that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

[Jeff Kellam]

I will be using the HMC150 for it's first wedding Oct 18th.

It's turned out to be a really nice camera. Good low light/low noise, good color and resolution and the widest lens I have ever had on a camera.

Im not sure about the sound yet, but I don't use the camera for primary sound capture in weddings anyway.

Peronne:
The HMC150 has the same sensor block as the HVX200a.

[Dan Burnap]

Hey Jeff, how was the 150 on the wedding shoot??