Canon HG20 camcorder reviewc

type='html'>Canon HG20 camcorder with hard drive is a great choice for many users, and those advanced amateurs. The possibility of recording in Full HD resolution and fantastic quality, we must bear in mind, and built-in 60GB hard drive. The reputation of the manufacturer is seen by all fully justified.
Canon is one of the most famous names in the world of photography, but when comes to camcorders. For a long time started the transition to a digital format, and current models of water battle in the field of HD resolution. The model that we tested, HG20 is a successor of HG10 last year, with slightly altered design, and a few very important things that are new, such as for example, embedded hard disk capacity of 60GB. This camera supports 1080/60i, 30P and 24p mode and a lot of good manual control, which means it will probably be interesting to advanced users who prefer compared to Control.


Key Features 

Excellent combination of optics, sensors and processors for image processing
Full HD resolution (1920x1080, 24Mbps) over 22h is stored on hard disk

Fast and reliable auto focus
Optical Image Stabilization
Hard drive or memory card

Specification Canon HG20 

Sensor: 1/3.2 "CMOS
Optics and lens: 15x Optical, Digital 200x/40x, f = 4.8 - 57.6mm
LCD display: 2.7 "Widescreen LCD (211,000 pixels)
Recording media: 60GB internal memory, SDHC memory card
Quality: MXP (1920x1080, 24Mbps), FXP (1920x1080, 17Mbps), XP + (1440x1080, 12Mbps), SP (1440x1080, 7Mbps), LP (1440x1080, 5Mbps)
Photo: 1920x1080, 2048x1536, 1440x1080, 848x480, 640x480
Connectors: AV terminal, Component, HDMI, USB 2.0
Dimensions: 80 x 77 x 138mm

Weight: 465g


This camera may be slightly higher than the model that we have recently seen, as the result of an integrated 60GB hard drive. The other side is not bad, because the camera easier to hold (anyone with a little larger hands who kept some of the newer ultra-compact model will definitely surprise). A good grip will help and excellent, set belt. The front is the lens aperture (f/1.8-3.0, 4.8 - 57mm), flash (very large volume) and Instant Auto Focus sensor system. Below the lens is the stereo microphone, which is well positioned as not pick up noise from handling the camera. The right side is a large area (plastic with texture also plays a significant role in ergonomics), and two compartments below which are AV / Headphones, Mic and Component, and a separate mini-HDMI connector.


With the back of the battery are housed, Mode Dial to select mode (Video Record, Video Playback, Still Record, and Still Playback) and the Record button. There is a plastic cover under which the power connector (adapter supplied in the package). The good thing is that the battery protruding from the rear, so it will not detract visually or functionally. The top button is for shooting and zoom lever-key. Although the zoom is not the quietest we have seen, it is fast and accurate, so you get an excellent rating. Up and connector for external flash (unfortunately, pasuju only Canon flashes), which is located under the plastic cover that rotates to download.

The left camera is Wide 2.7 "LCD screen with 211,000 pixels resolution which is pretty good, which is very important because there is no classical optical sought. For navigation and control using a miniature joystick, and below the screen are five buttons (four for the control Played one function to access the menu). The camera body (the part that covers the LCD when it is made) are two more buttons, Easy (the Easy mode of activation is automatic) and disp / Batt key that fell off and screen and displays information about the battery. There is also a small speaker, mini-USB connector and a slot for SDHC memory cards.


The camera uses a 1/3.2 "CMOS sensor 3MP (identical model HF11), which is enough for great results. The colors and sharpness are the stronger side of the camcorder, so you will hardly find any any objections, offers, especially if compared with the competition, to ie models with hard drive. What can be said immediately that the weak performance by the excellent lighting and that the HG20 briljirati. In combination with a fairly precise automatic White Balance settings, it gives excellent results in a fairly wide range of situations. image stabilization works very good job, STIM, which will be the size and weight of cameras play a significant role (in the positive sense). The camera records video in AVCHD format (in maskimalno 24Mbps, which specify the new task of the competition), and only need to know that the video must be converted to AVI using additional software. There are 5 degrees of compression, and we will only say that the maximum quality, the 60GB hard drive fits 330min material, while the lowest can be saved 1375min.

Summary 

Bundles obtain the necessary cables (except of course the HDMI's), discs with accompanying software and small and very practical remote control. What you should know that the camera captures the material and SDHC cards without any restrictions. We liked the fact that there is a lot of manual settings, and they will be more adept and creative, and further affect image quality. One thing is certain, this camera offers many opportunities for the less experienced who just need to press the record button Easy. Image quality is such that it really has nothing to add or take away, except the conclusion that this model of the cameras with integrated drive the one that would at this point and choose.

Canon DC-311 E camcorder review

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Canon DC-311 E KIT is very good camcorder that records video directly to DVD media. Excellent image quality, advanced zoom and image stabilization are the most important things, and it is hard to find anything that could throw up this camera. Price is very affordable, which is just another reason to see this camcorder.
Canon has a very good advantage in the category of digital camcorders, and besides the excellent HD models that we have had the opportunity to test the order came and the models that use DVD media to record the material. These camcorders are much more favorable than HD models, so much more accessible and offer supreme functionality to those that are not too interested in finishing the computer, but just as easily capture the desired material. The main features are an excellent image quality, advanced zoom and the ability to a Dual Layer disc fit to 108 minutes of video.

Key Features 

Excellent quality of recorded material
It is possible to record up to 108 minutes on Dual Layer disc
Very high quality production
Ease of use
Bag and two DVD-R disc in the package

Specification 

Canon DC-311 E KIT
Sensor: 1 / 6 "CCD
Total pixels: 0.8MP
Maximum recording time: Single Layer 1.4GB - XP: 20min., SP: 30min., LP: 60min, Dual Layer: 2.8GB - XP: 36min., SP. 54min., LP: 108min
Optics and lens: 41x Advanced Zoom (41x Optical/2000x Digital), f = 2.6 - 96.2mm
Optical Viewfinder: Widescreen 0:35 "Color Viewfinder / (Approx 114.000 pixels)
LCD display: 2.7 "Widescreen LCD (approx. 112,000 pixels)
Recording media: DVD-R/-RW/-R DL, photos on SD / SDHC memory card

Connectors: 3.5mm 4 Pole Mini-jack AV Mini Terminal
Dimensions: 66 x 90 x 126mm

Weight: 380g (without batteries)
Canon DC-311 E KIT

The camera is pretty good quality, very compact and seems very robust. The hand is very good, and the belt that goes around the hand is very good quality and made of cloth, so it will not happen to nažulja hand after extended use. It is made of very good plastic, black and gray, with silver frame lens, so the color brown belt by the hand and fits perfect visually, but we assume that it will not be a problem. In addition to a stereo microphone on the front side can only be seen polugica to open the lens cover. On the left side, the biggest area occupies 2.7 "LCD display with a resolution of 112,000 pixels. This screen is slightly smaller resolution than the HD models we've seen, but still brilliant picture display, very good details and colors.


Canon DC-311 E to the side, the screen
The right side is a cover for the slot DVD drives, and the mechanism is quite precise and not too rambunctious. Insert or change discs is very simple and will not be a problem even users who never previously worked. Optical frame looking a little harder than we liked, and only a very good resolution viewfinder (EVF in question is that). Here we note that this camera shoots in Wide format, which means that the clips are in the right film, 16:9 format. The battery is placed in the standard position, the back side. The logical place of the wheel and the ignition and the camera mode dial and record button below the thumb. Mention Easy Mode, which allows students to literally a few seconds, start recording when the camera will automatically begin recording at the first free and accessible place on the media.


Canon DC-311 E keys and connectors
The camera has the ability to take pictures, and directly to SD / SDHC memory card. Zoom button works very well, precise and very fast, with variable speed zoom. Advanced Zoom system in addition to traditional optical and digital magnification introduced and Electronic Image Stabilizer and image stabilization that works well even when zoomed to the end. Quick Start and mention that practically allows the camera set to Standby mode and pause recording. The menu is logical and very fast, and navigation and control is done using a small joystick and two extra keys that are left of the LCD. The quality of the recorded material is excellent, even in poor lighting conditions, which is especially good. The picture is very sharp and excellent color and image stabilization is not only advertising but really a lot of influence that the images can not be smudged when a hand shake.

Summary 

The camera comes in the KIT package, with excellent carrying pouch and two blank DVD-R media. The whole package is very affordable cost, which will itself be interesting to those seeking just such a camera. Image quality is excellent, which is quite enough to Canon DC-311 deserve a recommendation.

Canon DM-HF100 mini digital camcorder review

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Canon DM-HF100 mini digital camcorder directly to a memory card captures video up to a maximum of full HD resolution. Very good quality, gives images that are worthy of any collection. It is very easy to use and has a fully automatic mode, but a lot of manual settings for advanced users. 

Latest Canon camcorder is interesting in many ways, and in addition to the compact dimensions, there are full HD resolution recording, and support for memory cards as well as media that record. As a new generation of compact cameras, HF100 brings miniature dimensions (though, not least that exist in the market) which was packed known optics and processor that provides impressive results. Whether you need a camera to record the interesting moments from your vacation or to taste as a director of an amateur film, the fact that such a small camera offers to record in HD and using a 24p film format will certainly be very interesting. 

Key Features 

Recording in full HD resolution (1980x1080) 

Extremely compact dimensions and low weight 

Very easy to use, custom amateurs 

Enough advanced options for those more adept 

Excellent quality 

The possibility of shooting in 24p and 30P mode 

Specification 

Canon DM-HF100 

Sensor: 1/3.2 "CMOS 

Effective pixels: 2.07 Megapixels (1920x1080) for the film, 2.76 Megapixels (1920x1440) 

Maximum recording time: up to 8 GB SDHC Memory Card LP (5 Mbps) 3h, SP (7 Mbps) 2h 20m, XP + (12 Mbps) 2h 25m, FXP (17 Mbps) 1H-Full HD (1920x1080) 

Optics and lens: 12x optički/200x digital zoom, f = 4.8-57mm 

Automatic and manual 

Shooting mode: Auto, Program, Av, Tv, CINEMA, Portrait, Sports, Night, Snow, Beach, Sunset, Spotlight, Fireworks 

Supported formats: 1080/60i, 1080/24p, 1080/30p 

Shutter speed: 1 / 2000, 1 / 500 (card) 

Minimum focal length: 10 mm (wide) / 1m (tele) 

White Balance: Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H, Auto, Manual 

Image Stabilization: SuperRange Optical (lens shift) 

LCD display: 2.7 "Widescreen LCD (approx. 211,000 pixels) 

Recording media: SD / SDHC memory card 

Connectors: HDMI (supported 480i / 480p/1080i), 3.5mm 4 Pole Mini-jack AV Mini Terminal, 3.5 mm stereo mini-jack microphone and headphones input, component output, Advanced Accessory Shoe Terminal to add an external flash 

Dimensions: 73x64x129mm 

Weight: 380g (without batteries) 

Canon DM-HF100 

This camera is the size that will allow you to fit in a pocket of the jacket, for example, and will be the perfect companion at any time. Made of high-quality plastic that even a little reminiscent of the metal, a combination of color is silver gray. Excellent lies in the hand and with a weight of 380g (without batteries) will be very convenient to carry anywhere, and what we liked to act very fast and robust without any crunch plastic (which always knows how to spoil the impression). Although Canon is not rushed to offer such a model, seems to be merely waited to offer probably the most complete camera. 

Although the dimensions do not usually go hand in ergonomics, this time it is not. The controls on this model are very well spaced and large enough that those with larger hands a little trouble be able to comfortably manage the camera. On the rear, next to the slot for the battery, which occupies the greater part of the rear area, there are two plastic cover that is a little harder to take off, and below which are main power connector and AV connectors. Caps are connected plastic with a camera, which is certainly a good thing, that would not happen to lose. Under the thumb exactly is the Start / Stop button for recording (with the recognizable red circles). 

On the right, again conveniently under the thumb wheel is a Mode that selects whether the video or photo shoots, plays video or viewing photos. This wheel may not perfectly correspond to those with little hand higher, but again, some compromises had to be made. Hand strap which is also the right of the solid comfortable, though it would be better if it covered a softer material that after a certain time would not have started to blister hands. Almost at the bottom, there is little cover on which the HDMI and USB label, and below which are logical HDMI and Mini USB connector. Immediately to the top is the cover under which the connector for external flash, or light. In addition to the ignition key, which is shifted to the left (and more to use left hand), above the Photo button, which is for shooting, but teeter Zoom key. 

The front of the camera, the lens is located next to the LED light for video recording, photo flash and auto focus sensor. Below the lens is the built-in stereo microphone. Almost the entire left side holds 2.7 "LCD screen with excellent resolution and very good and readable by the sun. Some of the controls are located near the screen, and so are the keys to play and manipulate video footage placed below the screen, a small joystick button to move the menu and options, all the way to the left of the screen. This is a good design for those who prefer to use both hands when you record, but those who are accustomed to doing everything with one hand and will probably be delighted. The good thing is that it takes very little time to man get used to this. the camera, below the screen, there is a slot for memory cards, the cover of the video connectors, integrated speaker and two additional buttons. 

The camera has a built-in optical image stabilization, called Optical SuperRange which will contribute to good recordings, and the maximum zumu or by users who do not have too many quiet hands. Format cameras record the AVCHD and records to SDHC memory cards, and a maximum of 1980x1080 resolution in compression of 17 Mbps. The 8GB card can fit up to an hour of material. It is possible to use fully automatic settings, but for those more advanced, there is a lot of options that can be manually adjustable. It is possible to record in 24p film and 30P recording mode or in normal 60i mode. Zoom cameras to great, variable speed and is very accurate and fast. Results are shooting great, and we must mention that in conditions worse visibility clips look great. 

Summary 

No doubt we can say that the HF100 an instant hit, that will surprise both amateurs, and those little more adept. Recordings that this camera captures are really very good, excellent sharpness and contrast, with the Canon recognizable good colors. It only takes a shop-quality memory card as a larger capacity, and the recording can begin. Price is high at first glance, but what you get is definitely not exaggerated. All the recommendations.

Canon HF21 SDR camcorder review

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In Japan, Canon has already introduced the successor to the highly popular camcorder SDR-HF20, the HF21. The manufacturer informed that the HF21, the videos in full high definition resolution captures the video format AVCHD uses and works with the highest possible data transfer rate of 24 Mbps. It also has a very large internal memory. It is - the latest trend on the camcorder and computer market in the following - a flash memory. This has a capacity of 64 gigabytes. In the so-called Long Play mode can be stored on the flash memory up to 24.5 hours video material. In addition, a card slot for an SD memory card.

Improved image stabilization and night mode
Canon has also been revised from the image stabilizer of the HF21. This is to protect the 15 times optical zoom lens, the more effective against shaky footage. The HF20 predecessor was criticized in a test only because of its mediocre performance in low light in the environment. The HF21 is equipped with a special program for night shots, so there is hope that this shortcoming is overcome. Moreover, the face should have been refined. In addition, the videographer with the mode''high-speed AF is'', ie a fast-sharp autofocus manner to respond to moving subjects.

Although the Canon HF21, HF21 or SDR was also called, initially introduced only in Japan, it might also appear in the foreseeable future on the German market. Judging by the first information, the HF21 may still surpass the very good HF20. But videos in high definition and AVCHD format is not suitable for every camcorder: The amount of data are significant and require a very good program for video editing and a very powerful computer.

PIXO C1 Universal Charger

This clever designed charger allows to charge Li-on batteries from almost any photo camera or camcorder. Just adjust two pins and insert the battery. The polarity is automatically dedtected and the battery is charged with all neccessary saftety protections. This seems to be a great alternative to the Canon charger, especially if you also have to charge Li-ion batteries from other devices. The street price is below 30 EUR. I don't own this charger but according to the manufacturer website it also charges "intelligent" or "smart" batteries. The C2 model additionally charges NiCd and NiMH batteries.

What settings do I use?

You can't do much wrong with the HF100 just make sure it's in FXP High Quality mode. If you want to shoot interlaced and you want to be on the safe side the "Easy" button isn't a bad idea.

If you're concerned of best possible motion capture of fast moving objects you may want to use 50i. I use PF25 exclusively and set the shutter speed in Tv mode to 1/50s because higher shutter speeds tend to show stuttering motion. Slower shutter speeds don't work well when the camcorder is handheld. It's the same as with photo cameras if the shutter speed gets too low you have to use a tripod.

At the moment I'm experimenting with Cinemode which looks promising. Here are some comments about this mode from different web forums:

"Cine mode uses a low contrast gamma - it gives more detail in shadows and highlights, creating a flatter looking image."

"Cinemode attempts to keep the shutter speed at 1/48 (NTSC) or 1/50 (PAL). If there's either too little or too much light to compensate with aperture, the shutter speed will be automatically adjusted. In very low light situations, some gain is applied too, but it tops out at 9dB."

"There's no manual control over shutter speed in cine mode."

"Cine mode turns off in-camera sharpening, so the resulting images are softer than with other modes. Generally, this is a good thing, because there are no halos caused by sharpening around edges. Most of the apparent sharpness can be applied back by sharpening in the edit, but unfortunately it also causes some real, unreversable loss in low contrast detail."

"The Cine mode on the HV30 matches the Canon XL A1's Cine V mode (Custom Preset #8)."

"The parameters of the Cine V preset are Gamma: Cine 1, Knee: Low, Black: Stretch, Sharpness: -4, Color Matrix: Cine 1, Color Gain: -20, Color Phase: +5, Red-Blue: -5, Green-Red: -5, Blue-Red: +5, and Red-Green: +12."

My experience with Cinemode so far is that in good light and with some contrast enhancement (and/or color correction) on the computer Cinemode gives very good results. It keeps gain low, stays around 1/50 shutter speed and rather opens the aperture to compensate for low light than increasing the gain. But again it needs enough light. You don't want this mode to go below 1/50s unless you shoot from a tripod.

Whatever you choose test it carefully first!

LYTECUP exposure control device

Canon HV20/HV30 users also have no manual control over gain, arperture and shutter speed. The LYTECUP^TM looks like a useful device. It seems to have a dimmable and diffused LED light source inside and allows to set arpertures and shutter speeds while keeping gain at zero.

I have no experience with this device but I think it would work just the same on the HF100. Maybe some adaption to the smaller lens diameter of the HF100 would be all that is needed. For someone experienced in electronics this could be an interesting DIY project using a LED, a diffuser, a battery, potentiometer, some capacitors, resistors and a NE555 integrated circuit to produce the pulse width modulation (PWM) for dimming the LED but its probably not worth the time if you can buy it readymade for a fair price.

You could use a light meter (expensive) or your point and shoot pocket camera to determine the correct exposure of a scene at a low ISO and 1/50 shutter speed. After this set the HF100 to Tv50 then set the correct arperture using the LYTECUP device. Some experiementing will be required though to find the corresponding ISO value of the "zero gain" HF100 setting.

I'm unhappy

I became quite unhappy with the image quality of the HF100. It's always the same. First there was Super VHS and VHS suddenly looked bad. Then came miniDV, then HDV or AVCHD. Every step looked like a big progress. But in fact they where tiny steps, the sensors in the cameras always remained smaller then the fingernail of your pinky. The actual resolution makes one cry. Will there ever be an end to this? I think so. Image quality from large sensor still cameras is at a point where little improvement can be done. Photos look just great. Now movie quality has to catch up and all will be good. At least for 2D since we'll probably progress to 3D visualisation in our living room then :-)

I watched a lot of Nikon D90 DSLR videos recently at vimeo. This model has a sensor of the same size as a 35 mm cinema camera. The depth of field and the colors and the overall look of the videos makes my HF100 pale. Sure the D90 shows a lot of JPEG compression artefacts and has a low bitrate and no control but nevertheless it looks very good at 640 x 360 size. And it will only get better with upcoming models.

I recommend watching these videos from the D90 to get the feel of the "new look" future cameras promise. The D90 has bad resolution but the images feel warm and analog.
www.vimeo.com/1694439
www.vimeo.com/1696848
www.vimeo.com/1775787
www.vimeo.com/1713382

Now the HF100 is FullHD but can you watch it at that size on a computer monitor? I also have to scale its video down to 360p in order to look akzeptable. Still the HF100 images look "muddier" than the D90 ones. Sure you can do some "color grading" but if the material isn't optimal its frustrating. I always said that it's a miracle how such quality can come from such a tiny, tiny sensor but imagine what the HF100 could deliver with a large sensor. It can't be this small any more but who cares? In the past 35 mm size meant heavy, expensive cameras but it can be done in a very small package. E.g. the Micro Four Thirds standard promises small still/movie cameras with "huge" sensors and fast autofocus during movie recording. Autofocus is important since the shallow depth of field of large sensor cameras makes it difficult to focus manually, especially on the lcd screen (the viewfinder is disabled in movie mode). Vimeo is full of unsharp D90 videos because of this.

Pentax K20D(21f/s) + DA55-300mm from ligar on Vimeo.

The above movie represents the holy grail (Download and watch the original!). Some day there will be no difference between the quality of a photo and a movie frame. Until then we have to live with the crippled products the industry is willing to give us consumers.

After seeing the "look" of big sensor movies I will never ever buy a small sensor camera again. Period. By the way I observe all these changes at myphotomoviecam.blogspot.com

ViewSonic VX2260wm FullHD Display

When I connected my HF100 to a desktop monitor using a HDMI to DVI cable I only got a 720x576 pixel (4:3) display. I recently learned of the ViewSonic VX2260wm desktop monitor which should show the full HD output resolution of the HF100.

I say "should" since I'm cautious and have no experience with this device. If it works though this is an interesting studio monitor solution since Full HD TVs are usually much larger (30" and up), expensive and heavier. The ViewSonic VX2260wm is a 21.5", 16:9 monitor with HDMI input, 1920 x 1080 resolution and a good price.

HF200 is going into the wrong direction

Canon will offer new HF20 and HF200 models in spring 2009. FullHD and 24 mbits/s but 17 per cent smaller with an even smaller 1/4" image sensor! Imagine this almost microscopic sensor size. Crazy!

Canon HF S100 is the better choice

Canon HF S100

• 1/2,6" sensor
• 1920 x 1080 Full HD
• 24 Mbps data rate
• SDHC-card
• 43,5 - 435mm lens
• Fiter thread: 58mm
• April 2009
• 1300 EUR

Some "Pro" features like manual focus, custom button and wheel, zebra pattern or manual sound level control.Interesting although it would require a new wide angle adapter.

UPDATE: According to this German review the larger sensor area doesn't improve anything for video. Only photos benefit from the higher pixel count. Despite the larger sensor the low light performance didn't improve and the video resolution is in fact lower than that of the HF10/100! They measeured this three times!

Canon 5D MK II vs Canon HF 100 + 35mm Adapter

Canon 5D MK II vs Canon HF 100 + 35mm Adapter from judgesimon on Vimeo.

Detailed HF11 Review by a Pro

The HF11 has a bit rate of 24 mbits/s, otherwise it's identical to the HF10 and if you forget the internal storage its also identical to the HF100. I just found this review of the HF11 "NTSC" model by Adam Wilt. Its a very interesting read and it becomes quickly clear that this man is a professional who uncovers details I haven't found anywhere else.

One interesting thing is that Mr. Wilt prefers the interlaced recording quality over the progressive one because of the interlaced 4:2:0 color encoding. Take a look at the hummingbird’s head shot on page two of the review. I've seen those red sawthooths in my progressive recordings but couldn't explain why they are there. Now I know.

I think I'm going to take a second look at recording interlaced with my HF100. I knew it doesn't record real progressive frames but I was not aware of the interlaced color encoding.

Update: There's no need to record interlaced if you don't want to. See my next post.

HF100 Sawtooth Artefacts in PF25 mode.

I think I got it. There's no need to switch to interlaced recording for better image quality. I somehow understood Adam Wilts review (see previous post) as if the HF11 records better images in interlaced mode. But that was a misinterpretation. What Adam Wilt says is: if you compare progressive recordings of the HF11 to real progressive recordings of a professional camcorder the HF11/10/100 looks less good because of the sawtooth artefacts shown above. A real progressive recording camcorder will not show these artefacts. If he compares interlaced recordings of both camcorders the difference is very small though.

The 1:1 details shown above come from a slowly moving HF100. The progressive recording shows these red sawtooth artefacts because of the interlaced color coding. But the interlaced recording also shows these artefacts plus the typical interlace combs. So if you need progressive frames shoot in PF25 mode and live with the artefacts. I'm glad I don't have to deal with all this annoying deinterlacing stuff.

I don't understand how this interlaced 4:2:0 color coding stuff works but at least now I see the disadvantage of progressive frames recorded in an interlaced format .

Here's an Wikipedia article on chroma subsampling

HF100 Red Saw Tooth Fix for Final Cut Pro and Express

Copy and paste the green text below into a plain text editor

scriptid "Red Sawtooth Fix" //DO NOT LOCALIZE filter "Red Sawtooth Fix"; group "HF100 Fixes"; // Blurs the V channel in YUV a little bitInformationFlag("YUVaware") code float colorSpace; colorSpace = kFormatYUV219;BlurChannel(src1, dest, 0/renderres, 1, 0, 0, 0, aspectof(dest)); BlurChannel(src1, dest, 0/renderres, 0, 1, 0, 0, aspectof(dest)); BlurChannel(src1, dest, 0/renderres, 0, 0, 1, 0, aspectof(dest)); BlurChannel(src1, dest, 1/renderres, 0, 0, 0, 1, aspectof(dest)); 

Save the text file as Red Sawtooth Fix.txt in
/Library/Application Support/Final Cut Support/Plugins if you use Final Cut Express or
/Library/Application Support/Final Cut Pro System Support/Plugins if you use Final Cut Pro

Restart Final Cut Pro or Express and look for the filter in the "HF100 Fixes" folder under the Video Filters menu

Apply the filter to any HF100 clip with red color in it and enjoy smoother reds.

.MTS file preview in OS X Finder

The $6.99 HD Quick Look plugin by shedworx.com allows a thumbnail preview of the first frame of .MTS AVCHD files in the OS X Finder.

They also offer VoltaicHD which allows conversion of standalone .MTS files to other QuickTime video formats without the need for the entire AVCHD file structure.

Wired control for the HF100

Professional camcorders often have an optional controller unit which allows to control the camcorder while having the hands on the video tripod. If you also want this luxury with your HF100 you might find a solution by the user "Modellbahner" at the Slashcam.de Forum interesting. Remote sensor and wireless control are simply connected by an audio fiber-optics (TOSLINK) cable.

The photos above are form the forum entry.

Better sound with the Sennheiser MKE 400

I neglected audio for a long time. The built-in microphones are not bad but a good external microphone sounds better.

I've chosen the Sennheiser MKE 400 because of it's small size and good reviews. It records directional mono sound and is powered by a single AAA sized battery which allows about 300 hours operation time.

The MKE 400 recordings have much less noise and sound more transparent and natural but somewhat "thinner" with more treble and less bass. But listen for yourself:

Canon HF100 + Sennheiser MKE 400 from Martin Koch on Vimeo.

I used two HF100 for this comparison. Both camcorders where about 1.5 m (5 feet) away. Wind cut was off. Both HF100 where manually set to the same audio recording level (green indicator at the -12 dB mark)^*. The MKE400 was set to "+" in order to have the same sensitivity as the built-in microphones. I recommend the "+" setting since the first amplication stage is the most critical and the preamp in the MKE 400 is most likely of higher quality (less noise) than that of the HF100.

Note that the MKE400 doesn't fit into the Mini Advanced Accessory Shoe of the HF100 without some sort of adaption. The simplest solution is to file the 18 mm wide plastic foot of the MKE 400 microphone to a width of 16 mm as shown in the photo above. By doing so you are able to slide the foot into the Mini Advanced Accessory Shoe plus you can still fasten the microphone securely on any standard flash shoe.

Ready-made adapters are available too. I found this Hague shoe adapter and this adapter at Adorama or DM-Accessories. By using such adapters you will also have extra distance between the microphone and the zoom lever of the HF100. Without there's a chance to touch the microphone while zooming which would produce unwanted noise.

Caution: If you make your own adapter use plastics material inside the mini accessory shoe since a short cut at the electrical contacts will damage the camera. Or stay clear of the electrical contacts like this adapter made of aluminum.

What's about the Canon DM-100 accessory microphone? It has no connection problems and it has two important advantages. First there's no audio cable since the electrical connections are made inside the Mini Advanced Accessory Shoe. It also doesn't need an extra battery since the power is supplied via the HF100. A big plus.

So despite all these advantages why didn't I order it? Because it's strange that you can't find a detailed description of this microphone on Canons website or in the HF100 manual. Very strange. I finally found an DM-100 review at amazon that reveals the technical data. E.g. 100 - 10,000 Hz in shot gun mode doesn't sound too convincing. The frequency response in stereo mode remains Canons secret. If Canon would be proud of their product they certainly would offer more information or even sound samples. Somehow it looks like another overpriced accessory. Unfortunately I had no possibility to actually try it out. You can see the DM-100 up close and personal in this clip:

Sennheiser on the other hand offers all specifications including a polar pattern diagram at the their website. The MKE 400 is also smaller than the DM-100 and it can be used on other cameras. I'm very pleased with it.

Of course the Sennheiser MKE 400 is a compromise between size and sound quality. There are better, fuller sounding microphones (Rhode make good ones) but all are much larger than the Sennheiser and will not fit as well to the HF100.

What's about stereo? It depends on what you're filming. You may want stereo in a wide angle shot of a large orchestra or of a car passing by in the distance but most of the time it will be a single sound source and narrow field of view so mono will be sufficient. The MKE400 is a directional microphone designed to isolate a single sound source so mono makes sense.

^*To set equal audio levels on two cameras play a continuous, constant tone. I looped a 660 Hz sine wave recording using the QuickTime player.

My new lens hood for the HF100

This lens hood is made by Mennon. It's available in black or silver and is mounted on a 37mm filter. It even comes with a cap. I ordered it from EnjoyYourCamera.com in Germany.

Mennon also produces a screw-in lens hood with 37mm thread that fits the camcorder directly without the need for a filter. But since an UV or IR blocking filter also protects the lens I strongly suggest to use one.

Note that such a wide lens hood blocks the iAF sensor, the LED light and the flash. Since I don't use any of these that's not a problem for me. I don't film fast moving objects and I don't want the camera to change focus too quickly therefore I'm fine with the slower contrast auto focus through the lens.

Getting a grip on the HF100

Such a handle bar improves your handheld video shooting because it allows to have a firm grip on your HF100. It has wings like the SteadyWing the professional black of the Fig Rig and the balls from the SteadyGrip.

I wanted a good looking solution and found a 350 mm wide and 10 mm thick black anodized bow handle at norelem.de. I also ordered other parts from them. You can find the part numbers in the drawing above. Since the 40 mm balls have a M10 thread and the handle a M6 one I also ordered two 10 mm / 6 mm Helicoil thread adapters. Unfortunately the thread adapters didn't fit. I found out that a normal M10 thread is M10 x 1.5 while those Helicoil adapters are M10 x 1.25. My solution made on a lathe is shown below.

The Quick Change Adapter is mounted from above using a M6 bolt with countersunk head. This required cutting a M6 thread in the middle of the handle bar and countersinking the adapter. Alternatively the Quick Change Adapter can also be fastened through a 6.5 mm hole from below using a 1/4" screw.

For mounting the balls I drilled a piece of M10 threaded rod and cut a M6 thread into it. There are also ready-made M10 to M6 thread adapters available.

Another interesting solution "to get a grip" on tiny camcorders like the HF100 is the Foddis Pico.

H.264 encoding formula

Kush Amerasinghe, an engineer at Adobe has written an interesting primer on H.264 compression called "H.264 for the rest of us".
In this easy to understand paper he presents a very useful formula for estimating the video bitrate needed:

Bitrate [ kbps ] = Width * Height * fps * Motion * 0.07 / 1000

Width, height: Pixels
fps: Frames per second
Motion: Low = 1, Medium = 2, High = 4

Quote from the paper:

• Low motion is a video that has minimal movement. For example, a person talking in front of a camera without moving much while the camera itself and the background is not moving at all.
• Medium motion would be some degree of movement, but in a more predictable and orderly manner, which means some relatively slow camera and subject movements, but not many scene changes or cuts or sudden snap camera movements or zooms where the entire picture changes into something completely different instantaneously.
• High motion would be something like the most challenging action movie trailer, where not only the movements are fast and unpredictable but the scenes also change very rapidly.

Example for a 25 fps video:
Low motion: 1280 x 720 x 25 * 1 * 0.07 / 1000 = app. 1500 kbps
Medium motion: 1280 x 720 x 25 * 2 * 0.07 / 1000 = app. 3000 kbps
High motion:1280 x 720 x 25 * 4 * 0.07 / 1000 = app. 6500 kbps

ClipWrap 2 allows native AVCHD playback and editing on a Mac

ClipWrap 2.0 lets you quickly rewrap individual .MTS files into QuickTime .MOV files that can be played back in the QuickTime player or imported into Final Cut. But see yourself:

Note that Version 2 of ClipWrap is not available yet but it should come this summer (2009).

Hehe, I know this chicken in the YouTube clip above.

DIY camera motion control

Hows about moving your HF100 like a pro?

DIY camera motion control from Martin Koch on Vimeo.
The system consists of a ready-made IGUS DryLin W rail system and a small stepping motor which is controlled by an Arduino interface board. Once the controller program is loaded the system works stand alone. It can be powered by a battery and can be controlled by a simple power switch because the programmed task starts automatically each time the Arduino board is powered on. It's possible to horizontally move loads (camera + mounting head) of up to 6 kg (13 lbs) with the system described below.
Here's what you need:

Slider

1000 mm long Igus DryLin WS 10-80 rail.
Costs: about 50 EUR / m
Ready-mounted Igus DryLin WW 10-80-15 sledge.
Costs: about 30 EUR
The maximal possible length of movement equals rail length minus slider length (the WW 10-80-15 sledge is 150 mm long) so the usable length will be 850 mm ( 1000 mm - 150 mm).

The Igus order number for a complete system with 1 meter long rail and 150 mm sledge is WK-10-80-15-01, 1000 (the first number is the rail diameter in millimeters, second is the rail width followed by length of sledge, number of sledges and rail length).
The DryLin-W railsystem is a maintainance free, self lubricating linear guide system. It is available in three rail diameters: 10, 16 and 20 mm.

Official Igus procedure for aligning the carriage (needs to be done once).
1. Loosen all carriage bolts - (don't remove - just loosen a few turns)
2. slide carriage back and forth to allow bearings to align themselves
3. Tap the center of the carriage to "bump" the bearings into place
4. With downward pressure on carriage tighten the bolts again a few turns at a time (alternating them - i.e. do NOT crank one down and then do the other ones)
Alternatively you could also use the narrower 10-40 system but the savings are minimal. Or for a super strong version for long rails or cameras that weigh more than 3 kg (1.5 lb) use the 16-60 system. Read this thread at dvxuser.com for more info and inspiration. (a 10-40 version is shown in post #336 on page 34). Post #475 shows how to move along an arc.
You can order directly from Igus. They have offices around the world. More info at Drylin-W.de
This is about all you need when you move the camera manually. You can also build a hand cranked version if you wish. I went a step further and motorized the whole assembly.

Controller board

Arduino Duemilanove (or Arduino Uno see update below) or Arduino Nano USB I/O controller board. Visit arduino.cc for more information and where to buy it.
Costs: Arduino about 25 EUR, Arduino Nano about 50 EUR.
The current (as of 2009) Arduino is called Duemilanove which is italian for "2009". It is meant to be used with a "shield", an interface board that sits on top of the Arduino.

I used the Arduino Nano. It offers the same features in a smaller 30 pin package that can be used just like an integrated circuit. You need an USB to USB mini cable to program it. Such a cable came much likely with your digital camera.

Software

Download and install the Arduino software for Windows, Mac OS X or Linux.
Costs: free.
Copy and paste the following Arduino sketch into the developing enviroment and download it to the board. Make sure to choose the correct board under Tools>Hardware. If you use an Arduino Nano replace the digital output numbers with the ones in the comment. Once downloaded the Arduino executes the sketch on its own. Every time power is turned on or the tiny reset button is pressed the sketch starts.

/*Move an unipolar stepper motorVersion 2.0 with simpler, leaner code2010, Martin Kochhttp://canon-hf100.blogspot.com/----------------------------------------Use a 12 V, 0.16 A to 0.5 A unipolar (6 wires) stepper motorIf you use the Arduino Nano assign these digital output numbers:#define D0 2#define D1 3#define D2 4#define D3 5*/// Arduino digital output numbers#define D0 13#define D1 12#define D2 11#define D3 10int rpm = 30; //revolutions per minute (keep below 100)void setup() {  pinMode(D0, OUTPUT); pinMode(D1, OUTPUT); pinMode(D2, OUTPUT); pinMode(D3, OUTPUT); delay(1000);//Choose number of steps by trial and error //so the slide runs the whole length of the DryLin W rail for (int step=0; step<9000; step++) { moveMotor(step);  delay (150 / rpm); } motorOff();}void loop() { // run again and again (not used)}void moveMotor(int step) { switch (step % 8) // Half steps (step modulo 8 ensures 0 to 7 cycles) { case 0: //1000 digitalWrite(D0, HIGH); digitalWrite(D1, LOW); digitalWrite(D2, LOW); digitalWrite(D3, LOW); break;  case 1: //1100 digitalWrite(D0, HIGH); digitalWrite(D1, HIGH); digitalWrite(D2, LOW); digitalWrite(D3, LOW); break;  case 2: //0100 digitalWrite(D0, LOW); digitalWrite(D1, HIGH); digitalWrite(D2, LOW); digitalWrite(D3, LOW); break;  case 3: //0110 digitalWrite(D0, LOW); digitalWrite(D1, HIGH); digitalWrite(D2, HIGH); digitalWrite(D3, LOW); break; case 4: //0010 digitalWrite(D0, LOW); digitalWrite(D1, LOW); digitalWrite(D2, HIGH); digitalWrite(D3, LOW); break;  case 5: //0011 digitalWrite(D0, LOW); digitalWrite(D1, LOW); digitalWrite(D2, HIGH); digitalWrite(D3, HIGH); break;  case 6: //0001 digitalWrite(D0, LOW); digitalWrite(D1, LOW); digitalWrite(D2, LOW); digitalWrite(D3, HIGH); break;  case 7: //1001 digitalWrite(D0, HIGH); digitalWrite(D1, LOW); digitalWrite(D2, LOW); digitalWrite(D3, HIGH); break; }  return;}void motorOff() { digitalWrite(D0, LOW); digitalWrite(D1, LOW); digitalWrite(D2, LOW); digitalWrite(D3, LOW);}

There's also an Arduino stepper motor class available but I prefered to write my own stepping motor control code just for fun. To cut noise the motor is operated in half step mode so it doesn't offer the full torque but the ULN2803A interface allows to connect twice as strong motors.

Stepping motor

Small 12V unipolar (6 wires) stepping motor with maximal 0.5 A per winding.
Costs: about 30 EUR.

My stepping motor needs just 0.16 A per winding and offers a force of just 70 mNm (0.070 Nm = 0.62 Pound-force inches). Nonetheless it is still able to horizontally pull loads up to 6 kg (3 lb). I bought it from RS-Components. The part number is 440-436. In order to fit my interface I had to rearrange the wires. To loosen a wire in the type of connector shown above use a needle to press in the latch from the front then pull out the wire. The wire easily clicks in place at the new location. If you use the same motor the wire arrangement in the plug should be B brown, E brown, A white, F blue, C red, D yellow.

Interface

1 ULN2803A integrated circuit, prototyping board, connection pins, wire
Costs: A few Euros.
The interface is as simple as it can get. Make sure to connect the stepping motor wires as shown in the schematic.
Schematic for Arduino board

Schematic for Arduino Nano board


This board also shows a 5 V relais (orange part) that is used to trigger a still camera.

Battery

A small maintainance-free 12 V lead battery with about 2 Ah is inexpensive and sufficient for hours of continuous operation.
Costs: about 20 EUR.

You'll also need a lead battery charger

Assembly

The most silent solution is to use a nylon rope to pull the sledge across the track. It works in one direction only but by turning the whole assembly by 180° its easily possible to move in the opposite direction.
The usual camera move is from left to right just as we read. It tells the viewer that everything is alright. If you want to disturb the viewer move the camera from right to left.

The rope bobbin can be made on a lathe.

The whole assembly is not completly silent but silent enough to be usable. The noise of the stepper motor is cut significantly by using rubber mounting bolts.

Ideas

If you don't mind the noise (e.g. music video) you can also use a d.c. motor with gear assembly. The Arduino board offers pulse width modulation (PWM) control to set different speeds.
The Arduino board also offers analog and digital inputs so you can wire a potentiometer or switches to set different speeds.
The possibilities are endless and it's fun to play with the Arduino system. I recommend the book "Getting started with Arduino" for an easy start.
Here's an example video: vimeo.com/5535135

---

Update March 9, 2010: I updated the Arduino sketch above with a simpler and leaner version that does the same.
Update November 20, 2010: There's a new Arduino UNO available which replaces the Arduino Duemilanove and works the same.
Update February 15, 2011: If you use the Arduino UNO it's best to built the interface circuit on a ProtoShield that can be plugged directly into the Arduino.
Update June 19, 2011: As far as I know Igus doesn't sell directly to individuals any longer but they offer ready-made sliders with predrilled 3/8" hole at Amazon.com.

The image from Amazon above shows that you need 8 bolts to properly fasten the plate to the four linear bearings.

Do you want an even leaner code? Well I recently learned how to use the Arduino stepper library with an unipolar stepper motor. It's way simpler to use than I thought and although I haven't tested the code below I post it to give you an idea how little code is neccessary using the Stepper.h library included with the Arduino software download:

#include  //include the function library#define STEPS 200 //1.8 deg motor (200 steps per revolution)#define D0 13 // Arduino digital output numbers#define D1 12#define D2 11#define D3 10Stepper stepper(STEPS, D0, D1, D2, D3); //create the steppervoid setup() { stepper.setSpeed(30); //set speed to 30 rpm delay(1000);  stepper.step(200); //move 200 steps = 360 deg in one direction delay(1000);  stepper.step(-200); //move 200 steps = 360 deg in the opposite direction}void loop() {}

Canon BP-827 Fully Decoded Compatible Battery

This 2900 mAh third party battery is fully compatible with the HF100 and other Canon cameras i.e. It can be charged in the camera or with the original Canon charger and it shows the battery level on the camcorder display. This battery will power the HF100 three times longer than the battery that came with it.

The original Canon BP-827 battery currently has a street price of $125 / 120 EUR.

Short manual slider

Winter Solitude from Martin Koch on Vimeo.

How long should your slider be? I bet in 99% of all cases you'll just need a short one. Consider this. A rather common 10 mm/s move uses up 100 mm rail per film second. You'll be able to show a pretty long 40 seconds move with a 500 mm rail and 100 mm carriage. In practise the majority of your dolly moves will be under 10 seconds long so a 500 mm rail will be more than sufficient.

The following is a version of the "ZaZa" Slider described in this great dvxuser thread.

My new short manual slider consists of:

• One 500 mm long Igus DryLin W WS-16-60 rail.
• One 150 mm long WW-16-60-15 HKA carriage with manual clamp.
• One cheap Velbon PH-368 fluid head.
• One Manfrotto 357 universal sliding plate for quickly mounting the slider to a tripod.
• Two blocks of wood for low slider moves.
• Four M10 or 3/8" bolts with washers for the end stops.
• One 3/8" or 1/4" bolt for mounting the fluid head.

A 100 mm long carriage would be more than enough but I had to choose the 150 mm long carriage because the manual clamp doesn't fit on the short carriage. Nevertheless I still can do more than 30 seconds of slow 10 mm/s moves. Plenty enough for me.

The total cost for the complete manual slider is 220 EUR incl. VAT (120 EUR for the Igus parts + 40 EUR for the fluid head + 50 EUR for the universal sliding plate + 10 EUR for small parts). Please note that Igus seems to have different prices for different countries so your total costs can vary from mine. The whole assembly is heavy, rock solid and will work with much larger camcorders than the HF100.

The 8 mm diameter holes in the 16 mm diameter rails are perfect for a 3/8" thread and nearly perfect for a 10 mm thread. I bought the 3/8" UNC tap and 3/8" UNC bolts from RS-Components. Single 3/8" UNC bolts are available from Rosentaler-Schrauben.at.

Smooth manual slider moves are not hard to do after some practise. Nevertheless I couldn't help to try an enviroment friendly, absolutely silent, gravity driven automatic slider version. I bought the rope roll with ball bearings (pulley) some time ago from eBay. I suggest you do a Google product search for possible suppliers.

As it turns out this is also useable to add movement to shorter timelapse shoots. 0.3 mm/s are no problem.

Optional with larger equipment a block and tackle system could save weight.

Without deflection of the rope you can go as low as table height with this system

Movist plays .mts files on Mac OS X

The free Mac OS X movie player Movist can play native AVCHD (.mts) files.
You can download the latest version from this Google Project hosting page.

Simple but effective camera movement

After all these "high tech" camera slider solutions it's time to point to some simple and zero cost (if you already have a video tripod) camera movement tricks. Enjoy these two well presented clips by YouTube user brusspup:

The next one is an old trick that allows smooth pans with amateur video tripods:

Three years later ...

... and I still have my HF100. Actually I have two because I bought a second one shortly before they disappeared from the market.

I don't have the impression that the new models offer any significant improvements in image quality. The only thing I miss is full manual control but if I have the urge to upgrade one day I will rather buy a real pro camera with built in ND filter, professional audio, waveform monitor and dedicated controls. And should this camera shoot great stills and video and have a larger sensor I'd be more than glad.

But until then I enjoy the compactness and ease of use of the HF100. Forgive it it's quirks and try to make the best of it.

I learned a lot about video in this three years and I'm glad some posts where also useful for you.

I close this blog now and move on. Be well.

Sony PMW-EX3 XDCAM EX

Pros: Interchangeable lens. Amazing viewfinder. Superb picture quality. Versatile shape and frame rates. Accepted by major broadcast companies for full productions.
Cons: Precarious position of the viewfinder. Sometimes hard to operate, especially if you have big sized hands.

Though I don't have The Sony PMW-EX3 yet (just trying from a rental nearby), I can assure myself this is my new favorite camera, and will probably stay that way for a long time (yet I know the speed of technology growth will negate my saying soon enough). The EX3 is the perfect combination of quality, versatility, size, and price. Retailing not more than $8,400 , we can call it the first true professional camcorder under $10k.

The EX3 is an upgrade from its very popular brother, Sony XDCAM PMW-EX1. The differences, in order of importance are: the EX3 can use interchangeable lenses, the EX3 has a magnificent viewfinder (I'll tell you why I call it magnificent later), and the last is that the EX3 doesn't have the bugs from the early productions of the EX1. The downsides, though it's minimum, still need to be mentioned that the EX3 viewfinder is now perched off to the side and seems prone to breakage, and the price is $2k more expensive than the EX1. But for wildlife and nature work, its obvious; go with the EX3 over the EX1, in fact, over any other camera you can find.

Interchangeable Lens
This feature is a winner, and that's a major plus because the default lens that is 14x Fujinon lens, although of exceptional quality (and amazing in low light), is barely adequate for wildlife. To change a lens simply release a lens lock button and then turn a lever upward while holding the lens. Pull the stock lens strait out (i.e., directly away from the camera). Reverse the steps to afix a new lens. Fortunately, lens can be changed while the camera is mounted on most rail or other support systems. The camera comes with a 1/2" adapter for standard Sony bayonet lens. Many wildlife videographers are puchasing third party adapters that allow the use of Nikon SLR lens (make sure its a lens with a manual diaphram ring). The use of such lens will increase your magnification by about 5-fold. I tested my EX3 on a Sigma 50-500 and the quality was amazing. The wider angles come in handy for finding your target before you zoom in on it. Of course, you will be on full manual mode with the use of such lens (what Sony calls "non-exclusive lens").

Magnificent Viewfinder
Imagine if you can open viewfinder of a camera and inside you can see an LCD, both have extraordinary resolution. Yes, the EX3 has this new kind of viewfinder, and you can now trust your viewfinder and your LCD when you want to focus your picture, because of it's amazing quality. The only downside is that the large viewfinder sets off to the side of the camera, connected at only one spot. It seems prone to breakage. Also, the unit may not fit as easily into your bag as the EX1 or many other models.

Like the EX1, the EX3 uses SxS memory cards. However, unlike earlier versions of the EX1 the EX3 comes ready to handle 32gb cards. In addition, the EX3 can use Kensington adapters and SDHC cards (such as those by Transcend and SanDisk) in the card slots, and with the doors completely close (unlike the EX1). These cards/adapters cost only about one-fifth the cost of SxS cards (but you can't overcrank at 1280x720 60fps with the adapters). I've had no problem with the adapters and I strongly recommend having a collection of them in your bag. The EX3 also has a hot shoe on the back for peripherals such as the Sony PHU-60k hard drive, but to be honest, I think a bag full of adapter cards is a cheaper and better solution.

The "chainsaw" shape of the EX3 allows for shoulder-mounted shooting by use of an extendable shoulder pad and/or a cheek pad. The shoulder pad is made of a foam-like material; it will be interesting to see how it holds up over time.

In summary, this camera sets a new standard for professional video. Canon, Panasonic, and JVC have their work cut out for them. With a decent lens this is an excellent camera for nature and wildlife work.

image source: www.testfreaks.com, www.dvuser.co.uk