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[JPWDW]

Hello everyone! My name is Joe and maybe most of you dont know me, that's why im trying to get myslef introduced here in MouseBits.com...Im a very disney fan and I specialy love the shows and parades disney always present to make a dream come true! 
But the real thing is that I just got and brand new Sony HD camera ad Im way too happy to enjoy it!
There are several questions that I have in mind and you guys know a lot about the topic, so I want to ask: What are some of the tips or divices you can give me on how to use a hd camera, andy suplies or special things must buy to get a good video? If have many questions, but it would be cool if you all could help me! Thanks for reading!
Regards:
JPWDW (Joe)
PS: The camera is Sony Digital HD Video Handycam Recorder (HDR-SR10)
See ya!
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Take te dream with you, where ever you may go! "Mickey Mouse"

[JPWDW]

Anyone?

[marni1971]

The main thing is, learn how to use your camera. Know how to focus manually, and how to ride the exposure as you tape, then make sure the auto settings are off . There is nothing worse than a great quality video that goes blurred in a dark ride or during fireworks.

If it has optical stabilisation, use it. If it is electronic, switch it off.

Get a lens cloth, and keep the lens clean!

These are basics for any format, not just HD. I`ve seen far too much footage shot on HD that may as well be on cine film it is so poor.

[pyrotech]

Can I just say, keep quiet whilst filming,  too many decent "family" videos not what they could be, with the operator and family talking over what is being recorded.  Many people forget the sound aspect.

[JPWDW]

Thanks guys! I did knew about being quiet while shooting the footage, and I must say that recirding with a hd camera isn't that so easy as a normal one..., but I guess I'll try it out! About what you said Martin, what do you mean by the auto seettings and the difference between optical and electronic stabilisation?
Thanks!

[kirky]

Thanks guys! I did knew about being quiet while shooting the footage, and I must say that recirding with a hd camera isn't that so easy as a normal one..., but I guess I'll try it out! About what you said Martin, what do you mean by the auto seettings and the difference between optical and electronic stabilisation?
Thanks!

With regards to image stabilization...  Optical would be the actual lenses, etc adjust as the camera moves to try to keep everything stable.  Electronic stabilization is tough to describe...  Picture two rectangles, a smaller one inside the larger one.  What you record is actually the smaller rectange and as you start to jerk around, it slowly uses the data in the larger rectangle to slow the movement.  Kindof like cropping a photo...

Just like optical zoom = good, digital zoom = bad!

[SirLamer]

Yes, except the blur effect of electronic stabilization is not as dramatic as the negative effect from a digital zoom.

I would actually suggest you keep the image stabilization on no matter what, unless you deliberately want to achieve a very jerky camera effect.  The increased random motion in the video with stabilization disabled takes a lot more storage data in order to achieve an equivalent image quality compared to a calmer, less jittery video.  The bitrate is fixed, however, so instead it will result in overall reduced image quality as the file data is used to compensate for motion instead of texture detailing.  This is due to the more modern, higher compression codecs used in HD camcorders (both HDV and AVCHD).  Of course, I have not used your camera model, so test this hypothesis with the video quality set to the bitrate you want to use, with stabilization on and then off.  If the bitrate is high enough it may more than compensate for the motion and, with stabilization disabled, you will have a very slightly sharper image.

Note that this recommendation does not apply to standard definition camcorders using the DV codec, since each frame is compressed separately without concern for motion.

[marni1971]

By auto settings, I mean turn them off. Focus manually, and set (and alter) the exposure manually. 2 examples of HD vids being ruined by not knowing how to use the camera. The principles are the same with HD or SD - you get more detailed blurred and over/under exposed images with HD.

[dolbyman]

manual focus is very hard on hd cams .. the viewfinder (if theres any) and display can only display a fraction of the hd resolution .. so t might look ok on the display but it could be pretty much out of focus


I use a combination of both .. for fireworks and stageshows I prefocus with the autofocus(hard to do but it works) and then switch to manual to keep the focus level steady

[JPWDW]

In fact, I've been trying to see all of those functions that camera includes, so what you gys say is that I sould turn off the satabilization of it and try to adjust the focus by myself? I have tried useing camera's scene selection with several shots I did, when I record with little light in screen, there are bunches of pixels arround all the video, but with more light the video becomes better! Any idea on how can I make the twilight scenes come better?
Thanks for everything!   

[dolbyman]

Any idea on how can I make the twilight scenes come better?

there's hardly any way because .. your camcorder has a very tiny image sensor .. so it's not very good in low light .. to avoid grtain you could reduce (if possible) the imager gain .. but i don't know if you can control it manually

[JPWDW]

I'll see if I can do that! Beacuse when recording with almost no light, it becomes a awuful video..Thanks!

[eyore]

It's a great shame that with such a sophisticated bit of equipment they can't get them more sensitive to low light conditions.
My old (now deceased) analogue video camera (VHS-C) took fantastic videos of the dark rides (POtC, Pinocchio, Snow White etc and my Hi-8 camera was reasonable but my DV camera can't cope at all (OK it's got a nightvision setting but the colour goes).
Is there a HD camera that will work in poor light.
The old (analogue) camera went down to about 0.5 lux, the new one only 3 and that was about as good as I could find - even the more expensive models were all around that (including some costing 4 times the price).

[CThaddeus]

It's a great shame that with such a sophisticated bit of equipment they can't get them more sensitive to low light conditions.
My old (now deceased) analogue video camera (VHS-C) took fantastic videos of the dark rides (POtC, Pinocchio, Snow White etc and my Hi-8 camera was reasonable but my DV camera can't cope at all (OK it's got a nightvision setting but the colour goes).
Is there a HD camera that will work in poor light.
The old (analogue) camera went down to about 0.5 lux, the new one only 3 and that was about as good as I could find - even the more expensive models were all around that (including some costing 4 times the price).

I know what you mean.  I spent $1400 on a Sony HD 100-GB hard drive camcorder, and I find myself returning back to my 1998 Sony Hi-8 whenever I go on anything I think will be in low light.  What a waste.  Even worse, if the light level drops at all the picture slows down and a dragging effect occurs.  It's truly unfortunate that in the 10 years since I bought the Hi-8 they haven't improved on it much, except perhaps in the realm of lines of resolution.  But what good does having more lines of resolution when you've got no picture to look at!  My, what crisp looking blackness!  Sigh...

[SirLamer]

The low light issue is a consequence of the much smaller light sensors for each pixel resulting from the higher resolution of HD.  The alternative is to make the sensor chip bigger, but this pushes it out of most people's price range.  Sony makes $5000 cameras for that if you'd like...

Also, keep your eyes open for Sony's upcoming new CMOS technology, which radically improves light sensitivity by moving all the data collection stuff behind the chip instead of part of it being in front.