HC1 questions

[H2O Photo Pros]

The A1u is definitely easier to use for manual WB. The XLR audio control on the A1U is bettered but cannot be used in the housing and must be taken off. Although there are some excellent additional features on the A1U, the additional features DO NOT warrant the significant price different. The going rate for the A1u is approx $2600 from an authorized dealer....the FX1 is only about 3,000 and produces a much better picture. I do not believe the additional $800-900 for the A1U is worth it. The WB feature on the HC1 although difficutl to use at first, is very easy once you get used to it (even though it is a 4 step process).

 

[ronrosa]

Sony is currently offering a $500 rebate on the A1u, so the price difference over the HC1 is around $500 right now. B&H $1999 $1499

 

[larsdennert]

In answer to some of the questions: I can access pretty much all the screen functions. There are a couple like spot focus that are tough. I just use the focus ring. The A1 does have the nice one touch but I don't mind doing three or four clicks to access it. I might have to do it twice on a dive. Compare that to all the other button pressing that goes on and the $500 is tough to justify for me. As is, it's a lot of money to take underwater.

I'm skipping on the BluRay HDDVD thingy for now. The standards are really a joke and all the new HD media players eclipse them as far as formats they can play back. They can all play back everything from MPEG 2/4 to WMV to jpg to mp3. No reason to mess with an expensive box that only plays back content encoded on a BluRay disk. Currently I can encode an hour of HD quality WMV on a data DVD5 disk. That is a typical disk you would store data on for your PC. Only PCs and media players can read such disks. Standalone DVD sets can't. I haven't even bothered buying the more expensive DVD9 disks which will give almost twice the capacity. Eventually I will replace one of my DVD9 capable burners in my PC with a high capacity 25gig Bluray/HDDVD burner but no rush. They should be cheaper than a standalone box.

Today I crawled around under the house running cable and hooked my computer with a new PNY Nvidia 6600 display card to my HDTV in the living room. So now I have a media player via PC. The PNY card is really nice. It has two DVI ports, one HD component set, one Svideo and one composite. In addition I ran audio cables for sound and a couple of strings of Cat 3 I had lieing around. I used one of the Cat 3's and wired USB ends on it so I can plug in a mouse or keyboard in the living room. Works pretty slick. WMV with WMP10 does a really good job. WMP is worthless for any other HD formats though.

 

[sharksdelight]

I'm curious as to what those extra features are, other than the XlR inputs and assignable button, I wasn't aware there were any other differences.-Steve

 

[KiiY]

Sony Japan has a chart (in Japanese) that lists the differences between the A1J and HC1 here: http://www.sony.jp/products/Professional/c_c/hdv/HVR-A1J/spec.html#2

Not a full list, but here are some highlights:
- Can record/play DVCAM in addition to HDV and DV (but will not do LP mode in DV)
- 480P component output
- Edge crop downconversion option (so you get full height but lose the edges on a 4:3 TV)
- XLR input with the adapter module. Also has noise reduction, channel selection, level adjustment, and manual gain
- Various timecode options
- Has a "full scan mode" that uses all of the CMOS chip's resolution when image stabilization is turned off
- No built-in flash (I think it has a normal accessory shoe where the flash would normally go since this is where the XLR adapter mounts)
- Assignable button
- Viewfinder is switchable between color/monochrome
- Can give reference marks for 4:3 and TV safe zone
- Adjustable curves for shot transition
- A few other picture settings
- Will not power off after 5 minutes
- Starts recording more quickly from standby mode

And it is generally rumored that the professional versions of their camcorders are built to take a little more beating and survive more wear and tear since they are generally purchased for professional use.

 

[larsdennert]

Since there's no flash, the remaining button is the programmable one everyone is talking about to assign WB.

One of the useful picture features is Black Stretch that changes the dynamic range on darker areas of the pic.

 

[WyCal]

We've got our HC1 with Gates housing (still waiting for the lights to come through customs). We went location scouting looking for a place to shoot an underwater action sequence, and filmed a couple of spots showing visibility and bottom composition for the director. The SFX guy on the project thinks the quality of the video is excellent, and is going to take it to L.A. to put it on film and see how it looks.
Needless to say, we're very happy wtih the decision to get this camera.

 

[pakman]

wycal, any update on using the HC1/ Gates combo underwater? How is it without the manual white balance? (can you set WB with the gates?)

 

[H2O Photo Pros]

Pakman, the Gates housing does allow access to the MWB on the HC1...its the only housing to do so.

I have used this system on a few trips now and its great. I love my FX1, but the light weight and compact HC1 is phenomenal. I was very very surprised with the quality of the camera as I had initially heard some negatives. I took the system to Hawaii and also out on some local Cali dives...definitely a winner in my book. If only it were a 3 chip then i could leave the big FX beast at home

 

[pakman]

Pakman, the Gates housing does allow access to the MWB on the HC1...its the only housing to do so.

I have used this system on a few trips now and its great. I love my FX1, but the light weight and compact HC1 is phenomenal. I was very very surprised with the quality of the camera as I had initially heard some negatives.

Mike, thanks for the info and email as well. Still not sure if I fully undestand how the MWB is set on a Gates HC1. On the Ikelite, you use the mechanical wand to basically tap on the menu (LCD) while you view it from the outside (clear housing). Now, you say its done on the Gates in a similar fashion. But how do you see the LCD in the gates housing.
1) Can you see the menu from the viewfinder?
2) Is there a window where the LCD is on the Gates housing?
3) are you required to get the external monitor (additional $$$)
4) or is there someway of tapping the lcd and setting the MWB without seeing the LCD screen?

In actual use u/w, how much of a PITAS is it compared to hitting a single button on a A1U. If its not that bad, I might go with the HC1 as that would save me nearly $1000 and I really don't need that A1U fancy XLR audio...