Sony HDR-SR1 for Christmas! How to do i get started?

[LJinFLA]

WOW! I just love this place! Thanks for the the great feedback. Please keep it coming. You have given me a lot to get started on but i tend to be a voracious researcher before i buy so I can't get enough.

This gives me a lot to get started on and I am sure will get back with questions in a day. i have to get the books and start reading.

One other question. The SR1 does not have a LANC port and i can't figure out yet how the electronic housings communicate with and control the camera. Is there some way of controling the SR1 trough the USB port or does it use the infrared controller of the camera? If anybody know that would be helpful.

LJ

 

[diversteve]

Edit:

This is strange, the camcorderinfo.com review quoted here:

At back of the body is a small rubber port cover that conceals the headphone jack and a LANC jack

says it does, yet SonyStyle.com says it's N/A in their specifications for the camera.

Further Edit: Amphibico is listing their HD EVO SE housing for the camera shipping next month. As I have an EVO, I know it's an electronic housing...

So the question is does the SR1 have a LANC jack where CCinfo says it does. If not how are Amphibico and Seatool controlling the camera as they're both obviously electronic housings?

 

[ronrosa]

A lot of good advice so far. Make sure the housing has an internal flip filter or an external filter if you plan on using lights during the day. You'll want the filter for wide and standard angle shots and lights no filter for macro work. I actually recommend just using the filter during the day until you get more experienced. Macro video is not easy.

 

[LJinFLA]

Edit:

This is strange, the camcorderinfo.com review quoted here:
says it does, yet SonyStyle.com says it's N/A in their specifications for the camera.

Further Edit: Amphibico is listing their HD EVO SE housing for the camera shipping next month. As I have an EVO, I know it's an electronic housing...

So the question is does the SR1 have a LANC jack where CCinfo says it does. If not how are Amphibico and Seatool controlling the camera as they're both obviously electronic housings?

There is a rubber cover on the side that covers two mini jacks. One is labeled HEADPHONES and one is labeled REMOTE. I got my info on there being no LANC support from the Sony Style website too. I guess it is time to scour the manual a little more about the REMOTE port and find out what standard it is.

LJ

 

[paulpost]

Doing more research and from other posts I think I can understand why this camcorder comes with USB2 output only. AVCHD format according to camcorder info website is recording in MPEG4 format with a bit rate of only 15 Mbits/sec comparing with 25 Mbits/sec that the rest of HD tape based camcorders use, also this explain why you can get more recording time on the hard drive. On other hand why Sony does not make any high end camcorders with hard drive only? Just wondering.
From what I learned from different video magazines only Panasonic has a pro camcorder that records to SD memory cards as an alternative to miniDV tapes that is the main recording format. To cut it short in my opinion recording to hard drive is great when you don't have to do any editing, but when comes to U/W video editing is a must, believe me not even you'll be able to watch 1 hour or so of your raw U/W video.
I don't want to disappoint you your camcorder is great (is a Sony so has to be great) but for U/W I would consider other more established camcorders and housings.
I hoppe this will help
Paul

 

[diversteve]

There is a rubber cover on the side that covers two mini jacks. One is labeled HEADPHONES and one is labeled REMOTE. I got my info on there being no LANC support from the Sony Style website too. I guess it is time to scour the manual a little more about the REMOTE port and find out what standard it is.

LJ

I think that IS a LANC jack. Sony sells a line of tripods with LANC controllers built in, they call them REMOTE controllers also. I'd PM Ryan at Reef, he'll know.

 

[LJinFLA]

Yes this is confusing. The Remote port is shown in the configuration diagram in the docs, but is not mentioned anywhere else in the manual. It doesn't say anything about, nothing on the standard at all.

I need to write to Sony. Who is Ryan at Reef? I will write him too.

LJ

 

[LJinFLA]

Doing more research and from other posts I think I can understand why this camcorder comes with USB2 output only. AVCHD format according to camcorder info website is recording in MPEG4 format with a bit rate of only 15 Mbits/sec comparing with 25 Mbits/sec that the rest of HD tape based camcorders use, also this explain why you can get more recording time on the hard drive. On other hand why Sony does not make any high end camcorders with hard drive only? Just wondering.
From what I learned from different video magazines only Panasonic has a pro camcorder that records to SD memory cards as an alternative to miniDV tapes that is the main recording format. To cut it short in my opinion recording to hard drive is great when you don't have to do any editing, but when comes to U/W video editing is a must, believe me not even you'll be able to watch 1 hour or so of your raw U/W video.
I don't want to disappoint you your camcorder is great (is a Sony so has to be great) but for U/W I would consider other more established camcorders and housings.
I hoppe this will help
Paul

Paul, I am not sure why USB2 shoul dbe such a concern. Yes it is a little slower, but not that bad for your average diver who may only take a couple fo hours of video in a weekend. You also seem to imply that HDD storage is a lmiting factor in video editing. I don't yet understand whey this is true either. Maybe you are just implying the ther slower transfer speed is a limitation. I really don't think this shoul dbe an issue for me or any other non-pro videographer who isn't shooting hours an hours of video shots.

I think this is a good tradoff for the advantages of this camera such as small form factor, 4M stills while shooting, More storage without having to crack open the housing between dives to change tapes.

I am not sure what the difference might be between 15M AVCHD and 25M HD. Both do 1080i resolution. Will the average 1080i/p HD TV, much less the human eye, be able to tell the difference? i don't know. i need to research more.

I also have read that Panasonic and Sony plan on offering many more Pro and consumer cameras in the next few months with AVCHD and many more with HDD. Don't know about Firewire or not. Also most of the big video editing software companies have signed up to upgrade their software to support AVCHD. All of this bodes well for the investment in this format. I might not be able edit much in the next couple months but by summer there should start to be editing software.

You suggest sticking with some of the more established camcorders. Could you recommend some for me to consider. Thanks for the input.

LJ

 

[diversteve]

Who is Ryan at Reef? I will write him too.
LJ

Ryan works at Reef Photo Video in Ft. Lauderdale. They sell SeaTool housings. (see post #10)

www.reefphotovideo.com
877-453-8927
ryan@reefphotovideo.com
PM: Ryan

Just noticed you're in FL also, that could be convenient...

Please post what you find out also, I'm curious.

 

[paulpost]

I went today to an Circuit City store and I had a look at this camcorder, it's a beautiful looking and very well built. My conclusions in the previous post were done according with what I've red on different sites and a review in Computers and Camcorders magazine. Not having a fire wire port is not important because records to a hard drive and I think when you connect it to a computer it will be recognized as an external HD not as a camcorder I just speculate on this subject. Regarding MPEG 4 editing for sure at least Sony Vegas will handle well if not already does. Your main problem I think will be the housing. Switching to a tape camcorder will give you a lot more choices when comes to housings. You asked what camcorder I recommend, my answer is if you want to stick with HDV format and a housing with electronic controls Sony HC3 would be my choice or better if you can get your hands on an HC1 .

Paul