HV10 Questions, and how does it's interlace shutter work?
 

HI

I can't get through all the info and downloads etc So I would like to draw on the collective wisdom here.


Shutter:

Firstly a complex question, the shutter on this particular camera, how would it work? Does it shut for 1/60th a second and open to record the two interlace fields, or does it shut one field and record other etc? Does the integration of the two fields overlap?


Simpler questions:

I understand there is no progressive or frame modes whatsoever? Any summing mode?

The continuous still mode, how many frames per second and what time period for sustained.

I understand that you can't manually adjust the gain, aperture, shutter, or focus during shooting. How smooth are any of these things to adjust in shooting, including zoom?

Is there any way to lock the gain, aperture, shutter, or focus during shooting?

No Lanc, any way to control camera functions externally (say through handheld computer and firewire/usb control, software)?


Thanks in advance.


Wayne.

Hi Wayne,

Re: HV10 How does the shutter work?

There's a difference between the interlaced scan of an imaging chip and the shutter speed, though they are related and use similar terminology, they are separate functions. (and my head always hurts when I try get it straight)

An NTSC imaging chip needs to scan twice to get the full interlaced "frame". It scans once at 1/60 to get the odd fields, then it scans again at 1/60 to get the even fields. Played in order, they create the full interlaced "frame" which takes 1/30th of a second to view.

Here's the step by step:

1. 1/60 - records odd lines
2. 1/60 - records even lines
3. 1/30 - both fields played in order, which creates the full interlaced "frame"

The chip will continuously scan at 60i whether or not it is exposed to light. And that's where the shutter comes in. The shutter affects how long the full interlaced 1/30 "frame" is exposed to light.

If you set the shutter for 1/30 it will stay open through the entire 1/30 scan cycle. If you set the shutter to 1/60 then it will expose the chip twice during the 1/30 scan cycle. If you set the shutter to 1/500 then it will expose the chip several times during the scan cycle.

Re: HV10 Hi-speed continuous photo mode

The HV10 can shoot 5 photos per second, each photo is 3 megapixels. I don't know how long that can be sustained. The HV10 can also create 2 megapixel frame grabs from HDV video.

Re: HV10 Zoom control

The HV10 has 5 pre-set zoom speeds.

Does anyone know of a link to download the camera's user manual? That would be extremely helpful in understanding all of the camera's features...

The HV10 hasn't started shipping just yet. Typically with operator manuals, Canon USA tends to make those available online for downloading about a month or two after the camera starts shipping.

Sorry for the delay, I have been unwell, as per normal, and it has been hard to keep up. And I thought it best to leave it just in case somebody turned up with more answers.

Thanks Michael. So, what you are saying is that it shutters for each field, blocking one field off and reading it, as the other exposes, thus maximising the interlace difference between the fields, with no overlap between the fields? Not some other method. Doing this should totally eliminate rolling shutter in field.

Does anybody have confirmation of this?

Any answers to the other questions from information already out there.