its about time
 

Hello all,

Just wanted to chime in and give a report on my experiences with the new hd100.

Coming for a film (celluloid) background I spent more then a year combing this site educating myself, seconding guessing and being emotionally whipped by the mire of conflicting opinions and stats about all the new emerging technology.

After the punch-lists and bloodstained walls I realized that my strongest argument for any of the given choices was the basic quality, professional design and cadence I saw in the JVC image. From all of the four contenders in this class of camera the JVC (for me) had that “thing” that you can’t quite put your finger on but you know is there.

Needless to say I finally pulled the trigger and ordering from Scott at Tapeworks Texas and then I had no choice but sit and wait for the UPS guy and my inevitable disappointment….

Well fear aside, from the moment I opened that box I knew something had just happened to me. I no longer had to assemble a sizeable crew, purchase film stock and freak out as I listen to the film slide through the gate. For the first time in my life I feel like a liberated filmmaker that can afford to take greater risks and explore subject and content that from an economic standpoint I could never have indulged.

Aside from a dead pixel here and incompatible software issues (we are all dealing with) I have to say that this camera is knocking my socks off. My biggest battle so far have been the ever-apparent latitude issues and after exhausting the possibilities on how best to deal with highlights and shadows I have had to make a artistic decision on how to use the cameras shortcomings to the best of my likings. The thing I realize now is how much time was spent fretting about non-issues with an all of these cameras. Anyone worth their weight is going to see how much these units have to offer and get to work on making it best fit their intentions and let the rest alone.

I’m writing this in hopes that it gives some others that needed push out of the nest. I have a hard time believing that anyone that cares to make films in any capacity would be anything but thrilled to have one of these cameras in their hands.

Man am I excited! Happy shooting to all!!

A big thanks to all the experts running around here, you guys make it all look possible….

Scott,

Well said. My sentiments exactly.

Tom Chaney

www.tomchaney.com

Coming from a film background, it is a totally different way of exposing in order to control highlights.
Remember that the latitude shortcomings you speak of are not specific to the HD100 - it is a characteristic of CCDs in general. The only digital devices that even come close to the latitude of film with 24fps acquisition are the Panasonic Genesis, the Dalsa, and forthcoming RED.
Of course, the HD100 has the most control over knee and black stretch of any of the sub-$10,000 HDV/DVCPROHD cameras. I urge you to try some different scene files provided on this site and experiment with manual knee and black stretch.

Tim, thanks for the advice.

I have in fact tried all of the scene files including yours, Stephen’s, and Paulo’s. This is how I came to my conclusion about dealing with the cameras shortcomings.

Thanks again.

Paolo's is the way to go IMO. I've been getting the most dynamic range and most accurate color from it.

I've shown footage to director's who do mostly 35mm and super16 shooting.
They were very impressed with 2 things:

1. The dynamic range of this camera when properly set.

2. The focus assist.

Two of these directors were renting my camera and now they both have purchased their own! :)