First AG-HMC150 Shoot Thoughts/Issues
 

I just finished the first video project with this camera, shooting handheld (in various grips) using 720P60 PH (highest quality mode) and OIS on. My other camera is a Sony HDV FX1 tape based.

Here is the youtube link (click on the HD button - it plays much like it does in the original file) YouTube - Quick Christmas Vespers at Smith College

The video color and quality is beautiful for the most part and I like it better than the FX1. I used the F6 scene setting for this shoot. The other camera for this shoot was a small cmos canon HDV30 on a tripod in the balcony run by a student, so disregard that footage.

The HMC150 feels a lot like the Sony FX1 in my hands, only slightly lighter.
The Sony has much better OIS when handheld, I had a lot of trouble keeping the HMC150 steady even when pressed to my chest with my back propped against a wall. This was the biggest surprise.

The manual zoom is very hard to control smoothly but is faster than the FX1

Low light is better than the FX1 which I would expect (the FX1 is from 2005). This shoot was pretty dark at times and 12db gain worked well.

Audio is much better control-wise than the FX1 (which does not have xlr).

Panning is much worse on the HMC150 than on the FX1. Now they are both CCD sensors so this surprised me. Perhaps it was my 720P60 setting vs. the HDV 1080i60 that the Sony uses?

Is OIS pretty much useless on the HMC150?

I would really like to use a progressive mode that allows for decent panning with the HMC150 when handheld so I can get better stills from the video - which are often needed on our projects.

This project was edited in Adobe Premiere CS4 Mac version using the AVCHD 720P60 preset and exported to both quicktime animation and mp4 2-pass vbr formats at 720P30.


Any thoughts or ideas?

-Jeff

Hi Jeff, I'm in the Hartford area. I had an FX1 or a while. They are similar and I agree with all your comments. I was surprised how the OIS looked on your footage. I usually try to have a monopod with me as I suck at freehand.

This is one of my main complaints with the 150. I use a monopod to help out but I'm going to build a shoulder mount rig which should make a big difference when I can't put it on a tripod. Other than the OIS and the viewfinder not being up to snuff, I'm really happy with the camera. I will be looking hard at the Sony NXCAM though!

Hi Jeff,

I was just wondering was your camera set to auto focus? I've had to adjust the speed of my pans and the head of my tripod to keep me from panning to quickly.