Align charts and the DVX100?

[Marcia Janine Galles]

Hi all,
Looking over Scott Billups book and site (haven't finished the book yet) he's definitely in the pro calibration camp, with regard to charts before a shoot, and I've been wondering how critical this is with the DVX, being that it's not HD (which is routinely cited as needing exacting calibration). Thing is, the CamAlign front box series which is supposed to be the "economical alternative" is $340 for one chart. Yikes. I found it at Filmtools, and gulped big time. (http://store.yahoo.com/cinemasupplies/dsccamfronse.html)

So, my question(s) is (are) isn't this overkill for DV, as opposed to HD? OTOH, given that I can definitely see the value in focus charts, are there equally (or relatively equal) valuable alternatives for location alignment that won't break the bank? Still have lights and a mic set up to get. Man, this is adding up...

Many thanks in advance guys,
Marcia

[Stephen van Vuuren]

Not critical. You can print up your own chart on a decent quality printer. Don't spend $340.

Plus, it's not like there are backfocus and other lens adjustments that apply to the DVX100. My XL1 14X manual lens had backfocus and I did print myself a chart to adjust, but you don't have to have a chart to do it.

Fine lines, diagonals, squares, circles in various colors and you are set.

[Marcia Janine Galles]

Stephen,
Can you email me the chart you made up or point me to one I can download/copy? There are a lot of things about this cam I'm totally at home with (love it more with each passing day), but focus mis-steps I may not see till I'm back in the edit bay have me a bit spooked. (Saw too much messed up footage when I freelanced, I guess.)

Thanks,
Marcia

[Stephen van Vuuren]

Evidently, I did not keep it. I just made something up in illustrator that mimicked the ones on PixelMonger.