terrible focus

TingSern Wong · December 13th, 2007, 08:35 PM

Where are you intending to mount the BTLH80 on the DVRIGPRO in that case? If you thinking of putting it on top of the HVX202 (the hole at the top of the handle - towards the viewfinder side) - I have doubts that it is strong enough to cope with the weight when you are moving around.

I have given it long thoughts about this issue - long term, the Petrol bag is the most appropriate option. If the HVX202 handle breaks, you might as well buy a new camera.

Tripod mount - make sure it is the "anti-twist" kind - or else, you are going to have a frustrating time in the field.

Jack Davis · December 16th, 2007, 02:52 PM

I found the answer to my original question. In manual focus a guide comes up MF00 to MF99 with 00 being an inch or so and 99 infinity. MM80 is around 15 or so feet and MM90 is about 100 ft. With these in mind, at least it is a starting point.

thanks

TingSern Wong · December 16th, 2007, 07:46 PM

Jack,

Check out my other post -

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=110342

If you faster and repeatable manual focusing ... that is.

TS

Barry Green · December 17th, 2007, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack Davis

I found the answer to my original question. In manual focus a guide comes up MF00 to MF99 with 00 being an inch or so and 99 infinity. MM80 is around 15 or so feet and MM90 is about 100 ft. With these in mind, at least it is a starting point.

thanks

Not quite accurate though; infinity is at MF95, not MF99. MF99 is actually "past" infinity (perhaps to allow for thermal calibration issues or ?)

It's a lot easier to just swap over to ft/meters than it is to use the MF numbers and try to translate that to distances though.

Jack Davis · December 17th, 2007, 04:43 PM

Thanks Barry,
How would I find the conversion to ft/meters in the menu?

TingSern Wong · December 17th, 2007, 08:03 PM

My HVX202 displays the distance in the viewfinder in meters :-). No MF00 to MF99. Just Macro, 0.5m ... all the way to 50m .... then INF. I use the Varizoom Sleath controller to mark the distance on the manual focus dial. To test the accuracy of the distance readout - I put a gray card at 6 distances - zoom in to the gray card - focus on it and see what the camera says for the distance, and I measure that distance from the camera to the gray card using a laser distance measurement device (by Bosch). It agrees very nicely (up the limits of the display on the viewfinder).

Barry Green · December 18th, 2007, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack Davis

Thanks Barry,
How would I find the conversion to ft/meters in the menu?

It's in the "display setup" menu.

Mike Connolly · January 3rd, 2008, 12:56 PM

TingSern, I'm very close to replacing my Marshall with a Panasonic BT-LH80WP, due to focus-in-red, pixel for pixel and the waveform.

Is Component the only way you can connect the HVX with an HD signal to it, or can you also connect via the Composite yellow Video lead?

I've tracked through the manual I've found online, but am unsure as to the answer. As an owner I was hoping you might have the answer.

I ask this because of studio situations where clients have wanted video feeds to client monitors, and because Component out disables the other video outs on the HVX we've had to use composite or S-video for the client, and S-video for the Marshall. I'd like to know I could still have this flexibility.

thanks in advance

mike.c

Gregger Jones · January 3rd, 2008, 01:21 PM

Mike,

You could get an AJA HD10A and an AJA HD10MD3 and as long as you have the HD/SDI board (sold sep). You go HVX component to the 10A to the MD3 which will be a splitter. There is no thru put on the 80W. Other wise you could set the camera to do SD out and the s-video, component, and composite will all send an SD signal out (defeats the purpose I know).

If you or anybody needs anything feel free to drop me a line.
gregg@abelcine.com

TingSern Wong · January 3rd, 2008, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Connolly

TingSern, I'm very close to replacing my Marshall with a Panasonic BT-LH80WP, due to focus-in-red, pixel for pixel and the waveform.

..................

I've tracked through the manual I've found online, but am unsure as to the answer. As an owner I was hoping you might have the answer.

mike.c

Hi Mike,

I don't have answers with me right now ... will go back to check tonight (12 hours more) ... and let you know.

TingSern Wong · January 4th, 2008, 09:12 AM

Mike,

HVX202 transmit a SD signal via the composite port. Only on the component output - you get a HD signal. The BTLH80W monitor has SDI, Component and composite input. It does NOT have S-video input. Because of that, I am unable to tell whether the S-video port on the camera is sending HD or SD.

I tested the setup using my system just now. HVX202 is set to HD (720p). If I connect the component output to BTLH80W - I get HD signal appearing on the monitor. If I connect only the composite output of the camera, the monitor still shows the picture, but it is the SD version of the signal.

A consolation to this - to my eyes, the resulting video screen on the monitor (whether in HD or SD) looks just as sharp as each other. I think there is some scaling h/w in the monitor that dynamically expands the video ... you can set in the monitor setup menu whether you want 4:3 or 16:9 for SD signals. Also, the focus in red, pixel to pixel, waveform - works whether the signal is HD or SD.

All this while, the camera is always capturing the video in HD (720p).

TS

Mike Connolly · January 4th, 2008, 12:07 PM

Thanks TingSern. That confirms what I expected.

I've had a dialogue with Greggor from AbelCine today, along the lines of working around this. He'll be getting my order for a BT-LH80WP..;-)

A good, cheap solution seems to be to use one of these (or similar) straight from the HVX component, then feeding the monitor from that, with extra components out for further monitors chained together:

http://sewelldirect.com/gefen-compon...litter-1x3.asp

I take it you're still happy with your monitor?
Next step will be the DVXUser market place to sell a Marshall and Nogas.

mike

TingSern Wong · January 4th, 2008, 08:55 PM

Mike,

I think there are limits (practical and electrical) to how many monitors you can daisy chain this way before the image starts to show "wear and tear". It is a function of the cable length, and the quality of your splitters you use. Nearly all the cheap video splitters are just passive components - no electronics - just banks of copper / silver ... so, the more chains you pass them through, the weaker the signal will be.

If you are just putting one - no problems. I have seen some shops overdo it :-).

BTLH80W monitor is great ... especially so for doing manual work - that is - manual focusing and zooming. The viewfinder on the HVX202 is not good enough for doing manual focusing at all. I use it with the 4 pin XLR power cable - connect it to a 2m long wire - to AB's Gold Mount on the other side. Then I don't need to mount the battery on the monitor. Much lighter this way on the HVX202's handle.

Even then - I use one Zacuto's HVX202 Heavy Load Support on the handle itself as well - to prevent long term damage on the handle.

TS

December 13th, 2007, 08:35 PM	#31
TingSern Wong Major Player Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Singapore, Rep of SINGAPORE Posts: 749	Where are you intending to mount the BTLH80 on the DVRIGPRO in that case? If you thinking of putting it on top of the HVX202 (the hole at the top of the handle - towards the viewfinder side) - I have doubts that it is strong enough to cope with the weight when you are moving around. I have given it long thoughts about this issue - long term, the Petrol bag is the most appropriate option. If the HVX202 handle breaks, you might as well buy a new camera. Tripod mount - make sure it is the "anti-twist" kind - or else, you are going to have a frustrating time in the field.

December 16th, 2007, 02:52 PM	#32
Jack Davis Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Wilmington, North Carolina Posts: 63	I found the answer to my original question. In manual focus a guide comes up MF00 to MF99 with 00 being an inch or so and 99 infinity. MM80 is around 15 or so feet and MM90 is about 100 ft. With these in mind, at least it is a starting point. thanks

December 16th, 2007, 07:46 PM	#33
TingSern Wong Major Player Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Singapore, Rep of SINGAPORE Posts: 749	Jack, Check out my other post - http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=110342 If you faster and repeatable manual focusing ... that is. TS

December 17th, 2007, 04:43 PM	#35
Jack Davis Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Wilmington, North Carolina Posts: 63	Thanks Barry, How would I find the conversion to ft/meters in the menu?

December 17th, 2007, 08:03 PM	#36
TingSern Wong Major Player Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Singapore, Rep of SINGAPORE Posts: 749	My HVX202 displays the distance in the viewfinder in meters :-). No MF00 to MF99. Just Macro, 0.5m ... all the way to 50m .... then INF. I use the Varizoom Sleath controller to mark the distance on the manual focus dial. To test the accuracy of the distance readout - I put a gray card at 6 distances - zoom in to the gray card - focus on it and see what the camera says for the distance, and I measure that distance from the camera to the gray card using a laser distance measurement device (by Bosch). It agrees very nicely (up the limits of the display on the viewfinder).

January 3rd, 2008, 12:56 PM	#38
Mike Connolly New Boot Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Brighton, UK Posts: 16	TingSern, I'm very close to replacing my Marshall with a Panasonic BT-LH80WP, due to focus-in-red, pixel for pixel and the waveform. Is Component the only way you can connect the HVX with an HD signal to it, or can you also connect via the Composite yellow Video lead? I've tracked through the manual I've found online, but am unsure as to the answer. As an owner I was hoping you might have the answer. I ask this because of studio situations where clients have wanted video feeds to client monitors, and because Component out disables the other video outs on the HVX we've had to use composite or S-video for the client, and S-video for the Marshall. I'd like to know I could still have this flexibility. thanks in advance mike.c

January 3rd, 2008, 01:21 PM	#39
Gregger Jones Sponsor: Abel Cine Tech Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Chicago IL Posts: 13	Mike, You could get an AJA HD10A and an AJA HD10MD3 and as long as you have the HD/SDI board (sold sep). You go HVX component to the 10A to the MD3 which will be a splitter. There is no thru put on the 80W. Other wise you could set the camera to do SD out and the s-video, component, and composite will all send an SD signal out (defeats the purpose I know). If you or anybody needs anything feel free to drop me a line. gregg@abelcine.com

January 4th, 2008, 09:12 AM	#41
TingSern Wong Major Player Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Singapore, Rep of SINGAPORE Posts: 749	Mike, HVX202 transmit a SD signal via the composite port. Only on the component output - you get a HD signal. The BTLH80W monitor has SDI, Component and composite input. It does NOT have S-video input. Because of that, I am unable to tell whether the S-video port on the camera is sending HD or SD. I tested the setup using my system just now. HVX202 is set to HD (720p). If I connect the component output to BTLH80W - I get HD signal appearing on the monitor. If I connect only the composite output of the camera, the monitor still shows the picture, but it is the SD version of the signal. A consolation to this - to my eyes, the resulting video screen on the monitor (whether in HD or SD) looks just as sharp as each other. I think there is some scaling h/w in the monitor that dynamically expands the video ... you can set in the monitor setup menu whether you want 4:3 or 16:9 for SD signals. Also, the focus in red, pixel to pixel, waveform - works whether the signal is HD or SD. All this while, the camera is always capturing the video in HD (720p). TS

January 4th, 2008, 12:07 PM	#42
Mike Connolly New Boot Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Brighton, UK Posts: 16	Thanks TingSern. That confirms what I expected. I've had a dialogue with Greggor from AbelCine today, along the lines of working around this. He'll be getting my order for a BT-LH80WP..;-) A good, cheap solution seems to be to use one of these (or similar) straight from the HVX component, then feeding the monitor from that, with extra components out for further monitors chained together: http://sewelldirect.com/gefen-compon...litter-1x3.asp I take it you're still happy with your monitor? Next step will be the DVXUser market place to sell a Marshall and Nogas. mike

January 4th, 2008, 08:55 PM	#43
TingSern Wong Major Player Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Singapore, Rep of SINGAPORE Posts: 749	Mike, I think there are limits (practical and electrical) to how many monitors you can daisy chain this way before the image starts to show "wear and tear". It is a function of the cable length, and the quality of your splitters you use. Nearly all the cheap video splitters are just passive components - no electronics - just banks of copper / silver ... so, the more chains you pass them through, the weaker the signal will be. If you are just putting one - no problems. I have seen some shops overdo it :-). BTLH80W monitor is great ... especially so for doing manual work - that is - manual focusing and zooming. The viewfinder on the HVX202 is not good enough for doing manual focusing at all. I use it with the 4 pin XLR power cable - connect it to a 2m long wire - to AB's Gold Mount on the other side. Then I don't need to mount the battery on the monitor. Much lighter this way on the HVX202's handle. Even then - I use one Zacuto's HVX202 Heavy Load Support on the handle itself as well - to prevent long term damage on the handle. TS