Various questions Sony HVR-A1

[Timothy Shiels]

I'd like to set the first two time code digits to correspond to the tape numbers for a project.

After setting TC to 01:00:00:00 in the TC PRESET in the standard set menu, the camera still records beginning TC on a new tape as 00:00:00:00. When I go back into the TC Preset menu, it's still set at 01:00:00:00.

Any thoughts how I can get the TC Preset to record properly to tape?

Thanks,
Timothy

[Andrew Lee II]

I have looked at a comparison of footage which is shot at different Cineframe rates, but I can't really see much difference. I am new to this, could someone point out what I should be looking for. I am trying to decide whether the settings on an HVR A1E will be suitable for good looking footage with a cinematic feel or whether it will just be rubbish.

Thanks for your help.

The link to the formats movie is here: http://www.ninjacinema.com/Video/cineframe%20test.avi

[Manuel Guzman]

Sadly, even though I purchased my Sony HVR-A1U last Christmas, only in the past week have I had the chance to really play around with it. My mom wanted to babysit our newborn last week so it gave my wife and I a chance to visit Sacramento for a day. This is the video I shot with my Sony HVR-A1U.

www.manuelandjulie.com/sacramento

I picked up a few accessories when I first purchased the camcorder (Manfroto video head, spare batteries, camera light). I am considering buying a new boom mic although I am not sure I really need it. I originally purchased the camcorder to shoot video of my newborn son but could see myself using it for family get togethers in the future. I really wish the camcorder had HDMI out as opposed to component.

[Steven Bills]

Pretty cool. The quality was good. I wanted to see bigger pans though...

Pretty cool.

SB

[Marco Wagner]

I know some of you are wondering if down convert in the A1U is worth anything. Below are two grabs. One is a grab from the Premiere Pro 2.0 after capturing from the A1U using the downconvert option. The other is a grab from a simple workflow from Premiere Pro 2.0 to VirtulDub 1.6.19 and back into Premiere Pro as SD 16:9.


Grab Labeled VDUB workflow:
Captured in PPRO 2.0 as 1080i HD
Exported as uncompressed Microsoft AVI 1440X1080i
Imported to VDUB
Exported from VDUB resized to DV 16:9 uncompressed 720X480
Imported to PPRO 2.0 as DV 16:9 (interpret footage)
Export Frame


Grab Labeled DWNCONV workflow:
Opened PRO 2.0 project as DV 16:9
Captured with A1U set to downconvert (HDV-->DV)
Put on timeline and export frame

I did this with only PPRO 2.0 and VDUB, no HD plugins or Cineform.


RESULTS - You tell me. Seems like Vdub does a decent job, but the in camera downconvert looks softer...

[Peter Wright]

Auto Lock is off
Under Camera Set Menu, Auto Shutter is OFF
When I toggle to SUTTER SPEED, it shows 150 and the text
"SHUTTER SPEED,
150
and the OK button are greyed out and not functional.

What have I forgotten?

- edit ... Panic over - I'd accidentally switched Night Shot on!

[Hubert Hofer]

hi,
has that happened to anyone ? First, my 18 mths old Sony A1 had a stuttering kind of LCD & after an hour it went totally off. view finder still ok though. 4 days later the LCD touch panel on the same age HC1 wouldn't respond & in an hour it too went off. view finder ok. will be sending them away to get fixed soon & hopefully they'll be ok again.

[Clay Coulter]

I just bought the Sony VCL-HG1737C 1.7x High Grade Telephoto Conversion Lens for my HVR-A1U. After shooting with it, I was disappointed to see pronounced vignetting around my image when I zoomed back to a wider angle. When I am zoomed in for close-up, I can't see the edge of the conversion lens and the close-up images are quite good.

Can anyone with experience in using telephoto conversion lenses direct me to a lens which will not vignette so badly?

BTW, I did configure the A1U for the Tele conversion lens setting.

Thank you in advance for your help.

[Boyd Ostroff]

While I don't have an A1, I have used teleconvertors on my Sony PDX-10 and Z1 and they also vignette. I think this pretty much comes with the territory. You're magnifying what the built-in lens sees, so it's inevitable that you'll vignette at some point as you zoom out. I suppose if you had a huge lens of some kind you might get away from this, but probably not very practical. If you could somehow adapt a conversion lens with 72mm threads to your A1 it might get you close to full zoom range, but it would be really big and awkward at best.

On my Z1 with a 1.6x Century teleconvertor I can zoom just about 50% of the way out before vignetting. I think you'll find similar limits on most conversion lenses. Unless I'm mistaken, the setting for the teleconvertor in the menu only affects the way the image stabilization works.

[Carl Adams]

Originally Posted by Jack Zhang

Can anyone post a link to a .pdf of the A1's User's Manual when it becomes availible?

Apologies if this has been listed further down the thread I haven't the time to read through at the moment.

Just read this and thought I can help as I have a PDF Manual.

I hoping I can work out how to add attachments to a post, as this is only my third post on this forum
If I cannot attach, I shall upload it to a page on my server and give you the link to download.

Hope this helps
Carl (:})

OK I can not add attachments for some reason so I shall upload to my server and give you the link in the next 30 mins

OK here it is:
http://www.adamsmedia.co.uk/adamsmed...0Download.html

Maybe someone could shed some light why I cannot add attachments?

[Chris Hurd]

See the sticky thread http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=82071 for the A1 owner's manual download in PDF format.

[Carl Adams]

Apologies chris-I am new to this forum and did not realize that was there, otherwise I would have pointed users in that direction. It would have saved me some time.

I did not mention, but I have also uploaded a HVR-A1E Service Manual.pdf for download there as-well for those who are interested. It has some nice exploded views!

All those techie's out there can see exactly what's inside!

Carl (:})