hv20 and letus mini

[Phil Bloom]

I have done a mini test of the er...mini on my blog.

had problems with aperture control on test. Then saw a video explaining how to do using the photo button, but when I try i get a flashing rig camera icon bottom left and no display with f-stop

What am i doing wrong?

[Noah Yuan-Vogel]

my first guesses would be either you dont have a minisd card in or you are trying to get the reading while recording. the photo button trick only works when not recording, and you have to have a minisd card in and formatted, and you have to have still frame recording turned on. if youre not sure if its on, press the menu button while in record mode (as opposed to playback mode) which brings you to the menu containing all your whitebalance etc mode settings, and go to second to last setting from the bottom and make sure it is set to either the second (1920x1080) or third (848x480 i think) option, not the first (off). that make sense?

[Chris Barcellos]

Phil:

1. You have to have a card in camera.

2. While in video mode, you have to go into the setting menu, and be sure you have the still mode capability activated. I am not around the camera right now, but my recollection is you select funtion, then scroll down to next to last item in the first menu screen, then toggle right to select what level of picture resolution you want.

3. Then, to check current settings, you merely press half way down on the shutter button, and you will see shutter and aperature settings. You will not ever see a gain setting. We use the cell phone trick to try to lock out gain.


So are you saying your are going to be testing HV20 Letus35 Mini for us !!! Would love to hear your impressions, and maybe whether you get a better result with the HV20 Extreme combo..

Would love to have all those toys together....:)

[Phil Bloom]

Hi Chris

yes i need a card. Have ordered one.

There are my initial impressions and some basic footage on my blog. I will do a proper test when I get the card.

Phil

[Chris Barcellos]

Phil:

Posted this at your blog, but repeat it here.

"I've been fighting the focus issue at a gorilla production level (in other words not a lot of cash) using the HV20 and Letus35a for about a year. The small LCD makes it difficult to focus critically. I do use autofocus to get it close, then adjust. You really need a monitor. In my case, and without a flip module, I mount the camera upside down, and I've used an 7 inch SD DVD player with video inputs as a monitor. Still not adequate, and will have to go for a better monitor."

Thanks for you input on this combo, and the footage certainly gave me a feel for the capabiliies of the Letus35 mini for the HV20.

As you point out in the blog, the HV20 gain control is limited, and you have to take advantage of aspects of an initial automated exposure range system to try to lock it out. What a lot of us do to do that is stick a bright cell phone screen in front of the lens, and, leaving it there, initiate the the exposure locking process using the toggle....

[Phil Bloom]

thanks Chris, but the footage I shot was quite poor. i will do some proper tests this weekend when I get the mini sd card in the post.

[Chris Barcellos]

Phil:

Didn't see it on your blog, so I assume you didn't go any further with the Letus 35 Mini testing. Just curious as to your ultimate opinion as to usefulness for the budget film maker....

[Phil Bloom]

Hi Chris

just not had a free moment as doing proper paid work. But I am planning on going out on Saturday and doing some proper filming. Got my component lead for the marshall monitor and go my mini sd card. Am going to try my hardest to get something of the same quality as my ex1 stuff. Will be fun and challenging, which I like!

[Chris Barcellos]

Look forward to it !