Yeah. It appears that the 2nd one is just saturated more. Still looks better though.

camera mounted mic receiver
 

I use an azden wireless lav mic receiver that has an accessary shoe attatchment on it. It works out quite nicely as I don't have to worry about trailling cords, and it runs off a 9v battery. Now I do still have to use a 1/4' - 1/4' (or is it " for inch?) cord to the mic in on the camera, but that is a small worry. This set up works wonderfully for recording wedding audio with my gl2, and even better with the 4 channel audio of the XL-1. Hope that was what you were talking about.

Jesse

I'm with Jesse on this. I have the same setup, azden wr-22 and a GL1. On the few occasions I recorded the audio into the cam, this was how I did it. I'm sure there is an accessory shoe attatchment for your reciever.

Little clip I made today...
 

Just messing around in Premiere and made this. Tell me what you think.

http://www.visital.com/random/catseye.mov

Ryan Krga

I will explain it when I get back, sort of in a rush right now, sorry.

It's a good concept and it looks like the editing went fine.

The one thing that caught my eye is that the fan footage looks like it was shot handheld style and the fan circles and shakes as it twirls. That seemed pretty random. I think that a well executed tripod movement with a slow push into the fan would make it look really sharp. Then the fan would crawl in a slow, deliberate movement from the bottom left (or right) of the frame to meet the cats eye. Make it look like it was meant to be.

Ben Lynn

Auto:Manual Focus Lock or Not!!
 

Apologies if this has been covered before.

After spending time with a Vid-Pro friend, and he asking me if I could "lock" MF when I power down I said I didn't know. Did a search here on our site - no show. Well nothing like direct action eh? - I tried this:

1 Switched on XM2
2 Slide to Camera/Tape
3 Selected MF
4 Switched off - MF disappeared on re-switch on - reverted to Auto focus, as expected.

Okay, repeated, but this time flicked lever to "Lock". Motors and drive switch off, viewfinder goes black. Reboot XM2 - MF still in VF!!

This appears to be in contradiction to XM2 manual:

"If you slide POWER switch to OFF or [ this is the killer point! ] the standbay lever to LOCK, the camcorder resets to auto focus" . . . well seems like the MF viewfinder info doesn't know or hasn't read the manual!

Interested? - Seems like a very useful function/feature. Means that at least the MF settings - maybe - aren't zapped. This means that I can keep the XM2 locked and OFF via the LOCK and save battery - not forgetting the less drive wear and roller stuff.

Grazie

Indeed, Graham, the "Lock" switch (on the GL2 and XL1s) is very handy for powering-down while preserving your settings (such as manual focus). It acts like "sleep" on a computer.

Ken - Perhaps someone should inform Canon Manual editor - yeah?

Thanks for the confirmation.

Ken, I'm getting busy to do my Horizon/Paralax test - see other post. Chris Hurd is supporting me on this one - but your feedback would be appreciated too.

Grazie

Yes, I've been following it.

Dubbing one chip to one chip
 

I've read some posts here stating that dubbing from a three chip to a one chip will not cause any loss in the quality. Would it be correct for me to assume that dubbing from a one chip cam to another one chip cam via firewire using a mini dv tape that was recorded on a three chip will still not result in any quality loss?

Thank you,
Tony

Of course it won't affect the quality. The imaging system (lens and ccd) have nothing to do with transfering the footage...

What's the best method for recording sound during a video shoot???
 

Lets say you want to shoot small films or what-not. What mics are good at doing that. Are booms the best for getting what is only onscreen, so maybe you can still direct the actors but without being heard like in the movies???

Or, wireless, or good zoom mics???

Bob,
I recommend getting a copy of Jay Rose's book "Producing Great Sound for Digital Video". It provides far more practical tips and information than possible in this thread.

Yes Tony as Alex said the lens and CCDs have nothing to do with transfering the footage from one camera to another. Footage transfered from one camera to another over firewire bypasses the imaging array and goes straight to the VCR section, you lose no quality as the footage is transfered as 1s and 0s.

Optex .3x fisheye lens
 

Has anyone had any experience with this lens? I used to have the Raynox MX3000 fisheye and it was pretty good for skateboarding videos. I was wondering how the Optex would compare to this or the Century?

Thanks in advance

The Century is a big step up from the MX3000, price and quality wise. If you are filming skateboarding videos you want to make sure your capable of taking care and using this lens. I have heard many stories of boards flying and shattering the lens. With the Century you are going to get a lot more distortion and a wider angle of view. You are also going to get a noticable gain in weight with the lens on your camera. This is the premier lens for skateboard filming and is worth every penny in my opinion, but the decision is yours.

DM 50 Directional Stereo Mic
 

Hi again,

I´m still struggling to acheive a better sound with my new GL2..

Anyone tried out the DM 50 Mic from Canon?

How would it work for one-man interviews for documentaries?

Are there any other manufactures to consider as well?

Thanks again from Barcelona,

Anna

Viewfinder issue?
 

I've finally had a chance to give the new GL2 a workout and have a question/possible problem -

The viewfinder seems to be really shifted to the cool end of the spectrum. The LCD is fine, and what I have viewed on a TV is fine but the viewfinder really pushes the blues. For example, a hummingbird shot in sunlight showing a blue gorget when it should have been violet and an overall blue cast to everything in low light (but not so low as autogain kicks in).

Is this normal or a defect?

I don't know about the blue shift but overall I'm pretty disappointed with the viewfinder as a whole.

On my camera's viewfinder the color is oversaturated and it never seems like the picture is very crisp (yes I've used the adjustment knob).

Canon made a mistake by making the viewfinder color and it would have been a lot more useful if it were black and white.

Ben Lynn

Hi Anna,

The DM-50 in my opinion is better than the on camera mic, but not as good as something like the Sennheiser ME66. I have the DM50, when it is in teh shotgun setting it picks up alot less ambient noise than the on camera mic.

A B/W viewfinder (the CRT type, not LCD) I think it costs more and surely consumes more power - not good for thouse economic camcorders. This is also why we have a fire by wire focus ring (and zoom ring in other cameras) and not a mechanical one.

My viewfinder and also the LCD screen are oversaturated and redish... Does not help me with the manual WB!

canondv.com is up as of Wed. 5/7 am
 

fwiw...

Do you keep a shot log??
 

Hey guys. I just got to play with my spanky new GL2 a bit and I was wondering if any of you guys keep a written shot log to notate different shots, subjects, etc.

I always do this when shooting stills and will probably continue for video. Just wondering if any of you fine folks have devised other systems to do this type of thing.

Have a day,
Michael

gl2 frame rate & Premeire import
 

I am wondering if I should be concerned that Premeire opens projects at 29.97 and I shoot at 30/60 frames per second. Should I always change the project settings to make these match when i go into editing.. say to 30fps instead of 29.97? Does this cause problems in the long run. What is the story with this difference and does it matter? Coudl this be why i cannot see the output when i run it back to tape?

NTSC is 29.97 frames per second, but broken up as fields. It's just that 30 sounds simpler.

deep thoughts
 

ok' so what im capturing from my gl2 is interlaced video if i have my project set at 29.97?? Is this correct? SO if i put it to 30 fps in the project then import... then it wont be interlaced? Im not sure what is what and when i get interlaced or not. I am realy confused to when i get interlaced video "by choice" and when i bring video in as as frames and have to deinterlace it by setting it to lower field or upper to get rid of the jaggy steping of interlaced video.

Very simply, am i capturing NTSE interlaced video and working on it when i bring it in? HELP, im confused bigtime'

Michael,
If I'm shooting something structured and planned then yes, I will keep track of camera settings. Also, when taking test shots of tricky scenes I'll often slate various settings, making it easier to compare clips on edit previews.

But, in general, keeping track of camera settings is an excellent learning aid for getting the hang of cause and effect with any camera, whether still, video or film. As someone once said to me, "If you don't know how to get there what's the difference where you are?".

Keep logging and reviewing. Consider slating for convenience.

I definitely should, lol, will probably do it next production.

Don't worry about interlaced versus frames. If you capture
interlaced it will stay interlaced until you either tell Premier to
de-interlace it your export it de-interlaced. As Frank said,
the 30 is just easier talk. Remember that fields are half a frame.
So you have shot at 59,94 fields per second which is exactly
29,97 fps (frame per second). So no worries!

Just got 2x tele-converter, question?
 

Hi All:

I went for the Century Optics 2x from B&H. Thanks for all your past comments on tele-converters.

I'm planning on taking video of mostly birds with 2x and posting the mini-clips on my website plus watch on TV. Might also do a 30 minute video and copy to VHS tape to send out to a few people. Based on my use for 2x do you recommend shooting in Normal or Frame mode?

I did a search on wildlife, nature, etc... but did not find what might be the best mode for web and vhs tape. I thought I remember seeing someone mention that normal mode would allow you to see more detail of the birds.

I did notice after screwing the 2x on the GL2 that when looking through the viewfinder it looked like viewing into a circle. Once I zoomed out to maybe 5x (time 2) really 10x now, the circle disappeared. The 2x lens if heavy but my large battery pack on the back sort of balances it off a little.

Thanks.

Steve

Each time I turn on my camera I always have to press the manual focus button...
 

Is there anyway to save the setting so I don't have to press it everytime I turn on the camera? It's not that I'm too lazy to keep pressing the button, but I am just wondering if there is a way to save me one second of my life.

About 99.9% of the time I film in manual focus, so I would like to have it on at all times.

Thank you very much,
Ryan Krga

Instead of turning the camera off you could switch it to "Lock". It's not a good idea to leave it that way indefinitely but you can certainly use this method while shooting throughout a day.

I was just thinking that right after I posted, stupid me.

I finally got the chance to shoot in a perfectly lighted area at night tonight and wow, the GL2's quality is speechless. The only problem is that I zoomed in and for some reason it went out of focus, then I noticed that the manual focus was off.

GL2 vs PDX10 question before purchase
 

Hello. I posted nearly the same thread/question in the PDX10 section as well, but hadn't heard from anybody with GL2 experience. I'm admittedly new around here, and so far I haven't found any posts that answer some of questions so I thought I'd venture forth.

At this point I've narrowed down my purchase options to a GL2 or PDX10, and am leaning towards the PDX10, except for a few concerns. I confess to being a Canon lover (from my AE1 days to Elan, to my digital G3) so I'd previously been set on the GL2, but as a former editor, the DV Cam of the PDX10 is appealing, as is its 16 x 9. But I've been put off by the threads I've read (around here as well as at Apple's FCP site) that mention the PDX10 being poor in low light (not good when I'll be shooting things like a night grunion run). Does anyone have any experience with both cameras? The GL2 seems to have its low light issues as well. Has anyone had any real success with the GL2 in, say, moonlight? Are there any options to punch up that capability beyond hauling out the lights? (Forgive me if this is a no brainer question... I'm new to this end of the production line.) I like the size of the GL2 over the PDX10.

I'm ready to plunk down my money, but these issues have been hanging me up. Well, these and the hard time I've been having getting my hands on an actual PDX10 to check out how it feels to me. But any and all feedback would be very appreciated.

My hope is, down the line, for whicheve I select to become my B cam, and shell out for the XL2 when it hits later this year. But that will depend entirely on how my present efforts pan out, so for now, I need the best I can come up with at the start. So much to buy, and so little money!

Thanks in advance,
Marcia

For the web you might want frame mode (that way it is deinterlaced and better for computer monitors). If you might want to extract stills then use frame mode. Otherwise, and especially for video, use movie mode. The best way to find out what works for you is trial and error.

Some tips on the teleconverter -
1) You were experiencing what is known as vignetting. As you found out, it goes away once you get zoomed in far enough.

2) Finding birds with the teleconverter on can be a bit&*. You will likely have to zoom out, find the bird, then zoom in. This is a time when I REALLY wish zoom and focus were on the lens rather than just focus.

3) Tripod use is a must. Moreover, ANY movement around the tripod will be transmitted to the camera even with the stabilizer on. So, make sure you run the video for a few seconds before and after the footage you want until you can get your hands away from the camera. The heavier the tripod probably the better. One thing to watch out for is being set up on a boardwalk. People walking on the boardwalk transmit vibration through the wood, through the tipod and you get minor camera shake (carbon fiber might be better here).

4) It is tempting to stay zoomed in tight on the bird or just part of the bird. This is what I call the Questar view. On the other hand, following the bird becomes more difficult then. Consider backing off a bit on the zoom, the bird will still be impressive even if it isn't just its head.

5) Manual focus will serve you better than autofocus.

6) Consider heading out to the local zoo for practice. You will quickly learn that bird feeders are your friend if you want good, long shots with the teleconverter on.

Good luck.

GL2 S/w Downloads ?
 

What are and do I need the computer s/w on Canon's site? Here's the link:

http://www.canondv.com/downloads/cam..._software.html

There's a driver section for the GL2.

once in a while it's just refusing to focus, in perfect light! I don't know why.
OK, maybe I know: the UV filter gets in the macro focus range. Maybe a litle dust on the UV and the bright light just "good" enough to show the dust... I'm not sure.

Hi Jeff:

Very helpful information!

I was down at the Plum Island National Wildlife Refuge in Newburyport, MA Sunday morning testing out the 2x. I found
that it opens up a whole new world of shots that I would never consider taking before because of the distance. Most of the birds I shot were ducks or the larger shore birds (Greater Yellow legs, etc..) at a distance using the tripod.

I did notice the camera shake as you push the record button and then put it back in pause mode.

I have also been experimenting with frame and normal mode in with the backyard birds. I'll check out the manual focus.

I took the 2x off when we walked through the tall tree section on the boardwalk when looking for warblers and needing quick reaction time. In the future I'll plan on just staying in one spot with the 2x and tripod and see what I can get for the smaller birds.

I'll keep you posted.

Thanks!

Steve

I think those drivers are needed when you want to extract
photos from the memorycard on the camera (if you stored them
there)