My Setup
 

I'm posting some pics of my HV20 setup.

http://photos.imageevent.com/24peter...e/IMG_3960.JPG

More pics:

http://photos.imageevent.com/24peter...e/IMG_3969.JPG

http://photos.imageevent.com/24peter...e/IMG_3964.JPG

http://photos.imageevent.com/24peter...e/IMG_3943.JPG

The monopod is one of these:
http://www.adorama.com/SUVP2MB.html?...ipod&item_no=2
It extends really tall and is quite stable. It provides a great way to steady my shots while still being mobile.

I added the head from this tripod to the Versipod to allow for better panning: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...ughType=search

The mic is the Azden SMX-10. As I posted earlier, this is a great mic for the money but there was a lot of handling noise with the stock shock mount (not really a shock mount since it's made of hard plastic). But I was able to fit the Rode SM3 ( http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...ughType=search ) into the hot shoe on the HV20 by swapping the shoe mount from the Azden shock mount. As someone else mentioned, the SM3 has little feet at one end of the shoe mount to keep it from slipping through. However, on an HV20 those little feet contact the camera body on either side of the hot shoe and prevent the SM3 from slipping down into place. (You can grind off the feet too if you want - it was just easier for me to cannabilize the Azden mount.) Anyway handling noise is reduced by probably 80-90% with the SM3 over the stock Azden mount and now I would not hesitate to shoot handheld with this setup. Not only that but the SM3 is strong enough to actually use as a handle to hold the camera.

Finally, I've got the Canon WHD-43 wide angle adapter on the front. I definitely prefer the wider field of view and the added weight lends to greater stability.

Wow! That wide converter and mic make your HV20 look expensive! Note to everyone trying to expensi-fy your HV20.

Any chance of some still frames or clips with the Canon wide converter Peter?

Thanks Peter - awesome mate

Have you noticed much degradtion in resolution/image quality using the wide angle?

Well my thought when I finally saw what I had was, I could use this for a paying gig (e.g., wedding) and perhaps with a liitle sweet-talking about the new HD cameras being small, not feel embarassed with the client. (I would use a BeachTek adapter and my wireless mic setup for an actual wedding, in addition to the on-camera mic setup.) Point is, even the little HV20 can look (semi) pro. And of course the IQ bears out it's a worthy camera.

Wes and Fergus - the Canon wide angle adapter seems primo to me - absolutely no hit on IQ. What I do notice however, esp. at the wide end, is that image tends to be (much) more contrasty than without the adapter. This is not an unknown phenom - on my EOS DSLR still camera, Canon's "L" series professional lenses tend to produce a much more contrasty image than non "L" / third party lenses. With the WD-H43 it is enough that I dialed down the contrast in the custom settings to compensate. As I said it is much more pronounced at the wide end. When I zoom in using the adapter, I don't see it as much. Also, there is pretty pronounced barrel distortion at the wide end but I don't mind that. As far as sharpness, etc. the adapter is great. Until I get a 35mm adapter setup, I plan to leave the wide angle on all the time.

I'll try to post some stills using the adapter later....

Thanks Peter

Interesting stuff about the contrast - that actually might be a good thing when shooting in cine mode!!

I look forward to the samples

Thanks
Fergus

OK - here's a sample video/audio (first time I'm posting video files off this host so let me know how it plays back for you...)

Audio recorded using the Azden SMX-10. Subject was about 6-7 feet from the camera in a quiet room in the early evening (little street noise outside) speaking in a low voice. Camera on a tripod. You can hear the motor noise (on some later clips you can also hear the auto focus and zoom noise). But I don't think it's enough to ruin the recording. With noise reduction on the audio it could be pretty clean. (For a real interview I would have used an off camera mic on a boom closer to the subject or my wireless lav setup so sound would be much better, but I think it's not bad.)

Video - Canon WD-H43 used. I know it's a low rez clip so can't really tell the quality of the adapter. I will do more hi-rez tests later. Also the room was pretty low light: I used a 100 watt bulb about 12 feet from the subject for general ambience/fill light, a 150 watt bulb about 6-7 feet from the subject as my key and a 100 watt bulb about 3 feet behind my subject as my back/rim light.

http://photos.imageevent.com/24peter...DV%20test1.wmv

Wide Angle Converters and changing your shoes.
 

Hi Peter, thanks for the valuable information here... I'm looking at getting an HV20, and I've got a couple of questions for you, if you don't mind my asking.

1) From the footage you took, the H43 Wide Angle adapter looks great. However, it seems to retail for around $200, and no one appears to have it in stock. B&H lists this one from Raynox for $120, and then an eBay Search for "HV20 Wide Angle" results in these shady-looking 3rd party adapters for between $15 and $40. Similar products can be found on other sites, like this and this. I'd like to believe that these $40 wide angle adapters work perfectly without any reduction in quality, but I'm skeptical. What would you suggest? Am I going to get screwed if I don't shell out $120-200 for the Raynox or Canon adapters?

2) The audio set-up you described sounds ideal, but I was just wondering how difficult it is to change the shoe mount from the SM3 to the Azden shoe. Is it as easy as unscrewing one piece and screwing it into another, or is it something far more complicated?

Thanks,
Graham

Have you used the WD-H43 other than on a tripod? I was curious if it might be unbalanced if handheld? It seems pretty big in relation, maybe front heavy. Is it about the same weight as the camera?

best,
elmer

All your points are well taken Elmer. I have used it handheld. The adapter is very heavy compared to the camera itself and if we all remember our high school physics, being way out in front of the camera like that, it creates a lever which makes it feel even heavier in the normal grip position. However, you will get used to it pretty quickly and adapt your grip. Also, the added overall weight of the camera/adapter does add some stability to handheld shots over the camera alone. Right now I'm shooting exclusively with the WD-H43 on the front of my camera.

Graham - can't speak to any other wide angle lenses as I only considered the Canon (if it were an SD as opposed to HD camera I might gone third party. Also it was very important for me that any adapter be zoom through and the WD-H43 is.) I paid $159.95 for mine here http://www.videodirect.com/Merchant2...uct_Code=WDH43

As for the mic thing, yes it is that easy, though in both cases they are very small phillips head screws with the Azden one being pretty easy to strip. So you'll need the right size screw driver.

Again the alternative on the Rode SM3 is to grind down the little feet on the hot shoe mount so it can drop down into place. Anyone with a grinding wheel should be able to do it in a couple of minutes. I'll need to go back to that mount since I plan on using the SM3 as a shockmount on my Rode boom pole http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc..._VIDEOMIC.html (on special for $72 !!) when I make my short films with the HV20.

You like this?
Any suggestions for form, size or color?
Greetz Max

maximilian,

nice mattebox. what kind is it and how much did it cost? thanks.

Hoi!
Found it randomly on ebay, paid 15 Euros for it. Engraved stuff: " Yashica 54mm" fullmetal

No problems with any vignetting at the shortest focal length?