What setting do you use for your XHA1?
 

I have had my XHA1 for over a year now and have shot exclusivly in 60I. I am curious to know what most of you film at 60I, 30P or 24P?

I've switched over to 30P....

It downconverts better, allows for more light (because of 1/30th shutter speed), and is better for web...
Only downside is the smoothness of the video...

If you're panning quickly, or viewing sporting events, 60i is the way to go...
Otherwise, 30P has been a blessing....

Good luck!!!!

Have you tried all the color preset download in dvinfo.net? I love using VividRGB outdoor.

I also turn off AGC and set the L-M-H level to -3, 0, 3db. Never trust AGC.

30F... only shot 30F. 60i is too videoish.. I only shoot 60i during photo session as I know I will slow it down i post.

I normally shoot 30F in HDV, but have a major client that requires SD footage at 60i. They have a proprietary system for ingesting a lot of tapes, so I give the client what they ask for. It's the only client I have that I don't have to do the post production too.

They are gradually switching over to HD, but not yet.

But all my other clients I shoot HDV 30F.

I shoot 30F using the BBC preset, then tweak in post.

I hate using AGC but if you never use it how do you deal with fast changing light (ie stage lights, fast moving clouds outdoors etc)
Thanks,
Randy

You just have to set manual exposure to deal with the changes. Have AGC at -3db or 0DB. Then learn to quickly hit the round exposure lock button and turn the aperture ring. Not a problem for me.

I'm guessing you mean you have the <b>gain switch</b> set to -3 or 0db not AGC...so you just ride the aperature ring at all times...pheeew, I'd have to charge extra for that much work (just kidding : )
Thanks Taky,
Randy

You can start by shooting in A mode. Turn off AGC. Set the gain switch to 0db. Then it should take care of all the fast changing lighting condition in the field. When it comes to backlighting, you can use the Exposure Lock button and adjust the Iris ring.

It isn't very difficult. You can do it Randy =)

Yessir I know I can do it in a matter of time...I used to use all manual in every scenario with my XL1S' but I knew them like the back of my hand...kept my zebras on 80% and just felt it when I had just the right amount of exposure.
i guess I have some practicing ahead of me...thanks again,
Randy

What's the pros over 24f?

zebra
 

i know this isnt on topic but what is zebra?

They look kinda like horsies but they have black and whites stripes...sorry just kidding
When activated "zebra patterns" will show where your highs/whites are too hot and will be overexposed (if zebra pattern is set to 100) unless you close your iris more until they disappear... If they are set to say 80% you can have some zebra patterns without blowing out the whites and that is the "feel" I was talking about earlier. Unless you have a very good calibrated monitor on set they are absolutely vital in my opinion.
Check out page 64 of the .pdf manual.

HTH,
Randy

I've only been using 60i for years because of mainly videoing action with fast pans, etc. However, more and more of my video is destined for the web only. Since it's going to have to be deinterlaced anyway, is it better to go ahead and shoot in 30F or just continue to shoot at 60i and deinterlace? IOW, which yields the best quality for web, given action is the type of video I'll be shooting.

Edited to add: I'm also mixing footage with a Canon 7D shot at 30P, and editing with FCS3 if that makes any difference in advice offered.

It depends on the situation. I shot an interview recently and used 24f because there was little movement. Too much movement and it gets blurry. In general I'm on 30p. I rarely touch 60i.

Are you saying you don't have a problem with a lot of movement in 30f? I haven't really experimented with it for fast movement (soccer and football) but I maybe I should?

I always use 50i: 25f is too jerky for fast moving things like trains, I like the smooth motion of interlaced, and I prefer not to deal with different frame-types when editing. I'll switch to progressive when 1080/50P is affordable to shoot, edit and distribute.

I like the Cine Gamma 1 setting (in the Customise menu), which gives slightly more saturated colours than the default gamma setting, but at the expense of perhaps half a stop of exposure. I tried all the presets posted on this forum in the early days of the XH-A1, and rejected them all as being too extreme in one respect or another.

AGC is always off, and I have the gain switch set for -3 dB, 0 dB and +6 dB. In normal lighting, I use the ND filters and the -3/0 settings to keep the iris wider than f5.6. I use the Auto setting, and over-ride with the manual exposure button when necessary. Occassionally I'll use the AE-shift menu function to over expose by 0.25 or 0.5, e.g. when a cloudy sky is dominating the exposure. Black stretch can sometimes help in this situation, to pull a little more detail from the shadows. I may try a graduated ND filter in this situation one day, but haven't done so yet.

The +6 dB setting is for use under street lights, etc., but only after I've switched to normal gamma, black stretch and maybe 1/25 shutter speed. If the XH-A1 has a weakness it is the amount of noise added by the higher gain settings. The only time my colleague's Sony FX1 looks better than my Canon is under street lights.

On dull days, manual white balance can help counteract the blue/grey light, but it can look like you've got a tobacco filter on, which maybe is not what you want. In good daylight, AWB is trustworthy.

Shooting live events, there's no chance for a second take, so the less I have to fiddle with, the better. I prefer to concentrate on composition, panning, zooming, etc. Generally, the auto settings on the XH-A1 are well thought out and trustworthy. The skill is to know when it's OK to rely on them and when to over-ride something - and what to over-ride!