Re: A tip on custom settings....
 

Wow, no posts since 2008. Where is everyone?

Re: A tip on custom settings....
 

We all got dSLRs and are out shooting with those... ;-)

Re: A tip on custom settings....
 

These cameras are D-E-A-D.

"Hey Grampa, tell us what it was like shooting HD on tape again?"

"Well, remember kids, this was the mid 2000s so most folks rode horses, and very few had electricity. Now, when you shot tape, you had to digitize in real time -- Johnny, you close that mouth and wipe up that drool -- you had to manually specify capture settings, and then pray to whatever deity you believed in that the camera/deck could communicate properly with your computer, and that the tape captured properly. The most fun we had was trying to figure out why our audio was captured out of sync, or we were getting dropout errors. We loved combing through and hour of digitized tape trying to make sure frames were dropped somewhere along the way that we didn't know about. For all this work you got the privilege of working with HDV.

Shut up and I'll you, Sally. It was a way of shooting highly compressed HD to miniDV tape that lasted a scant few years until the world wised up and began releasing card-based cameras. Then everyone who invested thousands of dollars into the almost-instantly-obsolete technology bruised their foreheads from repeatedly facepalming so hard."

Re: A tip on custom settings....
 

My DSLR shoots video also and I dont like using it. If I got a proper viewfinder I might. I enjoy the XL2

Re: A tip on custom settings....
 

I see there's been a Bass attack... well, no matter. Any camera that works is a good one, and if you're shooting on one of these antiques, then damn the torpedoes and don't let these old-timers get you down. Personally I'm always a bit tickled to read that the old XL cams are still getting used. Good for you!

Re: A tip on custom settings....
 

I was exaggerating.

I have an XL2. It makes wonderful images (in certain conditions!) but I've grown to hate using it compared to the EX1s, the HPXs, etc. The viewfinder is simply awful, and it's unbalanced so horrible for handheld without a rig. Maybe THE worst low light cam out there, as well.

The DSLRs also make beautiful images. . .(I would say objectively superior to the XL2, ESPECIALLY in low light) and I HATE using them! No zebras/waveform/real image monitoring (except with Magic Lantern, which I'm too dumb to use. Have to remember to install EVERY time I turn the cam off and on again? Don't think so). No audio monitoring, no level meter, so have to shoot double system if using sync sound. Have I sort of gotten used to using the 5DM2 for video? Yes. Do I hope the DSLR thing goes away in favor of fleshed out camcorders with the same sensor size? Can't happen soon enough.

But seriously, the more proper large sensor camcorders with XLR inputs, proper image monitoring, etc., and the ENG-style cams (i.e. 1/3" sensor) that are card based are VERY nice (a freaking 30-second buffer that is always recording so that when you "miss" a shot you still have a chance to save it? BRILLIANT!). One day I hope to justify owning one.