Step-Up Ring to Fit the HM100? -- What the Deal! at DVinfo.net
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Old August 26th, 2009, 02:50 PM   #1
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Step-Up Ring to Fit the HM100? -- What the Deal!

So I went to put a step up ring on the HM100, to bring the 46mm threads up to 58mm... But the threads on the camera are too recessed.

What's the deal? Does anyone know of a step-up ring that will fit this camera?

So in my mind what was billed as a pro camera first became a special-use camera, then as more limitations were realized, it became a novelty camera... and now it's becoming a joke.

Sorry, but very disappointed. My initial reaction to this camera was great, then on demo models I began to have reservations (bad zoom), but I went ahead and bought one. I should have stayed at reservations.

On the positive side, the camera works very nice to get hi-def video during casting sessions. Beyond that, with the reasonable full-auto mode, and the fact that my colleague likes big camera (from a consumers point of view), I'm passing the camera on for personal and fun use.

However, we will try some limited surreptitious shooting and see if it works. (Still, unable to easily put on any kind of filter, no ND2 built-in, etc. etc., this camera falls short as being fast and convenient for it's intended use.

If this is a hand-held run-and-go camera, why do you have to reboot to shoot stills? Why do you suddenly lose your video (and have to wait for it to try to be saved) if you change a setting too fast while the camera is "thinking"? And much more and others have already pointed out.
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Old August 26th, 2009, 10:44 PM   #2
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Did you try this with the lens hood off? I am also looking for a step up ring.
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Old August 27th, 2009, 11:58 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Andy Urtusuastegui View Post
Did you try this with the lens hood off? I am also looking for a step up ring.
Lens hood off... doesn't work.

Possibly one or two extra rings threaded on first would bring the threads out far enough to put on a step up ring... but this may cause vignetting.

I don't know if their is a special step-up ring with an extended barrel, but I do not know of one. It is odd that a major company would make a product with non-standard features that requires proprietary accessories that do not exist.

Once again, a "Pro" camera that doesn't allow for easy placement of filters on the lens or on the "Special-Made-For-the-HM100" wide angle adapter seems to be another example very poor design or a purposeful hobble (ala "Misery").

(I say special designed wide-angle adapter for the HM100, because this is what I was told by a top JVC sales exec at a show... though we now know this is not true, that the "Pro-Special-Made-Wide-Angle-Adapter-for-the-HM100" is an off-the-shelf consumer product that has been around a long time (and has no provision for filters, no threads, no clip on filter holder, nothing I know of... perhaps a mattebox specially rigged?... but that defeats the stated purpose of the camera, small and hand held)

As more and more deficiencies and hobbles are discovered, the HM100 goes from a Pro camera, to a specialty camera, to a novelty camera, to a joke.

I initially was very hopeful for this camera, but then had reservations when I saw the poor performance of the zoom ring on a test model at a show. But I decided the positive points outweighed the negative points and bought one. However, to do again, the reservations would win out.

The camera works great for actor audtions. It's also a great consumer camera for people who like the larger size and shoot in auto.

I don't do reviews, but it occurred to me that a video review of HM100 workarounds could be quite helpful. There might be sections such as:
1. Shooting surreptitiously with a matte box.
2. Mirror systems for using remote control from behind the camera.
3. How to gently drill a hole through the LCD to allow access to the video out ports with the LCD closed.
4. Why burned out highlights and midtones look good in all your outdoor shots.
5. Making stickers for your camera that make you think you are shooting in manual mode.
6. Master class in the "Jump-Zoom" technique and why it's the newest thing!
7. Where to hire people with really, really, really little fingers to change your screw-in filter
8. Tweezer techniques for taping 4:3 guides on the viewfinder.
9. How to look nonchalant while your waiting for your camera to reboot, write files, or change modes while shooting a riot.
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Old August 27th, 2009, 02:23 PM   #4
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Yes, I noticed that first day I started shooting with it as well. Took me 30 minutes to place polarized filter, then I could not get it off. Anyone with half a brain would design this better, the other half brain would have caught it in testing. Same with safe areas on LCD or viewfinder.
This brings us to the point, that the early reviews aren't worth much attention if they don't mention these things.
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Old August 27th, 2009, 04:39 PM   #5
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I agree, the recessed filter receptacle is annoying and inconvenient. What was JVC thinking when the designed it this way?

I use a telephoto and wide converters using adapter rings on this filter mount and I can predict one day I'm going to cross thread it on the plastic and it will need a repair.

There are a couple solutions, one is you can try to use the filter mount on the front of the hood. It's a 72mm ring. In some conditions I've used it for mounting a protector and a circular polarizer.

Another possibility (anybody listening?) is that an innovative machinist will see there is a market for a 3rd party bayonet mount adapter to try to solve the problem. Most of the major adapter makers have shied away from a bayonet mount because of the ill-conceived recessed lens on the HM100 but I think with some ingenuity, a bayonet mounted threaded tapered adapter could be fashioned that would have a common-sized female threads that would allow people that own the HM100 to fully utilized their cameras. I'd pay some good money for something like that.

I talked about this earlier here in this post:

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/1169581-post4.html

I am also considering purchasing another hood (they are available now) and experimenting with it.

And JVC, if you are listening, please, please do some market research and beta testing with your next version of the HM100. It could have been so, so, so, much more of a groundbreaking camera. With the image quality and codec, you really had it made in this prosumer space. As it is now it's kind of relegated to a small window of practical usage. If you address these issues in the next release, this camcorder will be wildly successful.
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