In outdoor settings on automatic I believe the f stop is typicaly 4.5 - 5.6 and the shutter speed is in the 300s-400s.

Hey, I just found out, in that Japanese article they mention something about cleaning up the image by changing modes or something. It is hard to tell, because google is not translating the words of exactly what they are changing. It is in the section after the google page translation cuts out, I had to cut and past to their text translator on their translation page instead. They talk about something else by changing modes to.

I must say the sample image from the Japanese site looks better, more detail in the shadows, and more latitude, but that could have been the time of day. I have not finished loading, but the wind speed measuring thing has blocking, even though it is the only thing moving in frame, no real loss, but no real example. On the water there is a lot of blocking, but the water curves themselves appear to keep there shape well, but when you look at the railings they are very jagged, and when you look at the trees you see branches that have finger stripes interleaved with the sky. I must say still a great consumer camera.

I had a wonderful thought for a joke when I looked at the clips (thanks for the new ones). A serious low budget mini action film, but one that tries to be StarWars, lots of little models getting pyroteched and filmed from underneath with this camera (Star Trek style). Just to see all the attracting ;) Half an hour and $500 dollar budget.

-----------
(Star Wars .5, Darth Vader's Conception" ;) )

Manual exposure settings
 

Joseph, it seems easy to select a manual exposure (user doc p 74) : try a half-auto mode like S or A.

With S mode you choose the shutter speed and the camera will adjust the aperture to the light.
With A mode you choose the aperture and the camera will adjust the the shutter speed to the light.

To get a result similar to the two initials clips (baby and child), outside with sun:

1 - Put the ISO sensitivity (p 83) to the smallest (ISO 50)
2 - select A mode exposure
put the ND filter on and try to set the aperture to the smallest (8).
If don't you have sun, set the aperture to 5.6, or set off the ND filter or both.
Try to keep one of you nice cats into the field (is she Donut ?) !

You can also, with the S mode set the speed to 1/60 to 1/125 and combinate with low ISO and ND on or off to have a good exposure.

Luc-Henri

Thanks Luc-Henri, I will try some manual mode test ASAP.

She is Precious. The Gray one is Donut.

I am confused how to properly determine if the manual setting are correct. When I am in M mode, I can adjust the F stop, the shutter speed, and the ND filter. The problem is I have no feedback on the LCD display as to how the image is going to be exposed. It looks the same as if it is using auto settings during and after adjustments. Only when I press the record button does the LCD show the image with the manual settings applied.

Here are some sample clips taken outside on an overcast day.

They all use ISO 50, F6.8, 1/30 Sec shutter, and the ND filter.

www.gamersden.com/hd1test/MT1.MP4
www.gamersden.com/hd1test/MT2.MP4
www.gamersden.com/hd1test/MT3.MP4
www.gamersden.com/hd1test/MT4.MP4
www.gamersden.com/hd1test/MT5.MP4
www.gamersden.com/hd1test/MT6.MP4
www.gamersden.com/hd1test/MT7.MP4
www.gamersden.com/hd1test/MT8.MP4
www.gamersden.com/hd1test/MT9.MP4

There is a wierd darker blur area in the center of the brown tree on clip 5.

New clips
 

Hello Joseph !

For me this new clips are FAR BETTER in term of details, colors and movement. I like the natural blur comming from low shutter speed (trees in wind N° 6 for instance). Of course you may have some pb to find the right exposure because of your M setting (I like the resolution and movement of the train clip, but was the country so white ?). Why don't you use the A (set the aperture to 5,6) or S setting (set the speed to 1/30 or 1/60) ? This give the camera a chance to find by itself the correct remaining parameter. Generaly ou don't need to play on both, exept if you want to change the light balance.
The point is that this little cam allow a lot of specific settings, and lets us imagine so many uses and beautiful effects. Incredible for the size and the price!
I am going to my Parisian bed now, and - once more- thank you Joseph, for your availability, I am sure now to buy this toy before this summer.


Luc - Henri

Correction to my post
 

Just a mistake "Why don't you use the A (set the aperture to 5,6)" to correct to "Why don't you use the A (set the aperture to 6,8 or more if you have good light)" considering your tests, it could be a crucial parameter.

Luc-Henri

Thanks again for all these test clips!

If I could make a request...

Can you post a clip shot in black and white mode? I'm curious to see if the compression will be a little lighter.

I need some feedback, please
 

Does anybody have any thoughts on buying this camera vs. the C6 if I am not going to use it to watch on an HDTV. Are the "other" (other than HD) features much more improved that it takes a significantly different picture and video than its predecessor? I know the zoom is improved.

I was also wondering, Joseph, if there is a lag in the video if you take a still during filming. I have read that this is much improved on one review somewhere that in certain settings there is no lag in video. Is this true?

Thanks for everyone's opinion in advance, I am really struggling with this decision.

Ginger, according to the manual you can take a picture during the video in some modes, and it will not effect the video. I tried this with the HQ HD setting and the video did freeze during playback for a couple seconds during the picture time, so it is a useless feature for me.

Thanks Joseph, but have you tried to take a still while NOT recording in HD? If so, is there lag time? Would you say that there is a big difference in your recordings on HD vs standard in overall picture quality?

I can't say I have ever tried any mode beside HQ HD. My goal is high quality. If I have a chance I will try some of the other modes today.

Thanks - that would be really helpful.

Joseph, the MT series of videos you posted look amazing. I want to try hooking up to my 42" plasma screen but the videos are still playing choppy for me.

Anyone have advise for smoother playback? My notebook here is 2.2GHz with 512Mb ram... I have no idea why this doesn't play so good. I'm using Quicktime to play back.