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-   Panasonic HC Series Camcorders (https://www.dvinfo.net/forum/panasonic-hc-series-camcorders/)
-   -   The Panasonic TM900 Users Thread (https://www.dvinfo.net/forum/panasonic-hc-series-camcorders/491883-panasonic-tm900-users-thread.html)

Dennis Freeman February 9th, 2012 10:54 PM
Re: The Panasonic TM900 Users Thread
 
Andy,
You were spot on with your recommedation. It was one of the instant on settings that was the culprit. I changed it back, and the cover opens when the LCD panel is opened, and closes when I close it.
Thanks again for the input.
Denny

Claire Watson February 10th, 2012 04:42 AM
Re: The Panasonic TM900 Users Thread
 
Alan,

As regards the audio level adjustment on the TM900 and the associated AGC button, I am using two different mics with my camera depending on how I use it. When I need as small and unobtrusive a set up as possible I use a mono Video Mic Pro, otherwise for stereo sound and much better wind protection I use a combination of an Edirol stereo CS50 mic with Rode WS6 windgag plus a JuicedLink pre-amp to provide phantom voltage.

To get the best signal to noise ratio I have the output of both of these mics set to maximum and the camera's audio level dialed down to -12dB so that the the preamp in the camera is contributing as little "noise" as possible.I don't use the AGC, I don't want that "pumping" sound, I find my -12dB setting covers me against overload most of the time for what I do. This took some experimenting with near and far sound sources to get right, more important to guard against overload than weak sound which can be sorted during editing.

The only snag to this is if I quickly grab the "bare" camera with no external mic then due to the -12dB setting I get pretty weak sound but amazingly it's still usable in my NLE, don't care for the camera's fan noise though.

Without the vital audio levels adjustment in this camera one it would not be so useful, I am delighted with the audio I am getting from the Edirol CS50 mic, not so much the Rode Video Mic Pro, thinking about selling this one since it's impossible to wind proof it properly.

Mark Evans February 11th, 2012 08:48 AM
Re: The Panasonic TM900 Users Thread
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by George Taylor (Post 1713036)
Well, as with Carol, I'm happy to report I'm back from my eight weeks in Africa (Chad). In due course, I'll write about my experiences in the Home Away From Home thread. But i want to report that I had tremendous success with the TM900 (at least I think so; I hope the more professional amongst you might critique after I can post some visual results).

Here's a rundown of the equipment I used and some of my first impressions:
- TM900 w/one each extra 130 and 260 batteries and sundry 120V/240V and 12V chargers
- Raynox .66 wide angle adapter (I am sooooooo glad I invested in this!)
- 72mm B&W polarizer from my D200 that fit the Raynox
- Azden SGM2X mic w/Stormblack windsocks, 2ft and 30ft. Audiotek cables, and CAVision fiberglass collapsible boom pole
- JuicedLink CX211 2 XLR audio adapter
- CamCaddie with accessories (priceless for kids and other low-level shots)
- 12 32GB class 6 and class 10 SDHC cards (Patriot, Lexar, and Transcend)
- 126 LED light
- HP DM1z Netbook loaded w/Panny software and USB DVD writer w/25 blank DVDs
- Manfrotto /Bogen 394 tripod w/Integrated Video/Photo head
- Kata 3N1-22 Sling Backpack w/tripod holder accessory

My friends who have seen the raw footage played from the camcorder directly to my 60” Samsung HDTV are awestruck by the clarity, brightness, and crispness of the images. I shot everything in 1080/60P, almost all of it using IA with AIS on, except when using the tripod. Like Carol, I found it too cumbersome and error-prone to try making manual adjustments on the fly.

Hello

And I’m not sure if they would have improved my images. Most of my shooting was in a village during the daytime, and the IA worked fine. I don’t see over-exposure in those shots, although, I will definitely welcome some more expert opinion in due course. I also found the exposure adjusted very quickly when I moved into different light situations.

Aside from the indelible memories of the beauty and kindness of the people of the village, the things that stick most in my mind are the shots I missed – either because my camcorder was not at hand or because of mistakes made in the heat of the moment. Examples – boy driving two oxen pulling a sled at a gallop across a setting sun (I was peeing when I realized what I was missing), twelve kids of varying heights passing by with a long, woven rattan fence hoisted over their heads looking for all the world like a human caterpillar (camcorder was in my room 100 yards away), and many more. For a while, I agonized over those missed shots; now that I’ve seen what I did get, I’m more philosophical about losing them. You can’t win ‘em all!

I used the tripod only twice, but it was worth the effort. We interviewed the three village teachers about the trials and tribulations of teaching six grades in an open air environment. Also, I took a five-minute shot of the setting sun – at or near the equator, it goes down very fast and actually disappears in the haze before it hits the horizon. I read the discussions on this thread about focusing directly into the sun, but at that low level, the intensity did not harm the image nor, I hope, the sensors.

The professionals among you will cringe when I report that I didn’t back up my cards to my netb0ook, as was my plan. It wasn’t for want of trying. The first upload did not work, and I got “recovering data” and other scary messages during the attempt. So I decided to wait and not tempt fate in the field where I had no good advice to follow. I came back with 10 full 32 GB cards and no backup. However, my netbook was a great source of entertainment for the villagers because I had loaded a bunch of African jazz and pop music as well as videos, and someone produced a couple of DVDs taken at the village a few years previously.

I will report more later on my success (or lack thereof) with the external mic and other gear. Also, I’ll upload some images –even if they are only still shots – as soon as I figure out how to do it.

My profound thanks to everyone on this thread who directly or indirectly provided invaluable advice in the months before my trip.

Finally, to Carol – I certainly understand what you must have felt and probably are still feeling emotionally about Africa and especially the people. This was my return to Africa after a 40 year absence, and it confirmed to me that I hadn’t just suffered some sort of immature emotional reaction when I left the first time those many years ago. I always knew I had to go back, and I’m confident you will return also. I don’t know who wrote it – I read it a long time ago, and I like to think it was Hemingway – but someone said no one can leave Africa without having been profoundly affected by it.

Aside from all that, Africa is a photographer’s dreamscape.
Hi George

I read iin your post that you are using a Manfrotto /Bogen 394 tripod w/Integrated Video/Photo head. I would be very interested to know your opinion on it. Obviously it is not a fluid head but neither does it seem to be too heavy to take it a lot of places on foot. I am looking for something in proportion to the SD 900 that id not overkill.

All the best

Mark

George Taylor February 11th, 2012 09:19 AM
Re: The Panasonic TM900 Users Thread
 
Hi Mark:

No, it is not a fluid head, and I wondered whether that would be a drawback, but it turned out not to be, for the purposes I was using it for. And I guess that's the caveat I would add. It was great for steadiying the cam for interviews and sunset-type shots. I don't know how well it would perform in professional panning situations. I panned with it only during the interviews, where therre were three subjects and I moved from one interviewee to another in close-up. No problem with that. I did like the relative lightness and collapsed length. Also the quick-release leg clamps were helpful. I did have to get used to the fact that I couldn't rotate the camcorder 90 degrees on the quick-release head like I can with a DSLR, so I was limited in where I could work the levers and controls. (Maybe that's a problem with all camcorder/tripod setups?)

All in all, I was very happy with this lower-cost full-sized tripod for my amateur use in limited situations. About panning, I did find that I got pretty darned good at panning without the tripod, thanks to the great AIS and, in some situations, using the CamCaddy.

Adrian Lepki February 17th, 2012 11:03 AM
Re: The Panasonic TM900 Users Thread
 
>>TM900 equipment bag/case?

What bag works best for your TM900 + accessories? I carry my stuff around (camera, mics, LED light, audio recorder etc.) in an aluminum briefcase which works fine locally (easy access to everything in it) but isn't most practical for an outback trip. Any solutions?

Adrian

George Taylor February 17th, 2012 11:58 AM
Re: The Panasonic TM900 Users Thread
 
Bearing in mind that camera bags are very personal things (100 photographers might use 100 different bags), I was very happy with my Kata while I was in Africa. I did a LOT of research before buying one, and narrowed it down to the Tenba and the Kata lines. I spent a lot of time trying to decide whether a backpack, slingbag, or shoulder bag would work best, and finally decided on a backpack. I was really impressed with the Tenba Shootout (Tenba - Shootout: Medium Backpack) but finally decided on the Kata 3N1-22
(3N1-22 For DSLR W/mid-range Zoom Lens+ 3-4 Lenses+flash - DPS | Kata Bags) because it doubles as a sling bag. It is really quite versatile.

Both lines of bags come in three sizes and will take laptops if you buy the right iterations. I tried all of them out at my local bricks-and-mortar stores but (rather ashamedly) bought the bag through Amazon because it was $30.00 cheaper and no sales tax.

The Kata is advertised as a DSLR bag, but it was fine for the Panny. I bought the medium sized model because it was a bit narrower than the 3N1-33 and fit my rather small back better. But the larger one would be much more useful for things like lighting equipment if you are large enough to accomodate it.

Both the Tenba and the Kata websites do an excellent job of demonstrating their bags' features. The Kata home page has an excellent app for helping you choose the right bag out of their huge lineup. And you can read independent reviews by Googling the product numbers once you narrow your search (e.g. "Kata 3N1 vs. Tenba Shootout").

Hope this helps, but like I said, it's only my opinion. I'm sure there are lots of other ideas out there too.

Mark Evans February 17th, 2012 01:12 PM
Re: The Panasonic TM900 Users Thread
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by George Taylor (Post 1714643)
Hi Mark:

No, it is not a fluid head, and I wondered whether that would be a drawback, but it turned out not to be, for the purposes I was using it for. And I guess that's the caveat I would add. It was great for steadiying the cam for interviews and sunset-type shots. I don't know how well it would perform in professional panning situations. I panned with it only during the interviews, where therre were three subjects and I moved from one interviewee to another in close-up. No problem with that. I did like the relative lightness and collapsed length. Also the quick-release leg clamps were helpful. I did have to get used to the fact that I couldn't rotate the camcorder 90 degrees on the quick-release head like I can with a DSLR, so I was limited in where I could work the levers and controls. (Maybe that's a problem with all camcorder/tripod setups?)

All in all, I was very happy with this lower-cost full-sized tripod for my amateur use in limited situations. About panning, I did find that I got pretty darned good at panning without the tripod, thanks to the great AIS and, in some situations, using the CamCaddy.
Thanks George for the comprehensive reply. I will have to get my hands on one myself now to see what it is like in person.

All the best

Mark

Adrian Lepki February 17th, 2012 02:50 PM
Re: The Panasonic TM900 Users Thread
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by George Taylor (Post 1715683)
The Kata is advertised as a DSLR bag, but it was fine for the Panny. I bought the medium sized model because it was a bit narrower than the 3N1-33 and fit my rather small back better. But the larger one would be much more useful for things like lighting equipment if you are large enough to accomodate it.
Thanks for good advice; Kata looks really good. I am also looking into Tamrac Zuma and Evolution lines.

Luc Spencer February 21st, 2012 09:36 AM
Re: The Panasonic TM900 Users Thread
 
Man... took me a while to read all 38 pages of this thread :) a big big thank you to everyone for their contributions - especially to Andy Wilkinson for helping me fix the shoe adapter rattle issue. I really recommend his method, it works wonders even if you are very clumsy with the scissors like I am.

What I gathered from all these pages is that it's recommended to record at a locked 1/50 or a max 1/100 shutter speed. Very well, I did that. Here's the problem.

My iris will go up to an F-value of 8.0, and that's it. If I want more, I have to increase it manually, otherwise I will get a lot of blown highlights - which, at F8, you EASILY get when filming outside. I don't quite understand why it doesn't go all the way up to F16, which is what you can achieve by adjusting the iris setting manually. Maybe a bug with my particular model?

Also, I already discussed this with Andy, but would be very interested to also see how you guys convert the 1080/50p footage into regular 576/25p SD video to write on SD DVDs for clients. It's been explained for Vegas, but I use Premiere and have a hard time finding a solid method of doing it. I will be very happy to be pointed to perhaps another thread discussing this extensively, if there is such a thing.

Thank you very much for all your help!

Tom Hardwick February 21st, 2012 09:55 AM
Re: The Panasonic TM900 Users Thread
 
It's no bug and what you're being told is the shooting aperture is also not true Luc.

When you use the 900 as a movie camera (as a still camera it works differently) the aperture stays wide open until all the internal ND is on axis with the lens. If it gets brighter still the aperture blades will start to close, so an indicated f/8 is in fact f/4. In iA mode the automation will also juggle with the shutter speed so as to maintain this aperture for as long as possible.

The camera uses smaller than ¼" chips, so shooting at apertures smaller than f/4 will lose you resolution. The blown highlight issue is well known, which is why a lot of 900 shooters dial down the EV by half a stop or so. Probably worth shooting through some external ND if you're out and about in bright sunshine - that way you can lock the shutter speed down to 1/50th sec - which as you suggest is the right thing to do.

Don't forget that you're asking a lot if you want to convert 1080/50p footage into 576/25p. It can be done successfully using expensive standards converters, but generally the in-camera or in-NLE converters are pretty so-so, and by inference, no-no.

tom.

Luc Spencer February 21st, 2012 10:28 AM
Re: The Panasonic TM900 Users Thread
 
Thanks Tom. Yes, I know about the internal ND filter thing happening, but it's the first time when I read that I lose resolution going past the "virtual" F8. Good to keep that in mind.

Can you name a good converter then? Most people here want their weddings in SD, I have to produce "good-looking" SD footage from the 1080/50p no matter the cost.

Tom Hardwick February 21st, 2012 10:47 AM
Re: The Panasonic TM900 Users Thread
 
Have you told us what NLE system you're using?
Edius makes pretty good looking DVDs straight off the end of a 50p timeline, albeit with pretty boring looking menus.

One good thing to come out of this is that fancy swirling menus can look somewhat pretentious on a lot of films and in fact are not generally necessary. I like the fact that using Edius you can have a 'hidden' series of menu pages - only accessible if it's called up using the DVD's remote.

When people take the time to load your film into their player it's because they want to see your film, not because they want to know clever you are in a DVD authoring programme.

tom.

Luc Spencer February 21st, 2012 11:11 AM
Re: The Panasonic TM900 Users Thread
 
Yessir, I mentioned I was using Premiere (and therefore Encore to produce the DVDs with menus). I understand how Premiere works and got used to it (now learning After Effects as well), so I'm not sure whether I should switch to Edius, although lots of folks here seem to be using it.

You are right, I'm not going to worry too much about the menus. It's probably going to be a picture taken at their wedding with some linked text on top of it :) what I am going to worry about is getting that SD footage right.

Peter Riding February 21st, 2012 12:01 PM
Re: The Panasonic TM900 Users Thread
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom Hardwick (Post 1716346)
Have you told us what NLE system you're using?
.....When people take the time to load your film into their player it's because they want to see your film, not because they want to know clever you are in a DVD authoring programme...... tom.
I'm of the same opinion. I use Vegas Pro as my main NLE and Sony's DVD Architect Pro to author the DVDs. No sure about other NLE's but with mine you can just add markers where you want Chapters to be and thats it, job done. The client skips between Chapters in the DVD by pressing the various buttons on their remote. No need for a menu screen at all.

I would imagine that other NLE's must have similar?

Tomorrow the TM900's successor, the X900, is launched. Perhaps this monster thread will then curl up and die :- ) Its been frustrating trying to find out detailed information about the newbie as the manuals are not yet available for download. Panasonic's interactive comparison page seems to indicate that the X900 may not have backlight compensation, which would be a major fail for me as it works extremely well on the TM900 and TM700. We shall see, as we shall also with the batteries - anyone want to bet on whether they introduce yet another new design incompatible with previous ones and priced silly!

Pete

Alan Christensen February 21st, 2012 12:08 PM
Re: The Panasonic TM900 Users Thread
 
I have been shooting exclusively in 1080/60P and editing in Premiere CS5.5 using a 1080/60p or 1080/60i project. After editing I just export the edited file using the MP2-DVD preset in order to create a file that can be used by Encore to create an SD DVD. You can also export the same timeline to a Blu-ray HD format to create Blu-ray DVD's using Encore. From a quality standpoint the SD DVD is OK but probably not as good as might be accomplished using some other converters (from what I have read on the web). However, for my purposes the result is good enough and clearly a lot faster than using some of the complex processes others have developed to achieve ultimate SD quality.

Luc Spencer February 21st, 2012 01:11 PM
Re: The Panasonic TM900 Users Thread
 
Thanks for the insight Alan. In other words, you just export to a lower framerate using a 25p preset, there's no undersampling button to check (like in Vegas) so that Premiere doesn't merge 2 frames into 1, it just automatically drops every other frame.

I have the best of the former generation i5s, I see a lot of overclocking in its near future.

Phil Lee February 21st, 2012 03:17 PM
Re: The Panasonic TM900 Users Thread
 
Hi

Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter Riding (Post 1716365)
I'm of the same opinion. I use Vegas Pro as my main NLE and Sony's DVD Architect Pro to author the DVDs. No sure about other NLE's but with mine you can just add markers where you want Chapters to be and thats it, job done. The client skips between Chapters in the DVD by pressing the various buttons on their remote. No need for a menu screen at all.

I would imagine that other NLE's must have similar?

Tomorrow the TM900's successor, the X900, is launched. Perhaps this monster thread will then curl up and die :- ) Its been frustrating trying to find out detailed information about the newbie as the manuals are not yet available for download. Panasonic's interactive comparison page seems to indicate that the X900 may not have backlight compensation, which would be a major fail for me as it works extremely well on the TM900 and TM700. We shall see, as we shall also with the batteries - anyone want to bet on whether they introduce yet another new design incompatible with previous ones and priced silly!

Pete
The X900 isn't anything very different to the TM900, a nod to this fact is Panasonic have kept the model numbers the same, although PR/marketing have gone to town with adding "Pro" after everything!

The 3MOS sensors are the same sensors that Panasonic introduced in the TM300 a few years ago and they are not backlit.

The main difference with the X900 is the lens has been shifted a little to favour a wider angle at the expense of some zoom.

Regards

Phil

Peter Riding February 22nd, 2012 03:12 AM
Re: The Panasonic TM900 Users Thread
 
Just to clarify Phil, I was referring to the menu function "backlight compensation". This is very effective where the cam is a B-cam locked down unattended and the subject is in front of windows through which variable amounts of sunlight enter during e.g. wedding ceremonies and speeches. Its a form of exposure compensation obviously but not only is it good at calculating the correct amount it also changes that amount if conditions change midshoot. Unfortunately its one of the functions that are not sticky so has to be reselected every time the screen is opened.

I may go for the non built in flash memory version this time round. As far as I can see you loose 5.1 plus the ability of the mic it mimic a shotgun mic at long zooms but so what. Screen not so highres but usable. I also like the idea of not having recordings on an inaccessible (in the event of failure) internal memory plus the ability to download SD cards via the incredibly fast USB3.

Pete

Peter Riding February 25th, 2012 10:05 AM
Re: The Panasonic TM900 Users Thread
 
Well the official launch date came and went, and now Amazon UK are reporting 1 to 3 months.

So I've bought an end of line TM900, unused ex-display from a reputable bricks and mortar retailer at £630 - which is a great price for the UK. My other TM900 cost £853 and my TM700 £776.

The X900 user manual is now on Panasonic UK's site and I'm pleased to see that it does have backlight compensation and it does use the exact same batteries as the TM900.

Pete

Luc Spencer February 29th, 2012 08:11 AM
Re: The Panasonic TM900 Users Thread
 
I'm just wandering... when filming a wedding, would it be a good idea to record the church part and signing the wedding papers part (not sure what you call them in English, sorry!) using the VideoMic Pro, and then use the TM900's microphone (set to stereo) to record the sound at the restaurant with the loud music? From what I've read here, stereo sound would be better suited for music and ambient noise in general. I can't afford the new Stereo VideoMic Pro, that's why I ask.

Adrian Lepki February 29th, 2012 09:12 AM
Re: The Panasonic TM900 Users Thread
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Luc Spencer (Post 1717925)
I'm just wandering... when filming a wedding, would it be a good idea to record the church part and signing the wedding papers part (not sure what you call them in English, sorry!) using the VideoMic Pro, and then use the TM900's microphone (set to stereo) to record the sound at the restaurant with the loud music? From what I've read here, stereo sound would be better suited for music and ambient noise in general. I can't afford the new Stereo VideoMic Pro, that's why I ask.
For shooting weddings and similar events a good idea is to have more than one sound recording device. It gives you more flexibility in editing. For example, in a church you could film the ceremony up close with your TM900/VideoMic Pro, changing angles etc. and at the same time you could record the choir using something like a Zoom H1 recorder (having an assistant would help here).
Similar is a situation in a restaurant - you could walk around, from table to table filming the wedding guests talking etc. and at the same time the Zoom H1 could be position in a location to record the band music.

Having (at least) two sound tracks from such events helps enormously in post production. The tracks must be synchronized prior to editing and for this PluralEyes software does an excellent job.

Luc Spencer February 29th, 2012 09:57 AM
Re: The Panasonic TM900 Users Thread
 
Great stuff Adrian, thank you! I don't have a Zoom H1, but I do have an iRiver which can be paired to the VideoMic Pro, however I'm not sure how well it would do for band recording. And then I could use the TM900's mic to walk around the tables and get that sound separately. Thank you sir, great idea!

Colin Rowe February 29th, 2012 12:41 PM
Re: The Panasonic TM900 Users Thread
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Luc Spencer (Post 1717925)
I'm just wandering... when filming a wedding, would it be a good idea to record the church part and signing the wedding papers part (not sure what you call them in English, sorry!) using the VideoMic Pro, and then use the TM900's microphone (set to stereo) to record the sound at the restaurant with the loud music? From what I've read here, stereo sound would be better suited for music and ambient noise in general. I can't afford the new Stereo VideoMic Pro, that's why I ask.
I wouldn't worry to much about the sound from the signing of the register, you are not going to pick up much usable dialogue at that part of the wedding. With your Rode, get it as close as possible to the action at both the ceremony and the reception. Using the mic mounted on the camera, or thecameras built in mic, the sound is going to be very dissapointing. In the absence of radio mics, any mic you use, really has to be as close to the sound source as possible

Adrian Lepki February 29th, 2012 02:39 PM
Re: The Panasonic TM900 Users Thread
 
For the "signing of the register" situation I'd again suggest a separate recording device placed ahead of time right next to the register. Philips makes 'conference kits' with boundary mics that could be used in such circumstances:

Mark Evans March 1st, 2012 04:10 AM
Re: The Panasonic TM900 Users Thread
 
SD 900 replacement battery.

Just received a VW VBN 260 replacement chipped battery from China for 30 euros. I found it on ebay.
Fits perfectly, shows the time remaining. I was going to get the VBN 130 to have two of the same size but as they are almost the same price I thought it better to go for the bigger one as its better value for money.

My experience with replacement camera batteries has been good. Some have lasted a long time and some have died on me. Overall I have made huge savings compared to the rip off prices of the original batteries.

I will let you know how it goes.

Peter Riding March 1st, 2012 11:18 AM
Re: The Panasonic TM900 Users Thread
 
Do you have a link Mark? Did you get a separate charger as well or will you be charging it onboard the cam?

Pete

Mark Evans March 1st, 2012 01:00 PM
Re: The Panasonic TM900 Users Thread
 
No separate charger yet Pete. Link is here: happytopstar2009 | eBay

Makes the camera a bit bigger and heavier but I think that sometimes heavier is better for handling.

Mark

Anmol Mishra March 3rd, 2012 05:29 AM
Re: The Panasonic TM900 Users Thread
 
Has anyone tried using the Tm900 with a Hyperdeck Shuttle (or the Atomos Ninja) ? The 50p HDMI output will probably not even be detected, however I'm curious to see if the HDMI output is uncompressed 1080p 4:2:2

Tom Hardwick March 3rd, 2012 05:37 AM
Re: The Panasonic TM900 Users Thread
 
I've just bought this battery for the 900 - even cheaper.
Show Product

Roger Shealy March 3rd, 2012 08:07 AM
Re: The Panasonic TM900 Users Thread
 
I recently invested in a "Pico Flex" skate dolly which works great with the TM900. I think this belongs in everyone's tool box for $75 + about $25 for each magic arm you get. Inexpensive way to add some motion to your shots. I'm looking at making an inexpensive shelf system to span two tripods to simulate a rail. Be sure and pick up a few ball heads for heavy cameras or to mount camera or lights very low. A camera mounting plate is also handy if you want to avoid screwing the camera into a fixed thread each time.

Here's my first test (using a t2i) to test it right out of the box. Unbelievably great for an iPhone with a cool little clip that is provided.



Can't wait to shoot something serious with this thing!

Peter Riding March 3rd, 2012 08:32 AM
Re: The Panasonic TM900 Users Thread
 
Mark, Tom, I'm sure we'd all like to hear how these batteries bear up. For example I researched a few but was put off by some reports of loose fits which may lead to the cam powering off.

Anmol, the Hyperdeck has not got a great review on the respected Luminous Landscape site:

Hyperdeck Shuttle Review

Pete

Roger Shealy March 3rd, 2012 09:15 AM
Re: The Panasonic TM900 Users Thread
 
Peter,

It's interesting how many people in the GH2 camp are so excited about increasing the data rate from 24 to much higher. A friend of mine has done some comparisons and didn't see much of a diffference, but a lot more hassle with reduced record times and increased file sizes.

So why are folks so excited about increasing the data rates? Conventional wisdom is "more data is better". Is this an issue on big screen viewing only, or is modern compression so good the higher bit rates are barely detectable?

Mark Rook March 3rd, 2012 11:40 AM
Re: The Panasonic TM900 Users Thread
 
My first post on here for quite a while.

I've purchased a TM900 after coming from a Canon XHA1. As I wasn't shooting much video (I'm mainly a still photographer) I decided to sell. Well, a couple of years later I decided I wanted to get back into shooting video so thought (after reading a lot about it) I'd go for the Panasonic. So far I'm really pleased. The IQ is superb (a match for my old Canon) but I'm a little confused on a couple of areas......

For starters, I've had to move over to Premiere Pro as my Sony Vegas Pro isn't supported by my new Mac platform. Shooting in 1080/50P is also a new thing for me. My vids are for PC/Mac playback and I always saved to wmv. It now seems that H.264 is the way to go unless I purchase a wmv codec thingy for the Mac.

My first question (stick with me).....

The footage is shot in 50P so I take it there should be no field order or deinterlacing. When I save the video I find I get smoother footage when I set the field order to 'lower' at 50fps (in the H.264 codec settings). Now, if I right click on the timeline video and change the Field Options from 'None' to 'Always Deinterlace' then save the video but with 60fps and progressive I get smoother footage and a sharper picture. Can anyone explain this to me?

I still have a few other questions regarding Camera settings but wanted to clear this one up first.

Cheers,

Mark

Dennis Freeman March 3rd, 2012 11:42 AM
Re: The Panasonic TM900 Users Thread
 
With respect to an external charger. I purchased one at BestBatt which seems to work very well both from an automobile charger or AC. It can be found at
Batteries and Battery Chargers - Laptop Batteries, Digital Camera Batteries, Camcorder Batteries, Data Cables, Power Adapters - BestBatt.com

For $16 US it is a good buy
Denny

Adrian Lepki March 3rd, 2012 01:45 PM
Re: The Panasonic TM900 Users Thread
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Roger Shealy (Post 1718656)
I recently invested in a "Pico Flex" skate dolly which works great with the TM900. I think this belongs in everyone's tool box for $75 + about $25 for each magic arm you get. Inexpensive way to add some motion to your shots. I'm looking at making an inexpensive shelf system to span two tripods to simulate a rail.
Hi Roger,

this is quite interesting. I am also thinking of some kind of an adjustable shelf to support a Hague Mini Table Dolly I've purchased recently. My goal is to make it as portable as possible - so I am thinking of using light stands instead of tripods for support on both ends.
__________________
Adrian

Hague Mini Table Dolly MTD - YouTube

Tom Hardwick March 3rd, 2012 02:47 PM
Re: The Panasonic TM900 Users Thread
 
The aftermarket battery is not such a tight fit as the standard smaller battery Pete (the bayonet lugs have sloppier tolerances I expect), but it still clips into place and can't go anywhere and can't lose electrical contact. I simply added a strip of tape to the battery and to the top of the camera's housing and now there's not the slightest wobble. Just feels nicer, doesn't work any better.

Roger Shealy March 3rd, 2012 04:09 PM
Re: The Panasonic TM900 Users Thread
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Adrian Lepki (Post 1718725)
Hi Roger,

this is quite interesting. I am also thinking of some kind of an adjustable shelf to support a Hague Mini Table Dolly I've purchased recently. My goal is to make it as portable as possible - so I am thinking of using light stands instead of tripods for support on both ends.
__________________
Adrian

Hague Mini Table Dolly MTD - YouTube
Adrian,

Looks like we're on the same mission. I was thinking of using a piece of laminated shelving, and support it with a 1x2 across its length and embed a 1/4-20 insert on either end to attach to a tripod at each end. A lightstand might work, but I think you'll need some type of platform to reduce the wobble from front to back if you plan on manipulating the camera or using a head on the dolly. Let me know what you come up with.

Anmol Mishra March 3rd, 2012 04:10 PM
Re: The Panasonic TM900 Users Thread
 
Hi Pete. The compression on the FS100 is excellent. However, I am using an old HV30, and believe me, the difference is huge. High-end cameras do have optimized compression techniques, but the real advantage lies with consumer cameras.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter Riding (Post 1718660)
Mark, Tom, I'm sure we'd all like to hear how these batteries bear up. For example I researched a few but was put off by some reports of loose fits which may lead to the cam powering off.

Anmol, the Hyperdeck has not got a great review on the respected Luminous Landscape site:

Hyperdeck Shuttle Review

Pete

Adrian Lepki March 3rd, 2012 06:35 PM
Re: The Panasonic TM900 Users Thread
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Roger Shealy (Post 1718749)
I was thinking of using a piece of laminated shelving, and support it with a 1x2 across its length and embed a 1/4-20 insert on either end to attach to a tripod at each end. A lightstand might work, but I think you'll need some type of platform to reduce the wobble from front to back if you plan on manipulating the camera or using a head on the dolly. Let me know what you come up with.
I am thinking of using two L-shaped profiles side by side to form rails for the dolly's narrow wheels:

V=====V

This would prevent the dolly from rolling of the contraption. I'll post any future developments.

Mike Hinkel March 4th, 2012 04:32 PM
Re: The Panasonic TM900 Users Thread
 
Trying to be as portable as I can I am looking for a good lightweight tripod and pan head for my TM900. Also need a suggestion for a good video light. Any advice is appreciated.


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