The Official Panasonic HC-V700 Owners Thread - Page 17

Does anybody have a clue about the OIS Lock?

On the Panasonic website it says it increases the sensitivity of blur detection. How it does that, or why it's not just always enabled I have no clue. Maybe it drains the battery faster or something.

OIS Lock: Here is an informed guess, based on Panasonic's other descriptions: it's use is for when you are shooting a stationary subject and trying to hold the camera steady. You essentially are telling the camera to lock the subject at the same point in the frame no matter how the camera moves - any camera movement is thus just blur. So it is especially useful for long telephoto shots of a subject, like a bird sitting on a branch (Panasonic on one of its web pages uses that as an example of use).

This is in contrast, say, to when you are moving the camcorder purposely - either walking with it while shooting or panning. Then it would be inappropriate for the OIS to lock a subject to the same point in the frame - movement is not just blur. By telling the camera what you want, its OIS works more efficiently - remember, the processor has to distinguish unintended camera shake (blurring) from intended camera and subject movement. OIS is not just mechanical, there is AI being used.

So, to repeat - if the subject is stationary and you want to just hold the camera steady in one position, locking the OIS will make the OIS more effective. But you do not want to lock OIS if you are intentionally moving the camera or the subject is moving.

It would be really great if Panasonic were to provide a lucid explanation, so people would use this nice option more effectively and even value it in selecting among camcorders. The Sony pro version of the CX760V has this OIS lock feature. This is what Sony says about it: "FIXED SHOT mode. Press a button and this expands the movable range of the optical block to keep you locked on your subject. This is particularly convenient when you want to maintain the same shooting angle for an extended period". Note the empahsis on the sameness of the shooting angle - it is for fixed camera and subject.
Edited by markr041 - 12/5/12 at 7:04pm

Ah yes I think you're right. Makes perfect sense.

Does anybody have any idea how long it should take to format a 16gig sdhc card ? I purchased the camera a week ago together with a Panasonic sdhc card and have been taking experimental videos over the past few days, however I now want to use the camera 'for real'. I copied everything on to my pc, and then went to reformat the card. When I went into the menu and selected 'Format the card" it came up with the respons 'Now Formatting' with the egg timer logo spinning underneath. This went on for about 50 minutes then the timer stopped spinning and and it has been sitting there for approx the last 45 minutes with a static display saying 'Now Formatting'. The card itself only had about 4 minutes of video on it. Does it normally take this long to format the card ?

Reformating a card even with over an hours footage takes just seconds for me with my cameras,not an hc c700 but that should not make any difference.

Hi guys

I got my V700 the other day, and was wondering if there were any tips to improve indoor night shots?
Also, can you put a polorizer filter on the lens?

Thanks

James

Also, any general tips?

I just bought Magix Movie Edit Pro 2013 Premium to do the editing after CyperLink PowerDirector 12 crashes on loading :/

As to filters yes you can out them on, just remember that the camera has a very wide view, so you may want to jump to a much larger setup ring. I put a 58mm on mine and the tinkering I have done, I have not seen any vignetting so far.

as to indoor shooting I have only done a little testing with that as I mostly shoot outdoors. If you are in a low light room, where the light wont change all that much, it does a decent job of asjusting to the lighting but there is a lag to it.

There are a few post in this thread about people using LED lighting panels.

-R

Thanks for the reply - much appreciated

My concern is that I recorded some 1080/50p video in my living room (we use energy saving light bulbs, so more of a yellow glow than white) and the video was similar to a camera phone for quality. I had it on auto, I believe - no LED lamp was on.

Wasn't sure if I was doing something wrong. I can upload a sample, if it helps?

So how did the lens hood work out? Any problems with vignetting? I might get one myself. I was never sure that the hood ever did anything to improve the image on my still photo camera, but it certainly protected the front end. The expense lenses seem to bump into things a lot.

I just got my V700! I'm going to play with it a bit and consider getting some accessories. Let me know what you guys think! Right now I'm planning to buy, in the order of priority:

1. Batteries & charger. People seem happy with the Wasabi kit, and I might get that. Any thoughts?

2. A strap for the camera so I can free my hands if I need to and carry it on my shoulder. But then I need a way to mount the camera. What do you guys do?

3. Microphone & some way to mount it (someone's setup has a nice C bracket). But first I feel like I need to get a sense of the limitations of the built-in microphone. I know there are different varieties of microphones out there, and I don't know which one I need, and how much difference a microphone within my budget would make.

4. A fluid head for my tripod. This would have been a higher priority except that I can borrow a friend's for now.

Right now I'm using iMovie on a Mac, and I'll be getting Adobe Premiere.

Can anyone recommend some good books/web resources on shooting/editing videos? I don't mean manuals for using your camcorder or your software, but the artistic stuff. I've read some photography books and they've helped me improve my pictures. I figure I need to go through a similar process.

Thanks for the help!

Have a question about the hybrid Optical stab. Do most of you shut off the hybrid function and go with straight optical? Electronic stab typically degrades the image so I am wondering if the hybrid is inferior to the 100% optical.

Thanks for any advice!!

How do you do that? All I see in Record Setup is Hybrid OIS on/off. Does turning Hybrid off leave optical OIS on?

Most of the external mic's will mount to the shoe ( you have to install it, its in the bag with the cables )

I have the Wasabi Batteries and that is all I will use ( I used them to weight my Steady cam ) so I cant use the stock battery when I use that.

I actually removed the hand strap, if I need something I have a lanyard I rigged up that I can clip to my QR tripod mounts D rig.



-R

Straps get in my way. I don't like them.

When I get to be a tourist I need a place for my camcorder when I need both hands for things like eating or paying a bill. I keep a "D-Ring Caribiner" on my belt. Rather than set the camera down, I can snap the wrist strap into the D-Ring. Gravity holds the lens pointing down.

http://www.amazon.com/D-Ring-Carabiner-KeyChain-Color-Various/dp/B001AW2ARS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1354898877&sr=8-3&keywords=d+ring+carabiner

Also on my belt is a camcorder "holster" for more protected storage. This Lowepro is more than a bag. The longer outside strap is for your belt. It sort of extends when you are doing things like driving so that it does not jab you. Inside is an elastic band and a small pocket for extra SD cards. The elastic strap holds the camera while you zip and unzip. You can get the camera in and out with one hand.

http://www.amazon.com/Lowepro-Digital-Video-Case-30/dp/B004DMNT2W/ref=sr_1_6?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1354899251&sr=1-6&keywords=lowepro+camcorder+bag

Bill

Steve Stockman is a long time pro. He wrote a book that has nothing to do with equipment. I think it is extraordinary.

http://www.amazon.com/Shoot-Video-That-Doesnt-Suck/dp/0761163239/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1354899665&sr=1-1&keywords=how+to+shoot+video+that+doesn%27t+suck

My tripod spends a lot of time in the closet!

Much more frequently, I use a monopod with a mini ball head on it. Often it is half extended with the ball head bent at about 45 degrees. The monopod is held between my arm and ribs. With the good in camera stabilizer, the video can be rock solid. Sometimes I put the monopod foot in my Levi's front pocket. Sometimes I even use it the ordinary way with the foot on the ground.

With a little practice at where and how to hold it, you can use a monopod like a Steady-Cam. Even more bizarre is using it upside down. With the camera on the bottom and you holding the foot with it extended about 3 feet can be very Steady-Cam like. I use Premier Elements to turn the video right side up again.

Bill

The best $25 you can spend will be a month of time at lynda.com. It buys you unlimited access to around 1500 courses. Two are aimed directly at you and your goals. The first one is essential and I don't know what words to type that adequately says how good it is. I know your camera is coming and you can't wait to push the record button. But, take this course.

http://www.lynda.com/Premiere-Elements-tutorials/Up-Running-Premiere-Elements-11/109763-2.html

The second one is much shorter, also very good, gives you more "creative" information but uses an older version of PrE.

http://www.lynda.com/Premiere-Elements-tutorials/Creating-Mini-Documentary-Premiere-Elements/95250-2.html

Advice needed:

I just got my v700M and am wondering if I have a defective unit. I have been simply recording the TV that is 8 feet in front of me. The volume on the TV is slightly higher than I would normally listen too. However, when I play back the video the sound is very low whether playing on the camcorder, computer or TV.

When playing back on the camcorder I have the volume as high as it can go. When recording, I have used auto and various settings of the set+AGC option. The only way to get much volume is to use the AGC at 6+ db. Even then it is not particularly loud. However, while I am speaking a foot or so away from the microphone it seems to record fairly well ( as long as I am using auto or AGS at 0db to +6 db).

When recording the TV, with the AGC at +6db, I am able to get 1-2 bars on the little display on the LCD screen. If I talk at slightly elevated levels 1 foot from the mic I get 5 bars.

When I set the AGC to larger negative values I can barely hear myself when speaking a foot away from the microphone. When playing back on the TV I must turn up the volume quite high to hear the video at reasonable levels (however, my narratives spoken from a foot away from the mic are then extremely loud).

I figure the audio coming from the camcorder is nothing special, but should I have to be in a quiet room and/or hold the camcorder to my ear to be able to listen to the audio? I'm just using this camera for home videos but expected to be able to video in say a room like a kitchen and be able to hear people talk.

Do I have a defective camcorder? Should I exchange it while I am within the return period? Any suggestion on how to better test this camcorder.

Thanks

I just got my V700, so I have very little experience to speak of. However, the sound level was fine. I didn't have to play with the gain or anything. If I were you, I'd return it. Sorry I can't be more helpful, but good luck.

I've played with that, but the cold shoe rattles slightly. Or maybe more precisely, the fit is nowhere near exact, and there is a bit of play in all three directions. Does anyone know of a trick to fix the inexact fit in the cold shoe?

Thanks, bsprague, for all your helpful comments. I like the holster idea for carrying it around, but it looks like an external microphone would be too big. I'm looking for input on ways of carrying the camcorder around.

Also, I'm trying to figure out how to maximize V700's capability for shooting in low light. I've tried a bunch of stuff -- using the different modes, setting the controls manually, etc. But my images are invariably grainy, with some evident noise, like the still below. You can see the "unnatural gradient" around the corner especially. (This is from a small room lit with a 150W lamp with a lampshade. The camera is pointing at the ceiling corner on the other side of the room.) What settings do you use for shooting in in low light?

Thanks a bundle! I took the camcorder to the office and shot some silly stuff just for fun, when no one was looking. It was fun!
Edited by bing51 - 12/10/12 at 1:07am

Is there anything special that Panasonic TV's can do with the V700?

They generally seem to have SD card slots, which few TVs have, but that's about all I can find. Not sure how useful that is compared to hooking a cable up though.

"How do you do that? All I see in Record Setup is Hybrid OIS on/off. Does turning Hybrid off leave optical OIS on?"


Yes. I still get the Optical Stab icon on my screen when I shut off hybrid in the menu.

The only way to get rid of the icon completely is to use the Optical Stab button on the camcorder.

I believe turning off hybrid in the menu leaves you with pure optical.


Anyone have any comment on this? Is my interpretation correct? It would seem that someone has wanted to use optical only if that is avaiable!

Connecting your V700 to any TV that is VieraLink compatible via an HDMI cable, it works with my Sony TV, you can use the TV's remote to fully control your V700.
But you must turn on viera link and External Display to Off to only display the recording.
Very handy when playing back direct from the camcorder.

That's correct. The icon is different depending on whether you have hybrid IS or optical only enabled. Electronic stabilization is supposed to soften images a little but I tried turning it off today and couldn't tell a whole lot of difference. I though it might be the reason 46x zoom looks blurry to me but I couldn't really tell either way. I think I can pan a bit smoother with hybrid turned off though.

Thanks for the quick reply! I want pure Optical so no hybrid for me.

Thanks for your reply Bing51,

Just a couple more questions for you. Could you please describe what your video playback sounds like with someone talking about 10-12 feet away (indoors)? How far away do they sound; how loud as compared to someone 5 feet away?

When playing back video on the camcoder could you describe how loud the audio is? I realize this will be subjective -- I just want to make sure it is not my expectations of the camcorder that are faulty before I take your suggestion and return the camcorder.

Thanks again for your help.

Starbuck66, I'm not sure how to answer your question. I have read the description of your problem carefully, and I do not think my camcorder does that at all. When I play back the video on my computer, I can hear soft voices 20' away clearly. Certainly it's loud enough for comprehension. Voices 10' away, spoken at the normal conversation volume, are loud and clear. The "drop off" sounds reasonable; i.e., the more distant voices aren't exponentially tiny. Playback on the camcorder is not as good. I can hear the voices recorded from 20' away, but not quite loud enough for comprehension. I'm not a sound engineer, so I'm afraid these terms aren't scientific.

What you describe sounds like a problem to me. I haven't noticed the same problem with my camcorder.

Guys,

Okay I am in need of some video wisdom

I have been shooting camcorder stuff for 30 years starting with VHS back in 1982. I have shot probably 10,000 hrs or more of video over the years. All fun consumer grade stuff but I have always slowly upgraded my toys to produce better output.

For the past 7-8 years I have been shooting with a Canon HV20. 1440x1080 but the output is terrific. I I dump the tape footage to my hard drive, edit it lossless with Videoredo and then play it back using VLC.

Terrific quality even when viewed on my 80" LCD.

Like all of you I get the upgrade bug. I was thinking that 1920X1080P would give me even better output. So after some research I decided on theV700. One thread I read argued that the older tape based 1440x1080i machines were vastly inferior to the output of the V700.

I had Amazon deliver one this week. I finally got around to playing with it tonight.

I have a dining area that is brightly lit (about 300 watts total). decided to shoot some footage of various objects with the V700 and the HV20. Both have HDMI output so I could plug them into my panel and do real time side by side comparisons. I shot in auto mode---manual mode----tweaked the various manual settings on the V700.

The results are shocking. The Hv20 produces vastly superior video. I mean not even close. The V700 1080P stuff is soft, much much softer than the sharp HV20 output. The V700 contrast and color are nasty compared to the HV20. I tried every conceivable mode on the V700 ( tweaked the manual options, tried intelligent contrast....) nothing produced anything close to the HV20. I tried every 1080i mode and nothing changed from 1080P.

Anyone with any insights as to why this machine produces such inferior interior quality video to the old HV20 machine?

I am going to go outside and give it a shot to see if the quality improves outside.. I like the ergonomics of the V700 and I would rather not use tape, but boy the PQ inside video of the v700 is just nasty in comparison to the Hv20.

Any comments much appreciated.

PLEASE HELP ME FIX THIS!!! I'm getting really bad results. On a cloudy afternoon, I shot in a decently lit room (next to large glass doors + good indoor lighting), with HA1920, portrait mode, on a triipod, at 1x zoom. Dark clothing comes out looking really terrible. I used iMovie. When I exported the clip, I used Quicktime, with H.264 at the best quality into the highest resolution. Here I've cropped the picture for reasons of privacy. But you can see how terrible it looks! What am I doing wrong? I'll be so grateful to whoever can help me fix this.
Edited by bing51 - 12/10/12 at 1:07am