Sony HVR-A1E

[Gozzer]

Hi

I intend hiring a Sony HVR-A1E, camcorder for my daughters wedding.
I understand that I can transfer the footage from the tapes to my pc using
a firewire from the camcorder. Is the best option?

I have also been led to believe that it is possible to transfer the footage using a suitable mini DV camcorder. I would as ever appreciate any advice on offer and any views on the quality that can be achieved if I chose that route.

Any thoughts on burning the edit to disks for playback in the blu-ray would be helpful.

Regards Mark

[A n d r e w]

Originally Posted by Gozzer

I understand that I can transfer the footage from the tapes to my pc using a firewire from the camcorder. Is the best option?

Yes. You'll have to use firewire and transfer in real time with the A1.

Originally Posted by Gozzer

I have also been led to believe that it is possible to transfer the footage using a suitable mini DV camcorder. I would as ever appreciate any advice on offer and any views on the quality that can be achieved if I chose that route.

That would work if you recorded in standard definition, but HDV material will need to be played back on an HDV camcorder. To be on the safe side, use the hired A1 to transfer all the video - there's always the (slim, but there nonetheless) risk of tape compatibility problems when attempting playback from a different camcorder or deck.

[emocean]

You have the option to transfer from the A1 in either HDV or SD. If you want to have Bluray discs you need to work in HDV. The A1 is a good camera but it is not the best in low light situations. In fact something like an old SD VH2000 or PD150 is far better in low light.
How many of your end users will have Bluray players?

[Gozzer]

Thank you both for your replies the information is extremely helpful. Could I crave your indulgence a little further and ask what software would be good to capture the HD footage on to my pc. Then say I don’t splash out on a blu ray writer what sort of quality would be achieved if I burnt the edit to DVD?

Regards Mark

[rogs]

Originally Posted by Gozzer

Hi
I intend hiring a Sony HVR-A1E, camcorder for my daughters wedding.

One minor point, which may be important for your application. The Sony camera you mention has a CMOS sensor, not CCD. You might need to consider the fact that all CMOS cameras use rolling shutters, and that can cause problems with an artifact known as 'partial exposure'.

Remember that if you video something like the cake cutting ceremony, where there is likely to be lots of still camera flash photography happening at the same time, some of your video frames will almost certainly be affected with the 'partial exposure' problem.
You might like to read through the last section of this article for more detail:CMOS Rolling Shutter

It may not be of any concern to you, but if it is, look to hire a camera with CCD sensors.
CCD sensors use a 'global' shutter, and do not suffer from that problem -although to be fair they can have their own limitations - like vertical 'smear', with over exposure to pinpoint white light sources for example.

It does seem that quite a lot of wedding videographers seem to be sticking with CCD cameras at present, because of this problem with CMOS 'rolling shutters'.

[chrishull3]

There is nothing wrong with cmos 99% of consumer and many semi pro cams including sonys Z 5/7s - EX 3 use cmos.The main problem with the A1 is it is not as good in low light as newer models.

[rogs]

I didn't mean to suggest that there is anything 'wrong' with CMOS, but the fact remains that any current camera, with a CMOS sensor, will utilise a rolling shutter,and will suffer from the partial exposure problem.
That may or may not be of concern in any given situation.

Interestingly, although, as you say, many semipro cameras now utilise CMOS sensors, many of the truly 'pro' cameras still seem to use CCD.

Panasonic have recently upgraded the firmware for their new HPX300, which uses CMOS sensors, to compensate for partial exposure (some details here Content Creation and Distribution - blog - Panasonic HPX300 firmware Update - CMOS "Flashband"*fix).

It would be nice if that kind of thing eventually 'trickles down' so that lesser cameras could benefit.

Or, best of all, someone produces a global CMOS shutter at a reasonable price!

[emocean]

Originally Posted by Gozzer

Thank you both for your replies the information is extremely helpful. Could I crave your indulgence a little further and ask what software would be good to capture the HD footage on to my pc. Then say I don’t splash out on a blu ray writer what sort of quality would be achieved if I burnt the edit to DVD?

Regards Mark

There are many choices of software and several that you can download for a free 30 day trial. EG Pinnacle Studio Plus version 12 Trial
It may not give you full functionality so just do a 1 minute movie to check that you can actually burn your project to DVD.
There is no real point capturing in HD unless you intend to output in HD as it will really slow the process unless you have a at least a 256Mb graphics card and plenty of RAM. Pinnacle used to have an upscale option that would allegedly give near HD quality on a standard disk. I have not tried it so you are on your own with that.
Finally I would try and spend some time prior to the wedding playing with the external Mic on the camera and maybe invest in an extension lead and some sort of wind sock so that you can get the Mic closer to the sound source. External wind noise and screaming babies can force you to end up with a silent movie as the extraneous noise becomes too distracting!

[Gozzer]

Originally Posted by emocean

There are many choices of software and several that you can download for a free 30 day trial. EG Pinnacle Studio Plus version 12 Trial
It may not give you full functionality so just do a 1 minute movie to check that you can actually burn your project to DVD.
There is no real point capturing in HD unless you intend to output in HD as it will really slow the process unless you have a at least a 256Mb graphics card and plenty of RAM. Pinnacle used to have an upscale option that would allegedly give near HD quality on a standard disk. I have not tried it so you are on your own with that.
Finally I would try and spend some time prior to the wedding playing with the external Mic on the camera and maybe invest in an extension lead and some sort of wind sock so that you can get the Mic closer to the sound source. External wind noise and screaming babies can force you to end up with a silent movie as the extraneous noise becomes too distracting!

Thank You I appreciate your time and expertise Mark

[senu]

The A1 is not a bad camcorder and in its day was the smallest semi pro HDV camcorder
Also things have moved on a bit but it very still is OK provded you dont try to use it with very low light
The Issue of CMOS is probably likely not to be a big Issue .. it is hotly debated and purists dislike CMOS but for most of us, you may not really notice any of the effects mentioned ( they are real but
Your best bet if you record HDV is to capture to an ext HDD as HDV before returning the camcorder
Sony Vegas Movie Studio is also fine for HDV capture and editng
Blu ray or even AVCD disc ( Blue ray content on DVD media playable by BD players) can be created from HDV footage

[Gozzer]

Originally Posted by senu

The A1 is not a bad camcorder and in its day was the smallest semi pro HDV camcorder
Also things have moved on a bit but it very still is OK provded you dont try to use it with very low light
The Issue of CMOS is probably likely not to be a big Issue .. it is hotly debated and purists dislike CMOS but for most of us, you may not really notice any of the effects mentioned ( they are real but
Your best bet if you record HDV is to capture to an ext HDD as HDV before returning the camcorder
Sony Vegas Movie Studio is also fine for HDV capture and editng
Blu ray or even AVCD disc ( Blue ray content on DVD media playable by BD players) can be created from HDV footage

I am extremely appreciative of your time and for all the information and advice, so thank you. I am aware from the instructions that a memory stick can be used however I found this rather confusing as it seems to suggest that its use is for still images?

Kind regards Mark

[Gozzer]

[QUOTE=senu;10190118]The A1 is not a bad camcorder and in its day was the smallest semi pro HDV camcorder

The other hire options are HVR HD 1000E or HVR V1E

Mark

[chrishull3]

Originally Posted by rogs

I didn't mean to suggest that there is anything 'wrong' with CMOS, but the fact remains that any current camera, with a CMOS sensor, will utilise a rolling shutter,and will suffer from the partial exposure problem.
That may or may not be of concern in any given situation.

Interestingly, although, as you say, many semipro cameras now utilise CMOS sensors, many of the truly 'pro' cameras still seem to use CCD.

Panasonic have recently upgraded the firmware for their new HPX300, which uses CMOS sensors, to compensate for partial exposure (some details here Content Creation and Distribution - blog - Panasonic HPX300 firmware Update - CMOS "Flashband"*fix).

It would be nice if that kind of thing eventually 'trickles down' so that lesser cameras could benefit.

Or, best of all, someone produces a global CMOS shutter at a reasonable price!

The EX3s footage is on par with most pro cams,not that i will be getting one me and sony are no longer friendly and i still prefer tape, all the cams being used on the tv programn wildest dreams are cmos tape cams.But if the situation arose i would not stop from still using ccd if it was on a cam i wanted.

[senu]

Originally Posted by Gozzer

I am extremely appreciative of your time and for all the information and advice, so thank you. I am aware from the instructions that a memory stick can be used however I found this rather confusing as it seems to suggest that its use is for still images?

Kind regards Mark

Yes and not particularly hi res either, however useful for opportunistic stills which would still be fine for use in a video