HC3 (again)

[paulledden 0]

These are pulled from the video in Standard Definition.

Getting your hand up to press that little button for a still isn't really an option!!!

As far as I have been able to establish, there isn't a method of operating the still facility other than by the button so I doubt it will ever be used in the air.

Regards

Red Kite

The probability of being observed is directly proportionate to the stupidity of your actions at the time!

[MattM 0]

Quote

These are pulled from the video in Standard Definition.

Regards

Red Kite

How are you pulling them? When I pull stills from video in Premiere is still looks grainy in HD.

Matt

[paulledden 0]

Matt

Through a £30 Pinnacle 'Dazzle' DV Clip piece of software. I'm amazed at the quality too.

The software came with a PCI card and firewire cable plus two CD's containing all the gimmicky stuff.

As we speak, I have printed some A4 size videograbs onto glossy paper - they are brilliant quality.

Regards

Paul

The probability of being observed is directly proportionate to the stupidity of your actions at the time!

[paulledden 0]

Matt

One other thing - the pictures are in SD and not HD.

Regards

Paul

The probability of being observed is directly proportionate to the stupidity of your actions at the time!

[DSE 3]

with the LANC control made for the HC3, you have a still option on the wired remote. I've forgotten the part number tho.

As far as standard def vs high def...
I'd recommend that you shoot in HDV and downconvert on the fly to DV. Put the cam in VCR mode, hit the menu icon, and set it up there. You'll get SD analog out the analog port, and DV out the Firewire port.
You'll be stunned at the difference.

[MattM 0]

do you think this camera can double as a video/still camera for tandems? Or does the recorded video not allow for decent extracted stills that are printable on photo paper?

also I am using out of the box settings, with the exception for setting the focus to inifinity. Is there any other settings I can change that will work better for skydiving?

Matt

[DSE 3]

The video and still capabilities on the HC3 are completely separate.
You can record 4MP stills on the cam while shooting 2.0MP video. Stills are stored on a card, vid is stored on the tape.

For smaller, inkjet printed photos, the cam is fine. If you had a corporate client wanting very high res, enlargeable images, I don't think I'd consider any video cam source, that's what the better digital and 35mm cams are for.
Would it work for most/average tandem needs? I believe so, but I'm sure that there are others who are as snobby about photos as I am about video, who would tell you "no."

[MattM 0]

Quote

The video and still capabilities on the HC3 are completely separate.
You can record 4MP stills on the cam while shooting 2.0MP video. Stills are stored on a card, vid is stored on the tape.

I understand that, I meant pulling/extracting stills from the video... not taking stills with the photo button. Thanks for the info!

Do you have an insight on my second question?

Matt

[DSE 3]

Pulling images from the stills will be "OK" but nothing great. Bear in mind you're getting a 1.9 MP image, or an image of 1920 x 1080. However, that's an interlaced image. You'll need to deinterlace, which will cost you around 30% of your gross resolution, so the images will soften a bit at equal size. You can pull a "reasonable" 5x7 from the camera, but that's as big as it gets. For web, it's great.
Regarding settings, use the Beach setting. Set to infinity.

[Shoot 0]

Quote

with the LANC control made for the HC3, you have a still option on the wired remote. I've forgotten the part number tho.

Does this mean a new version of a conceptus-like bite/tongue switch could be made to create a wired remote and take 4MP stills with the HC3?

[diablopilot 2]

That would be wasome. ANyone heard anything about it yet?

----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.