HC7 Vibrations

[guscabana 0]

Hi All,
I just exchange my HC1 for the HC7, and I having the old TRV900 shakes and vibrations when I fly in some positions, like diving hard, stand up, basically when is turbulence around my helmet the image is terrible. Im very disapointed because I dont have any of this whith my HC1.
Is mounted on a Flat top, with a neoprene cover. Any suggestion to fix it?
Thanks a lot,
Gustavo

[FeFe 0]

get a box?
I had a 'sealed' box (with a UV filter atop of the box so the camera including the w/a was completely inside) with PD100 and TRV920, no problems whatsoever

[ParaShoot 0]

Hi Gustavo,

Why did you switch from your HC1 to the HC7 anyway?

Henny

[damonsteele 0]

DSE,

Have you had any of these problems?

[GavTr0n 0]

Forum,
Hope to hear more about this problem just bought a HC7 two weeks ago for filming landings and eventually plop it a top.

Gavin,
***

I believe a believer, not a lie from a liar.

[DSE 3]

Nope. Jumped it probably 2 dozen or more jumps.
If you don't have a UV filter or wide on the front, you *might* see shutter flap from the built-in lens hood.
But I wouldn't be jumping without a UV over the internal lens anyway....

[shogo 0]

have you been on your belly most of the time? or you have been diving hard to a formation, standing, going headdown etc like guscabana is saying.

by the way i remember reading here at dz.com a few years back that the TRV 900 shake was due to 3 chip design. in the case of hc7, could the shake be due to OIS?
i am interested to hear your opinion since you know a lot about camcorders.
thanks

[DSE 3]

no headdown, but aggressive downward tracking, yes. Sit, yes. Diving, yes. Stand, no.
CMOS offers more intelligent tracking of the image and pixel placement. I don't believe this is due to the chip system. I leave stabilization off, BTW.
Before I start digging into this (we have access to a vibration platform on which we've tested camcorders) I'd like to know from Guscabana if the lens is outwardly exposed.

[FeFe 0]

Quote

we have access to a vibration platform on which we've tested camcorders

would be cool to use it to give HV10 some good shake
the way I remember the old Sony TVR900 series problem (which I personally have never experienced), it was not vibration - it was airflow

[guscabana 0]

Hola Henny,
I switch to the HC7 because I never liked the long shape of the HC1 with my side by side top mount set up, makes me put forward the still cam to be able to use the 10.5 lens. And I like the more compact body of the HC7, plus hdmi out, much better screeen, top loading tape, better resolution...
I turning off the steady shot and the wide angle set up in the menu to see if change something. Now Im jumping from C130's at the Thai Sky Fest, and I having some shake on the exits from the 130 knots speed. Its not nearly as bad as the TRV900 which I owned, but again with the same exact set up, I didnt have any of this with the goodoll hc1.
Im using a neoprene condom cover all the cam including the wide angle lens.
Gustavo

[DSE 3]

The HC1 doesn't have a built in lens hood like the HC5/7 do, and this lens hood should be protected from wind. I think that Redkite had this issue with his HC3, but it went away as soon as he mounted a UV filter on the lens.

[ParaShoot 0]

Unfortunately I couldn't join you guys with this trip. I'm way to busy with other projects. F.e. next week, the World Championships of Paraski in Italy (still as competitor).

I know the problems with the 900. I used to own one myself. Could sell it to a non skydiver after 2 weeks of shit footage. The specs of the HC7 sound great. You know I've the A1 mainly because of the downconverter. I understood with the HC7 that's no longer necessary. Am I correct?

Have fun at the TSF and say hello to everybody.

Henny

** Know what you say but don't say all you know. **

[DSE 3]

The HC7, like the A1, downconverts the footage. The HC7 doesn't offer 4:3 conversion/cropping, however. This feature is going away across the manufacturer board. It's either letterbox, or full screen in the future.
Were you here in utah for the Paraski comp last week?

[ParaShoot 0]

Hi Doug,

we haven't met yet but we'll certainly do in the near future. I was at the World Championships of Paraski in 1995 in Snowbird and the first Bladerunning comp following the paraski comp though :)

Congrats on the nice event with the PDFT at the canyon. I joined the guys last spring in the Italian Dolomites.

Because I don't really use the audio features on my A1 and I no longer need the 4:3 any longer, do you think it's worth to switch to the HC7?

Hot Shots,

Henny

[DSE 3]

A1 has a better stabilizer, but not better enough that you'll notice unless you're shooting a lot of tripod stuff.
If you're not using the audio package on the A1 (which can be modified to work with the HC7) then yes...you'll like the HC7. Same lens element, A1 has a bigger CMOS sensor, but HC7 has ClearVid, it's smaller and lighter. We have several that have been motor mounted and wing mounted, I'm switching them all out for HC5's. Cost is just too damn enticing.
I was at Snowbird just this last week shooting paraski, as part of a memorial vid for a paraskier recently passed here. Didn't stay long, just needed to get a few shots as Broll.
Looking for'rd to meeting you, seen some of your work.

[ParaShoot 0]

Gustavo: I hope you don't mind using this thread.

Doug: I was in Italy at the IPC meeting when I heard about Brett. Real shock. He was a great Paraskier.

I just checked the specs of the HC7 and they won't bring me much improvement but as Gustavo mentioned it seems to be a more skydiving (top mount) friendly. I'll probably put that one on top and keep my A1 for ground shots. I guess I can use the audioblock on both.

[LouDiamond 1]

Quote

We have several that have been motor mounted and wing mounted, I'm switching them all out for HC5's. Cost is just too damn enticing.

Thats one of the reasons I went with the HC-5. I don't need the couple extra bells on the 7 that set it apart from the 5 so the 5 was the smart economical decision in my case.

"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required"
Some people dream about flying, I live my dream
SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING

[shogo 0]

I was wondering. Are you still experiencing the shake problem with your HC7?
Just curious.

[guscabana 0]

yes, minimal but is there in some circunstances. I checked my footage from Thailand, and some of the high speed exits still show it, and in some positions in a sit fly with my big wings, when is turbulence around my helmet. This is with the steady shot of, which is a shame because I allways use it. Maybe is the optical stabilizer the problem.
For me the HC7 was a better option than the HC5 because of the mic input, phones output, the control dial and the 2.28 mpix resolution against 1.43, but if is the optical versus electronic stabilizer what is causing the shake...too bad.
Ill try to find a solution and post the results.

[kylemoss 0]

I just skimmed thorught the thread so this might have been relayed. I used to jump the trv900 and was so frustrated by the flicker problem. I found out that this was caused by a a floating iris design and could only be compensated by manually adj the shutter speed to the max amount. (experiment around with this by setting it to the slowset speed and tapping on the outside focus ring...you'll see what i mean) you can either always jump with the shutter speed maxed out (works under most sunny day conditions plus gives the best slo mo) or you have to chooses a different model that does not have this design.

[guscabana 0]

yesterday I tried it a couple more times.
First: with steady shot on, and manual speed of 215, bad. (Ill not try faster speeds than that, I dont like still propellers.)
Second: without steady shot, same speed, better, but blurry images in some turbulent positions.
Third: HC7 goes to Ebay, and maybe get an HC5, I think the problem is the optical steady shoot...

[damonsteele 0]

Just jumped my HC7 this weekend. Same problem. I went through the hassle with the TRV900 as well and I'm going to try to return to B&H this week. I've only had the camera for a few weeks, hopefully I can exchange for an HC5. Very disappointed. The ground footage looked awesome on my 50" plasma! F%CK!

[guscabana 0]

Confirmed the problems with this cam...
Ebaaaayyyyyyy....

[damonsteele 0]

So the HC5 is the answer?

Edited to add:

I just wanted to add that I was shooting in Beach AE mode, with a UV filter on the lens of the camcoder and one on the Raynox .5HD lens. Steadyshot off, conversion lens setting set to "wide", x.v. color on.

[garywainwright 0]

Hi Gustavo,
I've recently got a HC5, i've only managed to do 2 jumps with it so far (English weather) but it looks fine at the moment. (Both jumps filming 4 way - top shot)
I haven't been freeflying with it yet though.

gary

http://www.garywainwright.co.uk

Instagram gary_wainwright_uk