New Sony AVCHD HDR-CX100, CX105

[Ralph_W 0]

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Chris did a demo during PIA and I think the whole room was amazed at how fast the editing went...

Tandem Videos Made Easy Training DVD by VASST

Which editing software/program is used/featured on the DVD?

Silence is golden. www.bt-ag.ch

[PhreeZone 16]

Sony Vegas

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[parachutist 2]

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Which editing software/program is used/featured on the DVD?

We used Sony Vegas Pro when filming the video, but the workflows and a majority of procedures that we demonstrate can be easily adapted to other NLE software as well. It's like instruction on how to drive fast: After watching Joe in a Mustang on video, you can go drive a Camaro and it'll behave a little different, but the principles are the same and you can apply them to either car.

There are a few bonuses we supply in the Extras folder of the DVD that are specific to Vegas:
- pre-made tandem video templates (with intro, music, and outro)
- pre-made tandem DVD menu (with links to credits and a Norman Kent compilation of videos)

It's convenient to be using Vegas because you can start using these templates immediately, however we provide all the raw materials to make your own similar templates:
- royalty-free music folder (contains same music used in the pre-made templates)
- Video compilation file (same as listed above in the DVD menu template)
Also there's a chapter about templates and how to make your own custom versions. You can use this guide for making tandem templates in other NLE apps.

Chris

[CaptainMorgan 0]

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My cam arrived last night. Here are my first impressions:

Pros: Tiny and light! Wow... this thing is small, at least without a wide-angle lens.

Cons:

Terrible low-light footage in SD-HQ mode. Grainy and noisy, and not at all crisp or sharp. Colors are dull. Contrast is flat. Hopefully this is better in daylight.

Slow auto-focus, even with the face detection off. Very slow.

The menu layout is not user friendly. Not at all intuitive. It's just odd.

Trying to record in HD-LP to the internal memory - the video is not smooth during recording or LCD playback. Seems to be bouncing around and skipping frames. I wonder if it can't write to the memory fast enough? Even worse with HD-HQ.

My first attempt to play HD footage on my computer using Adobe Encoder produced terrible video. Lots of digital artifacts and errors. BUT - that's probably just me not knowing what I'm doing yet (I hope).

Overall, the camera is very much a downgrade in features from the PC9. Few external controls, few creative options, and little control over how the cam captures video. Clearly this cam is intended for soccer moms, not professional videographers.

But hey, look at the size and price! There's always a compromise. I hope it holds up in freefall ...

*Disclaimer: I am new to solid state - I have always used Sony's PC-series cams with miniDV. These are just my initial observations and thoughts.

So has anyone else had these problems with this camera? If Im to sell the idea of buying this to the woman it has to work in the bedroom as well.

The Captain Makes It Happen....

[bomb420 1]

I could post some footage of that but think they may get a little mad...

Now where's my breakfast Oh wait, its dinner time.... (such an inside joke)

HYPOXIC

[sebastian5 0]

Back to the wide angle subject, does anyone have any experience with century optics? Some of these lens are really expensive. Are they worth it and which one would be great for inside footage?

I've got a .2 diamond on my pc1000 and it would be nice to get the same field of view.

[JohnnyZ 0]

The Century .3 Fisheye "Baby Death" is supposed to be an awesome lens for inside flying. I've never used one myself. I know Trevor from Raeford uses one. He's the only one I've seen with it so far.

Heres the lens:

http://www.shopping.com/-century+.3x+ultra+fisheye+mkii++37mm

[Skydivesg 7]

I'm in the process of moving from linear to non-linear editing so I'm a bit new at this.

So if I'm using your templates, how long does it take to edit a tandem video. From the time I put my card in the computer till I'm able to hand a finished DVD to the customer?

Let's say a 10 minute DVD. And during this time is there any time I can walk away from the process, such as rendering or burning the disc? I shoot and edit my own videos.

Also which editing software do you recommend and why?

And is there any difference in using a Laptop/PC vs an Apple Macbook Pro? Pros and cons?

I know these are a lot of questions but I want to get it right.

Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

[PhreeZone 16]

Take a loot at their web clips of the DVD they just published on this topic. They edit a video or part of one in the one clip I saw and its really faster then real time editing. If you shoot shot for shot the every time its fairly easy to automate most of it and then just tweak it as needed.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[guscabana 0]

The Century 0.3 is the best fish eye lens for videocams you can buy, but: its expensive, and you need to take care not to scratch the big element in front.
I love mine, perfect match with the 10.5mm lens in my Nikons.

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Back to the wide angle subject, does anyone have any experience with century optics? Some of these lens are really expensive. Are they worth it and which one would be great for inside footage?

I've got a .2 diamond on my pc1000 and it would be nice to get the same field of view.

[parachutist 2]

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I'm in the process of moving from linear to non-linear editing so I'm a bit new at this.

So if I'm using your templates, how long does it take to edit a tandem video. From the time I put my card in the computer till I'm able to hand a finished DVD to the customer?

Let's say a 10 minute DVD. And during this time is there any time I can walk away from the process, such as rendering or burning the disc? I shoot and edit my own videos.

Also which editing software do you recommend and why?

And is there any difference in using a Laptop/PC vs an Apple Macbook Pro? Pros and cons?

I know these are a lot of questions but I want to get it right.

It takes about 10 minutes from time the card comes out of camera til DVD ejects from the system. My tandem videos usually end up being about 6 minutes long... some people spend more time on the interviews, etc... I'm guessing for a 10 min video it would probably add a couple more minutes render time, so you're probably looking at 12 mins.

When I first started editing tandem videos with an NLE system, I was frustrated by all the mouse clicking needed to create folders, copy files, pull files into the program, etc, etc. So I started using automation programs. We demonstrate how these programs can speed things up. To me, automation is the main reason editing with a PC is now fast & easy.

You will have a few minutes to leave the PC while it's rendering the video (typically 3-6 minutes, depending on speed of your system and length of your video)

We go into why we chose Sony Vegas in the DVD. One of the big reasons is that you can run multiple copies at once, which means you can edit 1 video while another is rendering and a third is burning. It helps speed things up.

PC vs Apple... I haven't used a macbook for editing, so I'll need to let DSE answer this one

Chris

[LouDiamond 1]

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Back to the wide angle subject, does anyone have any experience with century optics? Some of these lens are really expensive. Are they worth it and which one would be great for inside footage?

I've got a .2 diamond on my pc1000 and it would be nice to get the same field of view.

The "baby Death" lens is a good lens, it's big, but it is good glass and it is incredibly wide. I can't remember how it resolves on HD but I seem to remember it does rather well. For what its worth, we used a baby death for all the Aerial footage on Warren Miller's production filming of "Epic Conditions". It works great if you are very close or on top of the subject and need to capture the surrounding space as well. It isn't cheap, it isn't small, it isn't light, but it's a good lens worth having if you can afford it IMO.

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

[Skydivesg 7]

What edition of Vegas do you recommend?

And what minimum stuff do you need on a laptop?
In other words speed of processor etc, anything that a guy should look for when buying a laptop?

I really apreciate your help

Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

[Icon134 0]

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What edition of Vegas do you recommend?

And what minimum stuff do you need on a laptop?
In other words speed of processor etc, anything that a guy should look for when buying a laptop?

I really apreciate your help

For skydiving videos you shouldn't need anything more then Sony Vegas Movie Studio 9 Platinum Ed:

http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/moviestudiope

As for a laptop anything with a reasonable amount of memory and a dual core processor should be able to produce decent videos in a reasonable amount of time.

Scott

Livin' on the Edge... sleeping with my rigger's wife...

[zz1170 0]

Has anyone tested this camera yet?

[excel485 0]

Go back one page and there is some example footage posted!!

[VectorBoy 0]

Anything with a reasonable dual core processor should be able to produce decent videos in a reasonable fine.

Scott

[Icon134 0]

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Anything with a reasonable dual core processor should be able to produce decent videos in a reasonable fine.

Scott

Sony lists recommended requirements as 2.8 ghz processor for AVCHD. Sounds like this will tax some laptop based systems.

I wonder what our multi platform DSE has to say about using sony/vista/bootcamp on a macbook pro @2.4 ghz specifically?

[Shoot 0]

So, did anyone try to squeeze a CX100/105 in a 2K FF2 yet?

I think (hope) that if the backside of the door is worked on with a dremel it could maybe fit... This way the battery would stick out of the housing.

[bomb420 1]

Match the dimensions of your current PC style camera to that of the CX100, I would suspect the CX100 is shorter, but the width may be the same or a few mm wider. I believe the dimensions are posted on the first page of this thread.

HYPOXIC

[Shoot 0]

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Match the dimensions of your current PC style camera to that of the CX100, I would suspect the CX100 is shorter, but the width may be the same or a few mm wider. I believe the dimensions are posted on the first page of this thread.

I did just that and it's pretty much identical in depth and width. (PC120)
My point is: is the standard-battery included in the 107mm depth? I don't think so, but I'm not sure...
When you would a bit larger battery it probably wouldn't fit. But nothing a dremel can't fix

[pattersd 0]

With the included battery the length is right at 4.5 inches, the included battery FH50 sticcks out right at .375 inches, a FH70 battery sticks out .9 inches with a toatl length of 5.1 inches.

[jdfreefly 1]

I didn't think that footage looked too great. Maybe it was user error, maybe it was the camera...

I'll wait to see DSE post some footage before I write it off, but if it was the camera I'll stick with my HC5.

Methane Freefly - got stink?

[bomb420 1]

I rendered the video as 640X360 compressed as mp4, I thought it looked good at the actual screen size, don't full screen it. You may want to switch back from HD mode to SD mode since I'm unsure if the direct link I'm sending to youtube is correct for the format I uploaded. I can upload some higher res stuff into vimeo.

We did not have a HD lens wide enough for Freefly competition videos so we used a Standard Def version for most of the jumps. I did throw a raynox 5052 towards the end of the day, but the lens was not secured very well and you can see a constant annoying shake.

I'll wait to see if DSE has any recommendations as far as how I'm rendering the video files.

Here are some bigger snippets:
Using a SD Lens (Royal .3x)
Using HD lens during landing Poorly mounted. (Raynox 5052)

HYPOXIC

[joonas 0]

I got my CX105 today. It IS small! I will put some sample clips with Raynox 3030 later. :)