TL-H43 For Sports...

[thadius65]

Been reading alot over the past week. Newb to HV20. Great forum!

I just got my HV20 this week. Preparing for my favorite time of the year.... FOOTBALL Season (American Football). My sons games are dusk to dark during the fall for Junior Varsity and total dark (under the lights) for Varsity. I typically stand at the top of the stadium to shoot with my digital8 Sony (DCR-TRV103). It has a 20x optical and 360x digital zoom. Lens on Sony is (f=3.6 - 72mm 1:1.4 o37). I sometimes creep into digital zoom, but not often.

My question is, with the HV20 and my needs based upon my use of my previous camera, will I need the TL-H43? If so, will it function well in the environment I described? Is it physically as big as the wide angle lense?

My Sony Digital8 has produced some great footage these past many years. Time for some HD content now that this great camera has come to be.

Thanks for all your help!

Ted

[Erik Bien]

Hi Ted,

The HV20's optical zoom is only 10x (200x digital); you might want to try it before you decide you need more. My apologies if this is already obvious to you, but you will almost certainly want a tripod; even slightly shakey HD seems to make most people seasick more readily than hand-held footage at lower resolutions.

I don't have one and I can't find specs for how much exactly, but the telephoto adapter will eat up a bit of light, which might make it more difficult to get a workable exposure at dusk before the lights come on. Welcome to the forum and I'm sure others here will agree we'd love to see some HV20 sports footage posted here!

[24Peter]

I don't think the problem with the TL-H43 will be loss of light. Rather I think the limitation of the Canon tele-converter is vignetting. I recall seeing a post from someone saying he couldn't zoom out more than half-way before the edges came into view. Anyone else use the TL-H43?

As far as size/weight, I think the TL is comparable to the WD.

[thadius65]

Yeah, I use a tri-pod when I can, which is not very often due to crowd. Here is a clip from my Digital8 (warning, I need alot of work):

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4861860025226629132&q=montoursville+football&total=4&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=3

(excuse the music, son selected) :hv20-smilie09:

So, after some additional practice and more use of tri-pod, hopefully I will be able to produce some more watchable and memorable video. (note - rain shots at beginning of video where shot out of the arm of my raincoat!

Thanks,

Ted

[Erik Bien]

Ted,

Don't be too hard on yourself; I think it looks pretty good! You clearly have good "game awareness," I was pretty impressed with your ability to anticipate where the ball or the ball-carrier was going to be and when to pull back from a tight shot to show the whole play unfolding.

I think all you'd need is a tripod (or a better one) to get even better results with the HV20. You might also want to try one of these (http://www.hv20.com/showthread.php?t=364) so you can attach your remote to your pan handle.

If what's stopping you from using your tripod more is a lack of elbow room in the bleachers, Manfrotto has a monopod some folks seem to like that might work for you. Resist the temptation to cheap-out when it comes to a tripod head; a good one will make every camera you ever own look its best, but a bad one will only frustrate you until you replace it with something better (don't ask me how I know this ...) :hv20-smilie155:

[thadius65]

Erik,

Thanks for the encouragement. How would a SpiderBrace work in that environment? Or still to much movement? I sent you a PM awhile ago on which you purchased for the HV20. Mini-Rig?

Thanks again!

Ted

[deeb70]

I have the telephoto lense. Bought it from Samy's camera for $189. It does vignette so when you are zooming back so it's best to not go past the halfway point or it will show up.

The quality is fantastic though. You cannot tell whether or not I have the lens on or not as other telephoto lenses make the picture look like it is out of registration on the sides. This one definitely does not do that.

Hope this helps.

[Erik Bien]

Hi Ted.

Sorry I missed your PM, I stepped away from the keyboard to start dinner!

I have the SpiderBrace and I love it: it requires a bit of practice but it really can make a little camera mimic the handling of a big shoulder-mount cam (use the same Toslink trick to put your remote control on one of the handles so you don't have to let go).

I must admit, though, I haven't had a chance to use it with an HV20 yet: the non-adjustable viewfinder might restrict you to using the LCD screen, but then again it might be fine (I'm "left eyed" and I don't have any problem using it with my GL-2).

[24Peter]

I have the telephoto lense. Bought it from Samy's camera for $189. It does vignette so when you are zooming back so it's best to not go past the halfway point or it will show up.

The quality is fantastic though. You cannot tell whether or not I have the lens on or not as other telephoto lenses make the picture look like it is out of registration on the sides. This one definitely does not do that.

Hope this helps.

deeb - does that mean you're located in Los Angeles?

[thadius65]

I have the telephoto lense. Bought it from Samy's camera for $189. It does vignette so when you are zooming back so it's best to not go past the halfway point or it will show up.

The quality is fantastic though. You cannot tell whether or not I have the lens on or not as other telephoto lenses make the picture look like it is out of registration on the sides. This one definitely does not do that.

Hope this helps.

Deeb,

Halfway point of optical or digital zoom. Sorry to be so dense, but is it vignetting at no zoom out to 1/2 way and okay beyond, or visa versa... I hate asking dumb questions...

Thanks,

Ted

[Diggadonkey]

I have the TL-H43 lens, and used it recently with my HV20 to shoot some footage of a blue heron that built a nest on top of a dead tree in the middle of a beaver pond in a deep woods area of upstate NY. The attached still was shot from a distance of approx. 60 yards at 7pm. I was using a manfrotto monopod. The lens is huge like the W43, but does a fantastic job. You MUST use it with a tripod or monopod if you expect to get any usable footage, but I'll bet you could get some fantastic looking shots this football season with this lens. I repeat: get a tripod (or at least a monopod).

[thadius65]

Manfrotto 676b and 3229 on order from Calumet for camera stabilization!

Anyone with answer to my vingette question above??

Thanks all!

Ted

[Diggadonkey]

The vignetting exists from full wide angle all the way to about half zoomed in (optically). Then it goes away. So you really can't use this lens without being at least half way zoomed in all the time.

Also, you probably ordered the monopod and head combo based on recommendations you've seen on this site. I did too. However, I now wish I had done a little more homework and ordered this particular monopod from manfrotto instead:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/434422-REG/Bogen_Manfrotto_560B_Fluid_Video_Monopod.html#goto _itemInfo

[thadius65]

The vignetting exists from full wide angle all the way to about half zoomed in (optically). Then it goes away. So you really can't use this lens without being at least half way zoomed in all the time.

Also, you probably ordered the monopod and head combo based on recommendations you've seen on this site. I did too. However, I now wish I had done a little more homework and ordered this particular monopod from manfrotto instead:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/434422-REG/Bogen_Manfrotto_560B_Fluid_Video_Monopod.html#goto _itemInfo

Looks nice, but double what we paid. That much better??

[Diggadonkey]

I can't speak from experience as to how much better. It would seem to offer a bit more stability and more fluid movement than the regular monopod. Online and magazine reviews were also very positive.

http://www.photonewstoday.com/?p=629

http://dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=67877

http://www.bogenimaging.us/Jahia/site/bius/pid/13278

[thadius65]

Thanks for all the help/input. TL-H43 Lens recv'd from CDW yesterday. Looks nice and as stated, only really useful from half way and beyond. Should do the trick on the 50 yard line at the top of the stands.

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL!! :hv20-smilie77:

Thanks,

Ted

[dave_t]

Diggadonkey...I was about to purchase that lens but I notice from your pic that it suffers from Chromatic Abberation (purple fringing). Is it the same at all f-stops?