Mountain biking on a HV30

[rikard_l]

Hi all,
This is my first post on this excellent forum.
I have already searched for a definitive answer, but got even more confused by the answers.

Ok so here it goes.
1) I have a Canon HV30 PAL.
2) I will be using Final Cut Pro(Studio) to edit my movie.
3) I am making a movie about mountain biking (fast paced action sport + nature/mountains)
4) I will be releasing the movie both on the web and on a DVD.
5) I care foremost about the video quality of the final movie, the amount of work/learning curve is of no or secondary importance.
6) There will be some slow motion but not a lot.


I will be filming in HDV. Now should i use HDV (i suppose 50i) or HDV 25pf?
Also I guess TV 50 should be enough?
Cine mode is out of the question?

Thanks in advance
/Rikard

[CycleWriter]

You can't mountain bike on an HV30. It does not roll well.

[rikard_l]

You can't mountain bike on an HV30. It does not roll well.

Well, I can mountain bike on most things

[Reader7]

Use 50i for fast action, it is also better if you want to do some slow motion after.
Beware of "rolling shutter" (search google), and canon's OIS (better turn off if you plan to shoot from the bike).
Cinemode - there is a long thread somewhere here on what it is and what it does. In general, it is low contrast and is good if you plan to do some color grading in post.

[rikard_l]

Use 50i for fast action, it is also better if you want to do some slow motion after.
Beware of "rolling shutter" (search google), and canon's OIS (better turn off if you plan to shoot from the bike).
Cinemode - there is a long thread somewhere here on what it is and what it does. In general, it is low contrast and is good if you plan to do some color grading in post.

Thanks for your quick reply.
What if I do not want to do any slow motion. Is 50i still better? If so what is the benefits of 25pf?
I kind of thought that filming in 25pf made it possible to make the movie more "professionally looking", but that you would have to but in a lot more effort in the post-editing?

/Rikard

[CycleWriter]

Please spend some time reading through the FAQs and Stickies as there is a ton of info to be gleaned from them. There are a number of threads on using the HV in a situation similar to what you're describing (anchored to a moving object). The results vary from barely acceptable to disastrous. And a video will only look as "professional" as you make it. The camera settings have nothing to do with that. Settings are chosen for a desired look or to fit a specific situation. The professionalism comes from knowing how to shoot and edit. The camera is just a tool.

[Reader7]

As CycleWriter said.

25p is not more "professional" then 50i. It allows to acheive a kind of a "film look", but you need to know what you do (shoot like film, use tripod), and be careful with shutter speed to avoid a strobe effect.

[CycleWriter]

As CycleWriter said.

25p is not more "professional" then 50i. It allows to acheive a kind of a "film look", but you need to know what you do (shoot like film, use tripod), and be careful with shutter speed to avoid a strobe effect.

Exactly, two things not well suited to POV action shots.

[rikard_l]

Yes. Maybe I need to read up even more. Most advices I got so far,however, has been like "use 50i because it is a lot easier to get a good result for actions sports".
I do not care about getting a good result easy. I care about getting the best possible result. The amount of time I have to spend post editing is of no importance.
Of course I understand that the quality of the movie is mostly about the actual filming (focus, angles etc), but all that equal I am sure that there must be one camera configuration that will best fit my needs.

Also, there will be no mounting of the camera on the helmets or POW. All scenes will be shot with the aid of a tripod, and the most important thing for this movie is to capture both the biking and the beauty of the nature ( green moss, swiss mountains, trees etc.)

[slickervideo]

I care about getting the best possible result. The amount of time I have to spend post editing is of no importance.

You might find that doing some more reading and then testing the different modes under conditions that are similar to your actual shoot will make your time in post more efficient (and much less frustrating and disappointing).

At least that's been my experience under similar circumstances.

[rikard_l]

Thanks for the input everyone.

After playing around a bit with my camera, I decided to shoot the entire thing in 50i.
Cine mode for the more scenic shots.
TV 120 or 250 (depending on the light) for the action packed closeup stuff.

Cine mode I think allows for a "nice" filmic look even in 50i. And I also read somewhere that it goes well with any post color correction I might do.