Starter Accessories For HV30

**WESELDAR** · 2011 January 24th, 20:17

Hi. My name is Wes. I am new to this forum and the HV series of camcorders. I have just ordered the Canon HV 30, and I was wondering "What other accessories or equipment will I need to get that great film look?" Well, that's what I'm asking. I need suggestions for starting out my rig. Should I start with a DOF Adapter? If so, which one? Or should I opt for a shoulder support system? If so, which one? As I am new to this, I am looking for more cost-effective options for this rig, at least for now. So please reply with accessories, equipment, and tips for me to begin with. Any and all are accepted!

Thanks,
Wes

**drapeama** · 2011 January 24th, 20:31

Originally Posted by WESELDAR

Should I start with a DOF Adapter?

Hi & Welcome to the forum!
You might check in on of these sticky:
Official "Trick your Rig" thread
TOP 10 must have accesories for sale from HV20.com members
What Accessories To Get

For the DOF adapter question, i'd recommend you to first know how your camcorder works. I have a DOF adapter, and 80% of the time i'm shooting stuff without. Learn your gear, be able to produce great stuff with the bare camcorder and after, in a couple of months, maybe check for a T2i instead if you really want that DOF look. Or ask user CorbenT about his kiwi35 (the adapter i own) and it's actually the best DOF adapter for the price, which gives the best picture also (comparable to an Handy35 adapter for 1/4 of the price).

Short story, What you'd need would be:
a decent tripod [I'd recommend the weifeng 717] ~200$
a good microphone and a good preamp/XLR adapter [JuicedLink XLR adapter + a shotgun for outside, an hyper-cardioid mic for indoor] = ~300$
a wide angle lens [Raynox HD-6600] ~100$

with that, you should be able to produce great stuff, with a ver good quality, for maybe a 500-600$ investment in accessories (that's brand new, check in the trade&exchange sub-forum for deals about these accessories)
Hope it helps!

**WESELDAR** · 2011 January 24th, 21:03

Thanks, drapeama. I will definitely look into these accessories. I just really would like to have that genuine "film look" when I shoot, and I noticed that the footage from the HV series looks amazing. On a different note, does the HV30's 24p in a 60i wrapper look equally as good as the HV40's 24 frames per second native? I noticed under the post it said that you have an HV40. Do you have experience with the HV30? Do you personally think the footage is equivalent in quality? Or is it worth shelling out the additional money?

Sorry about all of the questions,
Wes

**drapeama** · 2011 January 24th, 21:35

Originally Posted by WESELDAR

I just really would like to have that genuine "film look" when I shoot, and I noticed that the footage from the HV series looks amazing.
On a different note, does the HV30's 24p in a 60i wrapper look equally as good as the HV40's 24 frames per second native?

If it's that you are looking for, then you'll need a DOF adapter:

But i would recommend you to learn how to get a decent look with the bare HV first, working with DOF adapter require a minimum knowledge of the camcorder, especially in low light: otherwise you'll get grainy/noisy picture and you won't get decent results using it.

Other pictures here.

And, if you shoot PF24 (24fps in the 60i wrapper) you'll only have duplicated frame. You can remove the pulldown and work with TRUE 24fps, or just edit on a 60i timeline, the look won't be "day-and-night" different. But it's always preferable to remove the pulldown. User Khaver did a small app that do it, and it's free.

**WESELDAR** · 2011 January 24th, 21:40

Thanks. and I will look into the app you referred. Is the app relatively automatic? as i don't want to spend too much time just editing the raw footage in post. Is this reason enough to buy the HV40, or do you think I could make the HV30 suit my needs?

Thanks,
Wes

**WESELDAR** · 2011 January 24th, 21:40

Also, those pictures are superb. Props

**drapeama** · 2011 January 24th, 23:34

Originally Posted by WESELDAR

Is this reason enough to buy the HV40, or do you think I could make the HV30 suit my needs?

To be honest, i own the HV40 and it's great not to have to go through the pulldown process everytime i want to edit 24p. Shot. Capture. Edit. Export...all in Native 24p. If you can afford it, yeah it would, otherwise, juste capture your clip and batch process them to remove the pulldown.

Originally Posted by WESELDAR

Also, those pictures are superb.

Thanks a lot. The HV40 (HV20/30) can produce an amazing picture quality.

**WESELDAR** · 2011 January 25th, 20:07

Ok. Thanks a lot Drape, you have been a huge help. I am getting the HV30, and maybe later will get some software to remove the pulldown.

Wes

**charlie_tango** · 2011 February 1st, 23:04

Originally Posted by WESELDAR

Thanks a lot Drape, you have been a huge help.

I can say that too! Thanks!

**cgbier** · 2011 February 2nd, 06:05

I don't see any spare batteries and an extra charger mentioned here. That's be the first item I'd go for (after a tripod).

**Daniel Rutter** · 2011 February 2nd, 06:30

Originally Posted by cgbier

I don't see any spare batteries and an extra charger mentioned here. That's be the first item I'd go for (after a tripod).

Definitely get these if you're not going to be within a meter/few feet of a power outlet. Your standard battery will last maybe... 1 tape of shooting (constantly shooting, that is).... so more batteries are ideal!

**WESELDAR** · 2011 February 2nd, 19:04

Yeah, I'll probably get new batteries as well. and a mic and a tripod. Does anyone recommend the Rode VideoMic?

**Daniel Rutter** · 2011 February 2nd, 19:28

I'm actually sure there's a better mic cheaper than the Rode!

**WESELDAR** · 2011 February 2nd, 19:58

Really? Like what?

**charlie_tango** · 2011 February 2nd, 20:44

Originally Posted by WESELDAR

Really? Like what?

Read here. Many suggestions.

**WESELDAR** · 2011 February 2nd, 20:52

I really didn't see any that seemed phenomenally better for the cost.

**drapeama** · 2011 February 3rd, 08:28

Originally Posted by WESELDAR

I really didn't see any that seemed phenomenally better for the cost.

Get that HTDZ-81. For 25$ you can't go wrong.

**WESELDAR** · 2011 February 3rd, 16:23

drape have you used this one before?

**drapeama** · 2011 February 3rd, 17:59

Originally Posted by WESELDAR

drape have you used this one before?

No but if you check the videos, you can have a good idea of the "quality" of this particular mic. You get what you pay for.
I have one, a cheap shotgun microphone that I bought years ago. I've used it for 4-5 years until I buy another one, a better one: there was not much difference in the sound. Why? I didn't knew how to capture audio properlly. I said to myself, I just wasted 160$+ for something that doesn't perform any better than my cheap shotgun mic.
My advice, learn how to work with entry-level gear, once you know how to get decent quality with them, then invest in more expensive gear.
Even if you'd buy for 2000$+ in audio gear, if you don't know how to record it so it sounds good, you won't have a better audio in the end. The best way is to boom your audio as close as possible to the audio source, then adjust it in post. I'd say, learn how to get an acceptable quality with cheaper gear then buy something better and enjoy.

**WESELDAR** · 2011 February 3rd, 18:04

ok. im gonna get it. Thanks drape

**WESELDAR** · 2011 February 3rd, 18:55

Wait drape, you're contradicting yourself. From what you said http://www.hv20.com/showthread.php?2...hlight=HTDZ-81 there, it didnt sound too good.

**drapeama** · 2011 February 3rd, 19:05

Originally Posted by WESELDAR

Wait drape, you're contradicting yourself.

Read here.
Listen here:
.

Remember, you get what you pay for.

**WESELDAR** · 2011 February 3rd, 19:38

Oh ok. I gotcha. it actually sounded really good

**drapeama** · 2011 February 3rd, 19:48

Originally Posted by WESELDAR

Oh ok. I gotcha. it actually sounded really good

Yeah, not so bad. But you'll have to work your sound in post. You just can't get perfect audio directly.
But this kind of micophone isn't suitable for indoor use. You should get an hyper-cardioid instead of a shotgun because of the echos on the walls.

**WESELDAR** · 2011 February 3rd, 20:11

Whats a good hypercardioid??

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