I have just added two more libraries to my arsenal.
Exquisite EQ This is the best EQ in my arsenal to date IMHO. Only a tenner.
Transparent Filters These filters will give you a shockingly clear mix so that rumble, mud and high frequency sound are eliminated. Emulated on one of the most expensive digital consoles ever made. This is a bargain. Fiver
I did a few Cineform vs AVCHD comparisons a while back ( here and here ).I have also done an HDMI capture tutorial to help build a rig and highlight the benefits of bypassing in-camera compression to get a clean image from cheap camcorders.Now I have been asked again to do some kind of torture test.I have no time for that so I will just place some first generation files for all to see what the big fuss is all about.HDMI capture surpasses AVCHD in the areas of colour,sharpness and freedom from codec artifacts bla bla bla.Don’t believe – download my sample files below and try them – you will need the Cineform Codec which you can get here.
The proof is in the pudding so I have made available some first generation files for your perusal.Three of them are a comparison of the same scene shot simultaneously.One long AVCHD file and the two Cineform files – sorry – it was snowing here.The rest are well – hopefully a nice selection of different subjects that I hope will put this argument to bed.If you think AVCHD can look this good then sample these.As for me – I think the quality speaks for itself.These are large files so be patient when downloading.
Hope this helps some of you to ascertain the quality.I suggest that for the ones with cinemode (The flat/low contrast Canon in-camera setting) you take them into Cineform’s first light and play with them.Especially the horses in the field.Not the snow field….he he.You will be amazed at the leeway you have with a 10 bit file.It colour grades beautifully.Oh and yes – I know the HFS10 has aliasing and yes the start of each file has some wierd interlacing lines (because Cineform has to guess the cadence and it takes a second or two).A better camera would give better results………but come on – this is turning a relatively cheap consumer camera into an expensive one without forking out the thousands right………………………it’s still a consumer cam…..remember it’s only just on a grand now for an HFS10.
I have amended my HDMI capture tutorial to include developments in the industry in the last few months.Check it out.
Now for those of you who have an interest in capturing to a high quality recorder from the HDMI on the HFS10 – you may have had a little trouble getting the HFS10 to talk to your capture card.If you do not own one you won’t know how annoying it is.Well after months of searching I found a simple solution that costs about £80.
You have two options.
One is to get the component HD cable from canon for your HFS10/100.It is called CTC-100.You will need separate audio recording through your analog connections on the Intensity pro which I found to be a pain. This has no EDID issues as it is all analog.
You see the camcorder would go crazy if I plugged it into anything other than an LCD.It is to do with the EDID of the Canon.I got a little box from a company here in the UK that allows you to set the EDID manually .
cypeurope.com/Xaminer/XA-S11-EDID/CEC-Selector.html?keyword=edid
It is fairly small and uses 5v power.I did a DIY hack to get power from a a USB port from my portable power supplie’s USB port.You know the external laptop battery extenders – you can see it in my video 17 tutorial on Vimeo.Takes the HSF10’s HDMI signal negotiates – passes it on to the intensity – works a treat.
Look for something similiar where you live.
I have added another video to the HFS10 Cineform captures in my vimeo account.This really highlights how good the camera is.
Check it out
Second HFS10 Composite HD capture to Cineform from Henry Olonga on Vimeo.
Well this baby arrived on time and I have had it for a wee while now.In a word – it is a beast.This was a shoot I did the other day when I went for a stroll in my local borough.Man the image is sharp.Love it,love it, love it!!!
HFS10 Composite HD capture to Cineform. from Henry Olonga on Vimeo.
I have been capturing HDMI from my consumer camcorders now for a while and as I get asked quite a bit about how I do it I thought I would make a short tutorial as to how I go about it.
Hope this helps.
HDMI/Composite HD/HD-SDI DIY portable capture station tutorial from Henry Olonga on Vimeo.
Here is another series of videos that I have done recently - these two showcase my work with HDMI capture before I embark on my music videos and also my filmaking.I have a new camcorder coming next week.The new Canon HFS10 so I am really excited.It will offer 24p and has huge resolution for a camcorder.I bought the Panasonic TM300 but sent it back within minutes becasue I found it’s performance disappointing.My SR11 beat it in most of my own subjective tests.As a semi professional I am looking for that extra inch of performance and this didn’t give me any advance on my year old SR11.To any consumer – I am sure that this will be no problem as the image is very good.My main gripe was low light performance.
I hope you enjoy them – go to Vimeo to see them in HD – Better still – download the original file.
HDMI capture Showcase – North Wales from Henry Olonga on Vimeo.
And another
HDMI Capture showcase at Richmond Park from Henry Olonga on Vimeo.
As I mentioned we will be adding video as well so this is a minor test to see how easy it is to embed a video in the blog.
HDMI captures 3 – Odd shots from a recent trip from Henry Olonga on Vimeo.
