Canon HV20

[jimfallis04]

Hi All:

I just bought a Canon HV20 Camcorder.

I have 2 questions:

1. I understand that Adobe Premiere Elements 3.0 is not the best software to capture the footage. Can anyone please recommend an alternative workflow that produces the highest quality results.

2. What changes/settings within PrEl or the Project do I need to make for the highest quality results.

Any experience, comments or recommendations will be appreciated.

Thank you

Jim

[Clayton]

Jim, I like scenalyzer, very easy to use and index your clips until you are ready to use them. Others more experienced may have better suggestions. By the way it is about $40.00 I think. http://www.scenalyzer.com

[Steve Grisetti]

Quality is not an issue, when capturing DV over FireWire, Jim. DV is a data stream and, when it comes into your computer over FireWire, it comes in as pure data. All the capture program does it package it as AVIs based on timecode. So quality of DV over FireWire is exactly the same whether you use Premiere Elements, Scenalyzer, WinDV, Sony Vegas, Windows MovieMaker or Final Cut Pro (which packages the data as MOVs, but it's still the same data).

If Premiere Elements has a liability when it comes to capture of DV, it's that it can bump into other programs on your computer and, especially if your graphic card drivers are outdated, it might not immediately recognize your camcorder. Also, dedicated capture programs, like WinDV and Scenalyzer, have some nice features, like scene breaks based on content, that capture software incorporated into editing programs don't have.

The one fly in this ointment is that your Canon is an HDV camcorder, so it behaves a bit differently than, say, miniDV when attached to a computer. I'll leave it to the HDV experts to coach you on that.

But quality of the capture shouldn't be an issue. Capture control maybe. But, unlike those who are capturing over USB or from analog sources, you don't have to squeeze quality out of the capture. It will be there.

[Paul LS]

Hi Jim, I assume you will be videoing in high definition... how will you be viewing the edited video? As a standard definition video or as high definition. If you intend to view as standard definition you will get better quality by downconverting in the camcorder and capture as DV rather than capturing in HDV and later exporting as standard definition. Then edit in PE3 as you would a standard DV video.

If you intend to view your edited work as high definition then you need to maintain the HDV workflow. As you say PE3 isn't great at capturing HDV... if you want to preview during capture and want to split by scene then capture using the freeware utility HDVSplit, then import into PE3 using the 1080i project preset.

As with working with any MPEG video in PE3 (no smart rendering) you only want to export once... multiple imports/exports, even twice, will drastically reduce the quality.

[Judy]

Greetings,

I am interested in upgrading my mini-DV camcorder to a camcorder that is lighter in weight and smaller. I looked at the Canon HV20 today a Circuit City and it's about 1/2 the size/weight of my now 10-year old Sony TRV900. Despte some review comments that it felt flimsy, I thought it seemed reasonably laid out. I could see the issue with the built-in microphone (right on top and would pick up the operator's breathing if one is using the viewfinder). However, I thought that the availability of the accessory shoe would mitigate that problem. I did like that it had the microphone and headphone jacks as well as a component out, firewire and HDMI connections.

However, I am trying to understand the consequences of purchasing a HD camcorder, in terms of editing the final product. I have a 70" JVC HD TV. I do not (yet) own a HD DVD player (format wars, how annoying), but am hoping that the issue of HD DVDs will be sorted out soon.

For those of you who own this camcorder, how is the editing working out?

Judy

[Paul LS]

Hi Judy, I have the Sony HC1, so HDV, similar to the HV20. Albeit the newer HV20 with its Clearvid CMOS sensor gives better quality, particuarly in low light. Editing in PE3 is very smooth on my dual core machine. I also edit with the Mainconcept MPEG Elements Plugin for PE3... this has smart rendering which enables untouched sections of the video to be exported without re-rendering, thus maintaining the highest quality. I view the finished videos on my HDTV, really great image.
I also do some work with AVCHD files, they can be edited in PE3 with the Mainconcept Plugin but it is very painfully slow. I also edit them in ULEAD VideoStudio... again even with my dual-core the timeline does not playback smoothly.

[Judy]

Greetings,

Well, I've continued to research and try to figure out what would be best. I called the video store where I bought the TRV900 about 8 years ago. They are a professional (to broadcasters) store as well as a prosumer store. They don't carry the HV20 and the fellow I spoke with was very negative about it, because it only had 1-CCD. He was pushing me toward the new Panasonic cameras (HDC-SD5 and the HDC-SX5). When I asked him about problems with editing in the AVCHD format, he didn't take that seriously. All in all, I found that contact to be somewhat dismissive and disheartening.

So, I still haven't bought the HV20 but have lots of time to make a decision.

Do you know anything about product release cycles? The trip we're contemplating isn't until January '08.

Judy

[Paul LS]

Here is someone comments on the Canon HV20 from over on the SONY HDV forum, he has the TRV50 and tried all the HDV camcorders and was unhappy with their performance in low light. In the end he went with the HV20... note his comment relative to the TRV900:

"Now the feature that did make Canon a winner in my eyes was 'cine mode'. It limits the amount of brightness and color boost and the picture looks balanced and so much less noisy than any Sony.
So I am shooting in cine mode and happy.
I wish Sony (or Canon) would come out with a prosumer 3CCD HD camera, like TRV 900-950 was for SD, but I decided that Canon video is good enough."

[jimfallis04]

Hi Paul:

Thank you for all your help. I am now at the editing stage of the Wedding Video.

Some of the video was shot inside with poor lighting conditions.

What options do you recommend to increase the brightness and clarity of the footage.

Thank you

Jim

PS here is flickr account. Check out the Wedding Album group for some fun editing with Photoshop.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/78444505@N00/

[Paul LS]

Firstly some really great photos and some really clever Photoshop editing in your flickr account. Great ones of the wedding. Loved some of the ones with the majority of the color removed and leaving color on selected objects... very effective.

Regarding your video with low lighting... first thing I would try would be the "Shadow Highlight" effect... it does a great job of bringing up the clarity in the shadows and toning down the bright spots. See how you get on with that. Note it will take an awefully long time to render as it has to render every frame.

[jimfallis04]

Hi Paul:

Thank you for the reply and your kind comments. With the integrated power of Photoshop and PrEl, I plan to make a video of the wedding album along with the printed version of the formal wedding album.

I will try your solution tonight. Tnak you.

Please check out my YouTube account for a teaser wedding video.

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=jimfallis04

[ridon127]

Jim,
Very nice video and wedding album. And Thank you so much for all your help and patience on my project. Although, it isn't finished yet, I couldn't heve done it without your expertise and patience.
Thanks again
Donna

[Ken Jarstad]

Judy,

I have always admired the Sony TRV-900/950 camcorders. They have always been above average performers. In fact, I prefer the hefty size of the TRV-900 to this new generation of lightweights because it is so much easier to hold the camera still! And, of course, they look so much more professional. The only camcorders that will significantly improve on image quality for you is hi-def. And, the hi-def camcorders may provide a quite noticeable improvement even downconverting to DV.

I would suggest hanging out on the DVI Forum since they have a seperate and very active sub-forum exclusive to the Canon HV10/HV20 frequented by professional and semi-pro videographers. What has impressed me there are the comments about how such a tiny and relatively inexpensive camcorder can produce such proffessional looking images. It seems to continue surprising everyone.

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/forumdisplay.php?f=139

Until our home sells I am stuck with my Sony Hi8 and Pyro A/D converter. I always wanted a TRV900 but plan to get the HV20. Also, I was so impressed with Canon's image processing chip that I replaced our defunct still camera with a Canon S3 - same processor!

[Chuck Engels]

Our church has now made the complete jump to High Def video. We have 4 huge screens with High Def projectors, the video is AMAZING!

We have 4 - Panasonic HDV cams, 2 - Canon X1 H1, and 1 - Canon HV20

The HV20 is also used for the Wedding Videos that the head of production does on the side along with one or both of the X1s. Those are some of the videos that I am editing, the footage is great even when down converted to SD.

[Chuck Engels]

Instructions to set HV20 to down convert on capture from a friend of mine.

Hey Chuck. Put the camera in playback mode and go into the menu. He needs to turn the down covert option to "on".
Thanks,
Rich Fiallo
Director of Communications
Trinity Chapel