The Sony AX2000 Video Camera Is The Wave Of The Future

When looking for an HD model camcorder, look no further than the all new Sony AX2000. It is an impressive consumer level camcorder and it is cutting edge and top of the line. The camera can capture either Standard Def or High Def video in MPEG-2 formats, and records with a tapeless camera onto a memory stick. The camera is ideal when it comes to recording on to a blue ray format since the code is extremely compatible with blue ray players.

As with other cameras in this category, the Sony AX2000 is a three chip camera that produces better clarity and color which uses Exmor sensors that are less expensive than other alternatives. This is much less expensive to manufacture and they use considerably less battery power.

The camera has a lens that is a long telephoto, which is not very wide, but allows for better shooting in even the smallest of rooms. While most videographers will use a wide-angle to shoot, the telephoto is a convenient alternative to a different approach to filming, and can be attached to a tripod for more stable shooting. The inputs are extremely handy and they help you by letting you forget about the power needs of the microphone.

The control of the lens allows for greater operator control and professional film makers will appreciate the more precise controls and manual adjustment options. The Sony AX2000 knows intuitively which of the three control rings contains the image adjustments that need to be made, making for simpler ease of use. Some of the other display modes and handy tools that come standard with the Sony AX2000 are:

• Zebra Display - this allows the user to add a striped pattern to brighter areas of video images

• Histogram Display - an images brightness distribution appears with this option, giving you objective determination and allowing for adjusting the cameras brightness

• Manual gain adjust

• Faster shutter speed

• Greater white balance

The Sony AX2000 can either record or take still images, either of which are taken with the highest clarity available on the market today. When looking for a camera that offers the most control, options, and ease of use for a photographer or videographer, the Sony Ax2000 is the only camera that one will need. In order to create spectacular and breathtaking images and video, having the best equipment will help to achieve the desired goal and results. The AX2000 is at the top of the list when it comes to usability, comfort, technical advantages, and this camera will not disappoint amateur or professional film buffs. When it comes to creating the best product possible, the use of the AX2000 will help to get where you need to be.

Stan Roderbel loves to write about the latest electronic gadgets, gismos and anything related to cutting edge technology. Stan ventures into the fields of cameras, video and cell phones to find out the newest product and bring that product to his readers. You will enjoy this article about the Sony AX2000 Camcorder even more if you go to the Sony AX2000 website. While there read the article about the Sony HVRZ7U video recorder and it's many fine features.

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Learn About the Great Features and Benefits of the Sony HDR-XR150 Video Camera

At the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show, the Sony HDR-XR150 was introduced to the electronics market, and is one of the latest HD video cameras to be launched by one of the big brands in the business. The Sony HDR-XR150 is actually the successor of the Sony XR100 video cameras from 2009, and not only are they smaller than their precursor but they are also cheaper.

This new Sony HD video camera is equipped with 25x optical zooms, and it also has a hard drive with a space capacity of 120GB. Just as with many of the other video cameras that are made by Sony, this camera has a wide array of innovative features such as: Smooth Slow Record Mode, Intelligent Auto, Child Priority Tool, Steady Shot, Smile Shutter, Face Detection and Spot Focus.

In regards to the specifications of the Sony HDR-XR150 there are some similarities to other Sony digital cameras such as the Sony XR100; however, there are also some improvements. One such improvement is the expanded 25x optical zooms of the HDR-XR150, which is considered to be rather impressive for such a small video camera as other camcorders made by the brand has 15x optical zoom lens or even less. Additionally, this Sony Camera features SDHC/SD memory card support, as well as the Sony Memory Stick format. Therefore, you will always have approximately three recording formats that you can take advantage of.

The Sony HDR-XR150 is also considered to be one of the most compact HD video cameras that are currently available on the market. Although this digital camcorder is equipped with a hard drive of 120GB, it measures 57mm x 67mm x 114mm and it weighs approximately 300g. It you compare this model to other models of Sony video cameras such as the HDR-SR12E, you will feel as though the camcorder has shrunk significantly. As such, it is not very difficult to carry around for your convenience.

Not only does this HD camcorder feature the popular Sony BIONZ processing chip, but it also features the redesigned version of the Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens. In the AVCHD format, other models of Sony video cameras could only record 1080p videos at approximately 16Mbps; however, this camera is able to do the same type of recording at approximately 24Mbps.

When recording videos in the LP mode, the hard drive of the HDR-XR150 is able to store approximately 50 hours and 30 minutes of HD video; on the other hand, when the recording is done at its highest quality, this video camera can only store approximately 11 hours and 20 minutes of video. Furthermore, if you choose to, you can use standard definition to record your videos.

Stan Roderbel loves to write about the latest electronic gadgets, gismos and anything related to cutting edge technology. Stan ventures into the fields of cameras, video and cell phones to find out the newest product and bring that product to his readers. You will enjoy this article about the Sony HDR-XR150 Video Camera even more if you go to the Sony HDR-XR150 website.

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Video Production Gear for DSLR Shoots

The majority of dSLR shooters require a light gear load as we usually do not have the luxury of a full crew to help carry our stuff. We also might move to several locations in a single day, and more equipment means slower set ups and breakdowns which can make a tight video production schedule even tighter. There are, however, a few things that I recommend even one-man-band shooters to carry around due to their light weight, small size and tremendous utility.

Zoom H4N or TASCAM DR-100

These little devices are indispensable as video production field recorders, thanks to their low $300 price tags and stunning stereo sound quality. You can use the onboard mics, which do a great job on their own, or attach external microphones, each of which can be recorded onto its own separate track in 4-Channel recording mode on the H4N. The sound quality of these affordable devices adds a tremendous amount of production value to a low-budget dSLR shoot, as dSLR onboard mics sound pretty terrible. Even if you have a higher-end field recorder and mics for your main capture, the H4N can be used to capture ambient sounds to layer in during post or do quick ADR sessions while your actors are on set. Have an assistant take your actors to a quiet area and re-record all their lines while you continue shooting. These takes can then be used to replace any garbled lines recorded by your main unit. One note: the units lack Time Code generators, meaning all syncing has to be done visually using waveforms.

Monopod

Having a lightweight, collapsible monopod tucked into my gear bag has come in extremely handy when I least expected it on dSLR video productions. A decent monopod costs around 20 bucks and is way lighter than any tripod. In addition to allowing me to shoot smooth pans with my dSLR with a much smaller footprint than a tripod, I have also used my monopod as a boom pole which I attach my H4N to directly. For shoots in nature, I have used my monopod as a walking stick. A bonus is the security felt by having a six-foot pole with which to potentially beat off wild animals! In a festive mood? Instant limbo-stick! Seriously though, it's a very versatile tool which can even be used as a stabilization device as I explain in this other ShutterDown article on Cheap or Free Stabilization/Steadicam Tricks.

18% Grey Card

Setting proper exposure is best done with a professional light meter. If you find yourself without one (they can be a bit pricey), then another solution for setting exposure quickly in the field is an 18% gray card. This is a card with a neutral color cast that contains 18% black (on a scale where 0% is pure white and 100% is pure black). You can use the card to set the exposure on your dSLR and avoid blowing out your whites. A secondary use of the card is to set your white balance. For most dSLRs it works just as well as a white card without having to carry something else in your gear kit. For even more accurate color correction in post, invest in a three-card set containing pure white, 18% gray and pure black. After you frame your shot and set exposure, shoot a few seconds of the cards and use this footage in post to adjust your white, grey and black levels in your color corrector using the eye-dropper tool. Need a free card? Wilsonart will send you FREE samples of their laminate which will come in handy in a pinch. I ordered a black, white and grey card from them in 3 x 5 sizes (choose "matte" finish for low reflectivity), and used a brass binder to hold them all together. The gray is quite close to a pro gray card, close enough to neutral to do the trick for most shooters on a budget.

Collapsible Reflector

When on a dSLR shoot, I like to travel as lightly as possible. For this reason, I prefer collapsible reflectors as opposed to carrying Styrofoam boards around. In addition to being inconvenient, large boards have a tendency to act like sails when not in use and fly around, potentially whacking your actors or your gear. The collapsible reflector I use shrinks to 12" when folded and put in its case, making it much less of a hazard and easy to carry around. It's great to bounce a little fill on an actor's face or to reduce harsh light by acting as a shade.

Extra Media Cards

Media cards, such as SD or P2 cards, can die at the worst possible moment. This unfortunate event happened to me once while setting up to shoot a live theater performance. I had tested the camera earlier and all was well. For some inexplicable reason, however, when I turned the camera on to start recording, my camera reported an SD card error. Thankfully, I had a spare, which I quickly formatted and used to record the show without further problems. What would I have done without this extra card? I shudder to think of the disappointing conversation with my clients that would have occurred had I not had that spare little card in my gear bag. p.s. While buying an extra media card, pick up at least one spare battery for your camera as well.

Blake Barnett
Production Manager
Video Production

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