Camera Changes

[Coolfire]

The Blue Laser topic brought to mind a question that hasn't been asked for a while.

What type of changes/additions would you like to see camera manufacturers make to there(heh!)cameras?

I know a few years back when I used to shoot weddings and events, I belonged to not only a world wide organization (WEVA) but also to a small, local video users group. Both were able to get the attention of Sony, Panasonic, JVC and Canon and helped make changes to their "Prosumer" camera lineups to suit the needs of small production companies. In fact, the small, local group frequently held their monthly meetings at conference rooms at Sony, Panasonic and JVC, after business hours, with reps and engineers in attendance.

I don't know what type of suggestions will be made in this thread but I'm sure there will be a few valid suggestions.

Whenever a good equipment topic starts up, send the camera builders an email and steer them to this site. You may just get what you want.

[Shaky & Blue]

I would like to see all of them with dual filter wheels and a buffered video cache that is adjustable from two to seven seconds that you can set so that when you push the button the camera begins recording a few seconds in the past.

[<nematode>]

I would like an Anton Bauer on board laser death beam which would allow me to melt the corneas of anyone saying anything stupid in front of my camera.
Or a color viewfinder, whichever is cheaper.

[Land Rover]

I may be way off here but, I think I remember reading in the manual for the SX camera that it had a video buffer. Once turned on, it would lay down five seconds of video from before the record button was pressed. After you hit record stop,it would countinue to record for five seconds laying down the video that was in the buffer.

I can't find the info in my current SX camera manual. I know I read it somewhere so if I'm wrong, someone please correct me.

[BluesDaddy]

Originally posted by &lt;nematode&gt;:
Or a color viewfinder, whichever is cheaper. That's one I've been thinking about lately. This is the 21st century, and we use professional-grade equipment... where are the color viewfinders? :confused: They would alert camera operators to one of the most common errors: bad WB. A trained photog can come back with the correct color video without a color VF, but what about the weekend one-man-band? (you know, the one who zooms every shot) I swear, sometimes I think I can "see" the white balance in my black-n-white viewfinder, whether it's correct or not. The picture seems to be softer when the white balance is bad. But sometimes color would be nice. It's hard to see orange spray paint on grass, for example. So, what's the deal?

[photog1199]

Maybe a feature where you could switch back and forth between the color and the B&W. It would be kind of hard to find your focus with the color viewfinder sometimes.

[Shaky & Blue]

Originally posted by Land Rover:
I may be way off here but, I think I remember reading in the manual for the SX camera that it had a video buffer.It's available on some models of the IMX and DigiBeta cameras. Neither of the SX cameras I've used had it, though. I would like to see it on all of them.

Along with that dual filter wheel. Single wheel is unnatural.

[flipflops]

how about some freakn' sharks with freakn' lazer beams on there head!

[Land Rover]

An engineer once told me that the viewfinders were B/W because they have more contrast than color monitors and it's easier to see where your're focusing.

[Sportsguy]

OK. I'll bite.
I may be wrong, but what the heck.

Viewfinders are black and white because it's possible to achieve a higher resolution in less space by utilizing black and white.

On a standard sized color television, each pixel consists of a red, green, and blue dot. When viewed from afar, it's possible to create images across the entire screen by sending different pulses to these pixels. (OK, I'm no engineer. Don't pick me apart...)

Black and white doesn't need to do this. Each pixel is but one color: white. There are fewer pixels needed to produce a sharp image because each pixel is 1/3 the size. More pixels can be squeezed into a smaller area. Ergo, a higher resolution can be achieved by using black and white in a viewfinder.

Screw white balance. Any photog worth his salt comes back with correctly color balanced vid.

Personally, I'd prefer black and white. Focus is more important to me.

[<Thirst Quencher>]

Cup Holders

[2000lux]

A tazer to use on reporters and other idiots... "What paper are you with?!" ZAP! "Can I be on TV?" ZAP! ZAP! ZAP!

:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

Serously, I'd like to see one of those fold out color viewfinders like they have on all the palmcorders now. You could use it to check your white balance, and also for those long interviews or speaches when you want to keep an eye on the shot, but not in the viewfinder the whole time. If it folded out of the top and could swivel, it would be really useful for those times I have to shoot an interview all by my self. There are a couple of industrial broadcast style cameras like the JVC GY-DV5000 that have some thing like this already.

I'd like to be able to set the zebras to whatever IRE I want with out so much screwing around in the menu. In our SX cameras it doesnt give you IRE values. They use some other bizare arcane system that seem only to make sense to Sony engineers. Odly enough, my JVC GY-DV500 does it right already.

How about a marker in the viewfinder that will show which part of the shot a lower third or the bug will ruin on air?

I especially like the buffer idea. I'd make it adjustable from ten seconds to a minute though.

Legs so it can lug itself around for a change?

A breaking news siren?

A cooler?

A way for it to eat lunch and pee for me on days when I don't have time to?

Ok, it's late. Time for me to go home now...

[imported_blank]

Sportsguy is correct - most professionals prefer looking through the much sharper B&W Viewfinders. These are not cheap toys - a high res eng black and white viewfinder costs as much as a PD150 with lens and viewfinder.

* SONY BVF20W 2" 16:9 B/W Viewfinder = $3,000.

BTW, with SX & IMX camcorders you can indeed buy an optional colour VF if you really want to.

The DNW-9WS betacamSX is equipped with a lightweight 2-inch monochrome viewfinder, the BVF-V20W, as a supplied accessory. It allows easy focusing even in 16:9 widescreen mode. There is also an optional 1.35-inch color viewfinder available, the BVF-VC10W.
http://www.ics-multimedia.com/track/BVF-VC10W.jpg

Originally posted by 2000lux:
Serously, I'd like to see one of those fold out color viewfindersThe new generation BETA-IMX and BLUE LASER - DISK camcorders have this.. A high res B&W VF as well as a built in 2.5-inch Color LCD flip out Screen.

SONY DISK CAM (http://bssc.sel.sony.com/Professional/webapp/ModelInfo?m=0&sm=0&p=20029&sp=20128&id=70132)
click under highlights.

A warning to the GPS in company vehicle haters --- soon all camcorders will have a built in GPS tracking - recording.

[chicksdigphotogs]

i vote for the siren

[austinsatguy]

I do think a viewfinder that can be switched between color and black & white would be a nice option. Have your cake and eat it.

[2000lux]

SONY DISK CAM
click under highlights. Oh great. Now I need a mop to clean up all this @#&*! drool!

I was at CNN when the U.S. invaded Afghanistan. They were envious of the other networks that were recording on to portable hard drives in the field. If the cameras are robust enough they will definitely be tempted. They have a huge infrastructure though, switching things over to a new format will not be easy, or cheap. It will probably be done in stages with the busiest units and bureaus geting it first.

-Brian

[aussie]

A retractable microphone cord
something like a power cord on a vacuum cleaner ;)

[no1viewfinder]

I'd like to see on top of the handle a cover which can slide back and give you acess to a rec button,prehaps an auto iris button and/or 2 little zoom buttons. Handly for when you carry the camera and need to record on the sly....also would like a wheel,(like an SX menu wheel), placed next to my thumb rec. button, just for that shot where you have to zoom+focus+iris all in the one move...it can be done now, but it would just make it all a bit easier......
I think it would also be handy to have in your VF a display which can tell you a number (0-100?) for your focus range. Would be handy for those throw focus shots( eg..start on 43, then throw to 76-77..), and when you pick up the cam, you would also know looking in the VF, where your shot is already set....I guess you would get used to it and it would help you...
Also would like a set of sticks (ENG) that have built into the handle all the zoom/rec functions, so when the cam sits on the plate it just has contact and your handle works straight away....no more reaching round and screwing in a lead into the lens...
...And also a "night-shot" function, like the handycams, not a gain +48, but a complete pitch black night-shot function...no visiable light needed...
...And maybe some-one to shoot for me...cos I definately sound too lazy to want to work! ;)

[Dave Putnam]

An inexpensive cofdm/mpeg encoder/transmitter that is as small (and comparable in weight) as an Lectrosonics receiver. Low power setting for hopping back to the truck and high power for hops back to receive sites. Microwave Radio already has the expensive,large,heavy version (http://www.mrcbroadcast.com/products/reporter.htm)

[cameragod]

Stick to the B/W viewfinder and put one of these puppies on top of the camera.


http://www.panasonic.com/PBDS/subcat/Products/displays_monitors/img/tc-7mws1screen.jpg


http://www.panasonic.com/PBDS/subcat/Products/displays_monitors/f_tc-7wms1.html