HPX370 for sports

[Starman]

So now I have begun shooting for FOX Sports. I am using my HPX370 in 720, 60P. I am thinking for highlights a 120 shutter should be good? Also trying to stay at an F5.6 or more open for shooting highlights. (They don't want to use my HPX3700 because it is 1080p! I was looking at an HPX3100 as replacement for the 370, but it doesn't do 720, and the 2700 doesn't do standard def, which I use as well, so I will have to stick to the 370 at least for this season)

What kinds of lenses are y'all using on the 370's? I have a 1/3rd inch 13x3.5 from a JVC cam that's pretty decent glass, but I may want to put the stock 17x lens if I want to long lens it way down the field. Going to stay at F5.6 or more open to keep things from going soft (which is a complaint i've heard on other forums)

thanks

 

[Necktie Boy]

I know a shooter that has a 370. He shoots high school football. I believe has the stock lens. Can't tell you where he sets his f/stop, but he did tweak his camera. The pictures looks very nice for football.

I will add when iBN was around, they used 300/370 for multi camera football games. SDI out to a Toaster. Games were shown on the cable. I would guess all the operators had the stock lenses.

Also, the 17x will better if shooting from the press box.

My other buddy shoots on a JVC 750, using a 17x lens that he picked up. It makes a difference over the stock 14x that the JVC comes with.

 

[Starman]

Whatever happened to iBN? I covered games for them last year. I went and shot some soccer today in order to test the lenses out. The wide angle Fuji had slightly better glass IMHO. But, the stock 17x was fine on the long end, didn't see any chromatic abbherations or anything. I am probably going to purchase the B4 2/3 to 1/3 adaptor ring and use my Varicam lens on the 370. Would be a bit of a crop factor, but still good to have a nice broadcast lens with an extender, especially for shooting highlights.

 

[svp]

iBN was a partnership between Yahoo and Rivals.com that lost a LOT of money. I shot for them for two years until my checks started getting delayed and once the head of iBN sent out a mass email saying EVERYONE would not be getting paid until they got their money from Yahoo. I did finally get paid but stopped shooting for them after that email. I have no idea how they expected to make money on those games. They would shell out $1200 per crew per game to shoot and live stream a game with 40 or so games per week but never had ANY advertising associated with it. It was mind boggling

As for the 370, we use it for HS football and it looks fantastic. I shoot with the shutter at 1/250 and gain to 6db shooting 1080i. Looks great on the air.

 

[Shootblue]

I've shot with the 370 for going on two years. It is ok for what it is and sometimes puts out decent images, but overall there is a reason it is as cheap as it is. The stock glass is ok, but that most of our lenses have developed some issue of some sort. Most of ours have hitches during slow zooms from crappy gearing. The macro gets tight and doesn't work right. Various other issues. Plus as you change F-stops the abberation in the lens changes. The same shot from 2.0 or 1.8 is noticeably tinged compared to 5.6. Speaking of which, you DO NOT want to shoot more closed than 5.6 pretty much ever. Due to physics of the smaller sensor, that is the same as 11 on a 2/3 cam. Close it down to 11 on this cam and you see a noticeably soft picture due to diffraction. I kind of figure that if shooting with the shutter really improved the image, I'd see in on nationwide broadcasts. Other than the occasional 100 or 120 used during baseball, I never see it. Skew is there on that cam when you are zoomed in and panning quickly, but I'm either totally used to it and never see it, or it's just not a factor in watching.

 

[Necktie Boy]

iBN went belly up in early August of this year. I was looking for a contact, when I came across a posting on another board. It had the letter(message) sent out to freelancers that they were shutting down.

PlayOn Sports is the major player, now.

 

[Starman]

I have the Fujinon wide angle and it's a marked improvement. Works fine for press conferences, live shots and the like. Enough of a zoom for shooting highlights from midfield or end zones. An extender would be good, but I don't want to put more money into it. I am planning on selling my 3700 and switching it out for probably a PMW500.

I paid $5,000 for a used lens, it's definitely better glass then the stock lens.

http://www.abelcine.com/store/Fujinon-TH13x3.5BRMU-Wide-Angle-Zoom-Lens-1-3-Bayonet-Mount/

 

[Robin]

I have the Fujinon wide angle and it's a marked improvement. Works fine for press conferences, live shots and the like. Enough of a zoom for shooting highlights from midfield or end zones. An extender would be good, but I don't want to put more money into it. I am planning on selling my 3700 and switching it out for probably a PMW500.

I paid $5,000 for a used lens, it's definitely better glass then the stock lens.

http://www.abelcine.com/store/Fujinon-TH13x3.5BRMU-Wide-Angle-Zoom-Lens-1-3-Bayonet-Mount/

Starman.. Im very happy with the 500,strangely enough I was thinking to get the 3700 after my HDX900,and liked the Pana look,but went with the 500 when it came out.. XDCAM became the most requested format all of a sudden.. but I didnt want the 700/800.. then the answer came along.. solid state XDCAM 422..in a nice,relatively cheap,light weight,easy on juice package..with pretty much the same bells and whistles of the 800..

 

[Starman]

Robin,

I agree. The 3700 is a nice camera, but it's too limited in what it does. It is 1080 ONLY and doesn't do standard def either. It is also a power hog. I still do a bit of 720p work so my 370 still goes out on most jobs. The 500 has over/under cranking, 720p, standard def, and a lot of other things that I liked on the spec sheet. I have also noticed the rise in popularity of XDCAM cameras.

Plus there are some used ones going for a price comparable to a new 400. The goal is to sell the 3700 first. Someone is already shown some interest, but if you know anyone else who is interested, please PM me.

Thanks!

 

[svp]

Adding a Fujinon HTs18x4.2BERM-H6 lens to the 370 really enhances this cams ability.

 

[Starman]

My current it a 3.5, how does the wide angle of the 4.2 hold up? I am testing this Fujinon lens right now to see if I want to swap with my buddy who wants my 13x3.5.

 

[At the scene]

How have you made out shooting NFL games?? Curious how the 370 managed. Did you have to tinker with the settings at all??

 

[Starman]

I haven't had a chance to shoot any highlights with it yet, they pull those off the truck usually. For now, it's just standups, live hits and locker room stuff.

I just bought an HDX900 and a Nano, though, I might just use that with my Samurai instead. I could feed from the Samurai, but feeding from P2 is pretty nifty too, just press play and let it run.