electricfiddler

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electricfiddler sent a message to rkooris

November 23, 2008 at 2:31 pm

"Thank you. You pretty much confirmed my own thoughts. I could even build a small dynamic stabilizer - but the key is to have good image quality in the first place. I've been using a small Konica Minolta bridge camera (12X optic) but the quality of stills is quite poor and the video is very poor. more

electricfiddler commented on electricfiddler delete_comment: Thank you. I'm mostly interested in the image quality and the compactness so this device seems to fit the bill. I teach skiing in the French Alps all winter and always film my clients and photograph them - both for analysis and to give them something to remember. I used to carry around a bag full of equipment that was impractical. More recently i used the small Konica Minolta bridge cameras with 12X optical zoom etc - but the quality has been poor, the video very poor with ghosting, and the still image quality being sub standard. Additionally I have never had a still camera that could focus fast enough for ski shots.

I decided that if I want real good photos that I have to accept it is necessary to buy a big SLR. Meantime, the smaller optics and sensor chips should not be such a problem for video cameras - and so now cameras like this Sanyo are starting to appear.

My own impression seems to follow your advice regarding stabilisation. I can even make a stabilizing device if I need to use one for some more serious purposes and no internal stabilizing can really do a pro job anyway. I might use the camera to make my own budget DVD and it sounds like the quality would be easily good enough.

Thanks for your quick response.

November 23, 2008 at 2:22 pm

electricfiddler sent a message to electricfiddler

November 23, 2008 at 12:38 pm

"Thank you. I'm mostly interested in the image quality and the compactness so this device seems to fit the bill. I teach skiing in the French Alps all winter and always film my clients and photograph them - both for analysis and to give them something to remember. I used to carry around a bag full more

electricfiddler sent a message to rkooris

November 23, 2008 at 8:31 am

"Could you possibly let me know if the stabiliser is any good? The camera is criticised for lack of an optical stabiliser. Thanks."

electricfiddler joined the site

November 23, 2008 at 8:29 am

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rkooris

No, the stabilization system is not perfect. However, no small camcorder does very well in this regard, in my opinion, and I have been a pro cinematographer for many years. The easiest cameras to handhold and move smoothly are those with some weight and heft and which can be supported primarily on the shoulder. The 16mm Aaton is the best of these, in my opinion. The Sanyo is so small and light that it transmits and magnifies every small movement of the hands and arms, especially when attempting to walk or move. The only way that I can think of to properly stabilize it would be to either put it on a counter weighted (our spring loaded) arm, pole or a "mini-steadicam" rig designed for smooth movement or to use a gyro attached to the tripod mounting point on the bottom of the camera. I'm sur that would produce excellent results but the form factor of the camera would, clearly, b much larger. On the other hand, the image quality from such a small and inexpensive package is quite impressive.

Nov 23, 2008 9:15am

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