Re: new to list

["Alexander the Great jr." <kanaris@bode.usc.edu>]

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> From owner-pixelvision@jupiter.rowan.edu Mon Jun  2 16:00:15 1997

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> Date: Mon, 02 Jun 1997 15:52:14 -0700

> To: pixelvision@jupiter.rowan.edu

> From: George Ludwig <theguru@deton8.com>

> Subject: New to list

> Sender: owner-pixelvision@jupiter.rowan.edu

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> 

> Hi everyone I'm new to this list, and wanted to introduce myself.

> 

> I am a PXL2000 owner (I even got the cute little TV monitor!). I'm

> relatively new to video. I use a Radius VideoVision Studio in a Mac 8100/110

> for capture/editing. I live in San Francisco.



I have always had problems with audio getting out of sync with the video

on the Radius. Apparently the hardware sampling rates are not what the

software thinks they are. Thankfully the system was not mine so I didn't

try very hard to troubleshoot it and fix it.



> 1. The camera seems to have definate needs in the lighting area. The

> contrast ratio seems to give about 4 grey levels. In daylight it's really

> easy to get a wash of white with little detail. I have not had any success

> at all shooting indoors (I have no lighting equipment).



Use neutral density filters for daylight.  Tape them to hold them in front

of yours lens.

Use light for indoors. Try those quartz lights they sell at the

Home-depot or anyplace they sell building materials. 

With the PXL color temperature is DEFINITELY not an issue, but

in fact these lights work well with standard camcorders as well.



> 2. The internal microphone is nearly useless due to the motor noise. I've

> considered running the audio onto DAT and trying to sync it later...but

> haven't yet had to deal with it.



It would be a trivial mod to add a jack for an external mike. You can

even wire the jack so that the internal mike is cut off if and only if

the external is plugged in.



> 3. Has anyone tried to shoot PXL footage with the intention of chromakeying

> the subject? I am very interested in this, but obviously since the camera is

> B&W there is no blue or green response...has anyone tried something along

> these lines? I use AfterEffects to do keying, so the key color really

> doesn't matter, but I've had limited success getting the subject itself to

> be a solid image (this is where I realized that the output seemed tohave

> only 4 greyscales).



To do chromakey successfully you need a high resolution, low noise picture

and very evenly lit (and colored) background. The PXL cannot qualify in

any of these departments...  You cannot even use it for LUMAKEY.



BUT, I bet you can use the PXL image for the BACKGROUND. 

Just rent or borrow a good cam for your FOREGROUND.



> 4. Is there any potential benefit to using the internal tape to store



The only undisputed benefit of the cassette tape is portability. 



> images, or is it universally considered better to modify the camera for

> direct output to another recording device? I assume that the audio tape



It is universally considered better!



> format introduces artifacts, I'm just not sure what kind since my camera is

> stock...

> 

> Anyway, I hope this list is active...the camera is very cool...

> 

> Cheers!