Topic: SONY HC21/32/42 Settings for concert recording ???

[bossanova]

Looking for help from owners of the SONY HC21/32/42 miniDV Camcorder.

I just bought a SONY HC 32.

I plan to record a rock concert.

I will be in 5th row. It's an arena concert, theatre style lighting.

Lighting will be fairly dark,  concert lights, not much lighting effects or flashing.

Looking for advice on what settings to use on the camcorder, from people who have
recorded concerts with it.

Thanks

[sabre]

I use a Sony HC 30 camera which is an older version of your HC 32. Here are the settings I use when shooting concerts.

Program AE mode: Spotlight
Manual Exposure. If you don't use manual exposure the singer's head often gets overexposed. Let the camera choose the exposure during a particularly bright part of the opening band, then bring it down a few stops.

Will this be a stealth job? If so, be sure to disable the recording lamp and tape up the green lights where the On/Off switch is located.

Here's a link to some screen caps:
http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=45506.msg589789#msg589789

and here's a video shot from the 3rd level of a club: (8 megabytes)
http://rapidshare.de/files/7335947/Live_OperationSpirit_Perth2004.wmv.html

[bossanova]

Thanks for the settings and samples.

I probably cant do manual exposure, as I will only be using the viewfinder.
I guess I could try to use the LCD temporarily to set the exposure,
but I am worried about detection.
I guess I will take my chances with AutoExposure.

Here's how I am recording stealth, using a disguised camcorder as binoculars. :

http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=23785.new;topicseen#new

[bossanova]

I was also told to use :

Indoor White Balance setting

Pluto do you use this ?

[GNRArnold]

On the Sonys, if you can't flip open the LCD to adjust the exposure, set it to Spotlight mode, it works pretty well- also leave the white balance on auto, with concerts setting the white balance to indoor most of the time does not work well with the bands stage lighting- at least with the Sony TRV33 it does not.

[sabre]

I was also told to use :
Indoor White Balance setting
Pluto do you use this ?

I've never experimented with the White Balance settings - I just leave it on the default setting (Auto).

[bossanova]

Great, thanks for everyone's tips.

I'll use Program AE Spotlight Mode,
Auto White Balance.
Auto Focus.


I also am turning off Digital Zoom.

Will just use 20X optical Zoom.

The 40X digital is not too bad, but I'd rather just stick with optical.

The 800X digital is really useless.

[guitard]

Great, thanks for everyone's tips.

I'll use Program AE Spotlight Mode,
Auto White Balance.
Auto Focus.


I also am turning off Digital Zoom.

Will just use 20X optical Zoom.

The 40X digital is not too bad, but I'd rather just stick with optical.

The 800X digital is really useless.

I know of a filmer who uses an HC21 and he has a 2X "doubler" lens that he screws onto the camera's lens to get 40X optical.  I've got doubler lens for a couple of my cams also.  They can really be handy.  HOWEVER, they also tend to really accentuate even the tiniest shaking, so you've got to have a very steady hand - or better yet - use them only with a tripod.

[GNRArnold]

Do not use auto focus- here is a very simple way to focus with that cam-
Set the cam to manual, zoom in all the way, set it to auto and let it focus once its focused set it to manual again and your set.

[GNRArnold]

[/quote]

I know of a filmer who uses an HC21 and he has a 2X "doubler" lens that he screws onto the camera's lens to get 40X optical.  I've got doubler lens for a couple of my cams also.  They can really be handy.  HOWEVER, they also tend to really accentuate even the tiniest shaking, so you've got to have a very steady hand - or better yet - use them only with a tripod.
[/quote]

I bought a cheap Sima 2x telephoto lens and it works fine with my Sony, yes the telephoto lens will magnify everything including shakes but as long as its not handheld or not on something like a ledge that vibrates from the bass its usually fine. Telephoto lens do not fully double your zoom, I used to think that I'd get 20x with the lens but it only magnifies it so in my case my cams zoom is 10x, with the 2x lens attached I compared it to my cam with 20x zoom with both cameras zoomed in on the same subject and the telephoto lens brings a 10x zoom to about 15x. So the HC21 or any cam with 20x zoom plus a telephoto lens probably brings you to whats equal to a 25-27x zoom.