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MillimeterTest Drive: Sony HVR-HD1000U, Part 2
Jan 28, 2008 12:00 PM
Figure 1: Clara (Taylor Edwards) and the Prince (Josh Sexton).
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Real-world Tests
By way of background, in these real-world tests, I shot two performances of the ballet The Nutcracker, live at the Ashe Civic Center in West Jefferson, N.C. First, I used the Sony HD1000 as my close-up camera, with the Canon XH A1 static with a full-stage shot. Then, I reversed the roles for the second shoot. Because there were small variations in the performance of the dancers—and in my framing and positioning—comparisons are close, but not exact. We’ll get more precise in the laboratory shots.
In Figure 1, the Canon image is more distinct and forceful, with better contrast from the back curtain. Of course, I’m looking at a full-resolution image on my exquisite HP LP3065 monitor; your mileage will certainly vary according to your monitor. From a color perspective, the Prince’s jacket is richer on the right.
Figure 2: Clara (Taylor Edwards) and her best friend (Katie Clark) during the party scene.
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Figure 2 shows Clara and her best friend exhausted from their dance during the party scene, Canon image on the right, Sony on the left. Again, the Canon image is clearer and sharper, particularly in the front of Clara’s pink dress, which again is richer in color than that produced by the Sony. Interestingly, with the Canon’s sharpness comes a hint of mosquito-like artifacts, which the Sony avoids by preserving slightly less clarity. Talk about a silver lining. That said, the detail preserved by the Sony in Clara’s best friend’s dress is impressive, as are the arches in both dancer’s lead feet. Nice work, girls.
Figure 3. Doll I (Beth Galyean) in the party scene. Great contrast and detail in both shots, although because Beth is moving on the left, the image is a touch more blurry.
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Figure 3 shows Doll I in the party scene. The Sony image is a bit blurry, which I attribute to the fact that she’s moving on the left, while she's still on the right. The point here is the excellent clarity and contrast preserved in both camcorders, particularly noticeable in the slightly diaphanous dress. We are shooting HDV here, so there’s a hint of artifacts in both images, though this really wasn’t visible when watching at 60i on an HDTV screen.
From these real-world tests, I would expect the Canon to resolve more lines in resolution testing than the HD1000 and produce slightly better color. Let’s have a look.
