Canon HV20 camcorder settings

[redpill]

I just got a Canon HV20 camcorder (predecessor to HV30, HV40). Can anyone offer any suggestions for camera settings for shooting a concert in a small club? It will be stealth so I will try to get everything set when the show starts (or before) and not mess with the camera after that.

Thanks

[Silver Stallion DVDs]

It will be stealth so I will try to get everything set when the show starts (or before) and not mess with the camera after that.

I can't help you with the settings, but I'd like to comment about something else you brought up.

In my experience, getting the exposure right is absolutely critical to shooting a nice looking video. Auto-exposure rarely works well when filming a show. Obviously, my recommendation is for manual-exposure. But you can't just set it, and then leave it - you have to constantly monitor it and bump the exposure up and down in accordance with the lighting. This is especially true for shows with a elaborate lighting.

Although you might be able to get away with not adjusting the exposure while filming in a small club where the lighting doesn't change (or doesn't change much).

[AAR.oner]

agreed...also use manual focus [zoom in & set], as most auto-focus gets thrown off with certain light changes, fast zooms, etc

[diggrd]

I've got an HV20 and like others have said manual is the way to go uless it's an outdoor daytime shoot. The manual mode is still semiauto in that whichever mode shutter or aperture priority the other is set automagically, you can work around this sort of as explained here
http://hv20.info/yopu/hv20aperturecontrol.mov

[uni-fi]

What is the overall feeling of the hv20 as I am seriously looking at buying one right now. I have read that they are shit in low light situations, but in the same article, I see that with a few minor setting changes (i.e. not using the automagic settings) they are fine in low light. Not to mention 24p is a huge selling point...It would seem pretty obvious that we are all using this for primarily the same things like shooting bands in a club or larger venue setting. Just looking for some end user feedback.

[saltman]

It is not proper 24p. It is simulated by dropping frames. HV40 is 1080p instead of 1080i. The HV20 is basically the same as the HV30 which is excellent in low light.

uni-fi - you know king tubby's camera is an HV10 right? it is very good in low light. It's basically the same as the hv20/hv30 but in a matchbox style body which is smaller.

all of them are CMOS so they all freak out in strobing lights and get fuzzy and out of focus during the strobe. IMO they are the best value out there for consumer HD cameras. Obviously, all of the HV series record to DV tape which is critical.