Help With Grainy Looking Video

[MAXIMUS01CAN]

Howdy,

I purchased a Sony HDR-HC7 camcorder a couple months ago and have done some filming and during playback it seems quite grainy on both my Samsung DLP and Sony Bravia LCD tv's, even directly from the HDMI port to the sets. Not sure what to make of it as I thought it should be deadly good video. Not sure if I have a setting not right, but basically have just chosen HD 1080 format and the rest of the settings are pretty much Auto........havn't had a bunch of time to mess around with it, but maybe there's something obvious I should check. Neither of the video captures are what I would call "Low Light" conditions either so I guess that's why I'm back here again trying to pick brains.

Thanks in advance,

Cheers,
Max

[edDV]

It could be a settings issue. I haven't used the HC7 but the HC1 and other HDV camcorders I've used look quite nice over HMDI.

All HDV camcorders will have some noise in low light or shadow areas. Daylight dymanic range is wider than any camera can handle. The camera must process the image into 8 bits (just 219 luminance levels).

If you are comparing to commercial broadcasts, be aware they are using cameras with larger lenses, larger 10-12bit sensors and usually light the set to fill dark shadows and compress contrast. Unlike the way many people think of it, basic fill lighting is done to reduce contrast by raising black level.

[MAXIMUS01CAN]

Thanks Ed But,

You lost me after "look quite nice over HDMI" I don't know what the issue is but the previous sony DCR-PC9 that I had looked great over these sets and this one should even look better. Maybe someone with a HDR-HC7 will respond if they've noticed this.

Cheers,
Max

[Soopafresh]

You're going to have to post a screen cap of the grain or even better, a 5MB section of the MTS (or M2TS) file. It'll be easier to diagnose that way.

Check out the issues with less than ideal lighting conditions:

http://www.camcorderinfo.com/content/Sony-HDR-HC7-Camcorder-Review/Performance.htm



Capture some footage outside with good lighting and see if it is grainy.

[edDV]

I guess the question is "grainy" compared to what? Commercial broadcasts?

The HC7 should be producing a far superior image to a DCRPC9. The DCRPC9 is inherently noisy with a 0.25" CCD but Sony may be limiting detail to hide noise.

[MAXIMUS01CAN]

I have not yet captured the video on my PC yet so I cannot post a still or 5 Mb of MTS (Sorry don't know that acronym) but I will. Can that much data be posted here? Now there is a detail that I left out that may make a difference and it may not.......I am using a wide angle lense on this guy, but not sure if that should make any difference. I can't even tell you right now what it is, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't a piece of junk as I purchased it from a solid camera shop in calgary where I bought the camcorder and they seemed to know their %$#$. I will try without and see if the images are better, worse or the same. In regards to "Grainy" compared to what.....I would say to the video previously shot in SD mode with my old camcorder and far more grainy than any cable tv images without digital cable or HD tuner.

Cheers,
Max

[edDV]

Are you sure you are outputting 1080i? Does the TV indicate it is receiving 1080i?

[MAXIMUS01CAN]

My Samsung 61 is HD ready purchased 1.5yrs ago so I'm not sure whether 720 is as high as it goes or whether it accepts 1080i. It should say 1080 in the menu if it's set to Auto instead of manually selecting 480, 720 or 1080i right? My sony bravia LCD was xmas present this year so I'm guessing it for sure should take 1080i if it's being outputted from the camera. Is that the only place to see what kind of signal is being recieved? Both pictures look very similar regarding grainyness.

[edDV]

Normally it will indicate 1080i in the on screen display when you connect.
Any HD set will "take" 1080i but will scale to the native display resolution.

It should be looking much better than your old DCR-PC9. If not hire someone to investigate.

[MAXIMUS01CAN]

Thanks Ed, I'll have to investigate and see what the Auto resolution has been set to once I've connected the video input. If not I may try forcing it to 1080 and see what happens. If nothing then I'll have to start looking harder into the camera menus.

Cheers,
Max