10
Gain
Adjust the gain when shooting at outdoor locations, or other places where the brightness
is outside the standard range. The toggle switch on the side of the camera has three
sensitivity settings assigned standards of 0db / +6db / +12db, but it is possible to change
each number individually, shifting according to the lens one is using. The +12db setting
gives a grainy image, and is rarely used. When possible, it is best to assign a value of
+9dB instead.
Focus Assist Function
The focus assist is different from the AG-HVX200 and it finds its inspiration in the
AJ-HPX2000/2100. It is in the form of a Histogram that displays in the upper right hand corner
of the viewfinder and LCD. It is tuned on with a button and it stays on until you turn it off.
Take a look at the two displays below, the histogram is on in both. See that the picture on the
left is out of focus and the detail shown on the histogram is minimal. Looking at the screen on
the right shows tha the screen looks in focus and the histofgram has a lot of detail. It makes it
virtually easy to focus the camera on a standard def LCD. A simple turn on the focus ring can
quickly confirm your focus.
Flange Back = Back Focus = Rear Focus
Because cameras such as the AG-HPX500 that use B4 mounts are designed to allow
easy lens removal, the distance from the mount to the light-incident surface of the CCD
(the "flange-back" distance) sometimes differs slightly depending on the camera (or lens)
used. So if you change the lens-camera combination, the back focus will need to be
adjusted. If the back focus is incorrect, images will not be correctly focused for either
macro shots or telephoto shots. Adjust the flange back (F/B) distance using a chart such
as the one attached.
Selecting a tripod
It is assumed that the AG-HPX500 will rarely be swung around freely in the manner of the
AG-HVX200, and even when shooting the same scene, the AG-HPX500 has different
requirements. It may be necessary to set Gamma, to adjust the black level to boost
reproduction of dark areas, and during extremely slow zoom-in/zoom-out, or for simple fixes,
especially with interval shooting (see p. 15), a tripod allowing firm positioning and very smooth
movement is a necessity. Compared with the AG-HVX200, it is a larger camera both in terms
of chassis and in terms of mass, and a suitable tripod must be selected or it will be unstable.
Stable picture quality can be obtained by selecting a tripod by a well-known maker, such as
the Sachtler System 18, the Vinten Vision 11, or a comparable tripod.
WB adjustment technique
When setting the WB, one can experiment with disrupting the color temperature
and giving the image a warmer feel by selecting warmer color. Some high-grade
inkjet papers have a small amount of blue mixed in, in order to bring out the white
more, and it can be interesting to line up a few different types of "white" paper and
observe the differences in hue. (Another trick is to cover the lens with a white.)
Setting the WB (White Balance)
(1) Set the WHITE BAL switch to A or B. Separate settings are created for the A and
B channels (e.g.: Cloudy/Fine, Outdoor/Indoor).
(2) Place a grayscale chart (see right) or a white piece of paper in the same location as the
setting for your shot and zoom in so that it completely fills the screen.
(3) Adjust the lens aperture. Use the normal Auto Iris function to set the aperture.
(4) Push the AWB switch upwards to set the white balance.
(5) Push the AWB switch downwards to set the black balance (BB).
(6) Push the switch up again to set the white balance more precisely.
