Selection Process

I hear all the discussions about the new fangled cameras about to hit the market or those in the process of doing so. Being a bit of a techno plonker I am wondering why people would choose a camera which uses compression to deliver a data transfer rate of 35Mbps (XDCam) over the 100Mbps data transfer rate of DVCamPro 100 (HVX200). Given the pro's and con's of both systems why would one ultimately be selected over the other? Just trying to make my mind up as I'm looking to get a camera for the immediate topside shooting of future projects.

I remember about a year ago that I was contemplating the HVX200, and for some reason it keeps popping back into my head. Is Panasonic looking to update with a 300? The other contender is the XDCam EX1. Anyone (Drew) fancy giving a comparrison post on these two?

Cheers,

Mark.

Yeah I'll give you one...Ones a Sony the others a...You get it..

Was working with a freelancer today who does a lot with Nat Geo and discovery...He usually shoots with a Sony HDW-F900R but the BBC wanted DVCAM for our piece so he was using a DSR-450...Which he found amusing...

But he said exactly what I did if the footage is 'good' and new blah, blah companies will use it... One of his lenses was around £30,000 holy hog...SHHHH !!!!

I need to put up my day rate...

Dive safe

DeanB

P.s...sorry this of no use to you Marky...I haven't got a clue...Over to you Drew...Although the AJ-HPX3000 panny looks good...

Hi Mark, I am at the opposite end of the experience chart (i.e., "beginner"), but I am mulling over the same options. Adam Wilte reviewed a bunch of higher end hdv cameras including your Z1 and the HVX200:

http://www.outside-hollywood.com/2006/06/a...hootout-report/

Somewhere else I think he said the resolution of the HVX200 was lower than the Canon XH-A1, but Barry Green seems to think that they are the same:

http://www.dvxuser.com/articles/xha1/

So what I read from all of this is that HVX200 is somewhat similar to the V1, XH-A1, and probably the Z1 in image quality, but with the advantage of having less problems with artifacts in high-motion secenes because of the greater bandwidth of the compression. Add to that the fact that DVCPRO is more acceptable to big name broadcasters and there is already a Gates housing (not relevant of course if you are just going to be shooting above water), and you have some good reasons to choose it.

On the other hand, the Sony XDCAM EX1 has cheaper cards, probably a lot better lens, and some of the best features of any less-than- $10,000US camera ever made. Gates has said it will make a housing, but it's not available yet.

Oh, and aren't the HVX200 sensors smaller?

If I can afford it, I will think seriously about the new Sony. It's likely to make a lot of people forget about the HVX200. Maybe the big industry players will be more open to XDCAM once their field people start clamoring for the Sony.

regards,

Pat

Mark

HVX is already a constant B and C camera for many HD productions.

The issue of preference is not about the format (DVCPro HD vs XDCAM HD 35) but the capture sensor size, 1/3" vs 1/2". The HVX DVCPro HD clips are considered the same as HDV and thus cannot be used as a main capture camera. The 15-20% rule still exists for HDV.

Ultimately it's up to the producer on where the final program is headed to.

No offense to Barry "obiwan" but his bias towards the HVX200 is more for the native P-scan and 4:2:2 color. Anyone with eyes can see the resolution difference between the canon and Panny in 1080i. Having owned a HVX200, the resolution achieved by the 960x540 sensors is good. However, if there is a lot of post work required, higher resolution is more important than 4:2:2 color.

XDCAM HD is approved by the broadcast companies, but NOT from the EX1. It is possible that the same proviso for the HVX200 and DVCPro HD applies, where DVCPro HD is good from any camera BUT the HVX200 for main capture format.

Got all that, thanks scaper and Drew. So the hunt continues. The products I work on don't necessarily push the imagery through a lot of corrective editing, color or sharpness etc (I get the focus right the first time ). Its all about the science and not the wow factor, sheesh I must have heard that a million times over the past ten days.

I must say though that I have seen a few clips from some HVX stuff topside and I reckon its quite a bit better than the Z1. Just in clarity and color separation.

I've heard also that Sony have also just introduced a 3CMOS camera, anyone know anything on that?

Cheers again,

Mark.

P.S Haven't searched yet, just landed from DC and had a chat with someone on the phone. They mentioned this camera.

It really seems to come down to what your priortities are. I have personally worked on broadcast projects where the primary cam was a Z1 and the B cam an A1. The reason being was these were fast motion, extreme sports programs where light weight, and form factor were most critical. The big cams weren't usable given the conditions.

This being said, when it comes down to it, better cams in the right hands produce better images. I for one would love a cam with the Z1s form factor, at least 4:2:2, 1080p and high quality sensors....oh yeah in an affordable package. I am still holding out hope that someone will deliver

I'm the same as Shawnh - except I want it A1 size!!!

Cheers, Simon