thinking of moving to HDV....

[Red96TA]

The choices for me right now are the Sony VX2100 in standard definition, or the Sony HDR-FX1 for about $600 more.

What additional equipment am I going to need in order to transfer the HD video onto media? To my understanding, the only media format for HDV is DVHS until either Blu-Ray or HD-DVD comes out, correct?

In your opinion, do you think I should hold out on HDV until the technology becomes more standardized, because it's more trendy at the moment. I imagine that Sony will release the FX2 when the technology becomes more mainstream and the camcorder will more than likely be less money with more features in the next couple years.

[Baldrick]

I would wait until blueray or hddvd is standardized.

But if you have $600 over...why not.

[SoundFX]

I was ready to buy an FX1, but after toying with a demo for a few days decided to wait for a few reasons. The biggest was lack of editing support for HDV. Many apps they say they do, actually require extra($) software to translate it into something they can swallow. Kudos to Premiere for making a free solution available to its users, too bad it's my least favorite editing program. (i work with Vegas 5 and FCP HD mostly) Like Baldrick said, distribution is a problem too. Outside of broadcast formats, HDV/DVHS tape or something like WMV-HD (computers only) is the only way to release in HD.

The other reason to wait is tape dropout. Because of the MPEG compression, a tape dropout losses 15 FRAMES of video and causes the picture to freeze until it reads in the next 15 frame block. Now i had to feed the FX1 an older tape with many passes to actually see this, but it is a concern to me. Supposedly theres a newer kind of tape that makes this a nonissue.

I will say that the pictures from the FX1 are stunning. Nothing like thinking of my 65" Mitsu Diamond as a picture window, but thats how I felt looking at footage on it. I own the VX2000 and think the control layout of the FX1 is way better, except the handle zoom control isn't variable. Can't have everything I guess. The FX1 doesn't do quite as well in low light as the VX, but the resolution more than makes up for it.

I'm thinking now maybe I should have hung onto the FX1, and just used DV mode for now until the edit/release issues catch up. But have decided to wait until after NAB next month. I've decided I would like a camera that shoots both 1080 and 720 formats if anyone comes up with that in the consumer world.

[Cornucopia]

IIRC, the FX1 will record in standard DV mode also. If you like the controls, etc, and you have the extra $600, go for it--it's 2 cameras in 1!. You can then add to your setup stepwise and so absorb the cost a little better, but you'll already have the camcorder.

(Re: dropouts) Do, however, use the new tape formulation. Even though I'm sure it's going to cost a chunk more, it's quite worth it if it actually does what it claims.

Scott

>>>>>>
oops! missed that last little bit reV mode.

[edDV]

The choices for me right now are the Sony VX2100 in standard definition, or the Sony HDR-FX1 for about $600 more.

What additional equipment am I going to need in order to transfer the HD video onto media? To my understanding, the only media format for HDV is DVHS until either Blu-Ray or HD-DVD comes out, correct?

In your opinion, do you think I should hold out on HDV until the technology becomes more standardized, because it's more trendy at the moment. I imagine that Sony will release the FX2 when the technology becomes more mainstream and the camcorder will more than likely be less money with more features in the next couple years.

If your budget will handle 50% depreciation over 2yrs and you don't mind using the old original model after 5 better cams come out, then go for it.

It all depends on usage. If you can get your money out of it before a nice 720p version of the Panasonic DVX100 comes out or if you need it for that special vacation next June, then go for it.

There will be a flood of better camcorders after the Blu-Ray DVDR hits and by then, all the standard edit-authoring packages will be supporting HDV to Blu-Ray at no additional charge.