NTSC Video quality of hi-8 is better than DVcam ?

[SingSing]

To my eyes, a good Hi-8 analog camcorder is still look better than DVcam output on TV.

This may end up in the same nature of record vs CD. A good vinyl always sound greater than CD. But Vinyl( same as analog video tape) wear out (drop out ). Analog copy degrade through genertaion. Digital copy is same as the first transfer.

Some of these are the natures of digital capture, that a long slant line look zig-zag on DV capture. Also, our sensory like eyes and ears are analog.

The suprising things is most DVcam have more pixels than the Hi-8 in their CCD. This appearantly help to get a beter video.

So, is this just my eyes or I am totally off base ?

[linardi]

Yes, you are right. I have the same experience with you.
I brought my Sony PC 110 for repair, but no problem at all. I show them the zig zag long slant. It happen if I move or zoom my camera.
The Sony staff are also aware of this problem, and admit that this is the lack of mini DV, but they said, it happened to all of DV camera ( I am not sure if this only for SOny or for all ) , because the camera implement " progressive.... focus... technology" I forgot the exact term.

I have both mini DV and Digital 8 ( bigger cartridge ) , both Sony.
To my eyes, Digital 8 is still better, but DV more sharp.

[Chux]

I have been a professional video producer for over 9 years now. I have used pretty much all the pro formats - S-VHS, Hi8, 3/4", 1", Betacam SP, DVCAM, MiniDV, film.

You guys are getting caught up in one of the "traps" of format debates. Many times the quality of the image is afftected by the lens and CCDs. A plastic lens shoots worse than a glass lens. A 1-chip 1/3 CDD camera is worse than a 3-chip 2/3" CCD camera.

The "zig zagging" you talk about is common with low end digital formats. In the video production world, anything less than a $60K Digital Betacam SP camera is low end. The "stair-stepping" occurs mostly in "dutch shots" - shots that sweep up/down at an angle. So, I try to avoid such shots with digital formats. Don't get this problem with analog.

Quality levels? In my opinion, Hi8 doesn't even come close to DVCAM or MiniDV. Especially when you encode/tranfer using firewire. Fireware is pretty much component (better than S) quality while Hi8 can only output S quality. Hi8 belongs only in the consumer world. I have run into a few places that use MiniDV and encode into their Avid/Media 100/Final Cut Pro systems.

Hi8 is finally dying out. And thank GOD it is. (Just my opinions and experience) :)

[SingSing]

A 1-chip 1/3 CDD camera is worse than a 3-chip 2/3" CCD camera.

I am thinking hard about a 3-chip camcorder from Sony.
Their lowest end 3 chip is $300 more than their 1 chip cam, and run about $2000. How much different does a 3 chip cam make ?

On a consumer TV, the sony hi-8 does look cleaner and with bettre color than a sony 1 chip dvcam.

[Chux]

With 1-chip, the colors and blacks/whites are processed all together. With 3-chips, the colors are processed seperately and the blacks/whites are processed seperately. The result: cleaner images and less "ghosting" when dubbing footage. You will probalby get better images in low-light situations with the 3-chip (i.e., ambient light situations). Also, look at the specs on the CCD sizes - the bigger the CCD sized, the better.

Hope this helps :)

[Chux]

Ooops, almost forgot. With most good digital cameras, they have firewire. This is alot easier to use if you plan on editing. You can buy a firewire card for you PC if you don't have one. With firewire, both audio/video signals are transfered very fast into your computer for editing. It is also bi-directional, meaning you output right back into the camera for recording your master tape. And you can control your camera with your editing software (play, ff, etc.).

With the Hi8, non dig format, you have to encode/digitize your analog footage into your computer using a capture card - a whole different debate and lots of quality issues to worry about (full frame, full motion, etc.).

Let me know if you have any other questions :)

[Shannafey]

I have had about the same amount of years experience as Chux, and totally agree with all his statements. I hate Hi8. I shot tons of Hi8 tapes, and I don't ever want anything to do with it again. For one, I love the fact of dumping something digitally and never having to touch the original tape again. Hi8 tapes did not withstand the rigors of tape to tape editing. I have a lot of unusable stock footage. Some I have salvaged and archived to DVCam for future use. I now only shoot in DV, DVCam and Beta SP.

[SingSing]

It is also bi-directional, meaning you output right back into the camera for recording your master tape.

I am using Ulead 5 on firewire.

I can do dvcam transfer, and analog pass through. I have not figured out how to dv transfer the video back to the dvcam. Can you give me a few pointers ?

thank you.

[EricB]

SingSing

I don't have VideoStudio 5 on this computer, but I can tell you generically how to get DV back to the camera. First, (obviously) make sure the camera is turned on.

Next, go to the "Finish" menu and select the icon for showing full screen. I think it is in the lower left of the selections on that page.

There you should have a choice of showing the timeline to the screen or to your camera. There is also a check box to enable recording.

[Chux]

SingSing,

Your version 5 may not support firewire. You may have to upgrade. Here is a link to a support page at Ulead that talks about it...

http://support.ulead.com/kb/0002/KB402.htm

[EricB]

I assumed you meant VideoStudio not MediaStudio

[SingSing]

The ulead-5 I have is the bundle of compusa firewire card, and it does ieee1394.