What value is there to home high def video cameras??

[yoda313]

If you can only downconvert to dvd specs what benefit is there of all the increased resolution for home high def videocameras?

Can they be hooked up directly to hdtv's? If so then you'd have a limited replay value since you'd have to transfer it to a harddrive or downconvert to dvd.

Is the main value future proofing?? So that you don't have to upgrade later.

I just can't see the benefit of the extra resolution if you can't save them conveniently.

Once hd-dvd or bluray recordable units become affordable than I can see the benefit.

[edDV]

If you can only downconvert to dvd specs what benefit is there of all the increased resolution for home high def videocameras?

Can they be hooked up directly to hdtv's?

Yes they have Analog component 1080i outputs.

If so then you'd have a limited replay value since you'd have to transfer it to a harddrive or downconvert to dvd.

You save it on DV tape or you transfer to HDD or DVDR data the same as you would for DV format. DV and HDV use the same datarates and disk space but HDV video is a MPeg2 TS stream.

Is the main value future proofing?? So that you don't have to upgrade later.

I just can't see the benefit of the extra resolution if you can't save them conveniently.

Primary storage is DV tape for now.

Depends what your short term needs are. You can play from the camera, uptransfer to a broadcast HD format for use on air (Discovery HD?) or archive to a HDD.

Once hd-dvd or bluray recordable units become affordable than I can see the benefit.

Then you can transfer directly to the high def DVD either as data or converted to a DVD player format.

[guns1inger]

One of the benefits I see is the ability to have better control over film-like features, such as focus and depth of field. These features tend to be limited, if available at all, on standard DV cameras, but go a long way to improving the look of what you shoot.

[slacker]

Using a camera such as the hvr-a1u in hdv mode, I also understand that the final video quality is also superior even when down-converted to sd using Vegas.

[edDV]

Using a camera such as the hvr-a1u in hdv mode, I also understand that the final video quality is also superior even when down-converted to sd using Vegas.

That can be true but HDV 1080i editing at this time is extremely slow even with a fast computer. Pros speed things up by working with uncompressed video for editing and render farms of networked PCs to speed effects rendering, followed by hardware MPeg2 encoders.

In time, quad core CPUs and hardware accelerators will speed both effects editing and encoding but currently this is a real pain.

[slacker]

edDV,

Understand!

Vegas 6 and Vegas Movie Studio+DVD Platinum Edition added support for capturing direct from HDV devices with no additional software required. The video is captured as .m2t files, which can be placed directly on the timeline for editing. For better performance during editing, you can place the .m2t files on the timeline, then go to File-->Render As, choose AVI as the output format, and use one of the supplied HDV templates. That will convert the file using the CineForm codec, which will give you much better editing performance. Note that once you convert the files to AVI they will be much larger, approximately by a factor of four.

They make it sound so simple and inviting with their hd camcorders, and their CineForm intermediate codec. I walked around Best Buy all day today playing with the Panny GS-250 and the Sony HC1. I need to make a decision. Life doesn't wait around!

And then again...
New models are coming out next month!

[edDV]

edDV,

They make it sound so simple and inviting with their hd camcorders, and their CineForm intermediate codec. I walked around Best Buy all day today playing with the Panny GS-250 and the Sony HC1. I need to make a decision. Life doesn't wait around!

Considering the source is MPeg-2, the CineForm intermediate format does make straight editing go fast and precise enough but filtering, effects, transitions, compositing and finally encoding need to compute with all those additional pixels. If you are used to DV editing, it seems slow by compairson.

[yoda313]

Thanks eddv and the rest

I guess the dv tape would be a relatively cost effective storage medium.

Its still way too pricey when my old sony analog camcorder works just fine. But its nice to keep informed on the latest tech.

[edDV]

Thanks eddv and the rest

I guess the dv tape would be a relatively cost effective storage medium.

Its still way too pricey when my old sony analog camcorder works just fine. But its nice to keep informed on the latest tech.

You are giving up?

MiniDV rocks! You will never regret the move. At least move to Digital8.

HDV is very new and compute intensive but uses the same amount of tape as DV.

[yoda313]

To be honest I don't use a camcorder enough to justify the cost. I was just curious as to why people are jumping to a medium thats not readily transferrable.

[pijetro]

An excellent 3chip DV camera, with manual controls is better than any HiDef camera, with limited functionality..

I too don't understand why people would jump the HD bandwagon at this point..
It's definately out of reach for hobbyists in pricing.

guns1inger wrote:

One of the benefits I see is the ability to have better control over film-like features

Many MiniDV camcorders are offering this functionality..In fact, NLE's have started supporting the film format for a while now..

[guns1inger]

Most mini-DV camera allow for manual focus and manual zoom, but have very little control over depth of field, changable lenses, shutter speed etc. NLE's support progressive formats (this is what they mean by film format), but progressive on it's own doesn't make it look like film. Consumer mini-DV cameras are the equivilent of the point-n-click still camera. The example you point to is not representative of the bulk of cameras out there.

[slacker]

The medium and higher end Panasonic and JVC consumer/prosumer camcorders still give you full access to focus, exposure, shutter speed, white balance, gain, etc. Sony is really the ONLY manufacturer who has gone out of their way to promote fully auto type camcorders at the expense of manual controls.

[takeshi]

It really depends on what you're buying as well. The top of even Sony's consumer line does offer full manual (albeit servo in the case of zoom and focus) controls.