Hvx200 Pal Or Ntsc?

lawriejaffa

lawriejaffa

Veteran
Hi guys, I know im pestering you loads with my irritating questions but forgive... forgive!

So I am travelling to New York soon, and was wanting to do some filming there (ad hoc holiday video nothing groovy) I want to buy a camera there as it would be cheaper than buying it in the UK, (customs is not an issue in this case - bear with me)

So basically I can get an NTSC HVX for about 5339$ http://www.spec-comm.com/hvx200.php or about 6000$ say at B&H

Of course in the UK, the same camera costs about $7113, but naturally that is the PAL version.

Now, fact is editing software routinely imports either PAL or NTSC and can convert them. But how much of an issue is this conversion? Does it really compromise the footage much?

I mean footage shot and playing on my TV would be buggered, but fine after post edit conversions right? I would really appreciate your wisdom on this chaps.
 
I have never done an NTSC -> PAL conversion, but I would imagine that if you work mainly in PAL that extra $1000 would be well worth not having to deal with a format difference for the life of the camera.
 
Well my point is, is that format indifference resolved within editors even like premiere for example? When exported for DVD etc, if you change its format etc.

And if so what compromises if any occur in the footage? Because is the format issue only really relative to it screening on televisions, (camera footage untreated and if the cameras connected to a television etc.)

Maybe im being totally backward here but if anyone can elaborate?
 
lawriejaffa

Don't for gods sake buy a NTSC version, you will regret it forever. Of no value second hand in the UK, and B&H will have PAL versions in stock if you contact them before hand and get one put by. They told me they were getting some PAL HVX200's in
 
Okay lads thanx, i'll be good I won't get an NTSC one! I'll contact around and make sure where-ever i get one its PAL! Though i am on the lookout for any US stockists of PAL HVX200's if you can recommend any? I talked to an advisor (online tho) and they said at B&H they didnt have any hrmph lol but all help appreciated!
 
Well from things I've read in the past, if I'm remembering correctly, you will have audio issues as well, such as needing to speed up your 24p audio by 4% to get to the 25fps PAL rate.

I don't know what the differences are for HD, but in SD it has been my understanding that PAL was technically superior.
 
Yeah well i suppose its a good point, i mean HD is the point of course, oooh ye-gods, but im vearing more to getting the PAL one, though it seems no where stocks it lol in the USA yet!
 
If you're interested only by short films and features films with possible 35mm blow-up the question is legitimate.
 
You would regret getting a NeverTheSameColor piece of s*** till your day's end! Enjoy PAL when you can!
 
Petrus said:
You would regret getting a NeverTheSameColor piece of s*** till your day's end! Enjoy PAL when you can!
Click to expand...

With HD and a 4:2:2 color space for DVCPRO-HD, your sentence comes from middle age, for sure.
 
I also thought about the idea of a HVX200 NTSC version in Europe. Because when you encode to an NTSC dvd, those dvd's are always compatible with R2 dvd players in Europe, no problem. The dvd-players do the conversion to PAL and the tv's show the video without problems.
An extra advantage using an NTSC HVX200 in Europe is the 24P option, so if you want to do a real film transfer, you don't have to change the speed to go from 25P to 24P.

Okay, the camera is not very easy to be sold on the European 2nd hand market, but it's much cheaper compared to the PAL version.
 
I don't know about prices in Holland, but apparently some dealers sell the HVX at less than 5,000 € (or about $6k) excl. VAT in Germany. That does not seem all that different from U.S. prices.
 
Well this is what i thought, i.e that NTSC and PAL, in the world of media encoding on PC, or on DVD makes the difference less relevant, given the conversions made in post or just by dvd players.

In anycase, Im deciding I will get the PAL version. My company is VAT registered anyway, so hrmph I'll get it back eventually...

Also about film 24p, a lot of film is recorded at 25p, in fact as far as i understand, its more the done thing to record it at 25p at least for British films, and that is on film stock?

At least the film dudes said that in the book, of the third edition of the 'Guerilla Guide to filmmaking'

*shrugs*
 
I am not sure I understand this correctly. In Europe film camera's shoot 24 fps, like everywhere in the world, isn't it? But when you go digital, 25P is the way PAL videocamera's shoot progressive footage. So if you want to go to film (16 or 35 mm), you have to transfer 25P video to 24P 'real film'. When you shoot digital in 24P in Europe, you don't have a framerate conversion when transfering to film.
 
The thing is, most post houses that transfer to film use sony's HDCAM as the master format for transfer. THese HDCAM decks have native realtime 24p to 25p conversion without any loss of resolution and even audio change is not noticeable. So that's not a problem.
 
ro_max said:
I don't know about prices in Holland, but apparently some dealers sell the HVX at less than 5,000 € (or about $6k) excl. VAT in Germany. That does not seem all that different from U.S. prices.
Click to expand...
RoMax, where in Germany would you get the camera for below 5000*€?
Want to buy one at that price. Official Pana dealer or grey import?
PM me if you don't want to spread the news.

Best, Pe.
 
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