Advice, pretty please...

B

bhodgson0739

Active member
I'm sorry everyone... this may be an annoyning question for some. I really, really could use some advice, though. I saw recently a post of someone wondering whether he should get the HVX or DVX as a film student. I'm in that same boat. I've searched and searched, read and read and I can't make up my mind about which the best path to take is.

I am a film student right now, yes... but this will be the first and last camera I own for quite awhile. My plan is to really use the thing, though. I will be submitting shorts and features to festivals, as well as using this for a demo reel looking for work in a year and a half (when I'm out of school) at a production company. I have just enough as it is for only the HVX. The thing is, for the next year and a half, I have access to everything else I need from the school: tripod, dolly, lights, audio gear (as well as a small studio in my house), meters, editing systems, etc. I also own a fast PC with Vegas Video. So, although I wouldn't OWN everything I need to begin with, I can use the HVX right away and save up for the next year and a half to get all the things I need on my own.

Or, I could buy the DVX100 and get a few extras right now. My own tripod, or a 35mm adapter (I have done still photography for awhile so I own the primes). I know HD is probably the future, and my goal is to get movies out to festivals and hopefully get some distrobution, but my main concern is just making the thing look good. In fact, right now, I don't even own an HDTv. I would be filming in HD for the color space and extra resolution and converting down to SD on to DVD or MiniDv to send out to places.

Can I please get some ideas from the experienced on how they'd go forward with this if it was their money and their purchase? I'm really stuck and I could really use some good advice since this is a huge purchase for me and one I won't be making again anytime soon... thank you all so much.
 
i have the HVX, but if i was in your boat i'd get the DVX, focus on putting out good shorts/clean footage/nice composition, etc and use the extra money for my pocket. HD is the bomb, but if you're going to have a hard time buying the accesories like p2 cards, firestore, etc then u may get frustrated quick. the only thing that saved me was a secondary income.

this is just my opinion.
 
Thank you FilmBoy for taking the time to respond to this. You make a good point... one that has really made me think twice about just outright purchasing the HVX. The most important thing to me is getting a great looking picture through composition, lighting, and framing, as well as telling the best story that can be told... as much as I love the idea of the HVX's HD resolution and its variable frame rates, I keep forgetting the DVX takes great pictures, too. I just don't know...
 
I would say if you can manage to afford the expense, try and get the HVX for the longevity of use it will provide when HD becomes more of the standard.

However, I totally agree that lighting, framing, script, sound ... etc have much to do with quality of production, even more so than HD resolution. It is more of a matter to try and get the best for what you can afford, and if you can afford the HVX, I would say go for it.
 
Get the HVX-200, get a case of Mini-DV tapes. Use it just like the DVX-100 for now. Then, in the future, when you can afford it, you're ready to go HD.

Or, get the DVX-100 now, and maybe when the time comes, you'll have a job paying enough so you can buy an HVX, or whatever is on the market then.

Flip a coin.
 
Camera as a depreciating asset

Camera as a depreciating asset

One way to look at your camera is as a depreciating asset. If you can use the DVX for now, you can get a great low-hours camera since many are upgrading to the HVX. Given the recent resale price declines, a year from now that camera may still be worth a good % of what you bought it for. The HVX may (or may not) depreciate faster as newer cameras come on the market and Panasonic has to respond to newer, cheaper HD prosumer cameras. The early adopters of the HVX have already taken a significant depreciation hit from the free P2 card offer and I doubt the HVX will get any more expensive.

Bottom line, you can always resell a good low-hours camera for what it's worth if/when you decide to upgrade. Besides, perhaps something more compelling will be available at that time.

Best of luck to you!
 
Hey everyone. Thank you all very much for the replies. I decided to go with the DVX. With the extra money, I was able to get a hard case for it, extra battery, a uv lens. I still have enough money for a good tripod and head and an M2 and I'll still have the $500 rebate coming from it. From there I figured anything I save up can go to lights, audio, etc. etc. for me to own and I can still use the school's gear to work right now while I'm procuring my own gear. I feel pretty confident in the decision (this has been a battle back and forth between the HVX and the DVX for weeks now). I'm sure I will miss the native 16:9, the better resolution, and the variable frame rates of the HVX, but I don't want to get caught up in worrying too much about the details before I even make some films with it... I'm sure the DVX will capture some great looking footage. So anyways, thanks to all of you!
 
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