HVX200 vs. XHA1 vs. HVR-Z1

J

jrod81

Veteran
Hey guys,
I need help. I have been chosen to research and buy a new camera for our campus activities. I was going to go with a DVX100, but I feel HD might be needed soon so I hate to regret not having it.
I have read some reviews on CNET about the HVX, the Canon XHA1 and the Sony HVR V1u and Z1U. I have questions... I realize everyone is going to have different opinions but with my limited knowledge and even more limited knowledge of the committee that gives us the funds to buy I want these questions addressed:
1. Do all these HD cameras still record on Mini DV if needed? What are the other options (P2, external HD, etc)
2. Do all of the above shoot 24p?
3. Can I use FCP to edit with any of them?
thanks a ton guys
jared
 
1- HVX200 records only DV SD to mini dv- DVCPRO, DVCPRO 50 and DVCPRO HD 720 and 1080i are recorded to P2

2- No, only the HVX, A1 and V1u. The Z1u has a cineframme mode that's a false emulation which is, acording to users, unusable.

3- Yes. I believe there's a problem with the V1u 24p pulldown in FCP. The better integration of 24p is, in my view, the Panasonic HVX P2 workflow. However, adding a Kona Lhe to your Mac will do the trick.
There are workarounds in software to do pulldown on the V1u and the A1- check the boards, specially the Canon forums and the Other Cameras forums.
 
the A1 works fine with the newest version of FCP, i hear it is fine with version 5.1.4 or later. I hear cineframe 25 does work well on the z1 but not 24. Dont know much about the V1.
 
another question:
4. what is the footage recorded on with each of the cameras (meaning do they use cards or mini dv or both?)
I appreciate the help SPZ on how the HVX uses DV and P2, but what about the others?
 
Does the A1 have an HDMI output? If not, how would you output similar quality to Kona--composite? Also, does the HVX have such an output, or are the P2 quality settings equal to what the Kona would capture. Thank you.
 
Neither the A1 nor HVX have HDMI, you'd use the analog component.

As for the Kona, it depends on what codec you'd use to digitize; if you were digitizing HD-SDI footage into DVCPRO-HD, then yes the HVX would deliver the same results.
 
why would you guys be digitizing through nalog anyway? import through the firewire for HDV cameras, and use the P2 data immediatly.... no need for all that.
 
The HDV compression isn't bypassed at all once you go to tape. It doesn't matter how you capture. If you are capturing digitally over firewire or analog over component cables the compression will still be there since you recorded to tape.

I may be wrong, but you could possibly capture straight out of the component cables of the camera and get uncompressed. Barry or someone else would have to confirm that though. This is capturing from the component cables straight to the computer hard drive. You wouldn't be shooting to any tape at all. Meaning you would be teathered to a computer the ENTIRE time your shooting.
 
No I meant recording the A1 to DVRack or Canon Console LIVE via firewire or better yet through component/IntensityPro--not from tape.
 
I think....think being the key word....that all of the cameras would give you a compressed signal coming out of the firewire port even live to hard drive.

Your best bet on that would be to capture over analog component cables if your looking for uncompressed.

In my opinion I would be looking at the Panasonic HVX, Canaon A1, and the JVC GY-HD110U.

If you are leaning towards the Sony then go for the V1 over the Z1.
 
If it goes through firewire, it's compressed. No way around it. If you capture through DV Rack 2.0 HD or whatever else, it's going to be compressed.

As ef03 said, if you want to avoid compression, you'd have to try to capture the analog component or HD-SDI or HDMI ports.

Once you record to tape, the compression is there, regardless of how you capture it. If you try to do live-to-hard disk capture, through firewire, the compression is there. The only way around it would be to capture off the component, HD-SDI, or HDMI ports (depending on which ones any particular camcorder is equipped with).
 
I think one the biggest reasons to with the HVX is that it records four, 16ibt, uncompressed audio tracks. The Canon and Sony record HDV, which is two channel, compressed 16bit audio by definition. If you want really good, flexible on camera sound, the HVX wins hands down.

The biggest drawback to the HVX is the expense of P2 cards. If you anticipate long shooting times, a lot of footage archiving, and everyone wanting their own copies, you are in for a headache. That said, P2 and storage prices continue to drop.

The Canon can be adjusted to look very close to the HVX, but it takes considerable tweaking. The camera is insanely customizable. But at stock settings, the HVX looks significantly better. The Canon also has as a mild issue with chromatic abberation that the HVX doesn't have. (I neglected the Sony, b/c I think the Canon is everything the Sony is and more.)
 
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