Decisions...Decisions DVX100B with 50 hours need a few opinions please.

Tommy K

Tommy K

Well-known member
I have a DVX100b with 50 hours on the meter. Half of it has to be playback, because I have only recorded about 25 hours on it for one of my past projects. Since than it has been safely stored in my editing room. Now the decision. I am going to produce a documentary this May '09 in Russia. Should I sell and upgrade to a HD or HDV cam, or should I use the DVX100B and up rez to HD with Red Giant Instant HD? I really don't want the extra expense in the budget for a new purchase or take a rental unit as I have done when needed. But I do want this to be high quality all the way. I use good lighting kits and the DVX does have a great picture as we all know. What would you do? Any idea what a pristine condition DVX100B with 50 hours is worth? It was purchased at B&H in NYC. Just thinking out loud and hoping for a few comments. Thanks!

Tommy K
Alter Ego Productions
 
i'd stick with the dvx and uprez. As u said the extra expense of going HD. I've personally never used instant HD to see the results but hear it does a good job, not like real hd but decent enough.
 
For sure uprez will not make a SD project look like HD. It will simply help to make it look better when mixing HD and SD clips.

The first question to ask is, how will you output your film? Is it on DVD, Blu-Ray, etc?

Also, do you have a computer powerful enough to edit HD?

If it's to be on DVD, why uprez it before dowscaling it to SD?
 
Yes I have an editing system that handles HD. The program will go to DVD and hopefully broadcast as well. I realize that we aren't getting true HD when we up rez. I would like to know if anyone has gone this route with good results. I am just looking at my options. Thanks for your replies.
 
Thanks! Yes that does look very nice considering the gloomy day and sky. I am going to run the same test with my dogs. I have to retired racing greyhounds. What did you use for the up rez? RedGiant? I will be doing tests with studio lighting that will be used in the documentary as well. Thanks again.
 
What is your NLE? If you use Avid Media Composer and or Boris Continuum Complete, you have an uprez filter with the BCC filters.
 
Thats a very nice clip, blackdogs377. That looks really clean. The uprezzing is only noticeable around the guys red hat in the mirror, otherwise, I would have never known it was SD. I may even try that for the film I'm working on. I have access to an HPX170, but the DVX uprezzed is much cleaner.

Tommy K: the DVX is probably going to be your best choice, besides getting an HPX500. Even with HD, you will need a lot of light to get the same noiselessness that can compare with the DVX. The DVX has a clean image even with gain at +6. You could even stick a 35mm adaptor on it and still have enough light, even without video lights. Plus, you probably won't need to uprezz to 1080, so go with 720p and you'll be fine. If your final output is only DVD, then the uprezzing will give it a much more professional feel to it, since it will be down sized by the DVD. Red Giant also released Instant HD Advanced, which should give you even better results.

Good Luck.
 
believe it or not, i didn't use any special program to uprez :)

all i did was export at 1280x720 instead of 720x480 in sony vegas and it turned out perfect.
 
JCal11379 said:
Tommy K: the DVX is probably going to be your best choice, besides getting an HPX500. Even with HD, you will need a lot of light to get the same noiselessness that can compare with the DVX. The DVX has a clean image even with gain at +6. You could even stick a 35mm adaptor on it and still have enough light, even without video lights. Plus, you probably won't need to uprezz to 1080, so go with 720p and you'll be fine. If your final output is only DVD, then the uprezzing will give it a much more professional feel to it, since it will be down sized by the DVD. Red Giant also released Instant HD Advanced, which should give you even better results.

Good Luck.
Click to expand...
This was true with the HVX200, but the new versions are much closer to the DVX in term of low light and noise performance.
 
You are crazy if you think the DVX100 uprezzed is cleaner than the hpx170! Uprezzed DVX100 is passable but blurry and the hpx170/hvx200 are soft HD cameras to begin with.
I have done some uprez projects and if you do go this route, at the very minimum make sure you use an anamorphic adapter on the lens to get all the resolution out of the chips. Uprezzing the standard squeeze 16:9 does not look good at all, you can't see people's face details in anything past a medium shot (as can be seen in the above dog video) which I am assuming used the 16:9 squeeze mode.

As other people have stated - why do you want to uprez? Is this being played on an HD channel or going to Blu-Ray? It doesn't make sense unless you are mixing with other hd footage to uprez. Doing a standard DVD and letting a player uprez is a better idea.
 
Blackout said:
I have done some uprez projects and if you do go this route, at the very minimum make sure you use an anamorphic adapter on the lens to get all the resolution out of the chips. Uprezzing the standard squeeze 16:9 does not look good at all, you can't see people's face details in anything past a medium shot (as can be seen in the above dog video) which I am assuming used the 16:9 squeeze mode.

As other people have stated - why do you want to uprez? Is this being played on an HD channel or going to Blu-Ray? It doesn't make sense unless you are mixing with other hd footage to uprez. Doing a standard DVD and letting a player uprez is a better idea.
Click to expand...


I am trying to cover all my bases before the fact. Best case scenario... It could possibly go to Blu-Ray and a HD channel. Yes it may be mixed with some HD footage as well. Thanks for the lens suggestion as it makes good sense... this did cross my mind also. I'd also like to shoot 24P with a Letus or Red Rock setup as well. I don't know if my budget will allow this. I am trying to get the best available options with the tools that I already have available. I have Avid and Boris CC and Red Giant HD for post. I hope my tools will be good enough for the end production. Thanks for the input.
 
It sounds to me like you should be shooting on the HPX200a or 170. The resolution increase makes huge difference in professional HD production and no amount of tinkering with the DVX is going to get you that. The DVX is good for filling up a youtube window or small web window but not a 720p and no way in hell a 1080 screen.
 
DVX Current aftermarket prices

DVX Current aftermarket prices

I am posting a link on this subject now...

Regards,
 
I figured I'd listen to some of your real life experiences in order to make a good decision. Ultimately a HD cam would be the way to go it seems. How do people get the DVX100's to hold up for indie movie projection? That is a very big blowup.

The USA is going all HD broadcast this year, and I need my work to reflect that change and quality. Thanks.

maestro1d where did you post a link to this subject?
 
blackdogs377 said:
where did you get that info? That's absolutely not true.
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The USA isn't going HD broadcast this year? Was supposed to start mid Feb 09 and was delayed, than not delayed etc.

My point wasn't to make some sort of official announcement... it was that HD is taking over in the near future... That is absolutely true and I wish to be ready;)
 
The USA is most definitely NOT going all HD this year. We are going all DIGITAL. Ther is a difference. 100% HD broadcasting is still years away. Most broadcasts will still be SD.
 
Yes, HD and digital are two different things...........I am still shooting in SD for television and will continue to for at least the rest of this year.
 
ahhhh analog to digital switch.... duh... sorry brain fart... I wonder when HD will become mandatory. It seems like most of the major broadcasters and cable players are already HD. I try not to watch SD TV anymore. OK back to my original thought.....
 
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