$11,000 To Spend: Camera and Editing System

S

Steve Scott

Member
I have been saving up for a while for a feature length DV film. I have all of my equiptment: Lights, Gels, C-Stands, etc; my crew, etc. The only thing left (last minute!) is to figure out which Camera and Editing system to go with (I'll be buying, not renting).

My main concerns:
1. That the movie look 'film like'
2. That the editing is farily quick - don't want to have to wait for continual renders, etc (not doing many effects or anything, but color correcting if needed)
3. Don't want to be an idiot and spend all of this time and money on a standard def. 24p project, when I could have shot HD 24 frame and yes, edit SD, but at least have the EDL if someone was interested in buying it.

It looks like to me that the options are:

Camera:

Canon XL2 ($3999.00) Standard Def. 24frame or
Sony Z1 ($4999.00) High Def

Editing System
Avid - Xpress Pro 4.5 Windows Based Turnkey System - Dual Xeon 3.06Ghz, 1GB Ram, 80GB System, 250GB Storage, Xpress Pro, DVD Workshop, Firewire Card, 16x DVD Burner. (No Mojo) $5,999.00

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]<H1 style="MARGIN: auto 0in">or

B&H Photo Avid/HP Xpress Pro HD Video Editing Turnkey System - XW8200 Xeon 3.2GHz, 1.5GB Ram, 160GB System, 250GB-16MB SATA, 250GB Storage/Backup HD, Xpress Pro HD, Ulead DVD Workshop Colored Keyboard and Support - $5,500.00

Any help would be greatly appreciated. And if there is away to save money, that is good to know.



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Any reason why not consider the HVX200 ? My reason why I wouldn't buy a HVX200 rightnow (even thought I will hehe, order is placed and deposit is done) it because of the lack of editing software for windows. I have tryed Avid xpress HD with no huge luck :(
 
Sounds like a good plan for your editing system. Take a look at videoguys.com for some good deals with Avid systems as well.

I would definately consider the HVX200 camera for this project. Avid edits the P2 footage natively, and the footage from this camera is beautiful, as attested to on many of the threads on this site.

I know your time is limited, but you can find the cameras if you look at all the dealers who have or will have them. Many of them are on the dvxuser forums, so research who might have one and for what price you can get it.

The choice is ultimately yours, and I wish you good luck with your project.

P.S. Let us know what camera/editing package you decide on, and update us occasionally on how the film is going. We would love to hear your stories from the real world.


Regards,

Cre8tive
 
Avid Express Pro HD works fine with MXF files. I've given it a trial spin. I don't know what the gripes are about Avid, it seems fully functional. Only thing I couldn't do was edit a 1080/24p timeline; you can edit a 1080/60i timeline so you could leave the pulldown intact I guess, but it didn't have pulldown removal for 1080/24p.

You can edit MXF's right off the card, or you can copy them to the hard disk. Copy them to a certain folder (I think it was C:\Avid MediaFiles\MXF\1) and they'll show up in the media manager and you can import them straight into the bin and play them.

Note: you need Avid Express Pro HD 5.2.1 (I think that's the right version number; whatever the current version is on their website is the one you need).

Doesn't work on the Mac version, the Mac version is still 4.8. But the current PC version can edit the MXF files right now.
 
Steve Scott said:
My main concerns:
1. That the movie look 'film like'
2. That the editing is farily quick - don't want to have to wait for continual renders, etc (not doing many effects or anything, but color correcting if needed)

It looks like to me that the options are:
Canon XL2 ($3999.00) Standard Def. 24frame or
Sony Z1 ($4999.00) High Def
Click to expand...
The Sony Z1 would be the wrong choice for you on two counts. It doesn't deliver a filmlike look, and editing is not fast. It involves either slow workflow and massive renders, or transcoding to another codec. The Sony doesn't have a workable 24p mode, and while you can simulate it by shooting in PAL and CineFrame 25 and then doing speed conversions in post -- um, isn't that pretty much the kind of thing you just said you didn't want to be doing?

The XL2 is a fine camera, but as you said it's SD, and you sound like you have a predisposition towards HD.

In HD, for a filmlike look, you have three choices: HD100, HVX200, or XLH1. XLH1 is $9,000 and I don't think any editing program natively supports its 24F mode yet; you can get around that with something like XdvHdv or Cineform or whatever, but again, there's another workaround. The JVC can produce some nice footage, but since you seem predisposed towards Avid, be aware that I think (not sure, but I think) that Avid has no editing support for the JVC's 24p footage.

Which leaves the HVX200 -- high-def heir apparent to the DVX100, with the best in-camera filmlike look of the bunch of 'em. Avid 5.2.1 (forget 4.5, you want 5.2 or whatever the current revision is) has native support for the HVX. Plug it in, edit off the cards, or edit off the hard disk. Native codec support, and currently it supports all 720p modes and also 1080i, and also 1080p if you edit it on a 1080/60i timeline. We all expect an update which will allow for native 1080/24p editing as well.
 
Ok...so it sound like -

1) Avid 5.2.1 (what about Mojo? Is that needed if I go with a dual processor
system?)

2) I would import at 1080/24p (when the update comes out...soon i'm guessing?)

3) I would edit at 720/24p (so that things run smooth and I will be able to edit
quickly - no drag) and then finally, after months of editing, re-import the
footage with my EDL at 1080/24p (over 60i) and then output?

4) Also...sounds like some folks are bypassing the P2 and using a decent
notebook to capture their video. Can any regular notebook do this w/out
dropping the frame quality?

5) Then, I guess as far as audio...run into the camera and use the P2 for that.
Wondering how the HVX sound quality is...I usually go DAT.
 
Yes, I finally learned the copy to avid MediaFiles trick, it does work very well now ;)

I loaded a Kaku MXF clip on my Laptop, Pentium M 2.13ghz and it work. So I guess dual isnt required, but I would still go with it. A nice dual core AMD. Get plenty of RAM... My 1gig in my laptop is not ennuf.

Barry, you received your Dell 2405FPW yet ? How does it look ?
 
I've had the Dell for a few months now, and I have no complaints, I think it's a great monitor and an absolute steal at its price point.
 
Avid Express Pro HD works fine with MXF files. I've given it a trial spin. I don't know what the gripes are about Avid, it seems fully functional.
Click to expand...

Hey Barry, does this mean you are staying with the PC platform?

Steve, might want to also check 1Beyond for turnkey systems. Yet more options to consider :grin:. They are a fully qualified Avid partner when it comes to their turnkeys...
 
Steve Scott said:
Ok...so it sound like -

1) Avid 5.2.1 (what about Mojo? Is that needed if I go with a dual processor
system?)
Click to expand...

If you want a realtime output while you edit on your future avid system on a video monitor, yes! Mojo is needed.

If you want to play HD video on a SD monitor, Mojo is needed.

If you want to see realtime effects while editing or compose with AE, Mojo is needed

Depend what you plan to do, choose if Mojo is necessary for you.
 
Oz said:
Hey Barry, does this mean you are staying with the PC platform?
Click to expand...
PC for the laptop, Mac for the desktop, although I'm still going to try out Canopus; Adam Wilt gave it a big thumbs-up and said it's very Vegas-like.
 
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