A slight Dilemma 150 or 200a

T

tucker07205

Active member
I have a slight dilemma. I’m trying to decide if I should buy a new 150 or a b-stock 200a. The price of the 200a is slightly under $4000. I have (2) dvx 100a that I use for weddings, music videos, short films etc. Now if I buy any of the two cameras I can use them for short films, docs, and music videos. I would keep my dvx’s for weddings where I usually do 2 camera setup. I’m just undecided on which one I should buy. I use CS3 right now I haven’t made the move to CS4 because I didn’t need to (more money). Any suggestions is gladly appreciated. I know the prices are high for the P2 cards. I would have to buy one more 16 gig for my needs.
 
I quit the wedding videography business this year. I used DVX 100a's just as you are.

I bought a 150 one month ago and am really pleased. The images are astounding. While I try to shoot everything manually when possible, the auto functions are quite good, including focus. All the extra costs of a 200a for actual production would make a 150 an easy decision if I were still in the business. I just edited a trip to Savannah my wife and I took a couple days ago on Edius. The DVD I made overall was some of the best looking work I have done in 15 years. I know it will be even better as I learn to use the 150 optimally.

I have not used a 200a so I cannot comment on it other than cost.

Good luck.

Tom Harman
 
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This is becoming a fairly common question around here....

I say go for the 150 because you are getting equal if not better images in a lower price with easy to find and reliable media. Weddings seem right up the 150's alley with SD media and to my eyes the images of the 150 are “film like” more so than any other HD camera in this price range.

I'm still with CS3 and I transcode to DVCPRO-HD which is very easy to work with and it does NOT increase my post workflow times by too much but that's subjective.

Count me as 1 vote for the 150.:thumbup:
 
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I would recommend the 150 for some of the same reasons as already mentioned. For me, the differences that led to my 150 purchase were:
(1) SD Media is much more cost effective than P2
(2) Improved Optics
(3) Wider angle lens
(4) MUCH lower price (new) WITH A 3 YEAR WARRANTY

That said, the major differences I saw with the HVX200 were:
(1) Variable frame-rate (which I would seldom use)
(2) miniDV support (which I knew I needed to force myself away from)
(3) Bigger bragging rights (big deal)

I bought the HMC150 and am looking to add a second one.
 
All good points and well taken. How does the 150 image hold up to color correcting? I've read the thread about the 4:2:2 color sample of the 200a vs. the 150 but it was all technical no footage. I was also considering selling one of my dvx's to help pay for one of the cameras. Then using the new camera as camera "a" on my wedding shoots. Thoughts...
 
I have yet to do any major color correction work with my HMC150 footage, but the HMC footge is AWESOME!

As for shooting a wedding with an HMC150 and a DVX, I'd be afraid that the footage would be so drastically different that it might look overly noticable... (i.e.: look like a good camera and a bad camera)

I have yet to convert any of my HD footage to SD, so I don't know, in the end, how it will compare to footage shot with an SD camera.

I do a fair amount of wedding work and am dying to move to HD, but since I only have 1 HD camera I'm not sure I'll mix it with an SD camera. (well, I actually 2 HD cameras if you count the HF100 - but I'm not going to show up at a wedding shooting with that.)
 
That's why I was somewhat considering the 200a. OK thanks I'm going to work it out. Any other suggestion is gladly appreciated.
 
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