AG-DVX100a or HVR-Z1U ?

DBoz699

DBoz699

Veteran
A few days ago...I heard about the Z1 camera by sony...and I wanted to buy a new camera...ie. a new DVX...but i read the specs on the Z1..and they looked pretty impresive...which do you all suggest i should maybe invest in? I know DVX doesnt shoot HD and the Z1 does...but im not sure if i even wanna start to upgrade for the future TVs.
I'm in no rush of getting a new camera anytime..ill probably get a camera in June of next year....but I wanna kno...which would u all suggest? stick with the SD DVX? or upgrade for the future and get a Z1 HD?
 
If you want Video-looking HDV footage at 60i, get the Sony.

If you want film-like SD footage at 24p, get the DVX.

If you want film-like HD footage at 24p, wait for the HVX200.

60i and 24p are two completely different looks. One is Reality TV, the other is Indie Film. Two completely different cameras for different purpouses.
 
If you want filmlike footage, the DVX.

If you want high-def at all costs, the Z1.

If you want both, wait four months and get an HVX, which will give you better high-def than the Z1 and all the DVX's filmlike "mojo".

For an alternative take, look at mvp1's comparison and review at http://www.wakefilms.com/dvx/dvx.htm
 
I read on the Sony site that the Z1 has the CineGamma like the DVX does...


http://bssc.sel.sony.com/BroadcastandBusiness/DisplayModel?m=10014&p=2&sp=141&id=78439

hmm...iduno.....but the only reason i wouldnt get the HVX is becuase its P2 cards...i always have habits of losing my memory sticks for my digital camera..and those cards would be the same...i also like to keep my raw footage on library on tape though...i mean..dont get me wrong the HVX is a nice piece of equipment..but i dont think id get along with it too nicely...cuz of the P2 cards..
 
Barry_Green said:
DOH! jrv30304 beat me to the punch, and it's funny that the posts are so similar! Yet the same conclusion...
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Wow... That's really funny! Same formatting and everything! :beer:

We should probably add that both the DVX and the Z1 cost less than the HVX will (with 2 P2 cards for HD), so that might be a factor.

What are you planning on shooting? Independent films? Documentaries? Webcasts? Weddings? The answer to this should give you a much clearer indication of which camera to choose. Otherwise, we might as well suggest the Dalsa. :grin:
 
I wanna shoot....Films...Documentaries...Home Vacations......but mostly Films and Documentaries..
 
blckhawk542 said:
I read on the Sony site that the Z1 has the CineGamma like the DVX does...
Click to expand...

Not like the DVX it doesn't. It's pseudo-quasi-marketing-CineGamma. I'm sure Barry can elaborate on this.

.....but the only reason i wouldnt get the HVX is becuase its P2 cards...i always have habits of losing my memory sticks for my digital camera..and those cards would be the same...
Click to expand...

You wouldn't really lose them, as you'd only have two or so, and they're always either in the camera, or in your laptop transferring the footage. That's like saying you'll lose your zoom lens (if it had a removable one, that is.)

...i also like to keep my raw footage on library on tape though...i mean..dont get me wrong the HVX is a nice piece of equipment..but i dont think id get along with it too nicely...cuz of the P2 cards..
Click to expand...

You can either dump the footage to cheap external off the shelf Firewire or USB2 hard disks (the preferred method, as it keeps everything ready to edit), or rent a DVCProHD Deck for a couple of days and transfer everything to HD tapes.
 
blckhawk542 said:
I wanna shoot....Films...Documentaries...Home Vacations......but mostly Films and Documentaries..
Click to expand...

If you want to shoot films, and you need a camera now, get the DVX. Tried and true, it's capable of producing gorgeous images. Check out your local movie theater for November, Murderball, and others. All shot with the DVX, and being shown in mainstream movie theaters! A $3500 camera!!!!

If you have the money/patience to wait for the HVX, I think it'll be worth it. It'll be like the DVX on steroids.

Ther Sony, while certainly capable of producing beautiful, HD footage on cheap tape, is pretty much limited to the "video look". You can always de-interlace in post, but then you lose a bunch of the resolution, so much of the advantage is lost.
 
You may also want to keep your eyes on the new JVC HD100. It's HDV, records to cheap $5 tape, and does 720/24p. It might be the compromise you're looking for.
 
I would buy a camera if i had money...but i gatta wait till June...cuz im taking all my money that im saving now from working and putting towards a new camera....hm..maybe when the HVX comes out...ill rent it for like a day to just try it out....see if i like the new system of P2 cards..hopefully my old habits will die hard if i decide to buy it...ill rent both HVX and Z1....and compare...maybe the JVC HD100 too...but im not a big fan of over the shoulder cameras..hopefully its not like Canon's stupid XL1 and 2 design...that camera is soo uncomfortable...
 
blckhawk542 said:
....hm..maybe when the HVX comes out...ill rent it for like a day to just try it out....ill rent both HVX and Z1....and compare...maybe the JVC HD100 too...
Click to expand...

That's probably the most intelligent remark I've seen on this forum in a while! Nothing beats hands-on testing in your own shooting environment. You may like the DVX better, or not. Maybe the Z1 is everything you dreamed of, and more. Or the HD100 might simply feel better in your hands than the other three.

By the time June rolls around, the HVX and HD100 will have been thoroughly tested by many, many people. I'm sure by then your decision will be easier than trying to compare the Z1 and the DVX to two non-existent cameras!

Good luck, and keep saving up! :thumbsup:
 
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