DVX vs. HD - Who wins?

mischiefman05

mischiefman05

Member
Hey guys, so I was about to get a DVX100B the other day and my friend (who knows things) said I would be crazy to get camera that wasn't HD. He said everything would be HD by 2009 and that I would be crazy not to get a camera that was HD. I need to get a camera now, and I only have about 2,400 (which is the price of the DVX). Do you guys think I should still get the DVX or get an HD and prepare for the future? Aren't HD cameras way more expensive? Thanks for the help.
 
If you need one now and the DVX is what you can afford, I'd say go with it. It's a great camera and will continue to be a great camera for a long time. You should be able to make plenty of money with it. By the time you actually need to go HD, you should have plenty saved.
 
All these HD people can suck it, especially your friend who has no idea what he is talking about.

I don't have any idea about HD but I don't sit here and act like I do. Some questions I ask myself all the time are:

1. If you have an HD cam and you edit in HD software, don't you have to put it on HD media for it to be truly HD?
2. Wouldn't you need an HD disc burner? Or Blu-Ray?
 
El Producto said:
All these HD people can suck it, especially your friend who has no idea what he is talking about.

I don't have any idea about HD but I don't sit here and act like I do. Some questions I ask myself all the time are:

1. If you have an HD cam and you edit in HD software, don't you have to put it on HD media for it to be truly HD?
2. Wouldn't you need an HD disc burner? Or Blu-Ray?
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Yeah and I don't have any of those things. I'm pretty sure I'm going for the DVX. I don't have the right software to edit in HD (I assume you need different software) and I don't think my laptop could handle editing HD and then trying to upload it and compress it to get clips and stuff online. Maybe in a few years...when the "world will be entirely HD"
 
If its a case of budget against what you need now then the DVX is a fantastic camera.

I was in the same predicament a year ago. I was gonna buy the DVX and in the end weighed up paying double to invest in the future and it won out on me.

So I went for the HVX200. Its everything the DVX is and more and the DVX is a FANTASTIC CAMERA !

For me I needed the features of the HVX, the high quality of the HD even though a lot of what I shoot is SD [but not all]. The biggest thing for me was the workflow being tapeless and immediate as well as the varicam abilities it has over its SD brother.

I would weigh up what you want to shoot with it for right now against budget.

The DVX is a fantastic camera and worth the money.

Enjoy whichever way you go !

Shoot, shoot and then shoot some more !

Richard
 
Not to mention the HVX shoots DVCPRO 50 which is twice the quality of miniDV as well as having twice the colourspace of miniDV, and its still a SD format.

But then the biggest cost is memory cards with the camera and that can make it more expensive.

There's always the HDV routes but that's for other people to talk about as I don't like it. But there's always going to be a DVCPRO HD vs HDV debate.

Thanks
Richard
 
Yeah I think for my budget and what I'll be shooting (nothing too serious or crazy) I'm going for the DVX. Now I have to find where I'm going to get it. I've lost like 3 auctions on ebay...people are paying too much for it!!!
 
check out spec-comm

i have the hvx and my advice is not to buy it if you can't afford the accessories - p2 cards, proper hard drive space on your computer, compatible editing software, etc.

try and make money with the dvx and buy an HD cam when money and time is not an issue.
 
mischiefman05 said:
Yeah I think for my budget and what I'll be shooting (nothing too serious or crazy) I'm going for the DVX. Now I have to find where I'm going to get it. I've lost like 3 auctions on ebay...people are paying too much for it!!!
Click to expand...

Try looking at B&H Photo. I just ordered my DVX100B off of there the other day and everything seems to be running smooth. I don't think you can go wrong with them. Or you could try Newegg; they're just a tad cheaper and are supposed to be very reliable.
 
I'll say this, HD sure does edit down pretty. Not putting down the DVX by any means, nor am I promoting any one format camera. It does take a bit more to properly do HD, but that is a given. You will likely have to upgrade several system components. but it would also give you extra options. And if you really decide to do HD, there are always cameras for sale, by people who decided it was a very expensive hobby, rather than an easy cash cow.
 
I just shot a film in squeeze mode on the DVX100B, without ANY special lenses, and the footage is GORGEOUS projected on big screens and plasmas!!! And I mean gorgeous. It helps that we took the time to do a great lighting job too.

And i certainly plan on playing it and showing it into 2009 and well beyond!!!!!
 
I'd considered an HVX at the time that I bought my DVX - I voted against it.

It was way more expensive (more than I could afford)
It needed P2 cards (pricy) and more storage on my PC.
I'd probably need external HD monitoring for the likes of clean focussing etc.

I'd also have needed to figure out what medium I'd distribute/archive finished projects on (Blu-ray or HD-DVD, both of which still aren't very common in my neck of the woods yet) The drives and media are still top-dollar purchases too.

For what I want to do (ENG-style filming/DVD output) The DVX fills all my needs.

Don't get me wrong here though - DVCPRO is awesome and the HVX captures some amazing footage, it's just not right for me at the moment :)

I guarantee I'll own an HVX one day - but I won't even think about it until I can totally be sure it's worth the investment at the time :)
 
The idea of "future-proofing" doesn't make any sense for computer-based products. Product development cycles are shorter now, so you're much better off buying what you need (and can afford) now and getting the latest HD cam when you're ready. If you want "future-proof" gear-- buy lights, grip, and audio gear. An Arri fresnel is going to shoot out the same high quality photons in 2017 as today.
 
Hi,

What do you intend to do with the camera? I think that's what would drive the train. Just decide what you want to do with the camera and everything will be aces from that.
 
MikeGunter said:
Hi,

What do you intend to do with the camera? I think that's what would drive the train. Just decide what you want to do with the camera and everything will be aces from that.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's a good question. I realized I don't need an HD camera yet, because I'm just a beginner, won't be doing anything to serious. I'm really just going to learn the ways of the camera and be doing stuff for my friends and maybe my church. Probably not making any "legit" films for a little while. Maybe once I graduate college in 2 years. I'll also be taking the camera abroad to Prague with me and filming scenery and stuff like that. Might take it to Africa this summer and make my own little documentary too. So i'd be just fine with the DVX. I think I'm going to buy one on newegg in the next few days.
 
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