DVX100, still relevant?

R

Ryan McCarvill

Well-known member
OK I used to shoot on a DVC30, my friend was looking for one for documentary work but they are out no longer being manufactured, I wanted to upgrade as I had outgrown the DVC30, therefore if the opportunity arived for me to upgrade I was going to sell him my DVC30, the problem was that I did not have any money.

Cut to: a rental camera place offered me a used DVX100 for a reasonable price, I accepted and sold my DVC30. This was the ideal situation as it was a cheap upgrade, set to last a year or two whilst I got together the funds for an HVX200. On the day that the DVX100 was set to arive I was told that it had been promised to a documentary crew and was not available untill febuary.

Now ignoring the legalities of verbal agreements and what not I am now stuck without a camera in shooting season.

Now there isnt much of a second hand prosumer market here so I am left looking at trying to get some sort of bank loan together to finance the camera.

A DVX100B is about US $3000 here
A HVX200 is about US $4600 here and really is to expensive for me at the moment (if the bank would even lend me that sort of money)

The problem that I have with the HVX is not only the cost of purchasing it but the cost of purchasing P2 Cards, HD Monitors (I dont even have an HD telly), etc.

So a camera that was supposed to be a short term stepping stone up the camera ladder will end up being something that will need to last me a few years.

My main question is, is the DVX100 still relevant? My main usage of it is as a short film maker but if I spend that sort of money I would like the option of generating revenue off of it. Most revenue streams that I know of are for DVD's which are obviously SD. However for short films is the DVX100 still usefull? I was planning on shooting a no budget feature with a HVX200 in a year or so, if on the off chance the film is discovered will the fact that it was shot on DV rather than P2 be a major hinderence? will I be taken seriously in film festivals? it was only a year ago that it won the cinemetography prize at Cannes so it can't be obsolete yet, right?

Now the HVX is really out of my budget I will be streched having a loan for the DVX as is, Most people that I know with HDV cameras shoot standard definition anyway. I dont really want to downgrade, and since the DVC30 is no longer available the only way is up. I have heard that the resolution gained with progressive shooting puts the DVX in good steed with HDV cameras.

Now basically do I:

  1. beg, borrow, or rent a camera for my remaining shorts and save up for a HVX.
  2. Do I Take the plunge and buy the DVX and hope that it will last me a few years (will I out grow it like I outgrew my DVC30?)
  3. or, Do I downgrade, perhaps try and buy a DVC60 or a consumer HDV camera.
If I seem like im confused, I am, this isnt a situation I saw myself being in, I am pretty pissed off at the whole thing and want to find a sollution ASAP.
 
This is a tough situation. I am having the same problem. Our production company is gearing up to start trying to get some production work in between making short films. So we want something that can work for both. We love the idea of being able to switch from HD (using this for our shorts) to SD (for corporate videos/weddings/etc). But as mentioned the HVX is very expensive (at least to us normal working people) so is HDV worth the headache. One thing to think about is if you want to make some shorts that will get blown up on a huge screen, blowing up standard def is a little painful to look at, not that HD is exactly perfect, but it is better. Also, HD is a buzzword and you could potentially get more clients just because they think it's something they want and would be "cool" to do, also there are websites like revostock.com that will give you money when people buy your stock footage and you get a lot more if it's HDV. Personally lower end HD camera's don't have nearly the options that I want when making artistic short films but in saying all of this... isn't it the content that matters... well for most people. I would be fine shooting on Hi8 if it really was the content that mattered. But people want big, clean, pictures along with their content wether they admit it or not.

Well, I probably didn't help you much sense we are in the same boat. I would say, in your exact situation that you should go and buy a used DVX from another source if that is all you can afford or possibly save up a little more money and buy one of the new Canon HD cameras.
 
Yes im pretty stressed about the whole thing, im still hoping that the person that I purchased it from can come up with a solution as we do have an agreement. It must be a hard situation for them to be in as the camera was also promised as part of a sponsorship agreement to a documentary crew. Im sure it was an honest mistake as these guys are very well thought of within the industry and are very good to indy film makers, they are definitely the best rental place that I have ever dealt with so I am confident that they can come up with something, however if its going to be after the end of november I might be stuck. I still have the option to borrow the DVC30 to shoot but wont have the availability that I require, it will really restrict my timelines, and I really want to move forwards.

I think the way forward is the DVX realistically any HD that I shoot will be downsampled anyway, Most DV film festivals are only accepting DV, MiniDV or DVCam (and occasionally DVD) I dont see this changing for awhile as the infrastructure is expensive to replace. If by chance one of my films breakthrough then its not what you have but what you do with it and a DVX has been proven itself time and time again. I think the same stigma will be attached to HD as MiniDV by film purests, DV is DV after all.

Maybe I am just trying to convince myself that I should buy a DVX as I cant afford the HVX anyway.
 
Maybe, but maybe that's not such a bad thing. But hey, I've seen some amazing things done with a DVX and some real crappy things done with 35mm and vice-versa. So it's all about how you use it. Good luck. Hopefully that Rental house can work out a new deal for you.
 
I wouldn't worry about it, dude.
I think your DVX will still be good for another 2 years or so. Reason why? How many people have HDTVs? How many people have HDDVD or Blueray disc players? How many people even know what an HDDVD or blueray disc is?

There is a HUGE market out there still for people that can't afford the world of HD.

I myself have both a DVX100a and the Sony H1U. I have had the Sony H1U for 3 months, and it hasn't even paid itself off yet. My DVX pays itself off ever month.

If you are wigging out about pitching it for quality? Just get a redrock if you have lenses and you're good to go.

Personally, I'd rather spend the $1300 or so(not sure how much a redrock is) vs. $1300 on a firestore drive or P2 cards. So... you really aren't paying $4600 for a HVX. You're paying for alot more. HD monitors, HARD DRIVES, P2's (or Firestore drive) batteries, the software and time it takes to convert/monitor etc...
 
Hi bilgami I sold my DVC30 for about US $1400.

Hi All Around Film, im on the other side of the world from you, Wellington, New Zealand
 
The DVX is totally viable and will be for while longer. You can absolutely make DVX footage look as good as you need for SD DVD.

-Stu
 
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