HD questions

H

hatsoff2halford

Well-known member
Hey everyone,

This is my first post here! Well, anyways, I am starting to get into filming weddings (I have been shooting with a professional here in Arizona). I also make short movies quite frequently and am looking to upgrade from my current GL2, (I usually shoot on a Sony HDR-FX1). I want to upgrade to the JVC HD100. When I shoot with the HDR I only shoot in DV because I am completely lost when it comes to HD.

So…I have a huge list of things regarding HD I am confused about, sorry if it is too long.

First off,
1- I know the HD100 can shoot in multiple formats so I am wondering what the difference is between all of these. IE- 720p, 60p, 1080i, SD60p, 30 fps, 60i. What is the difference between all of those? (Each of those are terms I have encountered when reading some of the threads, so if any are not real etc, I apologize).

2- What is 4:2:2 and 4:2:0, what is the difference between those?

3- What is SSF?

4- I am confused on the whole slow-mo deal because I don’t’ really understand of these terms otherwise I wouldn’t ask this. Will HD footage be able to reduced in speed for slow motion?

5- Would it be smart to buy an external recorder for it? Or buy something like the BR-HD50U?

5- I have Adobe Premiere PRO 2.0, I know this can edit HD but what is the deal with programs like Aspect, Connect, and HDV x DV. Or things like AJA, actually video cards. Or can I just capture HDV footage to my computer via fire wire without any additional programs.

If anyone knows of any links that just explain HD overall and what these different formats do etc, It would be much appreciated.

If you can, e-mail me at lgkost@gmail.com as well.

Thanks everyone, I hope I can get some of my questions answered.
-Logan
 
Thanks! that last linked helped out the most since I'm using a PC.

Anyone else have any suggestions? I really need help on the whole thing.

-Logan
 
Where's Barry when you need him?


"1- I know the HD100 can shoot in multiple formats so I am wondering what the difference is between all of these. IE- 720p, 60p, 1080i, SD60p, 30 fps, 60i. What is the difference between all of those?"

p = progressive frames
i = interlaced
Interlaced is traditional video, like your GL2 or FX1
Progressive is like film is, a full frame all at once 24 frames per second (in film)
Progressive gives the whole "filmlook" to motion. Strobey kinda. Most filmmakers love it, but you wouldn't usually use it for weddings. Interlaced is traditionally used there for a reality tv look. AFAIK the HD100 doesn't do interlaced at all, but does 60p, 60 progressive frames per second which gives a kind of reality tv look anyway. Check if it's important to you. Panasonic and Canon do both progressive and interlaced.
The numbers are just Frames per second. 30 is NTSC standard. They're not really the equivalent to speeding up and slowing down footage for special effects.



"2- What is 4:2:2 and 4:2:0, what is the difference between those?"

Colour space. Basically the first is superior, but in the real world the difference between all these cameras makes that much more hazy. HD100 is 4:2:0 recording in HDV.



"3- What is SSF?"

Split Screen Effect. The JVCs use two CCDs side by side to make one big chip to scan the image the same size it appears. This results in a great picture, but sometimes one CCD can be slightly darker or different than the other, so the picture is diffent on each half. That's a bad explanation, but... Anyway, it only happens in extreme situations. There was lots of noise about it several months ago, but now it's been kinda dealt with by JVC and in the real world rarely seems to cause trouble to JVC owners now.
BTW, the other cameras don't have this issue because they use only one smaller chip, but then use Pixel Shift to upscale the image to HD size.
 
Thanks a ton maltinghead!

That helped out greately. I think for shooting weddings having interlaced would be a nice touch, but since it can shoot in DV, it would have to be interlaced right? I also remeber reading that 30p is excellent for shooting weddings because it can easily be transfered to DVD, is that correct?

-Logan
 
"since it can shoot in DV, it would have to be interlaced right?"
No. DV is the compression format. interlaced and progressive is the way motion is captured. Not related. My DVX100 does both in DV.

"I also remeber reading that 30p is excellent for shooting weddings because it can easily be transfered to DVD, is that correct?"
No more easily than any other frame count. It's just that NTSC is 30 frames per second. But transferring to DVD isn't a problem anyway.

You really need to demo a camera with interlaced and progressive modes to see the difference. A Canon XL2 or DVX100 can do them both if you can find one. Otherwise go test out the JVC before buying.
Just do your research before blowing the money.
 
Maltinghead's right. The eye is the deciding factor. You must understand the complexities of both capture and output before you plunk down hard-earned money and it's all predicated on who your audienced is and what medium you'll be employing for distribution. We were on a DV 480/60i shoot over the weekend and today we're shooting 720p for a different show and checking the Board while I'm stuffing my face with catering!!!
 
maltinghead said:
"since it can shoot in DV, it would have to be interlaced right?"
No. DV is the compression format. interlaced and progressive is the way motion is captured. Not related. My DVX100 does both in DV.

You really need to demo a camera with interlaced and progressive modes to see the difference. A Canon XL2 or DVX100 can do them both if you can find one. Otherwise go test out the JVC before buying.
Just do your research before blowing the money.
Click to expand...

The HD100 also shoots DV in progressive and interlaced, 25p or 50i on PAL units.
 
jlames said:
Or should I say es verdad!!!
Click to expand...
Sorry my fellow but Diogo isn't spanish but portuguese. We don't speak spanish but we understand them. In the Camões, Pessoa or the Nobel Prize's Saramago language (portuguese) it says: "É verdade".
 
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My apology, then. It's wonderful, though, to hear someone take pride in their national language. We here in America seem to take pride in destroying our own language and it's extremely frustrating. I don't care what anyone says, the term "disrespect" should never, ever be used as a verb and yet we continue to do it.; like "You disrespected me!" 'sup with that?
 
No apologies needed. You haven't "disrespected" me.

You should hear Brasilians destroying the Portuguese language... não é verdade Emanuel?

Now, back to topic. This is being discussed on other threads too, which is the best format to shoot for slo-mo in HDV? Is SD the only option? 60p and 50p are HDV formats but still SD...
 
athouguia said:
No apologies needed.
Click to expand...
Of course. You're welcome jlames! We have almost 900 years of history before Spain to be Spain, that's the reason. Thanks for your nice words.
 
Athouguia and Emanuel- You know (of course you don't know...why do people always start out by saying that???) I'm in the middle of a personal labor of love; a 1-hour documentary on the Andalusian horse that I've been working on for the past year in between network projects. Given it's rich history with Spain and Spain's relationship to Portugal since the late 1400s up to the present, perhaps you can help me with some of the production. The historical back-story is incredible and really captures the political struggles for existence and dominance; a struggle that continues on today irrespective of borders. Are you familiar with the breed, the history of Spain and Portugal and, perhaps, a book called "Historia y Origen del Caballo Espanol"?
 
About editing HD with Adobe Premiere Pro 2.0, is Aspect its own program? or is it sort of a plug-in for Premiere? And once installed can you use all of the premieres effects etc.

-Logan
 
Logan, the AspectHD Package comes as a plug-in to Premiere Pro 2.0 as well as a stand alone application called HDLink.

You can use Premiere effects but you should use the Cineform Effects when possible.
 
jlames said:
Athouguia and Emanuel- You know (of course you don't know...why do people always start out by saying that???) I'm in the middle of a personal labor of love; a 1-hour documentary on the Andalusian horse that I've been working on for the past year in between network projects. Given it's rich history with Spain and Spain's relationship to Portugal since the late 1400s up to the present, perhaps you can help me with some of the production. The historical back-story is incredible and really captures the political struggles for existence and dominance; a struggle that continues on today irrespective of borders. Are you familiar with the breed, the history of Spain and Portugal and, perhaps, a book called "Historia y Origen del Caballo Espanol"?
Click to expand...
About horses, I just know by name the lusitan horse race. But there is a lot of stuff by here like a famous book that a portuguese monarch (son of a british mother) writed at the XV century -- if I'm not wrong, concerning the portuguese horse too. Regarding our history, for sure I know a little bit more. Well, maybe something a lot more. What do you want to know?

By now, portuguese and spanish we speak both similar languages from latin root and we cohabit in the same European Union. But it wasn't so peaceful our relationship. At least until 1640 when we were recovering our independence -- after 60 years of spanish domain and founded at 1143. Before the foundation of the great Spain.

Remains? Ceuta (in north of Africa) it was portuguese when we lost our freedom during the 60 years of spanish dominance. And now it's Spain. Like a small town called Olivença/Olivenza (to the Spanish) that we lost at the XIX century with the Napoleon invasions when the royal family (now we are a Republic since 1910) went to Brasil and in 1822 the king's son proclamed the independence of Brazil (Brasil in portuguese). Afterwards he left the Brazil throne, he returned and he was king of Portugal. His daughter married with his brother and he carried on his revolutionary ideas through an ancient people's uses that now since the last 30 years it is different. Lost its colonial empire (Angola, Moçambique/Mozambique, Guiné-Bissau, Cabo Verde, São Tomé e Príncipe, East-Timor, the portuguese India and Macau), it is more european where we have european money and spanish one around, as well spanish doctors in the hospitals. Despite the reasonable level of the portuguese science (there are a lot of portuguese that work in US -- working for NASA or Google, etc.) and medicine, for instance (like another Nobel Prize). Or the fluent english as second and foreign language among the young people (it's not the same in Spain or Italy) -- 'til 30 years ago, it was the french. But its essence, it remains the same: portuguese.

Hope this helps jlames. As I said you're welcome always you wish.

[PS: Sorry my fellows this long off-topic post]
 
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athouguia said:
Now, back to topic. This is being discussed on other threads too, which is the best format to shoot for slo-mo in HDV? Is SD the only option? 60p and 50p are HDV formats but still SD...
Click to expand...


I have yet to try it, but I've heard some have had decent luck shooting only their slo-mo scenes in 480 60P and then dropping this on their 1280x720P 24P or 30P timeline.

I've heard the 480P uprezzed to 720 looks OK on the HD100.

This process may not be that bad of an idea since slo-mo effects will probably be a small percentage of your total footage.
 
Stevet said:
I have yet to try it, but I've heard some have had decent luck shooting only their slo-mo scenes in 480 60P and then dropping this on their 1280x720P 24P or 30P timeline.

I've heard the 480P uprezzed to 720 looks OK on the HD100.

This process may not be that bad of an idea since slo-mo effects will probably be a small percentage of your total footage.
Click to expand...
Right, if I'm not wrong there is some stuff here: LINK
 
maltinghead said:
"since it can shoot in DV, it would have to be interlaced right?"
No. DV is the compression format. interlaced and progressive is the way motion is captured.
Click to expand...
BTW, I didn't mean, "No," it can't shoot interlaced. I meant DV doesn't automatically mean that it would have to do interlaced.
Having said that...
It damn well does do interlaced in DV! Just not in HDV, right HD100 owners???
 
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