HDR-HC3 for the family

[Boomerang]

Hey guys, I work mainly with the HVX but wanted a camera for trips and family fun.
Sony to me still makes the best consumer grade handycams around.

I was looking for something small, HD and has a cine setting for a 24fps look.
The HDR-HC3 was really the only camera to fit the bill.

First off can I use my Pana MQ tapes with this camera?
Second can I mix HDV footage with my HVX footage in FCP?
Third how is the Cine setting on this camera look? Is it geared to 30 or 24 look?


Thanks!

http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INT...goryName=dcc_DICamcorders_HighDefinitionVideo

 

[Sean Michael]

I just bought an HC3 for my vacation cam and thought I would reply to your post (a few months later!).

1. Yes, I think you can use your Pana MQ tapes. The HC3 is compatible with stanard MiniDV tapes...a huge plus of HDV IMHO.

2. Not sure about mixing footage with the HVX in FCP. But I've been able to edit the HDV content using Premiere Pro 1.5.1.

3. The "cinemalike" setting of the HC3 is pretty crappy. It's a simulated 24p effect that just makes the video look jittery.

With the above said, under the right conditions the HC3 produces JAW-DROPPING 1080i images. I daresay the quality of well-lit outdoor footage looks like broadcast quality HD when projected on an HDTV using the HDMI output.

You can pick up a wide-angle lens for cheap ($40!).

Manual controls are available, but must be adjusted via the touchscreen, and a little wheel thingy on the side of the camera. So it's mostly a point-and-shoot affair, though you can adjust exposure, focus, etc. if necessary.

The Achilles Heel of this camera is the lack of professional audio inputs. On-board audio simply doesn't match the STUNNING quality of the HD video.

I climbed on board the Sony HD bandwagon reluctantly... I would've rather bought a Panasonic HD consumer cam, but as of this writing none exists! After taking my HC3 to Europe, Sony has made a believer out of me. This little camera is capable of capturing some incredible images. I can only imagine what the new V1 cam will do.