HDV vs. DVCProHD

ah...I have 3 batteries. But I've got over and hour of recording on one battery. Never really checked. I use the laptop method now only when its a set shooting area all day (fashion shoots, interviews, etc.) still easier than importing P2's or tape.
 
So, DVCProHD is better than HDV. I've got that. But if I want a camera that I can shoot and archive HD footage on tape as well as to memory which HD camcorder would you recommend?

I love the thought of getting the HVX200a, but I can only archive to MiniDV at SD, not HD correct? So which camera will do what I'm looking for best? I want to be able to archive my footage to tape as I shoot at HD.
 
D10S said:
So, DVCProHD is better than HDV. I've got that. But if I want a camera that I can shoot and archive HD footage on tape as well as to memory which HD camcorder would you recommend?

I love the thought of getting the HVX200a, but I can only archive to MiniDV at SD, not HD correct? So which camera will do what I'm looking for best? I want to be able to archive my footage to tape as I shoot at HD.
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The Sony Z7U might be what you need....
 
thekreative said:
but then there is always the fact that most have a laptop to dump to. Just firewire to the laptop and record for hours if you need to. I've even had my laptop in a bag doing hand held. man it got hot but kept on capturing. plus you get a big monitor screen to boot. I went for 3 months doing docs with this setup before I got my P2 cards.
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Where there is a will there's a way I honestly feel p2 workflow is for those who are determine come what may they will shoot and gather their footage.
 
Buy an HVX200a or HPX170, archive the files on a 1TB external hard drive. Tape is on it's way, in less than 10 years it'll probably be as archaic as VHS.
 
David Jimerson said:
Dude. Bro. Seriously.

Ask the thousands upon thousands of users what they did with 4 GB and 8 GB cards.
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Last year I had a last minute booking for a job in Hiroshima. So I packed the equipment - only camera available to me was a HVX and the only p2 cards on hand were 2x4gb cards. I had to go and shoot an event with massive crowds all day on my own.

So with camera, tripod over my shoulder, macbook pro in a back pack and duel adapter out I went into 38 degree Celsius day with humidity around 90%.

I started at 7am. There were media tables everywhere, so as Id fill up Id plop down and offload. The offload process really wasnt hard to manage TBH. I did do some planning on shots, times etc so I made approx times for offloads which helped.

Now to OP, I know its a done deal already but still want to say some things. Canons iteration is better than any Sony iteration of HDV. END. Someone mentioned colors blocking on HDV - check out the reds on an original HVX, the A1 is better.

But, I saw one tiny post mentioning one of the most important issues to business. And this is the one I would have put from a business perspective.

There are some other $ factors that need consideration of course - I just chose this one.

Regardless of how good any iteration of Long GOP recording is, it simply does take longer to work with in post. Now if I am paying someone to shoot / edit / output and then start again. And the guy is spending an extra hour a day to work with HDV. One hour per day x 5(assumed worked days) x 52 = 260 hours. So lets take 260 hours and x by a made up payrate of say (incl incidentals to employ someone) $80 per hour = 20,800$. At that amount I would have been better off paying $30k to ensure timely workflow than to pinch pennies. Place that over a (assumed) 4 year camera life and by spending $30k upfront I will save myself $50k over 4 years.

You can argue camera specs all day, but at the end of the day $ in the pocket matter far more. But you need to look at total cost, not just your upfront spend.
 
I can shoot and archive HD footage on tape as well as to memory
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why would you want to do that? some will argue that tape is more reliable over time than hard drives. but ive been using drives as archive medium for over a decade and not had a single issue...

you can always rent a DVCPROHD deck and dump your tapes to that...
 
I have a DVX and been wanting to upgrade to a XH-A1. After research and really reading this post. Im gonna wait and get the HPX170 or get a HVX200a. Tapless workflow is the way of the future. Im starting a business for weddings. With a 16gb Card ill be able to get everything i need, do a quick load off in my laptop and be back in business with two batteries.

I think its the way to go for sure. Go big or go home if your serious.
 
With a 16gb Card ill be able to get everything i need
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NOPE - i would HIGHLY suggest 2, 8 gig cards as opposed to 1, 16 gig card.

or basically 2 of any size card as opposed to a single larger one - here's why:

if you fill up a 16 gig card. pull it out and while it transfers (even on a pcmcia laptop) youre looking at 8 to 11 min to transfer. all the while youre out of commission. if you have 2, 8 gig cards you can fill one, pull it. start it transferring (or better yet, have an assistant transfer it) and while you shoot to the second one, the other will be transferred and ready when you are
 
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Came across this thread on a search for info on the 170.

My 2 cents,

As far as formats are considered DVCProHD beats HDV everyday and twice on Sunday. At the moment P2 does have a few weakness regarding workflow that will vary depending on what you are trying to do with it.

The Canon line of HDV is VERY impressive and in side by side stuff with HVX can create modestly better images (under the right conditions).

But if you ask me (and you didn't) what you are going to do in a year or three matters. HDV was a dying professional format at it's birth and compatibility is critical. All of the HDV manufacturers are already moving on to better things on the professional side of cameras. Where will you be in 3 years when you want to send your HDV tape to an editor who doesn't have a deck?

Ironically that is one of the slight downsides of P2 right now as, for some people, it is tricky getting them the P2 footage but, unlike HDV, the acceptability of the P2 workflow is growing.

Cheers
 
I just stumbled across the apple pro res codec for hdv in which I have used with my a1 footage and am completely astounded by the quality it retains when exporting out to quictime. can someone explain how apple is able to convert hdv to this codec while keeping it at such a high quality.
 
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