HVX 200 or HMC 150 ???

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djkoz

Well-known member
I currently use the DVX100A and want to upgrade to a HD camera. I had my eye on the HMC 150 but the HVX 200 came to me attention as a result of a reply in another post.

So, since both cameras appear to be in the same general price range, around $3,000, give or take a couple hundred bucks, are there any compelling reasons I might want to choose one camera over the other.

Thanks,

Dan
 
HMC150 is smaller, lighter, and can record for very long durations on a single inexpensive SDHC card. But the footage it records is long-GoP H.264 so you'll have to investigate your editing solution to see if it's appropriate.

HVX200 is bigger and fatter and not as ergonomically sweet, but it also records standard-def (HMC150 can't) and it supports variable frame rates for fast-motion and slow-motion effects, and it records DVCPRO-HD, which is of course a 4:2:2 codec and as wgzn said, a supremely easy workflow.

HMC150 is a little more sensitive (1/2 stop) and less grainy than an HVX200 original model; it's about the same as the HVX200A.

HVX200 has a DV tape drive and can also do firewire live streaming to an external hard disk recorder or laptop in both HD and SD.

HMC150 has some more features, like a waveform monitor and last-clip-delete features.

HVX200 has an intervalometer for time-lapse recording, HMC150 doesn't.

HVX records on P2 cards, more expensive than SDHC cards.
 
if youre covering events,weddings or anything that requires long form recording, hmc150 is a good bet.

not that the hmc150 is bad in filmmaking, its only downfall is it doesnt have 4:2:2
 
Thanks to both of you for replying.

I did a quick check on the web for P2 cards. Unless I am misreading this, the P2 cards themselves can cost 50% or more of the camera price, i.e., $1500 - $2500 for a single P2 card. Is this correct??

Thanks,

Dan
 
Depends on the size and price. If you buy the "E" cards, they're much less expensive. A 64GB "E" card is the biggest and most expensive, and it's under $1000.
 
Thanks, Barry .

Decisions, trade-offs and compromises. Sometimes I think it would all be a lot easier if they only made one model and be done with it.

I am an advanced amateur videographer. I most likely will use the camera to shoot seminars, make a documentary, perhaps a short movie and, hopefully, a video for a local TV station. I like the idea of recording directly to a laptop computer but with the SDHC cards used on the HMC150 that probably is not as big a deal any more. The $1,000 price tag of the P2 cards does concern me.

I have a friend who is in Shanghai, China for a few weeks and he has agreed to price out the cameras over there and, perhaps, pick one up for me. I am assuming that my biggest concern is to make sure he gets one (HVX200 or HMC150) that records in the NTSC format. Are there other concerns I should have?

I have your book on the DVX100, it’s been invaluable. I’ll be getting your book on one of the other models once I make a decision.

Thanks for all of your help.

Dan
 
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