HVX200 - questions + better long term buy?

M

Mavoz

Well-known member
Hi, I'm planning to move from the shallow end of DV editing via my old Pana MX300 to the deeper waters of HVX possibilities.....would really appreciate some clarification or thoughts about the following....

After reading the benefits of the HVX200 here I can see that this camera really is the pick of some of the other options out there. (Various samples of its footage versus cameras such as the XHA1 is proof enough .)

Now the catch for me is that at present my actual needs really are SD based. The camera is a little bit of overkill...when the current audience I am creating for still live 99.9% in an SD world. I'm also concered about the extra storage and processing grunt requirements of HD.

However the HVX still attracts me to it...even when used initially in a more SD mini DV context....

Reasons:
- Ability to learn a greater variety of filming techniques via the extra options available. (I'd partly view this purchase as a great educational opportunity...that could then blossom into future more serious projects/career possibilities)
- Great colour and "pop" vs. alternatives.
- Variable Film rates
- Future proofing (ie. HD is the future...and this camera is there already.)
- In time I can begin to move to HD...without having to buy a new camera.
- If I'm going to spend a signifcant amount of money on a better camera I'd rather buy the right camera in the first place.

Can someone please help answer these questions as I consider moving to a HVX:

Can I convert from the HD on the P2 card to SD on my computer that is thus more resource friendly?

If so..does this conversion still allow one to retain some of the other benefits? ie.

- variable frame rates.
- colour saturation / general better quality of the HVX.
- film look of 24P.

Is Adobe Premiere Pro 2 going to be ok to use with the HVX200?

(I am really used to just simply capturing mini dv...and working with it easily on the Premiere timeline...it is simply no fuss.)

From what I understand I also need to purchase Aspect HD or Raylight to convert the mxf files first so that DVCPROHD can be used....(Matrox Axio seems a lot more expensive by comparison...half the price of the HVX200 itself!)


Is the capture of the regular dv from the HVX200 as simple as what I'm used to via my old Panasonic MX300?

 (I just plug it in and press capture. Instant working video on the timeline.)

I'm assuming regular DV works the same...but if I use DVCPRO50 then this also requires special conversion for Premiere via Aspect HD or Raylight?

Is the HVX200 still able to be used as a potential camera to travel with too?

Or is just simply too heavy...and really is restricted to tripod use only?

My thinking with buying a HVX200 is I could still retain regular SD DV editing..albeit better quality than my Pana MX300...but then also begin exploring and learning the world of HD..and all these formats the camera offers.

It also would seem like a camera that has a lot more shelf life than the older DVX100b.
Really the other option is buying a Canon XHA1..but the creative possibilities of slow mo..+ the more film like look of the HVX200 seems like it really is worth it.

Thanks for any help or comments.
 
Last edited:
Make it simple

Make it simple

Mavoz said:
Hi, I'm planning to move from the shallow end of DV editing via my old Pana MX300 to the deeper waters of HVX possibilities.....would really appreciate some clarification or thoughts about the following....

After reading the benefits of the HVX200 here I can see that this camera really is the pick of some of the other options out there. (Various samples of its footage versus cameras such as the XHA1 is proof enough .)

Now the catch for me is that at present my actual needs really are SD based. The camera is a little bit of overkill...when the current audience I am creating for still live 99.9% in an SD world. I'm also concered about the extra storage and processing grunt requirements of HD.

Make it simple...
Use the tape for SD and start testig the other functions to sort it out
You market has expand and You can take other jobs by this.
Look for a place to rent P2 card you will need then for big job...
and there you goes on ...
Yours
Click to expand...
 
Thans Katten,

Yes.... I'm starting to think also that the thing to do is just jump in and see how we go! At the moment all the extra jargon of the various formats/codecs...speed rates etc...is a bit unknown to me..but there's only one way to learn!

Main thing I wanted to make sure before purchasing this cam is that I can still make use of all the great additional variable frame rates possible with P2...and then just down rez to SD onto mini DV...+ also utilise it easy enough in Premiere Pro 2
...this quote from Barry and Jarred would seem to say the down conversion is certainly possible...
"[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The camera can also do real-time downconversion from the P2 card to DV tape. Buttons on the back of the camera let you control dubbing from the card to the tape, converting from the high-definition DVCPRO-HD image to standard-definition DV, even preserving timecode. And, get this – you can shoot in 720p at variable frame rates, and downconvert that to DV, so you can get the great slow-motion and fast-motion capability even in standard-def!"[/FONT]
Click to expand...

It's also reassuring to read on the other thread of the great results people are getting in SD too on this cam...
 
Yes.. You can do that conversion right in the cam and it takes a lot less time than doing the converting in the computer.


Also, the 720 HD footage isn't much more data demanding than DV at all. I don't think you'd see much in savings by downconverting. Now the 1080 stuff is considerably more volumous.


Yes.. the DV capture is easy and straightforward. The cam is a bit big and heavy but not prohibittedly so... Certainly handheld footage is possible and ends up looking great.


The camera is way beyond my expectations for image delivery, workflow, and for all around fun> THIS cam is fun to shoot with.. and personally I don't think you'll be wanting to mess around with tape after you get it. Trust me... on this one.

The cam is the greatest thing I've ever bought
 
Don't forget the ability to shoot DVCPRO50 w/ 4:2:2 color space. You can shoot that to p2, and have some really killer SD footage.

Jason
 
Thanks for the responses...much appreciated.

After viewing some of the samples of XHA1 and HVX200 footage....and considering the variable frame rates..I think it is certainly worth paying that little bit more to get the Pana....and it sounds like I can still use the cam quite easily within a more SD world until the overheads of HD become more affordable.

The Raylight product also offers me hope of affordable conversion for Premiere Pro..(compared to Matrox Axio solutions.). Thanks.
 
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