HVX200 VS. Varicam

O

oldboy

Member
Hello everyone,

Okay so everything else being equal (DP, lighting, access to post color correction, Pro audio equipment) will a Varicam deliver an image significantly better than the HVX should this image than be projected on a large multiplex type screen?

I understand that Varicam's CCDs are larger and that prime lenses can be used to decrease any light, color aberration through the lens - but it's not like the lens provided with the HVX is crappy either...this lens is supposed to be spectacular.

However, I'm trying to decide if it makes more sense to rent a Varicam package for 2 weeks or just buy an HVX. Anyone with experience on both cameras? This project of mine ain;t gonna happen for a while, but at the business plan stage now and wanting to see what y'all think/know.

Second question, the HVX allows you to record directly onto a laptop or external HD correct? So if I wanted to bypass the super expensive P2 card issue, would a laptop allow me to record directly via firewire?

Thanks
 
This question can only be answered in one context: what's your budget?

With a VariCam renting for about $1000/day, if you have a $300,000 budget, no question: get the VariCam.

If you have no budget whatsoever, obviously buy the HVX, and then sell it on ebay when you're done. You'll probably only take about a $500 hit, maybe $1000 at the most -- which means you'll only be out $1000 for a two-week rental.

And yes, you can record directly to a laptop provided you're running a capture application that works with DVCPRO-HD.
 
oldboy said:
Hello everyone,

Okay so everything else being equal (DP, lighting, access to post color correction, Pro audio equipment) will a Varicam deliver an image significantly better than the HVX should this image than be projected on a large multiplex type screen?
Click to expand...

Dude, did you even see "28 Days Later"? That was all shot on the XL-1 and that got a big release. I've seen the HVX projected on a 30' screen digitally and it looked amazing.
 
Drew599 said:
Dude, did you even see "28 Days Later"? That was all shot on the XL-1 and that got a big release. I've seen the HVX projected on a 30' screen digitally and it looked amazing.
Click to expand...

Thanks Barry for the reply, and those economics make sense.

And thanks Drew599 as well. Yes "28 days later" is one of my favorite films and I loved its looks and I've used it as an example of what digital can accomplish even if it doens't look like film...so basically I agree with you.

However I guess what I wanted to know if the major difference between a Varicam and an HVX is mainly the intergangeable lenses and the fact that it looks more "prefessional"? because I don't care how it looks on set as long as the "film like" image makes it look like we spent a whole lot more than we did.

Thanks again
 
I don't have direct experience with the vari-cam, so I can't answer that. However, I have shot directly to Final Cut Pro on a laptop. It works OK. It isn't flawless. FCP crashed semi-frequently. Make SURE to uncheck "abort capture on dropped frames". We lost some clips because of this and since we are shooting a doc, that was that. Lastly, you cannot shoot directly to a Hard disk with out a NLE. When I purchased the camera I was told that you could. You can dump directly from the camera's p2's to an HD but you cannot stream video to an HD w/out an NLE.

Good luck,
Greg
 
I've seen the hvx200pal *prerelease model* at Digital&Photo Expo on a 42" fullhd plasma and it looked better than Varicam (I don't like the smooth motion effect). btw> the hvx *pal* is better than the ntsc model. no grain at all.
 
I didn't see anything that would make me think that the PAL HVX has less noise than the NTSC HVX. I still saw a little noise in the picture. It looks like the same exact camera, except your grabs were interlaced and not progressive. When did you see a NTSC HVX?
 
oldboy said:
However I guess what I wanted to know if the major difference between a Varicam and an HVX is mainly the intergangeable lenses and the fact that it looks more "prefessional"? because I don't care how it looks on set as long as the "film like" image makes it look like we spent a whole lot more than we did.

Thanks again
Click to expand...

The biggest thing will be post work-flow.
The VariCam is great but you are shooting tape.
Tape that has to be digitized with a $20,000 deck,
another $350 per day rental item.

Learn P2, the transfer times are nothing when
you get a good flow going. All the DVCPRO HD
material will be on the hard drive ready to edit.
Back-up the P2 transfers before editing.

Plus, if you are digitizing tape to NLE you really
have to have your hard drives ready. With P2
you are transferring footage, not trying to
digitize from a tape. I have not had any dropped
frames with P2 material.
 
I've worked with the Varicam and HVX. The Varicam has a better image, especially with digi primes or a newer HD zoom lens. But along with a full sized 2/3 chip camera comes a lot of extra costs.

With digiPrimes you need a follow focus, a full sized mattebox, an astro or on board, a 9" HD monitor, OConnor/Sachtler tripod, stronger dolly, etc. etc. The varicam with all of the AKS takes a good amount of time to setup and is a beast to carry, compared to the HVX.

For the money saved on AKS for the camera and the above mentioned post-workflow (tapes, frame rate converter, etc.) you need to have a budget comparable to film to shoot varicam.

If you have full grip and electric and an experienced crew than the varicam will really shine. But if you are working with a barely any lights and a new crew then it makes more sense to shoot HVX and get lights and crew.

I used to want to shoot s16mm but my whole budget would go to film stock and camera, but then it would sacrifice the lighting budget.

HVX with AKS = 20,000
Varicam with AKS = 200,000

MUCH different games.
 
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