MiniDV, Beta SP, and DV Cam

Matt Grunau

Matt Grunau

Adobe Demigod
I have a "rival" in the video business who boasts that they use BetaSP and DVCam for all of their "big" operations. The technical comparisons I have struggled to find online are giving me fits. I was able to find this:

http://www.adamwilt.com/DV-tech.html

and this

http://www.adamwilt.com/DV-FAQ-tech.html

And from what I can get from it they all use DV25, and are all pretty comperable, especialy since the article is from 02,2004.

Has anyone used these formats and can give me some advice as to which is better in certain areas?


Thanks.
 
The biggest advantage that BetaSP "Usually" has is that the BetaSP back is usually on a 2/3" chip camera resulting in more detailed look. Most DVCam and DV cameras are 1/3" chips.
 
just beware, when you start working with betaSp, especially DigiBeta, it starts to get very, very, expensive. Check out prices on beta SP decks and cameras, and if you think that is alot, dont even bother looking up digibeta

-Matt-
 
Sirius is spot-on. BetaSP, as a format, is roughly equivalent to DV. But a BVW-D600 camera head blows away any DVX or PD150-class 1/3" camera.

So it depends on what camera they're using. If they're using a UVW100 BetaSP camera, then the DVX will probably look better. If they're using a DSR300 or DSR500 or later DVCAM camera, the DVX would have a tough time competing (unless you're comparing 24p against interlaced).
 
If I had a choice between receiving material on Beta SP or DV, I'd pick DV. I think DV is far better and easier in a digital workflow. Beta SP is prone to dropout, especially because a lot of the equipment knocking around now is ancient. I have seen the same footage transferred to both Beta SP and DV, and preferred the DV look. Without having it in front of me now, I can't be sure, but I remember that the DV looked sharper. Beta SP may have advantages if you are going to capture it uncompressed, but in order to achieve that, it will cost you.

As mentioned above, the camera head is more important that the format in determining quality. Beta SP was only ever fitted to pro cameras whereas DV decks are attached to some real crap.

In the UK, Beta SP stuff is really cheap now, because everyone is going digital. You can get a decent camera for a couple of grand!
 
Barry_Green said:
the DVX would have a tough time competing (unless you're comparing 24p against interlaced).
Click to expand...

Which is something I always do when looking at the BetaSP stuff I shoot at work. I just can't take 60i anymore. I keep wishing I could use my DVX on all those shoots.
 
I was wondering about this too.

I've been trying to match pd's and dsr's that are both using DVcam for over a year and Im just not very good at it. Camera quality means so much. I would much rather pair a dsr390 with a dvx100a running 30p.

We've only had our dvx100a for 4 months or so but I have run into one or two situations where I would rather be running a pd... usually just in low light situations. If we just remove 2/3" cameras from the equation I don't think the differences between running DVcam on a pd or PQ on a dvx is really that signifigant.
 
Betas SP may have some dropouts, but which one do you think is going to be more robust- a 1/2 tape+_ or a miniscule miniDV?

If my memory serves me correctly, I think that BetaSP has more color space information than miniDV, and is analogue i.e.- no compression errors.

It is a dying format, and Atlanta seeems to be one of the last hold-outs. Which would I prefer to lug around? A 30 lb. BetaSP camera or a DVX100a? I'll take the DVX-100a and my back will thank me for it. Work is just starting to come around to Digital.

Jeff Patnaude
 
JPatnaude said:
Betas SP may have some dropouts, but which one do you think is going to be more robust- a 1/2 tape+_ or a miniscule miniDV?
Click to expand...

I dunno! I can't remember seeing dropout from any DVCAM footage. Whereas I have seen a lot on EVERY piece of Beta SP footage I have had to work with. The tape is probably more robust, but I don't think that the analogue recording format is.
 
BetaSP has reduced luma resolution and very slight more chroma resolution. The increase in chroma is slight and not noticible, but the drop in luma resolution is very noticable. And analogue doesn't mean it doesn't have compression!! It's just anlaogue compression, which means noise etc. and yes, it's visible - it just looks different to digital compression. And yes, it's antique!

Graeme
 
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