miniDV vs. HDD for around-the-world documentary?

G

greyhavens

Member
I am going to be making a documentary across Scotland, Tunisia, India, and Hong Kong over 1 year, spending 2-3 months in each place with potentially limited (meaning none) access to serious editing or computer facilities. I will have my one crappy G3 laptop with me and maybe a 500GB firewire drive if I decide to. I won't be roughing it in the back country by any means, but I may want to shoot several (4-5+) hours per day on some days and still be mobile.

My question: tape, or hard disk camera? Previous input on this site has seemed to say go with miniDV (unanimous approval for the DVX100b of course)...but will lugging 50 or even 100 miniDV tapes around really be easier than offloading footage from say an HDR-S12?

On the other hand I only have a G3 and I've heard you need an Intel Mac to handle AVCHD, so maybe I can't do HDD unless I upgrade my computer. Can anyone confirm this? Basically any wisdom about the eternal tape vs. hard disk debate would be mucho helpful.
 
I guess its about money then. I think that more tapes would be better than the harddrive. P2 cards cost a lot of money and transfering the files can take awhile unless you buy the card reader, which is also very expensive.

IMO for convienice I would rather have the tape. When the tape is done just change it. Instead of the memory on the p2 card running out and waiting for it to upload.
 
Avchd

Avchd

I have dv cams, one HVX with firestore & P2 and now resently bought little Pana AG-HSC1UE WITH 4 Gt gards and included 40 Gt battelyoperated harddrive. Just want to say that this little thing does about equivalent picture with HVX!! Hardly anybody (average joes) can notice difference. Compared to DV cams the difference is huge. Personally (I am journalist) I now leave HVX home and use mostly HSC1UE if not multicam or slowmo is needed.
 
Austinv said:
When the tape is done just change it. Instead of the memory on the p2 card running out and waiting for it to upload.
Click to expand...

Exactly. There may be time when you will have no time to change, nor will you want o have your G3 with you.. You maybe just want to walk around with a camera and a tri-pod without worrying about storage space. Just throw a couple tapes in your pocket.
 
I doubt that you will be going through 10 or 20 tapes a day. So just bring what you need when you are shooting.
 
I agree, tapes are easier to transport, and swap out. And when your traveling, less is more especially when its just you hauling everything around.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top