SD or HD? DVX100B s/h or TM300 new?

C

clintwest

Member
I'm not pro video maker, i like to make short video and editing them on computer, using Final Cut or iMovie. I'd like to get a good quality of final DVD, still shown in not HD TV and i also prefere to work with a good quality and not too small camcorder. At this time, in early 2010, is it worth to buy an SD, for example a second hand DVX 100B or is better to go to a TM300 (or 700)? Have someone tried these two camcorders? My budget is not more than 1000-1300 $. Can i get decent result upsizing sd output to higher resolution? What's the best way to do it? Sorry for my not good english and thanks for kind suggestions!
 
In your case, because you are in a PAL country, you should avoid buying a NTSC only camera. Some cameras like the HMC151E is PAL/NTSC switchable in the menu.

But I think that for your needs, a DVX100BE is enough for you at this time. Yes, it can be uprez, but the quality will not be as good as a real HD footage for sure!

Going HD depends on your needs and final output. If it will be played on a SD DVD player, and not on a Blu-ray or on the internet (in HD), then, a SD camera will just be fine!
 
Merci Sylvain for your useful suggestions. Is there someone who have tried to convert origina NTSC raw to Pal, during editing or after it? I'm asking this because NTSC camcorders from US or Japan, as you know, cost 30%-50% less than in most European countries.
 
It is not easy to convert and it can be long. I did it to send DVD in France. But I see a small reduction in quality.

So, it is always better to find a camera for you zone, or a switchable one.

Look on ebay for good second hand cameras.
 
yes, for me it's not useful to buy a NTSC camcorder, because i have to convert each and all output. As i said, the only reason for buying a NTSC camcorder it's the price: 800 USD and not, same model, 1300 Euro. Thanks! In fact, also after Sylvain balanced suggestion, i'm watching a 100BE (Pal) for 1300 euro, that's a lot of money for a MiniDV, even if it's a star in mid range
 
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It can be more money, but you will save money buy working faster. You know, time is money!

Having to transcode everything will make all your projects longer to complete! But if time is not a problem for you...

So, it's up to you!
 
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Sylvain, luckily time is not money for me, so i can spend time for transcode, but questions are: after transcoding from NTSC to PAL, is the final movie still acceptable? Coming back to a PAL camcorder, what do you (and other kind visitors) think about HDV for getting less problems in editing process? Is HDV a good choice, in 2010, between quite obsolete SD tape and some editing problems in AVCHD field? I'm talking about top consumer camcorders or second hand entry prosumer ones. I often like to burn ordinary DVD (SD) or uploading short movies to Youtube. Sometimes i do some little work and i need high quality, but not necessarly HD output. Thanks so much for your useful and friendly opinions!
 
I think SPrimeau gave you good advice. For your budget, the DVX100BE (PAL model) will be your best bet. It will do very good SD video and you can check the marketplace here on this forum for users selling them.
 
Ignoring SD/HD, think about what you'd be missing on the consumer cam: XLR Ports, good manual controls (focus ring, iris knob), zebras for exposure, etc. I'd go with the DVX100B any day!

Some networks even upres footage shot on a DVX and pass it off as HD content, so it's definitely not a dinosaur.
 
DVX any day. Still I´d rather do 3-4 paid gigs with rented gear and jump up to a HMC150.
I paid my first HVX with one REGIONAL TV ad. It´s out there...

BTW since you´re also in Europe: right now 90 percent of my work is still SD. But I guess this will change rather rapidly soon.
People will demand everything shot in HD, because networks will switch very soon and suddenly HD will be the buzz.
Meaning if you´d get a HVX/HPX now you will probably make a better investment in the long run.
No one will buy a tape based SD cam once the switch to HD has been done in Europe...

As a professional, you´ll know how to get the investment back, if you´re just doing shorts and shoot for practice/fun, rather get a 550D...
 
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Thanks guys for your interesting suggestions. You know, it's not easy to decide to buy a still very good SD 100B on March 2010, losing any chance to shoot HD, at least sometimes.
Anyway i love it, but with same money i can buy a quite good HDV..... or a AVCHD TM300. Yes, in my country we are in a transition time, true HD TV are still not many and also little work, with good quality, maybe can be done in SD, burning a DVD and not a Bluray. I like to edit with DV SD, is still so complicated to edit (on Imovie, Vegas Pro or Final Cut) an AVCHD raw material? And are still card not so reliable? I'e tried to edit some AVCHD lite from a Panasonic FZ35 camera, using Pinnacle 12 in a Windows quad, but it's so slow! I appreciate your opinions.
 
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