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Thread ID: 99204	2009-04-23 12:40:00	Camcorder Queries	DiNOSAUR (14849)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
767804	2009-04-23 12:40:00	I am a highschool student taking Media Studies and my latest assessment requires me to make a documetary about a topic of my choice. I have chosen to make mine about a local underground music venue but am having trouble booking cameras and equipment from school as we have a large class this year. At school I currently use Mini DV cams and edit the footage on Final Cut Pro, (run on Macs) however I am contemplating purchasing a HDD cam. I have a few questions I would like answered before I go spending a whole heap of money: #1. If I get a HDD cam, can I log and capture straight on to Final Cut Pro or do I need to upload the footage to a PC and use the editting software that comes with the cam to convert the file to one that's compatible with Final Cut Pro before exporting the footage to the Mac? #2. Is it likely that DV tapes will be discontinued in the near future? This is one reason for me leaning towards getting a HDD cam. #3. Can anyone recommend a cam that records good, crisp low light footage? I hate using 'night vision' functions on cams as it messes up the white balance and ends up green and distorted. I will be filming in extremely dark conditions in a bar with flashing stage lights and UV lights as the only light source. #4. I am currently looking at 2 DV models and 1 HDD model; JVC GR-D850AA, (Mini DV) SONY DCRHC52E, (Mini DV) and SONY DCRSR85E. (HDD) Can anyone give a review on any of these products? If you were purchasing a cam for this purpose, what would you buy? (preferably nothing over $1000) Oh and whatever I get, it HAS to have a DV cable in/out port.	DiNOSAUR (14849)
767805	2009-04-23 21:31:00	1 . Yes you can bring it straight into Final Cut if using a Tape Camera via Firewire, If using a non Tape camera you have to use likes of USB and drag and drop . As far as filming directly into the Computer and bypassing capture afterwards it is called Live Recording and yes Final Cut Pro can . . larryjordan . biz/articles/lj_faster_record . html" target="_blank">www . larryjordan . biz 2 . Not likely as Tape is still a great format . You can keep tapes whereas with other media you have to keep taking it off the camera . HDD cameras will save you the cost of SOME MINI DVs . DVD cameras are alomost useless, since it stores in MPEG2, which compress between and within frames . HDD cameras normally uses MPEG-4 codec, which is even bad . Editing is a headache . Mini DV uses DV Codec, which compresses only within frames . Buy Mini DV cameras if you expect good quality from your camera . 3 . Night vision stuff sucks . Get a good quality camera light . Unless you get a commercial camera which costs an arm and a leg then low light is still a problem, although better than a few years ago . 4 . I have a HDRHC9E Camera which I love . It has HDMI out, plus Firewire, USB etc but not a cheap camera . I have had several Sony models and been happy with all . General consensus at our Video Club is that Tape still rules . HDD, DVD and AVCHD all have a lot of limitations . As far as backing up media once again the club recommends backup to a second tape as of all the medias Tape is thought to have the longest life . I tend to back up any good stuff to a Hard Drive as well in raw AVI format or in your case with a Mac highest quality MOV files .	Bantu (52)
767806	2009-04-24 02:40:00	HDD cameras normally uses MPEG-4 codec, which is even bad . Editing is a headache . Mini DV uses DV Codec, which compresses only within frames . Buy Mini DV cameras if you expect good quality from your camera . I think your confusing Hard Disk Drive camcorders HDD with HiDef camcorder HD . Different items . Tape based HD camcorders user mini DV pages recorded in HDV Mpeg2 format . Easy to edit on the average PC, good quality picture . New flash based and some hard disk bases camcorder use a format called AVCHD which is a subset of Blu-ray . Good pictur as well . However this requires a very grunty PC to edit the files but if you have a quad core PC go for the AVCHD format . .	paulw (1826)
767807	2009-04-24 04:26:00	No Paul I am not confused. My Tape Based Hi Def camera still feeds to the PC or Mac via Firewire, in my case mpeg2 whereas my DV camera was AVI. AVCHD is not a problem to edit on my PC either in Windows or Mac, however, it still stores in separate files and just dragged to the Computer unlike Tape Based Cameras. Sony and Panasonic created this format but as at about this time last year Sony Software could not edit Panasonic recorded AVCHD format. The two companies although they created a joint format it was not compatible with both. The format is still floored according to people in the club I have spoken to. Tape based DV or HDV is still the best way to go.	Bantu (52)
767808	2009-04-24 07:49:00	No Paul I am not confused. Tape based DV or HDV is still the best way to go. Agreed. You may be interested in this link.. Maybe where HDV is going.. preview.tinyurl.com	paulw (1826)
767809	2009-04-24 21:27:00	I can't see Tape cameras disappearing any time soon, it is the most effective way of keeping shot footage. Once Blu-Ray come into full swing and more affordable Writers are available then maybe, but for retaining footage for now tapes are the most effective. In 10 years time there is bound to be several other formats and storage types on the market, maybe directly to Blue-Ray or possibly introduce the P2 solid-state recording system into consumer cameras.	Bantu (52)
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