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DV Deck recommendation with Final Cut?
Hope this isn’t too off-topic, but I need to get a DV deck to use with Final Cut Pro.
Any recommendations? Or is there a better place to ask this question?
Thanks!
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6 Replies
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Any Sony or Panasonic machine is great. Stay away from all others… DSR-11’s are certainly workhorses.
Might consider Sony’s new HDV machine, it also plays DV, DVCAM…
Jerry
Apple Certified Trainer
Author: “Jerry Hofmann on Final Cut Pro 4” Click here
Dual 2 gig G5, AJA Kona SD, AJA Kona 2, Huge Systems Array UL3D
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Sony DSR-45
Sony DSR-2000Hopefully you’ve got the dough to get yourself a decent deck. Anything under $2500 is suspect in my book. A DSR-20 is about the lowest I’d go. I really don’t like the DSR-11. It’s kinda cheap, has no TC and shuttles slower ‘n molasses.
O&O-Gunner Productions
FCP-Avid-After Effects -
Could someone tell me WHY you’d use a deck versus using a cheap camcorder? I use my 6-year old sony miniDV to capture and export. If all I’m doing is miniDV, why would I spend $3000 for a deck?
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The HDV deck is a bad choice for a deck, IMHO, due to it being a camcorder mechanism that doesn’t take big tapes and doesn’t write any external TC of any kind. You’re far better off buying the HDV camera to use as a deck, as then you get a camera too. I really think the Sony HDV deck is a bit of a con.
However, as you point out the DSR-11 is great, as is the DSR-25, and both a dual standard NTSC / PAL which is really useful.
Graeme
– http://www.nattress.com – Film Effects for FCP
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Trevor,
There are a ton of people in here who do what you suggest. Some have several camcorders they get cheap on Ebay in case one fails. This a perfectly sensible workflow. That is, as long as the camera is controlable via Firewire.
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Let me count the ways:
Shuttling Speed. Faster on and off the heads. Rack mountable. Easy to load and eject. Meant to be on for long hours (fans, etc.). Faster FW ports, component and SDI output options, TC presets, Edit to Tape with Sequence TC, Longer use/greater wear and tear, Higher res monitoring. TC displays. Full size cassette DVCAM capability. Switchable PAL/NTSC options.Most people give this as their chief reason: You can avoid wearing out the camcorder’s more fragile deck mechanism.
But I think the above points are more salient, especially for editors worth their salt.
Speed/Convenience/Features is what it’s all about.
A LOT of reasons that a full-time hard core editor needs to get the job done expeditiously.
If you’re a hobbyist, student, beginner or don’t do a whole lot of work all the time, a camcorder is fine to use until you step up to the big leagues.
O&O-Gunner Productions
FCP-Avid-After Effects
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