D5 vs HDCAM

[David Roth weiss]

I don’t think very many people in the world could tell the difference between the two in a side by side comparison.

[Walter Biscardi]

Really the only difference as far as I know is that D5 is true uncompressed High Def while HDCAM is still a lightly compressed format. If that has changed with HDCAM SR, I’m not sure, I have not looked into that format yet.

From a practical standpoint, really no difference. Generally costs more to master to D5 than HDCAM.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
https://www.biscardicreative.com
HD Editorial & Animation for Food Network’s “Good Eats”
HD Editorial for “Assignment Earth”

“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters

[David Roth weiss]

[walter biscardi] “Generally costs more to master to D5 than HDCAM.”

And D5 tape is really, really expensive too.

[Dom Silverio]

D5 is compressed HD also. But it is full bandwidth (full raster). The compression is 4:1 or 5:1.

In SD mode it is uncompressed.

[Mike Most — account bouncing, bad address]

There is no current HD videotape recorder that is uncompressed. The only uncompressed HD videotape recorder ever made was the D6, which never sold well (none that I know of in the US) and is, to my knowledge, no longer manufactured. All current HD tape formats – including HDCam, HDCam SR, and D5 – are compressed. The “least compressed,” and also the one blessed with the best generational performance as well as the most superior error correction, is HDCam SR. It is also the only format that is accepted as a universal delivery master by all current US television networks, regardless of format (it supports 1080i. 1080p/24, and 720p/60). It has to a great degree supplanted D5 as the preferred mastering format as well.

[Sean Oneil]

Yes, HDCam SR is the best choice. But if your options are D5 or regular HDCam, D5 is much better.

Not only is the compression lighter on D5, but you get the whole 4:2:2 1920×1080. HDcam is 3:1:1 1440×1080.

HDcam is great for HD camcorders. But you definitely don’t want to master to it from film.

Sean

[Daryl K davis]

Audio requirements for you distributor may also be a consideration. I’m finding I’m frequently asked for D5 because of track configuration: Stereo 1&2, Stereo M&E 3&4, & then 5.1 Dolby E on 5&6, and that leaves tracks for various language stripes etc.
Also this D5 is in 24p or the Universal Mastering Format as it’s often refered to. The PAL and NTSC broadcast delivery masters are cloned off from that, although you do need Dolby E encoding for 5.1 for HDCAM as it has only 4 audio tracks.

HDCAM SR is newer format so that doesn’t seem to be asked for so much, but I’m guessing it will become more popular in time.

But as someone said…”the price of those D5 tapes”… whooey

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DK Davis / Editor/ Post Super
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[Gary Adcock]

[Sean ONeil] “Yes, HDCam SR is the best choice. But if your options are D5 or regular HDCam, D5 is much better. Not only is the compression lighter on D5, but you get the whole 4:2:2 1920×1080. HDcam is 3:1:1 1440×1080. HDcam is great for HD camcorders. But you definitely don’t want to master to it from film.”

This brings up a good point, Panasonic has announced the 2K capture and playback capabilities for the D5 deck to be delivered to us in late summer with up to true 2048x 1556 capture size we now have the ability to actually record 2K data to a TAPE direct from Spirt or Filmlight telecine, as fast as the scanners can output the content – with Sony’s max size for recording on SRW is 2048x 1080 (DCI spec) I think for a while at least we may be temporarily seeing more D5 HD delivery than before.

Too bad the D5 carries the painfully old D5 User Interface however. Finding something on a D5 menu is about as easy as setting an SR deck to record 720p. (those of you that actually know what I am referring to can try stop laughing now)

gary adcock
Studio37
HD & Film Consultation
Post and Production Workflows

[Sean Oneil]

[gary adcock] “Too bad the D5 carries the painfully old D5 User Interface however. Finding something on a D5 menu is about as easy as setting an SR deck to record 720p. (those of you that actually know what I am referring to can try stop laughing now)”

The few times I’ve rented an SR deck, I had to call the place each time and get a walkthrough on how to change the framerate. Its not even in the manual.

Sean

[Joseph Owens]

Yes, setting the “SYSTEM” on an HDCamSR deck is a bit of a chore. It is in the “Installation” manual, not the operator manual. Pages 1-20,21. It involves the [SHIFT][Diag] then [SHIFT] [F8] (Maintenance Exec) then [F9] Others check… then [F9} again is when you finally get to the System Menu. And then you get 4:2:2 or 4:4:4 (with the Dual-Link card), 1080×1920 or 720×1280. F2 (System scan) sets interlace, progressive or PsF. and F3 for System Frame 23.98 thru 59.94, F5 for HDCamSR vs HDCam, frame conversions (with the HKSR-5001 option), active lines (only in 4:2:2 1080×1920 Interlace 29.97 or 30.

Easy.

Previous HDCam decks required the use of a paperclip inserted in a hole in the control panel to get into the maintenace menus.

JPO