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DVCproHD timeline – Better to capture SDI to Kona 3 or firewire? (no variable frame rate)
I am capturing to a DVCproHD timeline to edit varicam and HVX200 footage.
Eventually the clips will end up in an uncompressed SD timeline and rerednered 10 bit.
But… on the way in what looks better firewire or HDSDI to Kona 3?
My thought is the firewire may be better since the the deck uncompresses the DVCproHD and the Kona 3 will be recompressing it into the codec. I dont have the drive space to do the whole project 720P uncompressed before re-rendering in SD uncompressed.
There is no variable framerate from the variacm footage (although the overcrancked HVX200 footage looks great)
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4 Replies
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[Deadhead] “My thought is the firewire may be better since the the deck uncompresses the DVCproHD and the Kona 3 will be recompressing it into the codec.”
Actually it doesn’t do any recompression of the video, it’s a lossless transfer very much like capturing Firewire. According to AJA the footage actually looks a little better due to some better “rounding” in the colors. I have only worked using the Firewire workflow to this point, but I think this next round of shows I’m going to start using the the Kona capture workflow.
What’s your take on the HVX so far? A few D.P.’s I’ve talked to said the image is really nice, but there’s a lot of unacceptable noise in the image.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
https://www.biscardicreative.comDirector, “The Rough Cut”
https://www.theroughcutmovie.comNow Posting “Good Eats” in HD for the Food Network
“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters
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I’ve captured varicam footage both over firewire and through a Kona LH card and see no visible difference between the two. I don’t do any effects work that would require a “cleaner” capture, so I can’t say for sure if the Kona solution (using a DVCProHD codec) is any better for that type of thing or not. My guess would be that they are pretty much identical.
We just got done shooting a job using 2 Varicams and a HVX 200. I can tell you that there is a major difference in quality between the two. The Varicams produce a much sharper, much cleaner picture all around than the HVX. Not that the HVX is a bad camera on it’s own. While in the edit, I thought to myself that if we had not used the Varicams and the only footage I saw was off of the HVX I would have been happy, but when you put the two side by side, the HVX just isn’t in the same class. I do have to report that the HVX does produce quite a bit of noise, but again, if you don’t have any better footage surrounding it, most people wouldn’t notice. -
[Ethan Cooper] “I’ve captured varicam footage both over firewire and through a Kona LH card and see no visible difference between the two. “
You should not see any difference, AJA worked really hard so there was not any. But this really means that video captured from other NON DVCPROHD sources will compress properly when using that codec
[Ethan Cooper] “The Varicams produce a much sharper, much cleaner picture all around than the HVX. Not that the HVX is a bad camera on it’s own. … but when you put the two side by side, the HVX just isn’t in the same class. I do have to report that the HVX does produce quite a bit of noise, but again, if you don’t have any better footage surrounding it, most people wouldn’t notice.”
2/3″ imager vs 1/3″ imager is part of the reason.
Shorter depth of field is another.As for the noise issues with some tweaking it is possible to minimize the noise in the x200, whoever part of that depends on the conditions and part depends on the subject matter.
I had HD content from both cameras in running in the AJA booth that showed similar footage and they were so close I actually had someone argue with me that the Varicam footage was really from the HVX200.I have been able to consistently match a HVX200 and a Varicam multiple times. It takes an understand of both cameras and a good scope.
gary adcock
Studio37
HD & Film Consultation
Post and Production Workflows
Chicago, IL
gary@studio37.com -
[gary adcock] “I have been able to consistently match a HVX200 and a Varicam multiple times. It takes an understand of both cameras and a good scope.”
We’re doing that right now. They cut very well together and actually we were able to use a DVX-100A cutting very nicely with the Varicam before the 200 was available. As you say, it takes a good understanding of each camera and patience with the lighting.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
https://www.biscardicreative.comDirector, “The Rough Cut”
https://www.theroughcutmovie.comNow Posting “Good Eats” in HD for the Food Network
“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters
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