[Bob Dix]

Sorry Tim,

See this quote

“The formats: HDV (High Definition Video) and AVCHD (Advanced Video Codec High Definition)
There are two distinct formats for consumer level high definition camcorders: HDV (High Definition Video) and AVCHD (Advanced Video Codec High Definition).

HDV
HDV uses the DVD-like MPEG2 compression to squeeze high definition video onto MiniDV tape used in standard definition camcorders, along with compressed stereo sound.

HDV, however, captures a picture that has a resolution of 1440 x 1080, which is a bit short of the 1920 x 1080 resolution that is the real-deal high definition (not that this stops one camera company from calling their HDV ‘True-HD’, even though the video signal has only 1440 picture elements). This is because to record full resolution 1920 x 1080 on Mini DV tape would exceed the mini DV tape’s capabilities. To get around this, the 1080i HDV format uses rectangular pixels, rather than uniformly square ones, that when replayed, fill a standard
1920 x 1080 frame.

This doesn’t make HDV inferior; in fact it’s in good company. The broadcast formats XDCAM HD, DVCPRO HD and HDCAM all have the same or lower resolution as HDV.

There are two main problems with HDV, though. First, tapes wear out. The magnetic material eventually wears away under repeated playing and recording. When the wear becomes significant, your video is gone. Second, getting to the place that you want is slow with tape. It has to be wound forwards and backwards, just like the VCR tape of old.
On the up side, HDV has the advantage of wide support in computer software for editing, and the tapes themselves are cheap, and each can fit 60 minutes of high definition recording.”

This is an Australian explanation of what I was alluding to.

Basically, how does a camera that captures at 1920 x 1080p and opens up as 1440 x 1080i in Premiere Pro is edited and Exported to Tape expand to 1920 x 1080i Ie., Anamorphicly to display correctly on a High Definition Monitor or TV in the correct 16 :9 Format ?

That is why I said “Not a lot of difference between the lot” of high definition cameras.” As per the pixels , disregarding lens quality etc., ? They seem to do get the same result only differently.

Freelance Imaging & Video
AUSTRALIA

Ps. My friends in Bar Harbor USA have the same problem with me ?

[Bob Dix]

Thanks Tim,

Not that much between the lot ?

Freelance Imaging & Video
AUSTRALIA

[Bob Dix]

Sorry,
I did not see the link you gave me . It does not appear to have anything to do with “stretching the pixels” from 1440 x1080 to 1920 x 1080i in a single CMOS rated 1920 x 1080p which imports to Premiere Pro as 1440 x 1080i and then miraculously appears as 1920 x 1080i when played from a tape via HDMI to a TV ?

Freelance Imaging & Video
AUSTRALIA

[Bob Dix]

TomK,

Your comment , DVCProHD, which has been shot on a Professional Camcorder is in fact 1440 x 1080 pixels @25fps PAL, (Intrigues me),but, are captured by a 1920 x 1080p sensor ? What is the technology to get it to display as 1920 x 1080i on a TV . Are the pixels in the end rectangle ?

Thanks,

Bob

Ps. All the Pro tape based Canons XH A1 etc do this, using pixel shift technology, it that right ?But, not the XF 100 or XF 305 HDD units ?

Freelance Imaging & Video
AUSTRALIA

[Bob Dix]

Thanks, Brian, good idea.

Anything on Canon’s Pixel shift technology ?

Freelance Imaging & Video
AUSTRALIA

[Bob Dix]

Tim,
I wish I knew,I must admit I am a bit of a LUDITE, don’t upgrade till they have worked the bugs out, but, have been using Premiere Pro 1.5.1 which produces very good HDV but, can not handle H.264 out of a Canon 5D mark II but, PE 4 does it very well indeed. I have got a new Computer i7 Quad Core Nvidia Fx3800 and the rest , it has given the old software a new lease of life, but, I will go to CS5 soon. So for the time being, I Export to Movie h.264 from PE4 into Premiere Pro 1.5.1 and do all the major editing without a care in the world, and if I want to go to blu-ray , back into PE4 and presto it is perfect.But, We mainly go to Pro Tape and the old PP is perfect to do that.
Someone said you cannot do a DVD or blu-ray , now direct from Premiere Elements 8 or 9, I hope they are wrong ? But, apart from that I think Premiere Pro is magic to work with, I hope the new CS5 is as well ? We can only hope ?

Freelance Imaging & Video
AUSTRALIA

[Bob Dix]

If you have Premiere Elements 4 installed , try it, it may surprise you ? It does very, very good blu-ray disks and DVD’s to either H.264 or mpeg-2

Freelance Imaging & Video
AUSTRALIA

[Bob Dix]

Phil,

I bet it is whatever you are viewing it on TV, or Monitor, if it is good on the Canon 7 LCD, otherwise back to Canon Service for a check up.

Good luck

Freelance Imaging & Video
AUSTRALIA

[Bob Dix]

Well Phil,

We use a Canon 5D mark II which is similar, but, use a Sandisk Extreme III UDMA 40-60 mbps for HD 1080P because the 5D runs at 38.5 mbps, we use the same EF 35mm lens because of it’e surperb Image stabilization but, set the camera settings to LANDSCAPE as most of our work is travel, and then add a bit of sharpness. You realise the Exposure mode changes from Evaluative to Average when using the 5D Mark II on 1920 x 1080p HD video, this remarkably improves the contrast range and you can tell the difference when shooting stills which we set at Evaluative.
The above may be of some help as the result is broadcast quality exposure and colour, which needs little effects work or editing quality control in Premiere Pro. We set the camera manually on 1/50 sec and let it find it’s own ISO rating and aperture unless we want to mess about with depth of field, which the 35mm sensor is very good at.
We have had no problems in 18 months of operation from Egypt, Tibet, China and New Zealand as well as Lord Howe Island Jazz Festival. It is in PAL @25fps , not 24 fps movie mode. If you are using a Sony Bravia HD TV do not set it to Cinema Mode only Vivid, that will give you the best results. What you see on the LCD should be on Premiere Pro Monitor and TV. Good luck.

Freelance Imaging & Video
AUSTRALIA

[Bob Dix]

Go Canon, but, if you had the money Canon 5D mark II , has everything, the exposure set up is stunning to get the correct images.

What a great time to be young and into imaging . Good luck. have been with Canon for over 30 years, the service in Australia is exceptional /

Freelance Imaging & Video
AUSTRALIA