Karl Krummenacher
Forum Replies Created
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Welcome to the world of multi-format recording 🙂
True, HDV is “HDV”, but not HDV is the same, and not all HDV cameras are limited to outputting in HDV.Look for the book by Douglas Spotted Eagle on this – Really a great primer. He masters the explanation of what is DV.
I have yet to see Firewire support 4:2:2.
Cameras with HD-SDI outputs output what the “camera” portion of the camcorder sees. Sony’s new XDCAM1, and the JVC are two cameras under 7500 that have this feature. The bit rate of the captured signal will have as much to do with the capture device as the camera. In our case, we capture the JVC in studio to an Apple MAC via a Kona 3 card at over 35 Mbps. It is beautiful footage, and it is 4:2:2.
If you record onto the internal tape drive, the recording format is HDV, and compresses the signal using a complex formulation based on the type (DVCPRO, MPEG2, HDV — read GOP vs Long GOP, Interframe vs Intra-Frame) that results in the bandwidth you referenced – at 4:2:0.
Panasonic’s HVX-200 will record 4:2:2 in the DVCPRO format onto P2 cards, just as the XDCAM-EX will record 4:2:2 to EXpress cards using MPEG-2.
Confused yet?
I was. We selected the JVC because at the time it was the only HD-SDI camera with interchangeable lenses and HD-SDI in its category. It is a wonderful 720p studio camera that shoots at 1080i too.
We’ve had the pleasure of shooting the Sony XDCAM-EX1 – beautiful gamma, larger 1/2 inch chips gave great DOF, but the unit was, for me, very touchy on the focus and a little soft. I DID NOT have the time to work thru the setups. EXCELLENT field camera.
Now that the EX3 is out with interchangable lenses, I am game for a shot at it. The SxS Express Card workflow is wonderful, as is the option to capture direct with the HD-SDI.
Hope that helps!
Karl
Karl Krummenacher
Co-Founder, Chief Creative Officer
Activated Marketing
http://www.activatedmarketing.com -
We did a lot of research and tests, and last December selected the JVC HD-250 (720P, 1080i 4:2:2) because it provided HD-SDI 4:2:2 output with an interchangeable lens. The setups let you get tack sharp images and great keys (we use Conduit in FCP).
Our next choice will be the new Sony XDCAM. You can’t beat the HD-SDI 4:2:2 from JVC or Sony for great keys. When we do field work in HDV the quality difference in the keys appears significant to us.
That said, I’ve seen multi-pass Keying do some remarkable keys. But for us, time is money, and the workflow was excellent with the JVC and the Sony is a real time saver. We’ve not tried any AVHC setups yet.
Karl Krummenacher
Co-Founder, Chief Creative Officer
Activated Marketing
http://www.activatedmarketing.com -
With a 10K budget and mostly studio work, I’m going to throw in the JVC HD-250 as a strong contender. It has interchangable lens (the Fujinon 17:1 is really pretty) and has HD-SDI out. This camera could put JVC back in the game.
We use the Camera’s HD/SDI 4:2:2 out into a Kona3 card on our Mac, and you get 10 bit uncompressed at a variety of frame rates from 24p up to 60P. You could also dump into a AJA IOHD and edit 4:2:2 on the MAC with the Apple PRO-Res codec. (not bad, really.)
You can store all settings on an SD card for a variety of setups.
It is an HDV camera, and if you go to tape, you get HDV 4:2:0. Still very sharp, perhaps the best of the class, but any chroma key work would be harder.
At 60P with a fast shutter, you get tack sharp video with no noticable motion artifacts.
The camera shoots native 720 (full 720 pixels wide) unlike the HVX, without the Pixel shift. It is sharper in my opinion than the HVX (Which I would also like to have for field work). I agree with other postings that the HVX is a dream if your making an Indie or really want “film look” gama.
But if you want tack sharp video, easily edited on a MAC, with HD-SDI and interchangable lens, you got to check out the JVC HD 250.
Karl Krummenacher
Co-Founder, Chief Creative Officer
Activated Marketing