I'm looking at either getting a cheap HD camera (i.e. HVX 200), or, buying a 2nd hand SD camera, with a good lens. HDV is not an option, for reasons I won't go into.
Although the HVX is terrific, it only has a measly 1/3 inch lens. On the other hand, you can buy an SD camera with a much better lens relatively cheaply nowadays (e.g. digibeta).
Back to the old question - which is better?
im wondering this as well. i have a similar question in the newbie section. if anyone can answer this question here i'd really appreciate it.
thanks
adam
The HVX200 is in an entirely different category than any SD camera. At 1080p resolution you really get a lot more detail and color reproduction. Lens is great too, especially considering the price.
I shot a feature with it (with the Mini35 adapter). You can see the image quality from the trailer on my site
quote:
The HVX200 is in an entirely different category than any SD camera. At 1080p resolution you really get a lot more detail and color reproduction.
Except it only has 540 line CCDs, so '1080p' is rather optimistic. Measured resolution is lower than the Sony Z1 or the Canon XLH1... and the Z1 is a bit soft itself.
True, but does the measured resolution really matter when it's being compressed to HDV?
Mmm- I see what you mean- it's using pixel shift to get up to 720p+ resolution...
Well my 1920x1080 footage exceeded my expectations, even if it had to be massaged to get it there.
How far would you go for the truth?
http://www.OneLastBreathMovie.com
I'm a nobody with zero experience but:
If you're trying to go for the older style look, you can always use your hd camera to shot in SD. Investment wise, don't waste your money on something that will be obsolete in a few years. Some would argue that it already is.
Think of it this way, Friends in 1994 was shot with Panavision and now they're talking about releasing HD versions on bluray, although it was originally broadcasted in SD.
