I thought there would eventually be an inexspensive supplier of SxS, but after a year of watching it simply hasn't happened (how long has the EX1 line been around?) Coming close to making purchases, I continue to plunge deeper into research to find the right ENG camera. The more I learn the more research it leads me to.

I like the EX3 for it's 1/2 inch sensors low light and image quality combined with shoulder mount, the memory end of it plauges me though. With having to run and gun and sometimes leave memory cards in the hands of others I felt the SxS cards to be a stumbling block. Keep in mind that I severly lack knowledge of codecs and pulldowns, I barley know what they are as I simply dump video and run. With this camera I will have to learn because flash memory is not permanat storage. I use to stockpile tapes (which really isn't great storage either), I had no real need to edit or burn to disc. In my research to bypass SxS expense I learned about the nanoflash and hoodman options. Then I learn that the nano is uncompressed and the quality of other cameras is greatly improved, such as the XLH1 line. But the XLH1A does not have HD/SDI so this leaves the XLH1S as the only canon option for newer canon cameras and again we are back to 8000 grand so why not get the EX3. JVC cameras are just an unknown to me, I simply don't know enough to consider them. The original XLH1 is a consideration but why did they upgrade it so quickly to the A and S model, something with the lens ??

So back to the original issue. Trying to bypass the SxS expense. I am interested to hear from Hoodman and Nanoflash users. Pro's and con's that you find. Feel free to correct any of my uneducated remarks. I understand that the nano has over and under crank issues and the hoodman may have some quality issues. I read as many reviews as possible from the B&H site but your experience will be helpful.

Also. Once it is on flash memory, what is the best (simplest, quickest) option to move the video to DVD for permanant storage and retrieval. This will be on a home computer with Vista.

Any advice on a book that may teach me more about codecs, pulldown, and other technical knowledge would also be appreciated

Thanks for any help and sorry for the long winded explanation.

Don