GL2 or High Def?

[Amanda Warner]

*Sorry I didn't know which of the forums to post this in

Hi -

So I have been looking into buying a new camera. A friend of mine has a GL2 and seems to really like it, and I read some pretty good reviews about it, so I was pretty much sold on buying one.

And then I came across the HD cameras (specifically the Sony HDR-FX1). The Sony is a little out of my price range ($2,000-2,500) but I feel like I might be ahead of the curve in buying one.

So my question is which would you recommend? I need the camera to be rather rugged since I am planning on using it to film some travel doc. type stuff. I am a film student currently and so I need the quality to be good since I plan on using my new purchase for my film projects to avoid having to take out equiptment through the university.

Any recommendations would be a huge help! Thanks.

Amanda

EDIT: And if you have any other models that I am overlooking let me know :)

[Angel Mario]

Hello:

Well, first of all, it all depends on what you need your camera for. if you are not gonna broadcast it, well, then id go for the one you mentioned. but if you are looking for good quality and film like video, then definetly you have to go for the panasonic dvx200 HD or the Xl2 by cannon. those are your best options, due to the reason that are the only ones at more or less that price range that truly give you 24p.

[Prech Marton]

I'm also thinking about replace my xm2 to a new sony hc1 or hc3.
If i can sell my used xm2, maybe i can buy a new hdv.
Many people says, that those little hd camcorders make a beautiful picture.
I know low light performance is not so good. How would compare to xm2?
In wedding i need more light? (I have 2x500W)

Pros:
-clear hd pics when outdoor or have enough light
-3 sec 200fps recording (flickerfree superslow!)
-new cam, maybe not have problem in 2-3 year :)

Cons:
- Bottom loading tape
- little zoom button
- no av in
- little, light, not so stable
- not so professional looking

What do i forget?

[Devin Anderton]

Amanda,

GL2 versus HD camcorders is really all about standard definition vs high definition.

To COMPLETELY make the jump to HD you need to be TOTALLY ready.

This means:

-Have a super fast computer that can handle the extra work load.

-Have an editing program that is also beefy enough to handle HD.

-Know that HD-DVD's or BLUE-RAY DVD's are not standard yet. (You won't be able to show every single person your pure HD footage.)

-Know that shooting HD is different than shooting SD. (Lighting, focus, verything needs to be accurate.)

-And of course, HD is temporarily a very expensive option.

I would recommend choosing between SD and HD first. Then research and choose a camera within the specific HD or SD arena.

My opinion? If you can afford HD-- go HD. It's the future. I myself couldn't afford "the future" just yet, so I bought a GL2.

Hope it helps.

[Chris Barcellos]

Originally Posted by Devin Anderton

Amanda,

GL2 versus HD camcorders is really all about standard definition vs high definition.

I disagree. The Sony HDV cameras give you choice of HDV or SD DV now. Not only that, they give you the benefit of HDV for use in the future, but conversion in camera to SD DV now, so if your system isn't ready for HDV, when it is, you will have footage already to go.

It looks like a new GL at BH goes for $1995 and then you get a $250.00 rebate. As I recall, the professional level Sony A1 can be had for right at $2000.00 after rebate of $500.00 (I admit I haven't checked to see if rebate still in effect.) In my mind there is no comparison. Check out the video posted in some of the A-1 threads. I was particularly impressed with the Azores shots there.

[Bob Zimmerman]

I would get the HDV too. You can shoot either HD or SD now.

[Stu Holmes]

Originally Posted by Chris Barcellos

As I recall, the professional level Sony A1 can be had for right at $2000.00 after rebate of $500.00 (I admit I haven't checked to see if rebate still in effect.)

Just checked - Chris is right :B&H have the A1U for a net price of $1999 after the $500 rebate. (Rebate has been extended til September2006.)

[Boyd Ostroff]

Hi Amanda,

Did you see the responses posted to your earlier thread on same topic?

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=67351

We try to discourage people from starting similar threads in more than one forum because it fragments the discussion and makes things harder to follow. We're always happy to move threads to another forum however if you feel you aren't getting helpful responses though... just yell for a moderator :-)

[Kevin Shaw]

I've been using a Canon GL1 and GL2 for several years and am now selling them to pay for my Sony HDV cameras. 'Nuff said.

[Devin Anderton]

Originally Posted by Chris Barcellos

I disagree. The Sony HDV cameras give you choice of HDV or SD DV now. [. . .] so if your system isn't ready for HDV, when it is, you will have footage already to go.

While it is true that the sony HDV camera has the ability to convert HD to SD in camera, is that really what an individual would want to do? While it may seem like a good idea at the present, wouldn't the tendancy to make the full switch to HD be too enticing. I can only imagine having a HDTV and never ever watching HD programing on it. This is simply my opinion, yet I would think that if you were going with HD you would want to completely go with it. I wouldn't have the patience to wait. If I had a HD camera, I'd definitely be convincing my wife to let me buy a HD workstation.

I'm not disagreeing with you Chris, I'm honoring you if you have the patience to hold out and peice together a HD system.

[Chris Barcellos]

Originally Posted by Devin Anderton

While it is true that the sony HDV camera has the ability to convert HD to SD in camera, is that really what an individual would want to do? While it may seem like a good idea at the present, wouldn't the tendancy to make the full switch to HD be too enticing. I can only imagine having a HDTV and never ever watching HD programing on it. This is simply my opinion, yet I would think that if you were going with HD you would want to completely go with it. I wouldn't have the patience to wait. If I had a HD camera, I'd definitely be convincing my wife to let me buy a HD workstation.

I'm not disagreeing with you Chris, I'm honoring you if you have the patience to hold out and peice together a HD system.

Devin:

Point of this is that if you are going to put out about the same amount (within $250) for a camera today, why not go with one that will do both today. You shoot your material in HDV, down convert in camera when capture to your regular DV editing, but you have the material for the future when you are ready for HDV. Actually, my step up to HDV editing was rather cheap. I used same case, but put new power supply and mother board chip combo in (Dual Core 3800+ bought at Fry's for $279.) Added about $350 fro memory, and bought a heftier harddrive, and went with an upgrade from Premeire 6.0 to Premiere Pro 2.0. It edits decently with the system I built in native HDV, so there is no need for an intemediate program. I figure I did it all for about an additional $1,200.

Now I haven't seen the DV produced by the A1, but I am assuming it is near to my FX1, and as good as GL2, so my point is that down the road, Amanda will be glad she took this direction.

[Prech Marton]

My GL2 video look much-much sharper on a regular tv than the downconverted DV video from Z1. Even when converted with the camera or later in post with edius. Thats my opinion.

[David Tamés]

Originally Posted by Chris Barcellos

Now I haven't seen the DV produced by the A1, but I am assuming it is near to my FX1

I'd say it is.

I've shot with the Sony HVR-A1U and HVR-Z1U in HDV as well as DV modes, and both produce very respectable DV, and if you're shooting SD 16:9 anamorphic, the real 16:9 chips contribute to excellent anamorphic SD footage. I like the flexibility of shooting either HDV or DV, depending on the project. I ended up purchasing the A1U because I wanted something very small I could take with me everywhere and I needed something that would produce footage that would match closely stuff I've already shot with the Z1U. I love the progressive scan video of the Panasonic's HVX200, but it's larger, heavier, and way more expensive than Sony's HDV offerings.

In the following flickr set you'll find frame stills from footage shot with the HVR-A1U in DV mode anamorphic (pushing the boundary of working in low-light with the camera) as well as a comparison showing how the 1-chip A1U stacks up to the 3-chip Z1U (same chips as FX1): http://flickr.com/photos/kino-eye/se...7594082411015/

HD = Future Proof. For anything with a shelf-life, consider shooting an HD format. HDV is not the same as full-resolution HD, but it offers an affordable flavor of HD.

[Graham Bernard]

David, fab samples - thanks for that. Even MORE reason for me to jump ship . . .

Of course, we STILL have to see what Mr Canon has up his sleeve for this part of the NOW SonyHD dominated A1>>F1 market. A previous market segment that Canon had kinda "secured" with the GL-1/XM1 and GL-2/XM2. Or is Canon ONLY a great glass maker and prepared to just put up its gloves and resign itself with a 1/4 3ccd 4:3 chip SD offering?

Tick-tock . .tick-tock .. . tick-tock . . . Canon? - Get it sorted out?

Tick-tock . .tick-tock .. . tick-tock . . .

Grazie

[Kevin Shaw]

Originally Posted by Prech Marton

My GL2 video look much-much sharper on a regular tv than the downconverted DV video from Z1. Even when converted with the camera or later in post with edius.

I don't know what conditions you tested under, but I've had a very different experience when comparing those two cameras. And if you have any interest in delivering widescreen video for customers with HDTVs, the GL2 clearly isn't up to the task compared to HDV cameras. The GL2 arguably has richer default colors than the Sony HDV cameras, but this can be adjusted for using camera settings or color enhancement in post. My wife thinks the Sony colors look better even without adjustment.

By the way, note that the current version of Edius has a bug which yields less than ideal SD output from HDV projects, but that can be mitigated by switching to an SD project setting. This bug may have been fixed in Edius Pro 4, but we're still waiting for final confirmation of that.