Worried...

[Antony Quintin]

I have just got a XL2 but am worried I have made the wrong decision and should of got a HDV cam???

But what I was thinking was, HDV has only just started so I was going to wait and see how it gets on before I make the transition...

plus the quality, picture res of the XL2 is not that bad compared to the consumer HDV cams is it?

And in a year the XL2 will hold its price quite well wont it?????

[David Lach]

Looks like you want to be reassured. Sorry but we don't even know what you're doing with your camera, or what criterias you based your buy on.

I own 2 of these for my company and feel they are the best thing I could get for my needs, but somebody else with completely different needs will have a completely different opinion.

It is moot to try and elevate the XL2 over all HDV cams, or vice versa, especially if you don't tell us what you're looking for. Are you a filmmaker? Professional videographer? What use do you have for the camera and why is the resolution (at the expense of a lot of other things) so important to you?

[Boyd Ostroff]

I think you're exhibiting the classic symptoms of "buyer's remorse." It sounds like you put some thought into your original decision and made the best choice you could. Now you simply need to have the courage of your convictions, quit worrying about the past, and start shooting with your new camera.

Realize that the minute you open the box your camera becomes "used" and the value drops (probably) several hundred dollars. Same as when you drive a new car off the dealer's lot. A year from now.... who knows... my crystal ball is broken. Take a look at used models of the XL-1 and XL-1s to get some idea.

But really, start getting to know your new camera. After you've been working with it for awhile you'll know whether it meets your expectations. If not, then that might be the point to consider trading.

[Jason Lowe]

I'm sort of in the same boat, but I haven't purchased a new camera yet. I primarily shoot outdoors, shooting railroads (both modern and vintage). It's a fun hobby and I make a little on the side selling videos to other "railfans".

I'm currently shooting with a Canon GL1, and while it's a wonderful camera, I have two problems with it. First, I'm not satisfied with the widescreen function, and second, I have two stuck pixels, which so far have only been visible when shooting fireworks last July 4th. So it's time to upgrade.

I'm simply in love with the XL2, but I'm worried about the whole DV/HDV thing. While HDTV has been very slow to enter the marketplace, it could explode overnight like DVD has. With the recent breakdown in the HD DVD format war, HD might be slower to enter the marketplace than they would like.

My major concern with the HDV format is editing. I remember back in 1998 when I was fighting with a variety of gizmos to get reliable editing on my PC. Even switching to the mac didn't completely solve the problem back then. Now that DV editing is streamlined and more or less worry free on both the PC and the mac, I hate to go back to fighting my equipment just to edit video.

I know that HDV is the wave of the future, it's only a question of when will that future arrive.

[David Lach]

Originally Posted by Jason Lowe

I know that HDV is the wave of the future, it's only a question of when will that future arrive.

Not to bring this thing OT, but I don't believe HDV is the future. HD, certainly, but HDV? Unless they come up with drastic format improvements (better lattitude and lower compression, to name a few), I can't see it being anything more than a transitional format, between DV and true HD (the Pana looks more promising).

David's right. Depends on your needs.

For myself - I've had the same thoughts that you have a few times.

I've had my XL2 for close to a couple of months. I have not seen anything done in HDV that has made me want to sell it and get a Sony Z1 or JVC HD100. I have seen a few people selling their HDV cams to get back to DV cam's and I"ve also seen the opposite.

I did alot of research before buying my XL2 weighing the benefits and drawbacks to each format for what my exact needs were, and made the right decision. None of those factors have changed to date, so if I didn't have a camcorder right now, I'd go buy a Canon XL2 today. Well actually, I wouldn't really have to go anywhere, I'd just call Brian at Zotz Digital again :)

[Steve House]

HD is certainly the where things will be in the future but the weak link for today and the near future is how to deliver HD programming to an audience. Until the audience for whom your productions are intended will be able to view them in HD, the added cost of HD over SD is money down the drain. About the time HD DVD or tape players reach the typical consumer or industrial user in signifigant numbers is also about the time you'll be looking to replace today's new camera with an upgrade anyway. IMHO, unless you're shooting for HD broadcast, theatrical release, or to build up a stock footage library to use in years down the road, 16:9 SD is the way to go for productions intended for today's audiences who are using today's equipment to view them.

[Antony Quintin]

thanks for all your help.

I have done loads of research and have been thinking about it for over a year and I think I have done the right decision!!!!!

[David Lach]

Originally Posted by Antony Quintin

thanks for all your help.

I have done loads of research and have been thinking about it for over a year and I think I have done the right decision!!!!!

Congratulations then. The XL2 is a fantastic camera. If it fits your needs, you won't be disapointed. Now turn off that computer and go play with your new toy! ;-)

[Antony Quintin]

hehe yea!!!!! ;)

[Mike Teutsch]

Originally Posted by Jason Lowe

I'm sort of in the same boat, but I haven't purchased a new camera yet. I primarily shoot outdoors, shooting railroads (both modern and vintage). It's a fun hobby and I make a little on the side selling videos to other "railfans".

What you have to consider is that almost no one you sell to will be able to look at or display any HD content for years to come. You will have since replaced that camera for a different one.

I own a HDV camera, and have held onto it, but may just go ahead and sell it soon. I never shoot with it, because is not going to be seen.

Mike

[Antony Quintin]

good point

[Boyd Ostroff]

Originally Posted by Derek West

you may want to look at a GL2. It has true 16:9.

There's nothing wrong with the GL2, but that statement is absolutely untrue. The GL2 does not have true 16:9. Of course one needs to define "true" here.... the GL2 will record an image in the correct anamorphic 16:9 format, but don't confuse the format with the quality.

The GL2's CCD's can only resolve 480 vertical lines, so in order to acheive the 16:9 proportion it uses the center 360 lines then it stretches these vertically to create a 480 line anamorphic image. 480-360=120 and 120/480=0.25, therefore you lose 25% of your vertical resolution when shooting 16:9 on the GL2 - same on the PD-170. Those 120 lost lines represent the area above and below a 16:9 rectangle in the middle of a 4:3 frame.

The XL2's CCD's are higher resolution, so a 16:9 image can contain all 480 lines as captured. There are less expensive cameras which also do this, like the Sony PDX-10, Panasonic GS-400, Sony HC-1000 and even many of Sony's and Canon's one-chippers. The key to this is having high resolution CCD's, which have become more common in newer camera designs. Unfortunately cameras of the GL2's vintage generally did not offer this feature.

Sorry & Thanks Boyd.

I edited my post above.

[Lauri Kettunen]

As David I'm also bit sceptical of HDV. For, the idea is store the data in about the same space as in DV format. The increased spatial resolution does not come free, but instead, there must a price to pay for that elsewhere. What is this price precisely is bit difficult to say at this point.