What camera will give me the least headache?

[Joachim Hoge]

I´m in the process of bying a camera (HDV).
It´s for a documentary on the restauration process of Munch´s Scream and Madonna paintings that were stolen a few years ago.
I need a small form factor camera as they won´t allow us in with "big" cameras. We need to be able to deliver it in HD as well as SD for future sales.

Ideally I would get a Xdcam HD 350 or 330, but not sure we will be able to use it (and not sure my budgte can stretch that far, might have to rent instead)

2nd an 3rd on the list is Canon H1 and JVC GY 200.

I´ve had some reliabilty issues with the JVC 100 series AND problems with editing in Avid Express, but I do like the form factor and "pro" lens.

The project will be edited on Avid (I have FCP at home) by proffesional editors.

Which camera has the best workflow in post?
Does Avid support the JVC HDV codec yet?
What about Canon?

I thought to start in this end with my question, because it seems to be a lot of confusion around.

PS I´m not interested in opinions on image quality on the cameras as I have used both and know (to some extent) what they are capable of. I just want to know what would be the most hassel free in post as I usualy don´t edit my own footage

Thanks

[Gregg Bond]

considered the Z1/V1 ?

[David Parks]

Originally Posted by Joachim Hoge

The project will be edited on Avid (I have FCP at home) by profesional editors.

Which camera has the best workflow in post?
Does Avid support the JVC HDV codec yet?
What about Canon?

Thanks

Joachim,

Avid supports HDV1 on the JVC ProHD., that support is just somewhat incomplete. 30p, 50p and 60p are fine and in your case in Pal Land 50p would work great. (50p/60p using Varicam Flags on HDSDI JVC 250 and Analog HD Component on 200 into an Avid Media Composer Adrenaline). On the JVC 110 Avid supports 30p without any problems and can be captured through firewire. The incomplete part comes from lack of support for HDV 24p/25p through firewire. However, even 24p/25p into MC Adrenaline with the HD card out of the HDSDI or analog component can be edited in a 720/50p project.

I would really look seriously at the 200 or 250 and shooting 50p. You'll get amazingly sharp progressive images and for the most part, pretty much all of the reliability issues have been fixed.

The big question is how is the material captured and which level of Avid is it going to be edited on. Avid Symphony/Media Composer Adrenaline where everything will most likely not come in on firewire, or Avid Xpress, which won't work very easily in your case.

But, if this is a high end post house I bet dollars to donuts they have a least a MC Adrenaline.

Let me know of you have any questions. Hope this helps.

On the Canon, you'll also have to use the higher end model with the HD SDI output into an Adrenaline. But you'll get good results.

I can't speak for the Sony V1 other than with the Avid MC Adrenaline you might have to use a creative workaround. I think Steve Mullen has posted a few workflows.

Bottom line is to find out what specific edit system the material is to be digitized before.

Cheers.

[Joachim Hoge]

Thanks for very helpfull post David.

Gregg, I feel the Sony (Z1) is not the right camera for this job ( I have used it on 2 different documentaries with great results. Very impressed by it´s build quality on a 3 week trip to India where I was 3 days in the dessert and the rest shooting water (or the lack of))

The production company is one of the biggest in Scandinavia and have a great deal of Avids. BUT, I know they have different set ups depending on the production at hand. I will try to find out asap. Production manager only told me it was Avid.

I´m in PAL land so I´m either shooting 50 or 25, but I had problems with both in Avid Express.

If one wants to capture "uncompressed" do you have to hook the camera up to a computer or do portable solution exist?

Thanks
Joachim

[David Parks]

Originally Posted by Joachim Hoge

If one wants to capture "uncompressed" do you have to hook the camera up to a computer or do portable solution exist?

Thanks
Joachim

The answer is yes. If you want to capture uncompressed you would need a hefty capture solution with probably 4 way striped drive array, an Aja capture card, or Black Magic card. You could also go out on the 250 HDSDI out, convert through a Convergence box to HDMI and go into an Intensity Card. But then you still have to convert to an DNXHD from your uncompressed QT or AVI. And those uncompressed HD files will be huge to say the least. Very time consuming to convert and manage.

But if you're trying to stay small rather than hauling around a computer, extra monitors and which such defeats that purpose. If you want to use the live uncompressed outs on the 200/250, and stay somewhat small, and stay away from HDV, ...I would rent an HDCAM deck for recording. I bet that your post house has several HDCAM decks and then you could cross convert to out of the camera 1080i/50 from 720p/50. In my opinion that would be the most straightforward approach with the least of amount of hassle with the best quality.

Check out cross convert capabilities. http://pro.jvc.com/prof/attributes/f...l_id=MDL101625


Cheers.

[Joachim Hoge]

The HDCAM deck is an interesting solution. I´ll Have a look into what they have available in house.
Thanks again

[Tomas Chinchilla]

Portable + Quality + Features (HD SDI output & XLR) = Canon XH G1

[Chris Hurd]

Unless there's been a recent change of which I'm not aware, Avid still does not support the Canon progressive HD output (Frame mode) from the XL and XH cameras. So the XH G1 and XL H1 might not be good recommendations for Joachim.

[Tomas Chinchilla]

My bad, I must have missed something I though someone said that they needed HD SDI which has none of these issues.