Advice On Purchasing A Fine HD Camcorder, Please at DVinfo.net

Aram Rian · March 16th, 2008, 08:00 AM

Hello, fellow forumers.
I am currently looking for an excellent quality pro HD camcorder in the price range of $1500-2500. I now own a Sony VX2100E. So it should be something much better than that.
I would really appreciate your advice!
Thanks.

Stuart Burns · March 16th, 2008, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aram Rian

Hello, fellow forumers.
I am currently looking for an excellent quality pro HD camcorder in the price range of $1500-2500.

You won't get a Pro HD camera for anything like that. Why don't you look at somewhere like Creative Video or Prestons for an idea of what is available and the current prices.

Quote:

I now own a Sony VX2100E. So it should be something much better than that.

Better in what way? As far as SD cameras are concerned, the VX2100 is hard to beat.

Aram Rian · March 16th, 2008, 09:00 AM

thank you for the reply, Stuart.
i saw a Sony HVR-HD1000U at $1600 on the web, so I assumed there would be HD camcorders in that price range.
the problem with my VX2100 is that the quality gets worse with each step of post-production. or perhaps there are certain methods for maintaining the original quality throughout the entire process i'm not aware of?

Stuart Burns · March 16th, 2008, 09:07 AM

Yes, the Sony HD1000 looks like it is a great piece of kit and it's my intention to get one very soon (having just sold my VX2100). HDV isn't considered Pro HD, though - for "prosumer" use it's fine and a big step up from SD but for Pro quality, you need HDCam, XDCAM-HD or something similar.

As for the quality issues with the VX2100 - what is your workflow? What editing package do you use; how do you ingest the material; how do you output the finished product etc? If you're getting picture degradation, I think there is a problem somewhere along the line as your end product should be pretty much the same as your original.

Aram Rian · March 16th, 2008, 09:26 AM

i'm using final cut, occasionally imovie, on a macbook. footage input - always via firewire. output options: 1) fce/imovie > camcorder; or 2) fce/imovie > full quality quicktime .mov file > a deinterlacing application > dvd. quality loss starts as soon as i apply colour correction in either final cut or imovie. edges on some parts of the picture go blurry, and tiny pixels emerge where colour (or any other effect, basically) has been applied. i so long to maintain that original crispiness, though!

Stuart Burns · March 16th, 2008, 09:28 AM

Hmm, yes - that's annoying. I haven't come across that problem before so can't offer any advice. it shouldn't happen so hopefully somebody will be able to offer some suggestions.

Aram Rian · March 16th, 2008, 09:32 AM

how would you normally use your vx2100? your ideal settings on the camcorder, tape type, etc?

Stuart Burns · March 16th, 2008, 10:59 AM

The only thing I'm really fussy about setting manually on the camcorder is the white balance. I find the camera's idea of white balance and mine don't match! :) Apart from that, I usually leave things on auto settings (although focus is sometimes set to manual, depending on what I'm recording).

I use the standard FCP setups for importing and setting up sequences (PAL DV, although yours might be different). Everything has always worked fine and the final output is high quality.

Aram Rian · March 16th, 2008, 11:21 AM

hmm, sounds great.
why would one wanna go for an hd camcorder then? :-)

Stelios Christofides · March 16th, 2008, 03:16 PM

Aram
I think that you can try this one:
http://www.sony.co.uk/view/ShowProdu...tegory=HDD+HDV

Stelios

Robert M Wright · March 16th, 2008, 05:45 PM

I don't know what is available in PAL land, but, in the US, Sony is selling refurbished HDR-FX1s for close to $2000(USD) right now.

Aram Rian · March 17th, 2008, 12:26 AM

thanks for the last two posts, guys. interestingly, FX1 was the HD alternative on my VX2100 booklet, so I've always been aware of it. is it true that FX7 has weaker characteristics (light sensitivity, lens, etc) than FX1? and how do these two compare to the above-mentioned HD1000?

Marcus Marchesseault · March 17th, 2008, 05:12 AM

The HD1000 uses the same imaging chip as the HC7 HDV palmcorder. It is a nice CMOS imager, but it is not as good as the FX7 or FX1. The FX cameras are different but overall comparable. The FX1 is a bit better in low light but the FX7 has a better image in strong light with intense colors. The FX1 has a wider field of view but the FX7 has a very long zoom. I guess you could say that the FX1 is a bit better inside and the FX7 is a bit better outdoors.

Aram Rian · March 17th, 2008, 06:05 AM

thanks, Marcus. i guess i have to obtain both, then. hehe.

March 16th, 2008, 08:00 AM	#1
Aram Rian Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Birmingham, UK / Yerevan, Armenia Posts: 93	Advice On Purchasing A Fine HD Camcorder, Please Hello, fellow forumers. I am currently looking for an excellent quality pro HD camcorder in the price range of $1500-2500. I now own a Sony VX2100E. So it should be something much better than that. I would really appreciate your advice! Thanks. __________________ "I do detest everything which is not perfectly mutual." Lord Byron

March 16th, 2008, 09:00 AM	#3
Aram Rian Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Birmingham, UK / Yerevan, Armenia Posts: 93	thank you for the reply, Stuart. i saw a Sony HVR-HD1000U at $1600 on the web, so I assumed there would be HD camcorders in that price range. the problem with my VX2100 is that the quality gets worse with each step of post-production. or perhaps there are certain methods for maintaining the original quality throughout the entire process i'm not aware of? __________________ "I do detest everything which is not perfectly mutual." Lord Byron

March 16th, 2008, 09:26 AM	#5
Aram Rian Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Birmingham, UK / Yerevan, Armenia Posts: 93	i'm using final cut, occasionally imovie, on a macbook. footage input - always via firewire. output options: 1) fce/imovie > camcorder; or 2) fce/imovie > full quality quicktime .mov file > a deinterlacing application > dvd. quality loss starts as soon as i apply colour correction in either final cut or imovie. edges on some parts of the picture go blurry, and tiny pixels emerge where colour (or any other effect, basically) has been applied. i so long to maintain that original crispiness, though! __________________ "I do detest everything which is not perfectly mutual." Lord Byron

March 16th, 2008, 09:32 AM	#7
Aram Rian Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Birmingham, UK / Yerevan, Armenia Posts: 93	how would you normally use your vx2100? your ideal settings on the camcorder, tape type, etc? __________________ "I do detest everything which is not perfectly mutual." Lord Byron

March 16th, 2008, 11:21 AM	#9
Aram Rian Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Birmingham, UK / Yerevan, Armenia Posts: 93	hmm, sounds great. why would one wanna go for an hd camcorder then? :-) __________________ "I do detest everything which is not perfectly mutual." Lord Byron

March 16th, 2008, 09:07 AM	#4
Stuart Burns New Boot Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Dundee, UK Posts: 10	Yes, the Sony HD1000 looks like it is a great piece of kit and it's my intention to get one very soon (having just sold my VX2100). HDV isn't considered Pro HD, though - for "prosumer" use it's fine and a big step up from SD but for Pro quality, you need HDCam, XDCAM-HD or something similar. As for the quality issues with the VX2100 - what is your workflow? What editing package do you use; how do you ingest the material; how do you output the finished product etc? If you're getting picture degradation, I think there is a problem somewhere along the line as your end product should be pretty much the same as your original.

March 16th, 2008, 09:28 AM	#6
Stuart Burns New Boot Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Dundee, UK Posts: 10	Hmm, yes - that's annoying. I haven't come across that problem before so can't offer any advice. it shouldn't happen so hopefully somebody will be able to offer some suggestions.

March 16th, 2008, 10:59 AM	#8
Stuart Burns New Boot Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Dundee, UK Posts: 10	The only thing I'm really fussy about setting manually on the camcorder is the white balance. I find the camera's idea of white balance and mine don't match! :) Apart from that, I usually leave things on auto settings (although focus is sometimes set to manual, depending on what I'm recording). I use the standard FCP setups for importing and setting up sequences (PAL DV, although yours might be different). Everything has always worked fine and the final output is high quality.

March 16th, 2008, 03:16 PM	#10
Stelios Christofides Trustee Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Nicosia, CYPRUS Posts: 1,080	Aram I think that you can try this one: http://www.sony.co.uk/view/ShowProdu...tegory=HDD+HDV Stelios __________________ My Blog: http://steliosc.blogspot.com "I hope for nothing, I fear nothing, I am free" Nikos Kazantzakis

March 16th, 2008, 05:45 PM	#11
Robert M Wright Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Minnesota (USA) Posts: 2,171	I don't know what is available in PAL land, but, in the US, Sony is selling refurbished HDR-FX1s for close to $2000(USD) right now.

March 17th, 2008, 12:26 AM	#12
Aram Rian Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Birmingham, UK / Yerevan, Armenia Posts: 93	thanks for the last two posts, guys. interestingly, FX1 was the HD alternative on my VX2100 booklet, so I've always been aware of it. is it true that FX7 has weaker characteristics (light sensitivity, lens, etc) than FX1? and how do these two compare to the above-mentioned HD1000? __________________ "I do detest everything which is not perfectly mutual." Lord Byron

March 17th, 2008, 05:12 AM	#13
Marcus Marchesseault Trustee Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 1,961	The HD1000 uses the same imaging chip as the HC7 HDV palmcorder. It is a nice CMOS imager, but it is not as good as the FX7 or FX1. The FX cameras are different but overall comparable. The FX1 is a bit better in low light but the FX7 has a better image in strong light with intense colors. The FX1 has a wider field of view but the FX7 has a very long zoom. I guess you could say that the FX1 is a bit better inside and the FX7 is a bit better outdoors.

March 17th, 2008, 06:05 AM	#14
Aram Rian Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Birmingham, UK / Yerevan, Armenia Posts: 93	thanks, Marcus. i guess i have to obtain both, then. hehe. __________________ "I do detest everything which is not perfectly mutual." Lord Byron