Is this the one?

[Max Mishler]

Just got finished with the entire thread on the Sony HVR-HD1000U and am seriously considering buying this cam in the near future.

A little background. I've been a shooter in a live entertainment theater for 15 years first starting with a full ENG cam the Hitachi Z-OneC and most recently with a much lighter JVC GY-HD110U. Unfortunately the theater cut my position (but did offer me a lower paying stagehand job... better than nothing) due to the economy and so I'm putting a little more effort into the event (wedding) videography business I've nursed for the past few years.

I've owned and operated a Canon GL2 and a Panasonic AG-DVC30 and shot a few weddings with both before ultimately selling them on Ebay because they weren't getting enough use. I currently own a Canon Vixia HV30 for personal use and love the images it gets right out of the box. I even shot a "freebie" wedding for a co-worker with it which actually came out pretty good. I wouldn't even think about shooting a paid wedding with it though due to it's size and not appearing professional which I understand is crucial to future business. I might consider it as a backup for B-roll however.

OK, I promise there is some questions in this long winded rant. :) First, how do you guys feel about shooting weddings with this cam? I also have a live concert/ dance recital I'm shooting this month in a 2000 seat venue where whatever I purchase will be used as the upfront roving closeup cam. I'll also have a JVC GY-HD110U on a crane in the back and my HV30 on sticks in the center back unmanned as a backup wide shot in case nothing else is usable. How do you think the Sony HD1000 will do in this environment? As someone who's shot handheld on the shoulder all these years I really want something I can shoot comfortably this way. It's probably either going to be this cam or a used JVC GY-HD100 as they can be found for just over 2000.00 which is only 500 or 600 more than the Sony. That's quite a bit of money to put towards extra's though... I realize buying a used HD100 is probably preferable for this particular shoot due to the footage matching much better but I'm also thinking of future shoots where the Sony may actually match better with the Vixia HV30. Any of these can potentially be matched in post I guess. Thanks for any and all responses in advance!

[Don Bloom]

I don't have nor use the HD-1000 but personally I would be wary of it simply because it is a 1 chip camera which could be problematic in low light situations.
Frankly I would go for th epre-owned HD100 or 110. Of course with those you also need to have pro batteries and charger as the stock batteries don't last long enough to do the event. You could use the IDX7 batteries and a 2 position charger. The batteries are about $200 each and the charger about $500 or $600 but 3 batteries and the charger would set you up plus you can use them on other V lock type cameras. I know it's a bit more than perhaps your budget aloows but again the HD100U is a great piece of gear and would last you for a long enough time for you to decide whethter the wacky world of weddings is for you. If not you can perhaps find other type of work using the camera.
Just my opinion but frankly IF I was looking to buy new gear now and could only choose between the 2 you mentioed I'd go with the JVC.

[Adam Gold]

Don's right, plus trying to match the JVC's 720p with the Sony's 1080i will be a nightmare. The Sony HD1000 is fine for well-lit daytime shoots or even night-time sports in a lit arena, but suffers greatly in a theatrical environment, in my experience.

If you must have a shoulder mount, go for the JVC. If not, consider an FX7. But you'll still have the matching problems trying to match Sony and JVC footage. How are you planning to edit?

[Max Mishler]

Thanks for the advice Don! I really do like the JVC line and since I shot with the HD100 for over 2 years 6 nights a week I pretty much know it like the back of my hand. Of course, I was in a controlled show environment so once we had it setup we pretty much turned it on, checked presets and were off flying. The one thing I didn't like about it was durability. It was always indoors, doing the same shots for the same show night after night and it I still ended up with an LCD that didn't come on automatically like it should when opened (had to hold down the button on top that switches between LCD/Viewfinder and takes a good second or two to switch) and I ended up with a viewfinder/eyepiece that had to be reinforced with gaff tape because it cracked completely off one night. In other words, I feel like it's a Pro level camera built with consumer grade plastic. The battery issue is also one I've thought of. I'm hoping to find one with an Anton-Bauer plate already attached as I have access to a charger and several batteries... Wow, seems like I'm making a pretty good case for the JVC myself.. LOL Any Sony HD1000 fans want to rebutt? I'm still looking at it for price/value!

[Max Mishler]

Adam- I'll be editing this particular performance in Final Cut Studio via Multi-Clip. Having the Studio suite I know there are tools to fix color in post but I'd rather get as close as possible up front. Since this client wants SD should I just shoot all three camera's SD or shoot in HDV and down-convert? If I do shoot HD and down-convert will the 1080i/ 720P still present a problem? Since the theater I shot at was mainly for iMag we always shot SD so I didn't even get a chance to really mess with the HD aspects of the HD100 so in that sense I'm a noob! (knowing it like the back of my hand was probably the wrong term to use now that I think about it... ugh)

[Adam Gold]

I always like to stay in HD as long as possible, but shooting in SD or downconverting upon capture would solve the 1080 vs 720 problem, as everything would be 480. But then why shoot HD at all?

The Sony is a fine cam if it's used for its intended purpose, which this isn't, and I fear you'll be disappointed.

I think it's important to think really hard and pick a workflow and format, and then stick to it. Having three cams that shoot three different formats (potentially) will only cause you grief in the long run. Of course, others might call this "versatility." I now have ten (yeah, I know) HDV Sonys and aside from their little personality quirks, I know all will generally match one another without any workflow gymnastics.

[Max Mishler]

Ok, a third option and feel free to chime in on this one... I also have a friend who'd rent me another JVC for the day for 200.00 so I'd have two JVC's for this particular shoot... (this is what I did for this same recital last year and it was nice having two of the same cam's matched perfectly going into post) I could then base my decision for my purchase strictly off of the event stuff I'll be doing in the future... Keep in mind that I def. want to still use the HV30 for secondary cam b-roll (i own it so it's an instant money saver) and now I'm thinking a used Canon A1 might be the ticket for matching footage...

[Adam Gold]

I was actually going to suggest that. I think it's a good plan.

[Max Mishler]

Ok, this question might actually be better suited in another thread/ subject area but since it follows along the same lines here it is... Last year I only had the two JVC's for the recital and since I'm adding the HV30 to the mix as a backup/wideshot, what's the best way to get this one as closely matched as possible? I'll do a good search here but in the meantime any suggestions/ideas are welcome!

[Adam Gold]

Make sure they're all in the same progressive mode, either 24p or 30p. The HV30 will look sharper. The JVCs will have better color, most likely.

[Kren Barnes]

Our first wedding set up was a small JVC 3 CCD HDD and a Sony SR1-HD camera, color matching it was very difficult..HD 1000u is a good camera but you need lots of lights.. check out our wedding highlight sample shot entirely with 2 HD1000u , a bit of extra post production work but turns up well in each and every case...

Dario and Tanja- Part 2 on Vimeo

Cheers,

[Bryan Daugherty]

Max- This is older and you may have already solved it but I wanted to chime in. It is probably safe to say I am one of the stronger advocates for the HD1000U but in this case I don't think it is the right camera for you, not because of the job (I love using this cam in stage lighting) but because of your configuration of equipment. Mixing this camera with that model JVC, in my experience, is a disaster. They see the world very differently and to make them match you will have to strip the images to the lowest common denominators.

I also think you are on the right track with renting. The 100/110 series had a lot of issues and would be a better investment to grab a 200 or later model as the prices are dropping now that the 700 is out. Also if you are building for compatibility with your Vixia the canon may be another good option but for this recital job I would rent the 100 (to match your other JVC) and forget about the 1000U unless you are ready to re-tool your camera selection around the SONY clearvid CMOS line of cameras...

Best of luck and let us know how it all works out for you!