Camera suggestions please

[Mike Veitch]

i think you will get more time (65 mins) on tape than on any HDD camera currently available

 

[BKP]

I've been researching this myself a little. Take a look at the Sony DCR-SR100. Lists for around $900, however, I've seen it for under $500. It's one of the newer hard drive models (no tapes or DVDs). Ikelite has an excellent housing for it.

 

[alo100]

Not that one, that's the Bluefin. This one: http://www.uwimaging.com/stingray_three_sport/index.htm

Or the same housing from TopDawg:
http://www.topdawgvideo.com/

Either one is $899. But there is some differences between them that I'm not clear on. There's a post either here or on WetPixel about using a TopDawg with an HC1/HC3.

You mean the Bluefin would fit HC1 (according to the site info) and HC3 as well?

 

[alo100]

i think you will get more time (65 mins) on tape than on any HDD camera currently available

Not 100% sure myself, let me double check also, but I think this is what I've heard:
For the sony HD camcorders, the mini tape version can provide around and hour recording time and then the 30G Hard Disk version would last (XP, highest resolution) for about 4 hours with the AVCHD format.

 

[diversteve]

You mean the Bluefin would fit HC1 (according to the site info) and HC3 as well?

No I meant that if you buy the TopDawg or the L&M Stingray III - same housing different port - that the HC1 (and I assume the HC3) will fit either of them. The person I referred to in my previous post had a TopDawg housing with an HC1 in it. Since they're electronic housings, there's a lot of interchangeability with various Sony models.

One trade-off will be less controls using the Top Dawg/Stingray instead of the Bluefin. And 1/2 the depth rating, it's only rated to 150' compared to 330' for the Bluefin.

There is a Bluefin for both the HC1 and HC3 also. If you're looking to spend that sort of money, I'd also consider the Amphibico EVO/EVO Pro and the Gates. For me, the EVO was the best option for my HC1.

 

[diversteve]

Not 100% sure myself, let me double check also, but I think this is what I've heard:
For the sony HD camcorders, the mini tape version can provide around and hour recording time and then the 30G Hard Disk version would last (XP, highest resolution) for about 4 hours with the AVCHD format.

That would be correct but since it's AVHCD, it's MPEG2 compression so there's a tradeoff in time vs. quality. Another advantage I see for tape is media storage, in 30 seconds I can be shooting a new tape, to d/l 30GB probably takes longer plus you then you have to buy a laptop or other high-capacity storage drive to dump it all to. In a week long trip that could become more of a burden.

The thing that really hangs me up about AVHCD is the lack of editing tools. And I suspect(don't know) that the video quality is lower also as I think the HDD camcorders trade performance for ease of use. One of the Sony's has an "Easy" button, that tells you something about the market they're targeted at.

 

[Dan Gibson]

One thing to consider is customer service. Whether you like Ikelite housings or not, their service is second to none.

Yes, actually that's my question as well, which is the best deal (quality and $), Ikelite, Light and Motion, then Sea & Sea?

 

[limeyx]

You mean the Bluefin would fit HC1 (according to the site info) and HC3 as well?

There is a bluefin for HC1 and (I think a different one) for HC3
but the TopDawg/Sport housings take multiple kinds of cameras (a huge range) but with some compromises on image quality, depth limits, lack of add-on lenses etc. (but they are less $$$)

I heard the TopDawg can take the HC3 but the HC1 might be too big.

Generally a L&M housing will work for just 1 (maybe 2) cameras.

 

[limeyx]

I see want you mean, agree, my original idea is, by using hard disk, I don't need to change any tape for the full day, e.g. multiple dives (don't want to open the housing at somewhere of which I have no idea about the humidity, blur the interrier of the housing etc), then by the end of the day I'd be able to do my editing when both air conditioning on and when my laptop is ready. files in HD from the camcorder -> HD of my pc -> CD, hopefully the s/w is coming soon.

but the AVCHD is a pain when I heard all of these:
http://www.camcorderinfo.com/bbs/t132066.html
I asked the salesperson before, the s/w is coming up according to what he heard from SONY, but when the s/w is not coming with the h/w when they sell it to us, it would probably mean that we have to buy it seperately....
So, by the mean time, the SONY PS3 would know how to play the disk in AVCHD format (according to another post), our DVD players would not, it makes me wondered what's going on...

Please keep me in the loop, I thought I have decided what to buy, but it looks like that more HD camcorders are coming out, need to hear more feedbacks and reviews.

My major concern with AVCHD would be quality -- HDV is already compressing 100M down to 25M, which is enough of a compromise. Also, MPEG-2 is not really the ideal CODEC for continued editing.

The Hard Drive issue is somewhat secondary. I like tapes because they are a really cheap backup medium. This way I can work on a project, then erase it from my HD to free up space but I easily have access to the original tapes.

With HD-only, backing up becomes more of an issue I think

 

[diversteve]

I heard the TopDawg can take the HC3 but the HC1 might be too big.

The TopDawg II will house either. http://www.topdawgvideo.com/compatibility.htm

Suprisingly they show both the DSR models as incompatible.