HD vs SD recording

[robint]

okay, now that I am definitely in the market to upgrade, I am trying to wade through all the information regarding all the camcorders out there on the market. :shocked2: Being an artist, not a techno-geek, my head is spinning.

I know many of you here had HD camcorders, but don't burn HD DVDs. So my question is - you record all your videos in HD, right? Now, does the camcorder download into your editing program the video in HD or SD or both, or does it download just what is recorded and your editing program convert to either format? Or do you have to decide before you put the camcorder in the housing if you are going to shoot in SD or HD? The more I read about this, the more confused I am getting!!!

The reason I ask, is that if I have to buy a new camcorder and a new housing, I can't afford to get a BlueRay burner and player right now. I need to be able to record and enjoy my videos now until I can though.

robin

 

[Tienuts]

Depending on which editing program you use, it will allow the capture and import of HD video.

When you go to export there will be all sorts of compression options for different output qualities. It is possible to get shorter videos to look real nice on a standard definition DVD. The compression options are numerous and confusing to me, which is why I sold all my HD video stuff, and went back a Dslr.

You could always upgrade to a blue-ray burner once you become James Cameron.

 

[H2O Photo Pros]

Here is what I suggest. Since you have the funds to go HD right now (sans BR burner and player) go ahead and get the camera and housing since HD is in and SD would be an outdated investment. For the meantime, when you edit your videos, you can edit them in HD and when you are ready to burn to a disc, you can compress the final project to SD and burn onto a regular DVD. Although temporarily you will still be watching an SD DVD, you have the original files in HD so when the funds become available to buy a BR burner and player (both of which are dropping in $$ fast) you can do so. I never recommend buying into old technology. Get something that will last you some time.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[H2O Photo Pros]

Do run a Windows or Mac system??

 

[robint]

thanks H2O, I think you nailed what I had been planning to do.... just another reason I like staying with tape and not going to one of the other media formats. I keep all my tapes and can reload and re-edit any of them any time in the future.

I really don't want to go with an SD system because they are out-of-date and no better than the system I already have. When doing a cost comparison - there is only a few hundred dollars anyhow. Why bother...

I have a computer using Windows, a 3 yr old Dell that I bought specifically for video and photo editing - no other programs are run on it and it isn't connected to internet. I will want to upgrade the memory most likely if I go to HD. That shouldn't be too costly.

As far as my poor old Sony HC42, it has gone to that great camcorder heaven after suffering a painful death by salt water in Honduras. I just bought a used one to replace it for now on ebay, which should be arriving here in a few days. That way I can edit what I did shoot on vacation before the oops, and also test it to make sure it works well before I sell the whole package (HC42 with Ikelite housing) on ebay once I buy the replacement. I leak tested the housing in Honduras and it was fine, proving it was operator error that took the life of my camcorder (oh well, it was 3 yrs old this month!). :depressed:

robin

 

[H2O Photo Pros]

Tape is good, but I still REALLY like the solid state media. I switched to it with my HVX200 2 years ago, and now shoot the EX1. Even with the new media formats, you can still keep your original files in HD and then just compress your final project into SD at the end. I like the ease of editing and capturing with solid state.

I know the Tape vs. Solid State is a big debate. You can't go wrong with either so it really is a personal preference. I for one hate tape now that I have experience with the new formats. I use the Sony Sr12 for topside footage all the time and love it. I even mix it in with my underwater EX1 footage on my trips.

 

[ronscuba]

Record your edited HDV video back to your HDV camcorder. Connect it to an HDTV and you get to watch your finished video in it's full HDV resolution.

You can also buy 1 of the new HD media players that play multiformats such as the raw HDV video files. Western digital has one that costs about $120.
CDRLabs.com - Western Digital Introduces HD Media Player | News

 

[diversteve]

I have a computer using Windows, a 3 yr old Dell that I bought specifically for video and photo editing - no other programs are run on it and it isn't connected to internet. I will want to upgrade the memory most likely if I go to HD. That shouldn't be too costly.

Maybe...

Here are the requirements to edit in HD using Adobe Premiere Elements:
(edited to remove std. req's any XP machine meets)

1.8GHz processor with SSE2 support; 3GHz processor required for HDV or Blu-ray; dual-core processor required for AVCHD
Microsoft Windows XP with Service Pack 2, Windows Media Center, or Windows Vista
For Windows XP: 512MB of RAM (2GB required for HDV, AVCHD, or Blu-ray)
For Windows Vista: 1GB of RAM (2GB required for HDV, AVCHD, or Blu-ray)
DVD-ROM drive (compatible DVD burner required to burn DVDs; compatible Blu-ray burner required to burn Blu-ray Discs)

Vegas Movie Studio Platinum is a little more moderate:
(edited..)
800 MHz processor (2.8 GHz recommended for HDV and AVCHD)
256 MB RAM (512 MB RAM recommended for HDV and AVCHD)
Supported DVD- R /- RW /+ R /+ RW drive (for DVD burning only)
Supported BD-R/-RE drive (for Blu-ray Disc burning)
(note: the Platinum version is for HD)

The two to be concerned with in a 3 year old machine are processor speed and system memory. If your computer doesn't meet/exceed them both, capturing HDV/AVCHD video won't reliably work. I shoot tape but from what I've read, you can't have too much processor power for capturing AVCHD cleanly.

Note that Adobe requires SSE2 support, 3 years ago, that would've meant an Intel processor afaik.

Since you like Ikelite, check out some of the new Canon Vixia's. A couple of them now capture AVCHD to HDD/Solid State media at 24MBPS, that's the same resolution as tape - but with hours more recording time. But if you want the reversing circuitry, you'll have to stay with Sony.

My next camcorder will likely be a Sony HDD model, with a 120GB drive, the limiting factor in how often you open the housing becomes battery life not tape length. I only change the battery on my HC1 about every 3-4 tapes now. If some housing mfr' would include a waterproof Firewire port, you could go for days w/o needing to open your housing...

While Ron's suggestion was a good one, if you factor in the cost of the needed Passport drive ($100 for 250GB)
- B&H has the Sony BWU300S Blu-Ray burner for $399.

 

[H2O Photo Pros]

Ah yes Steve, a waterproof FW port would be amazing!! Heck with the EX1 I dont have to change batteries or cards for a couple of days!!

 

[diversteve]

For $10K I thought Gates sends somebody to do that for you...