HD to FCP

[alonerdottiearebel]

Hi all,

I'm wondering about low-cost, no frills HD deck for digitizing to a G5 running FCP 4.5.

Assuming we will have to return the HD camera immediately after the shoot, we'll have to rent a deck to digitize our tapes. I've used the Sony HDW-F500 but it rents for an average of $1500/day. We don't have that kind of budget so we'd like to find an alternative for $500/day or less. Would a Panasonic DVCPRO AJ-HD1200A work? Other choices you can suggest?

Thanks,
PW

 

[Tim Kolb]

So, I take it that acquisition format is flexible? Of course, if you shot HDcam and rented a Panasonic DVC ProHD deck, that wouldn't work...you would need to shoot DVC ProHD.

 

[alonerdottiearebel]

Yes, we haven't selected a DP nor a format yet. I'm just trying to get more info for budget estimates.

If we go HDCAM, any no frills, cost affordable deck you can recommend?

If we go DVC ProHD, same question?

For that matter, what are the biggest differences between shooting consumer HD (like the Canon XL H1 HDV) and professional HD (like the Sony F900)?

Thanks,
PW

 

[Tim Kolb]

I think I'd point you toward the Panasonic 1200 deck and using DVC ProHD for FCP.

HDcam has no FireWire functionality and isn't native for FCP.

"Consumer" HD...HDV is more compressed than HDcam or DVC ProHD and will (in my experience) appear "noisy" as the aggressive compression can have some overall artifacting. The motion artifacts are there, but over emphasized based on my experience.

The bottom line is that if you have budget to go with DVC ProHD over HDV, I'd go that way.

 

[MarkG]

"Consumer" HD...HDV is more compressed than HDcam or DVC ProHD and will (in my experience) appear "noisy" as the aggressive compression can have some overall artifacting.

I haven't really noticed that, even with gain pushed up. The only major problem I've had with HDV is that it removes fine detail from large areas of solid colors (e.g. white walls), so if you then push the grading you get artifacts.

Also, with the Z1 faces look a little soft for my taste, but I'm guessing that's due to using 'pixel shift' rather than real 1440x1080 CCDs.

 

[alonerdottiearebel]

Has anyone noticed an image quality difference between the Sony F900 and the Panasonic AJ-HDC27H?

 

[Didofo]

Achtung!!

 

[BenB]

This is late, but FCP does in fact support HDCam. I'd go with DVCPRO-HD, the HVX200, an FS-100, and tapeless workflow. I'm absolutly loving it. And all for the price of HDV.