New Camcorder

[purejammy]

I have had my XM2 for well less than a year and jolly pleased with it I am too!

But I am already thinking ahead to my next cam, and had I had the money 6 months ago I almost certainly would have opted for a Canon XL2s.

However I will be buying my cam in about another 12 months, by which time the HDV technology should be well embedded in most NLEs.

My videogrpahy still concentrates mostly on family events, the occasional one minute movies and some wedding videography.

Should I go HD? If so what are your top 5 reasons for doing so?

Please discuss.

[Marc Peters]

We had a similar discusion about six months ago, and I'm still of the same opinion. There's no doubting that High Definition is the way forward, and a consumer delivery format for camcorders is agreed and represented by HDV. But it's still in its infancy and product life cycles for new technology are ever decreasing. Marry the two and you could well argue that in six months to a year's time the quality will be better, the delivery format improved and the price lower.

For me, I'm happy filming and editing in DV: the quality is good, I've invested about 5k in the equipment and there's no end product delivery format for stand alone players.

Ask me the same question in a year's time and you'll get a very different answer from me. I've been looking at buying a third camera for myself, and to be honest this will probably be HDV. But I wouldn't at this moment in time replace my DV camcorders.

The future is clearly High Definition. But at least 'till the end of the year, I'm in the present.

[irishmark]

HD is comming with a force but for the non professional market DV and DVcam are more than adequet - HD cameras will and are really expensive. - Alot of broadcast houses will be chucking their PD150's cheap so if u wanna use DVCAM then these are the best. - Unless u planning to broadcast - dont worry bout high def - it will be another 5 years till its truly industry standard.