Best format for editing HD

[Howardnwhite]

I have been editing for a long time with DV tape, but will need to go HD at some time. I have one HD camera now, that will take tapes, but when I buy a second (I film with two at once) I am concerned what to do. There seems very little left using HDV tapes, and everyone says things are hard to edit from the DVD and Hard drive ones. I wanted to get another Sony A1e, but they seem to be discontinued! Am I still best with tapes? I dont like quality loss or compression, which is why I have stuck faithfully to tapes for all my SD work. The only compression is when making the final DVD. I really want to keep it this way!! Or are there any hard drive cameras that will film in full non compressed format? With the size of drives these days, I cant see why this would be a problem. Sd was only 13GB per hour, so can you get a hard drive that will take HDV format the same as a tape? I dont mind playing and capturing, I am not bothered about the time involved if it saves compression. Also, will I capture using firewire/ilink the same as I do now with SD tapes? I am looking to edit with Vegas. I use Adobe Premier now, but will need new software for HD and no way can I afford Adobe!!! Sorry if this is all a bit generalised, but I just want general answers at this stage. I have been editing a long time now, but going HD is really new to me, so excuse me if I seem not very clued up on things that may be obvious to you. That said, I have a powerful machine that can hack it, but a confirmed PC user and am allergic to apples, except the edible variety so please dont try to push me down that route! Basicaaly, best format for HD lossless editing, how is it captured, and best machine to buy (top budget for camera is around two thousand pounds) Thanks so much!

[vidmanners]

. . . . . . Treading into the unknown is a big issue, until you have . . . . .
The Good News is that yr Editing Skills will remain, maybe get faster, etc.
Unless you use a Pro HD camera, then almost any decent PC will work OK. See Sony Vegas Forum here/elsewhere.

Vegas Studio is cheap and runs 32-bits, lots of effects, multi tracks A+V - v11 copes with progressive as well, 3D etc. Check out Sony Creative website. Lots of Tutorials and the "Production Suite is only a little more and comes with 1hr DVD Tutorial and "Sound Forge" for yr audio fixes..... although Vegas Studio is very good on Audio....IMHO
- I use VS v10 - but you need a good processor - min two-core but quad is better and a separate Graphics card like 1G, don't buy Integrated Graphics MBO. Lots of HDD capacity is good, too.
2-camera shoot not an issue, even in Vegas Studio - but you may want extra convenience of the "Pro" version - that will Cost!
You may need a WideScreen monitor as Editors are notorious for cramming-in program/option detail. Yr PC is fine and if using SDHC cards they just pop into the card-reader, click-job done - that's really quicker than tape (real-time, I understand).

. . . Few new Cameras use tape....
Yet Pros trust tape and it is still cheaper than SDHC cards and some Pro-memory is Expensive, just for a marginal data-rate (so it's said!) - - fact is that unless you need broadcast quality there are plenty of Camcorders, or DSLRs that will make very good HD vid - and then you throw away some def for a DVD which everyone (should) accept.
+I think Sony and Pana are moving away from SDHC memory (so they can profit from Sales?), in their pro cameras, although I've seen a 4x paralled SDHC-memory camcorder from JVC which is 4k (ie 4x HD) - I suspect it's not exactly broadcast Pro, but definition is quite exceptional for a small camcorder. . . . and it has usual Audio refinements (DYOR) - sorry don't know Model No.

If you need Pro-camera for broadcast-quality, I can't help; but suggest you make friends with a pro-supplier, or Hire-shop, so you can find the snags before spending Lots..
You will already have most of the "other" stuff, so that will reduce the on-cost.