Some final questions about Panasonic GS500 and Canon HV20!!?

Question

I've been contemplating either the GS500 or HV20 for some weeks now, and it's been tough! certain things I read make it seem like standard DV cameras are still more reliable, in terms of frames never being dropped and things like that. when comparing a 3CCD camera to a single-chip HD, are they even close in comparison? I'd also be interested in shooting certain things in "cinema" mode and I know that the HV20 has the 24fps feature, but what kind of cinematic mode does the GS500 have? can it shoot in 24 or at least 25-6? really the only other things slowing me down on choosing the HV20 are all the things saying that I will have to have one h**l of a strong computer to upload everything in HD. all I have is a firewire cable. if I purchase an external hard drive and Sony Vegas Platinum, will I have all I need to successfully work with HD video? and do I really have to start buying HD recordable tapes or will standard def tapes work just as well?

Answer 1

when comparing a 3CCD camera to a single-chip HD, are they even close in comparison? In picture clarity?

** No. The HV20 high definition camera will blow the GS320 out of the water. Even when they are both shooting in standard def mode.

I'd also be interested in shooting certain things in "cinema" mode and I know that the HV20 has the 24fps feature, but what kind of cinematic mode does the GS500 have? can it shoot in 24 or at least 25-6?

** The PV-GS500 does standard 30 FPS (well, technically, 29.97) only.

really the only other things slowing me down on choosing the HV20 are all the things saying that I will have to have one h**l of a strong computer to upload everything in HD.

** I don't necessarily agree with this. I use a 3 year old 17" G5 iMac flatpanel with 2 gig RAM and a couple of external drives for the video projects. Importing 1 hour of 1080i video from my Sony HDR-HC1 takes about 2.5 hours to import. I click import, and go do something else... Editing and previews in the video editing apps (iMovie HD or FinalCut) is fine... it may take a few more seconds to render transitions or titles. And if it is something that takes a long time to render like the end-credits, I just go do something else during the render. Then, when rendering the final project out as a compressed data file or burning out to DVD, each frame is rendered and that can take a while... once again, I just go do something else. Would a faster computer be better? Maybe - but since this allows me to multi-task, I actually find it pretty efficient.

all I have is a firewire cable. if I purchase an external hard drive and Sony Vegas Platinum, will I have all I need to successfully work with HD video?

** Along with the computer? Yes, I think so. LOTS of RAM! LOTS of hard drive space (Standard definition @ 13 gig per hour of imported video... High Definition @ 44 gig per hour of imported video.)

and do I really have to start buying HD recordable tapes or will standard def tapes work just as well?

** You do not need to buy the special HD tapes. I've been shooting hidef video for over two years. I use "Sony Premium". I believe this is their cheap stuff. I never re-use tapes. I have NEVER had a frame drop. The special HD tapes are made differently, but as far as I know only people who don't know any better, don't mind spending the money or professionals use the special "HD" tapes. Heck, I know pros who don't buy the special HD tapes and shoot HDV...

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In my experience, the DVD menuing/rendering app knows that the burner is not a hidef burner so it will downsample the HDV to standard def for that burn process. At least, that is how iDVD handles it...

This will be the CLEAREST standard def you have seen - no it will not be in HD - if it were in HD, a non HD DVD player would not be able to do anything with the video.

If you want to see your creation in HD, you have 3 choices:

1) Use a BluRay burner andplayback in a BluRay disc player:

http://www.lacie.com/us/products/range.h...

(I didn't say it was affordable - I just said it is a choice).

2) Save the project as a data file, and presuming you have a HDTV that you can connect to your computer (with a xVGA cable like I can with my Panasonic plasma), use the computer as your "media center". I'll throw in the AppleTV type boxes in this category, too (though it connects using HDMI).

3) Export the finished project back out to the camcorder and use the camcorder as the hidef playback device. The HV20 will connect to your HDTV with either HDMI or component cables.

Answer 2

as i know canon hv 20 is a great camcorder, but i personally like canon hg10 more than hv 20

because its new camcorder and has wonderful options