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Happy New Year for all. I hace a question, recently a friend told me tha he heard that Mini-DV technology is dying. I want to know you opinion about this. I am planning to buy a Sony HVR-Z5U that records in Mini-DV but also y am going to buy the HVR-MRC1K
Memory Recording Unit for the camera. Can you help me with any comment about this?
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Mini-DV is definitly dying, but I wouldn't worry too much about that. Even today you can buy VHS tapes, and IMHO as long as people are using Mini-DV the tapes will be produced.
And since with the HVR-MRC1K you're planning to get a tapeless solution as well you're on the save side.
Two years ago I bought a Sony HVR-V1E which uses Mini-DV as well and I'm planning to get a Hyper Deck Shuttle from Blackmagic Design to eventually switch to tapeless recording.
Just my two cents
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"Tragedy is a close-up; comedy, a long shot." - Buster Keaton
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While it's true that one ought to be able to purchase blank tape for some time yet, think about the shortcomings of the HDV format itself for a moment. The 1440x1080 resolution and Long-GOP MPEG-2 format are kind of weak compared to the quality available from 1920x1080 AVCHD cameras today, and then you're spending extra money to go tapeless, when in fact the new AVCHD cameras are already tapeless.
If you are really liking the Z5U, then consider something like the Atomos Ninja ProRes recorder unit rather than the Sony recorder, since the Sony part records the EXACT SAME VIDEO as you would capture on tape, with all the shortcomings of the HDV format. The Ninja would record the video BEFORE compression is applied, using 1920x1080 resolution with 4:2:2 color to a high data rate (100, 150, 220Mbps options)ProRes codec, producing a much higher quality result than the camera can capture natively.
I have a Sony FX7 HDV camera and can speak from experience that the HDV codec is not my favorite. Unless you like blocky compression artifacts.
You might consider a Sony NX5U camera for instance and leave HDV behind.
Jeff Pulera
Safe Harbor
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[Jeff Pulera] "If you are really liking the Z5U, then consider something like the Atomos Ninja ProRes recorder unit rather than the Sony recorder, since the Sony part records the EXACT SAME VIDEO as you would capture on tape, with all the shortcomings of the HDV format."
The same thing is true for the Hyper Deck Shuttle.
But you're absolutely right, Jeff. HDV is an outdated format.
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"Tragedy is a close-up; comedy, a long shot." - Buster Keaton
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Hi Peter,
I saw that you were interested in the Shuttle, and while uncompressed can be great for short commercials and such that must be keyed and composited and require the ultimate quality, uncompressed video is in no way, shape or form handy to work with for the average shooter doing weddings, events, etc. of any length because of huge storage needs and editing overhead.
Ninja can record several HOURS of ProRes to a cheap $100 hard drive, versus how many MINUTES of uncompressed on a more expensive SSD? Shuttle and Ninja/Samurai each have their niche I guess
Jeff
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Jeff, thank you very much! This is very valuable information to me.
Much appreciated!
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"Tragedy is a close-up; comedy, a long shot." - Buster Keaton
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