OT - Cameras that record to HD

Jim H wrote on 9/12/2006, 7:13 PM

The Public Access station I'm involved with has asked me to look into video cameras that record direct to hard disk. The thinking is that these cameras will ease the pain of migrating to digital content because the old coggers who use analog tape won't need to wait for files to transfer before they start to edit. Logical or not, I thought I'd ask.
1. What is available at the various price ranges?
2. How do they perform?
3. Pitfalls, myths? Worth the bother?

Thanks for the opinions and any links to product pages.

Jim

Comments

farss wrote on 9/12/2006, 8:06 PM

How much money do you want to spend???

There's the Sony XDCAM series. Pretty much ENG cameras, max recording time 40 min per BD disk. Think poor mans HDCAM /DB. Very fast to work with and by all accounts works nicely in V7. Cameras and recording media seem very robust. Just remember you have to buy camera, lens and realistically 'deck'. Using FAM from the decks only need IT infastructure, no expensive SDI cabling. The 350 does 24p and a few other neat tricks.

If you want something more film like the SI1920 is a very interesting offering but sadly not a Vegas campatible codec. Very similar to working with 16mm neg though. Several hours recording time to 160GB USB HDD.

There's also the Thompson Infiniticam that records to REV disks, similar to XDCAM, cheaper media and a IT type drive so way cheaper. Although MXF based as yet not Vegas compatible.

And then there's the option of adding the new Sony HDD HDV unit to any of the Sony cameras.

Bob.

Spot|DSE wrote on 9/12/2006, 8:08 PM

That would be *all* cameras.
In affordable cams, only the HVX records to internally stored media/P2 cards, then next in line is the Sony F300 which is not HDD, but BluRay and is a standard in the biz. Then Grass Valley, if they get their cam out and running smooth.

All DV and HDV camcorders can record to a portable HDD, and Sony just announced a new 80GB drive for either DV or HDV.
They perform well. I have Nnovia and Firestore models in our shop, and love both. The Citidisk isn't much to talk about IMO.

Jim H wrote on 9/12/2006, 8:29 PM

Thanks for the info. the Nnovia and Firestore external drives seem like a good way to go because the station has several cameras they could use.

I didn't see any reference to high def formats in the write ups at Adorama... does the drive care?

Also, I saw at least one reference to a tape having to be in the deck. Is this required to use the drive? I'm not sure my sony can record without a tape. So if it's a long uninterupted shoot you're after, you still need to stop and change a tape?

Spot|DSE wrote on 9/12/2006, 8:32 PM

Yes, the drive cares. Some systems do both HDV and others only do SD, so you want to look for that in the specs.
Tape is not required in any of the systems so far as I'm aware. Sony's new HVR-DR60, like the Firestore, has a buffer that allows for tape removal during recording to HDD, so you have an immediate archive from your HDD recording.
If your cam has Firewire output, it can likely record to HDD.

Coursedesign wrote on 9/12/2006, 9:29 PM

For in-house (studio) use, a Canon XL-H1 with a Wafian harddisk recorder would also do the trick (although pricey at $9K+$15K).

What about DV Rack with the HDV add-on? That would seem to be about the least expensive way to record "HD direct to HD".

Spot|DSE wrote on 9/12/2006, 9:32 PM

Good point, Course...HDV Rack is likely the least expensive means of doing this. And, they've got some new tricks up their sleeves that you'll hear about as soon as tomorrow.

fwtep wrote on 9/13/2006, 4:54 PM

What are the "new tricks"? I went to their site but I haven't been there in so long I don't know if any of it is the "new tricks."

Spot|DSE wrote on 9/13/2006, 4:58 PM

DVRack/HDV Rack 2.0 is announced, with support for the HVX, a new look, a host of new features, including timelapse, stopframe, etc.
Also, they announced the new HVX codec/converter for Sony Vegas and Adobe Premiere. The Premiere version is currently not 100%, but should be very soon. The Vegas version works great.

p@mast3rs wrote on 9/13/2006, 5:14 PM

Sucks that their upgrade to HDV 2.0 isnt live yet but that their SD is.

fwtep wrote on 9/13/2006, 5:25 PM

Thanks! I didn't remember what the last verison number I looked at was. 2.0 looks pretty cool. I'm weighing out two different projects, one that would be great for DVRack and what that wouldn't. It's nice that if I do the DVRack one I'll have a nice new version to look forward to.

p@mast3rs wrote on 9/13/2006, 5:36 PM

They have some awesome features. Time Laspe is way cool