hg10.com??

[JoeZ]

About a year ago I started researching camcorders, never having had one and knowing NOTHING about them. I noticed many good reviews of the HV20 and discovered this web site- from which I've learned much, having read most of it.

However I've recently been contemplating purchasing the HG10 instead.

10 years ago when I wanted to purchase a nice camera I ended up with a Nikon F100 35 mm rather than a digital camera- because for the price of the F100, the dig cameras at that time were very limited. I had heard all the arguments for digital- no need for film, etc. whle the 35 mm folks claimed that film would always have superior quality. In recent years of course digital cameras have evolved to really make film obsolete except for special purposes.

Now I sense the same sort of debate between tape cams vs. HDD cams. I realize that tape will currently give better quality video (all other things being equal)- but the conveniece of plugging in your cam and all the files are there ready to copy to your PC's hard drive in an awesome convenience. My biggest concern is the small size of the current crop of consumer cam hard drives.

So, because I'm still uncertain- it would be real cool for someone to set up a new web site forum for the HG10, just like this one. I'll probably continue to study cams and this issue in particular for some time.

Joe

[Ian-T]

There's really no need IMHO. Both the HV20 and HG10 are basically the same cams...with just a few differences....mainly format (HDV vs AVCHD) and how it's captured (HDD vs Tape). The HV20 also has a little more manual features than the HG10..but the bottom line is that both cams can easily be discussed here in this forum.

[JoeZ]

There's really no need IMHO. Both the HV20 and HG10 are basically the same cams...with just a few differences....mainly format (HDV vs AVCHD) and how it's captured (HDD vs Tape). The HV20 also has a little more manual features than the HG10..but the bottom line is that both cams can easily be discussed here in this forum.


OK, I was hoping that would be OK.

Joe

[Don509]

Ten years ago when you bought your Nikon film camera you made the right decision. Through it you learned all the same skills that you would need with a digital SLR today.
I'm sitting here looking at a gigantic cathode ray Sony HDTV in my apt. It's only 32 or 34 inches screen size, and it's a great picture, but it is about 2 feet deep and weighs 170 lbs. Not only that, but it will probably last me another 10 years as I only got it a few years ago. Do I wish that I had a flat screen plasma instead? Well, I'm in a 500 Square foot NYC apt., so you know that I do. But 5 -10 years from now when I finally can't stand the bulk anymore, who knows what I'll be heading to the store to buy? Clearly it will be flat. Will it be a thin film of material that is 4 x 8 feet instead of a 42 or 50 inch plasma? Will it be out of place next to the Holograph projector? Who knows?
Long story short, I wanted the HV20 even knowing that this is the last great Mini DV camera to be produced. It's almost $1,000, which is apparently the least of my worries. Do I need an upgraded PC to edit HD? Hey, I don't see a Blu-ray or HD DVD player anywhere in this little apt., so I guess that's another few hundred dollars. How much are those damn Blu-ray discs, anyway? Do not continue with the electronic visual arts as a hobby if you have touble biting the bullet and not looking back, because just like computers, you will always kick yourself 3-6 months down the road. There is always going to be the next 'greatest ever' product. My current project is trying to convince my Son that he does not want a 1st generation I-phone, but he is resisting this valuable lesson.

[ESTEBEVERDE]

Plus it heats your apartment!

[CJDaniels]

as for the film/digital thing. I have shot Digital for several years. I shoot film to.

Don't listen to what anyone says, film is still superior.

I have a 10D, 20D, 30D and 40D and still the latitude and balance of film is still superior. The sharpness is moot.

[darosk]

"Yesterday's tech" will always be around :D

[JoeZ]

as for the film/digital thing. I have shot Digital for several years. I shoot film to.

Don't listen to what anyone says, film is still superior.

I have a 10D, 20D, 30D and 40D and still the latitude and balance of film is still superior. The sharpness is moot.

Ah, but the convenience of digital photography! When I used my F100, I hated sending out the film- or even waiting hours at some quicky place. Many of the prints were lousey. I'd request to have all the images scanned and find a few good ones. With my girl friends digital camera (not even a current model)- it's great taking hundreds of pictures, going home, looking at them on the computer- and finding that, overall, the quality is superior! Yes, I'm sure I never mastered all the tricks of the Nikon F100 but with the digital, I just shoot everything on automatic and most pictures look great- I don't bother printing them, I just collect them on my computer.

So, I'm now tempted to go for the HG-10. In theory, the AVCHD is going to be an inferior format but I suspect the convenience will be worth it- maybe. I presume that with a HDD cam, it's possible to delete clips anytime from the cam- so you can experiment then delete those clips. But, I wonder if doing so causes the hard drive any problem if it needs to reclaim that space while filming. Presumably it won't have a problem jumping around to fill gaps without losing data? And, I'm concerned about the editing issue- I see that many NLEs now claim to edit AVCHD but it's more demanding of computer resources. Luckily I do have a high end system. But, perhaps the convenience of getting the clips onto the computer will be lost by the inconvenience of slower and more difficult editing? I dunno.....

Joe