Optura Pi vs HV20

[lajamer]

Hello all,

I have read through several of the threads--PLEASE forgive me if I am posting anything redundant!

I have used an Optura Pi for several years and love it. I just paid $200 to have it refurbished but I was given a store credit at Samys Camera for my bday and bought the HV20 yesterday! I am wondering if I should hold onto my Optura Pi or sell it? What are your thoughts? And what are your thoughts regarding the HV20 compared to the Optura Pi? I haven't opened the box containing the HV20 yet--should I take it back and just stick with the Optura? Here is what i am using it for: to record actor auditions. I need whatever I use to be able to be played on ANY dvd player. If the player isn't HD capable--will the fact that I shot it with an HD camera make any difference in quality?

Thanks everyone!

[Lunchbox]

You are asking such question in the HV20 forum.. what do you think most people will say? SELL IT!

I don't think HV20 is the slickest looking cam .. but it's way handsome than the Optura Pi.

[DaFireMedic]

Hello all,

I have read through several of the threads--PLEASE forgive me if I am posting anything redundant!

I have used an Optura Pi for several years and love it. I just paid $200 to have it refurbished but I was given a store credit at Samys Camera for my bday and bought the HV20 yesterday! I am wondering if I should hold onto my Optura Pi or sell it? What are your thoughts? And what are your thoughts regarding the HV20 compared to the Optura Pi? I haven't opened the box containing the HV20 yet--should I take it back and just stick with the Optura? Here is what i am using it for: to record actor auditions. I need whatever I use to be able to be played on ANY dvd player. If the player isn't HD capable--will the fact that I shot it with an HD camera make any difference in quality?

Thanks everyone!


I'm not overly familiar with the Optura Pi, but the HV20 will certainly give you a better quality image, even when shooting SD.

As far as keeping the Optura, I still have my previous 2 camcorders, a Panasonic PV-GS300 and a Sony HC20. I use them all for various purposes. The other day I took my 9 year old son to the Aquarium in Long Beach and turned him loose with the HC20 (I would not have trusted him with the other two camcorders just yet) and told him to narrate everything. It was a fantastic learning experience for him, and if he could have just kept his finger off the zoom, it would have been even better. I also use the HC20 as a rewinder for the other two cameras, and as an audio recorder as it has an external mic input.

I use the PV-GS300 as a B reel camera, as well as a play back deck for the HV20 when shooting in SD (I still shoot most stuff in SD).

So there are many many reasons to keep the older camera, but you will find the HV20 to be far more capable and with better quality in most all types of shooting than the Optura Pi.

[lajamer]

thanks so much for posting this reply. adorable about your son and the zooming....

[lajamer]

I also use the HC20 as a rewinder for the other two cameras, and as an audio recorder as it has an external mic input.

I use the PV-GS300 as a B reel camera, as well as a play back deck for the HV20 when shooting in SD (I still shoot most stuff in SD).

again-please forgive my "newbie" ignorance. when i import video into my macbook pro. should I import from the HV20? what i mean is if I use the older cam to import does the video data on the tape import to the computer the same as it would from the HV20 (I am asking this because i am inferring from your post that is is better to save the rewind and play mechanism on my new cam...) Thanks again for replying to my post and for your patience.

[Worley]

Keep the Pi AND the HV20.

I still have my JVC GRD23 (crap) which I use to transfer footage recorded by my Canon MVX40. The HV20 is my Special Camcorder.

Also, the JVC is used by my 2 year old son, who uses it when my elder son is using the MVX40. They want to be like Daddy :hv20-smilie87:

Seriously, you never know when you might need that old Pi. So do keep it.

[DaFireMedic]

again-please forgive my "newbie" ignorance. when i import video into my macbook pro. should I import from the HV20? what i mean is if I use the older cam to import does the video data on the tape import to the computer the same as it would from the HV20 (I am asking this because i am inferring from your post that is is better to save the rewind and play mechanism on my new cam...) Thanks again for replying to my post and for your patience.

Anything I can do to save wear on my HV20, I try to do. While it is relatively inexpensive for its capabilities, it was still twice as expensive as the GS300, and nearly 5 times as much as the HC20. Some folks with XH-A1's buy HV20's for use as playback decks to save wear on their expensive prosumer camcorders.

Again, I am not really familiar with the Optura Pi, but if it shoots in wide screen, you can probably use it as a playback deck for capturing video shot with the HV20, as long as it is not in HD. It should not affect the image quality, as the image was placed on the tape by the HV20. You are not adding nor removing anything from the digital information on the tape.

As far as rewinding, you can get an external rewinder fairly cheap. But I am already keeping the HC20 for other purposes, so I use it to rewind as well for right now. But I may get a separate rewinder to save wear on my "crap" camcorder as well, seeing that you just can't get a camcorder that cheap with an external mic input anymore.

[Lunchbox]

The Optura Pi is a SD cam won't read HV20's HDV format. you can only use it as a rewind device. or if you are still working in SD, then by all means, use it as a deck will be fine. :-)

[lajamer]

Thanks to all!