Camcorder News

For the independent filmaker, as ironic as it sounds, film is usually out of range of their budget - so you have to turn to video. There are many options out there, however the affordable one's don't offer everything. You have one camcorder with 24 frames progressive and three CCDs, another with High Definition and one CCD, and then a few tried and true camcorders with none of those features.

Although many films are now initially acquired on video, the primary means of theatrical exhibition is still via the traditional film projector. Because of this, film transfer is still very important to the indie filmmaker or anyone planning on showing their work to a theater audience.

Long standing supporters of the film medium have even started to acquire their blockbuster hits in HD video such as George Lucas’s Star Wars prequels and Robert Rodriguez’s Once Upon a Time in Mexico. As one who has shot on film I have a deep respect for its beauty and its challenges.

Of course, if money is no object than shooting 24p High Definition is optimal however Panasonic’s Varicam and Sony’s CineAlta, offering these features are going to cost between $60,000 and $100,000 respectively.

Getting your video on celluloid is expensive and prices can run as high as $450 a minute for HD on 35mm, so it might not be an immediate option for all filmakers, however many indies want to shoot with the possibility of being able to one day transfer, if their project hit it big.

Manufacturers have paid attention to the ever growing legion of independent filmmakers who have been using Canon XL1’s, Sony VX2000s, and Sony PD150’s to shoot feature films. Big time directors have even reached for these cameras such as Spike Lee who shot Bamboozled with a VX2000, and Steven Soderbergh who shot Full Frontal with an XL1. These cameras are affordable and provide great picture for their price. They are the veterans that have been around the block. As such, they are well known and battle tested. While these used to be the first stop for indie filmmakers, two new cameras have been introduced that shake up the pack with revolutionary features.

Panasonic and JVC have shaken up the world of low cost movie making with the introduction of their two ground breaking cameras. What is interesting about this duo is that each brings its own key features that up the ante for the rest.

The JVC JY-HD10U and the XLR lacking GR-HD1 are the first entries into a new category of compact and affordable High Definition Cameras. Both camcorders have a single 1.18 megapixel CCD which yields a much higher resolution than that of other cameras in its $3-5,000 price range. This is very impressive even when compared to the DVX100 which has three 410,000 pixel CCD chips. The JY-HD10U shoots in a variety of frame rates such as 30p and 60i however it does not include a 24p frame rate. Digital filmmakers who seek the absolute best in image quality may be tempted to buy a JY-HD10U, but when transferring to film there are more things to consider than the resolution.

The Panasonic AG-DVX100 and the AG-DVX100A are marketed towards indie filmmakers and content creators that demand professional features at an affordable price. When the AG-DVX100 came out a big deal was made about its ability to record in the 24p frame rate. It also provides a variety of options that increase its dynamic range to mimic the look of film. Although the AG-DVX100 lacks a megapixel CCD, it does have three separate CCDs to handle Red, Green, and Blue as is the standard practice on professional cameras. The DVX100 has been very well received by filmmakers and is known to produce an excellent picture.

Overall each camera brings something new to the plate. The JVC yields a higher resolution and the Panasonic allows the user to mimic the film look in terms of frame rate and dynamic range. Ultimately though, people want both. Unfortunately here you are forced to make a choice.

According to Marcus van Bavel, the owner and chief engineer of the DVFILM digital transfer house in Austin Texas, the DVX100 is the better choice when transferring to film. He says that the JY-HD10U and the GR-HD1 are not three chip cameras. And while this may not be a big issue in some circumstances, it is of great significance to the film transfer process. Marcus explained that video from one chip cameras often shows a rainbow effect when transferred to film. Regardless of how many pixels are on JVC’s CCD, there is only one chip for all three colors.

He continued to say aside from the color issue, the more serious problem lies in the frame rates that are available with the JVCs. Film is always projected at 24 frames every second. Because of this, footage shot in another frame rate needs to be converted to match up for the transfer. When the JVC cameras shoot in High Definition mode it captures a 16:9 image at 30 frames per second. The 30 frames per second progressive rate is not easily converted into 24 frames per second. Its worth mentioning that the JVC cameras can shoot MiniDV video at 60 frames per second interlaced with a 4:3 aspect ratio, but at that point all the benefits of the megapixel censor are wasted and you still have one CCD for all three color channels.

Marcus explained that the DVX100 shines when it comes time to make a film print because of its progressive scan and the lack of vertical softening; its printed picture ends up being about 30% sharper than that of the competing cameras such as the Sony DSR-PD150 and the Canon XL1. The AG-DVX100A is a recent update from Panasonic that includes several wide screen options and additional control over the dynamic range.

As it stands the AG-DVX100/A is the best camera in this price segment when transferring to film is the goal. For those who are fixated on possibility of portable and affordable High Definition, keep an eye out for new models such as the Pal version of the JY-HD10U.