DV or HD
 

Not sure if this is the place for this but if not I am sure it will get moved. I am ready to buy a camera and am wondering if I should still go with the XL-1S or look into one of the HD cams. Obviously there are some limits on money but for around the same price as the XL-1S should I go with HD? Will I have to upgrade my computer for capturing and editing? At the moment all I will be using the cam for is short films and a bit of contract work here and there. Thoughts and opinions would be great. Any problems I would have with HD I would like to know of those as well.
Thanks.

Clint,
At this writing there is only one brand of "HD" camera in the consumer/prosumer realm; the JVC. (It's actually HDV, not truly broadcast-level HD.) I assume, perhaps falsely, that you are not considering the purchase of a true high-definition camera such as a Panasonic Varicam or Sony Cinealta (ex: HDW900). A $3,500 XL1s -vs- $65,000-$150,000 choice doesn't seem likely.

Take a browse through our HDV forums to get an idea of the issues involved and the appropriateness of making a move to HDV now. There's a lot of information in there. And, of course, our XL1s forums have an enormous body of information on that camera.

The best way to pick any camera is to make lists of must have,
nice to have and optional. You don't need HD if you are not going
to broadcast it in HD or are going to output to SD DVD for example.

Ofcourse it might be a good investment for the future, although
more and more HD(V) camera's will become available so if you
don't need it now....

Also, the JVC consumer HD camera is a single chip camera, while the XL1s is a nice 3-chip camera with 1/3" chips. No matter how transparent the consumer HD format is, it is not going to record anything that is any better than what the camera sees and transmits to the tape. What a single chip consumer camera sees and what a quality camera like the XL1s sees are two different things.

Makes sense. Thanks alot guys.

I'm sorry, how about the 24p cams compared to the XL-1S? Same set of questions.

Same set of answers as well. Why would you want or need
24p? If that's your thing then go for it. Again, you must make a
list which features are important for you. If you want a removable
lens system for example then there is really only one camera
to choose from in this price range. Same goes for if you really
want 24p. One is not "better" than the other. They are different
"systems" which will not appeal to everybody.

Panasonic GS100k, look into it.

JY HD vs XL1S, regardless of the single or 3 ccd, which one does pleased the eyes the most? If so, why has it called High Defination.

To me, HD is far better considering the resolution and extras technical features. If it's just a sales gimmick, please someone explain the different.