Replace DVX100 w/ HV20? at DVinfo.net

Jaser Stockert · April 16th, 2007, 10:03 PM

looking to upgrade to HD and will be getting an HVX200 later this year. Been reading all the positive feedback and limitations of the HV20. I do mainly home interiors w/ homeowners using their lamps, lights, flourescents. Would the HV20 be a good alternative for my type of situation instead of using a DVX100? Figure I would like to go HD for my family vids as well as my business. thinking this camera may be it w/ the canon wide angle, the cell phone/locking exposure trick and decent low light capabilities. your thoughts much appreciated!

Mathieu Kassovitz · April 16th, 2007, 10:08 PM

Do not compare apples with oranges. . . the DVX100 is a 24p or 25p SD camera. The new Canon's and smallest 'digital cinema' camera is a 1080p one.

Jaser Stockert · April 16th, 2007, 10:29 PM

understood between SD and HD which is why I am asking if I can move up to HD w/ the HV20 specifically for home tours only.

Wes Vasher · April 17th, 2007, 08:30 AM

Jaser, it doesn't sound like there's any reason you couldn't use the HV20 for that type of shooting as long as you get a wide angle like you say. Indoor low light is going to be a little noisy with all these types of cams anyways.

Peter J Alessandria · April 17th, 2007, 09:31 AM

Jaser - I haven't used my HV20 much as I'm in the middle of shooting/editing two short film projects done on my DVX100. But it does look like those will be the last projects I shoot with my DVX. Certainly for the family/travel stuff, the HV20 wins - I'm thrilled to no longer be dragging my DVX around. As for my creative work (I get paid occassionally for weddings and odd projects but mostly I'm an aspiring filmmaker) I'm going to try the HV20 out on one short film project with a Beachtek XLR adapter and perhaps a 35mm lens adapter. Then I'll decide. I think I'll miss the heft and controls of a DVX size camera and will probably end up with an A1 or the new Sony EX solid state (depending on price). But as far as image quality goes, the era of the DVX is done for me. I've been watching HD TV for four years now and have longed for video of my own that approaches that.

As for low light work, I think the two cameras are comparable for normally lit stuff. The HV20 might be tough for a nighttime candle lit wedding though.

If you think you'll use it for non-paying work anyway, I'd say for $900 just buy an HV20 and see how much you like it. Then decide if you want to keep your DVX or not. If your clients are present for the paying work you do, there may also be the "impress the client" issue. People are always impressed by my DVX. The HV20 could be any $250 camcorder you got at Best Buy. On the other hand, if they only see the finished product, you'll impress them even more with the HV20.

Jaser Stockert · April 19th, 2007, 02:52 PM

thanks for your feedback! i'm seriously considering replacing the dvx w/ an hv20. image alone seems to be hands down the hv20. functionality to the dvx. impression to clients goes to dvx but if i beef up the hv20 w/ a wide angle adaptor, shotgun and spiderbrace, that will help it out a bit. once the clients see the end result, that will be the what matters.

will decide by end of the month...i'll be off to best buy to check out the camera. in the meantime, any dvx100 users using an hv20 care to comment? thanks again and much appreciation!

Bill Porter · April 20th, 2007, 04:49 PM

I too am wondering about the pro's and cons of an HV20 vs. a DVX100A. Hopefully someone who has used both, even if they don't own both, can offer their input here.

Mark Patrick Anderson · April 20th, 2007, 08:57 PM

Well I own the 100B and the HV20 and I was really, really going to put the 100B up for sale but I have since changed my mind. Don't get me wrong I love the 1080p the HV20 puts out but I have found it lacking for "indoor" shots. I love it for outdoors and even at night outside but for some strange reason, I can't get a decent "evening" interior look. As soon as I break out my DVX indoors I'm blown away by the low light capability and the COLOR. I really see the 3CCD of the DVX in these moments. Now, my HV20 rocks and I'd never sell it. I am real happy with it. It is just a small weakness in the HV20's armor. Not big.

Solomon Chase · April 20th, 2007, 09:52 PM

I sold my DVX100a, and bought a HV20. I'm using it for short films and music videos.

So far, using it in shutter priority and locking the exposure to a "no gain" level has worked. Not as good in low light as DVX, but decent. Not as many manual controls. Video quality is just GREAT though.

Overall it works for me :)

Patrick Bower · April 25th, 2007, 04:51 PM

I have the original DVX100 (PAL). I have just done some tests at 100 lux (6dB gain needed on the DVX100) and 30 lux (18dB gain needed on the DVX). Even at 30 lux the HV20 (progressive) image is better.

I do most of my work for distribution on DVD, so I am still interested in standard definition quality. In Vegas, I cropped the HDV files to 4:3, and rendered to PAL 720x576 mpeg for DVD, using the Main Concept codec. Even rendered to SD the the HV20 footage is always better than my DVX100, and a lot better in a good light.

I think the later DVX100 models A and B have slightly better low light performance than mine.

Patrick

April 16th, 2007, 10:03 PM	#1
Jaser Stockert Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: California Posts: 147	Replace DVX100 w/ HV20? looking to upgrade to HD and will be getting an HVX200 later this year. Been reading all the positive feedback and limitations of the HV20. I do mainly home interiors w/ homeowners using their lamps, lights, flourescents. Would the HV20 be a good alternative for my type of situation instead of using a DVX100? Figure I would like to go HD for my family vids as well as my business. thinking this camera may be it w/ the canon wide angle, the cell phone/locking exposure trick and decent low light capabilities. your thoughts much appreciated!

April 17th, 2007, 08:30 AM	#4
Wes Vasher Major Player Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 440	Jaser, it doesn't sound like there's any reason you couldn't use the HV20 for that type of shooting as long as you get a wide angle like you say. Indoor low light is going to be a little noisy with all these types of cams anyways. __________________ Clips \| Stills

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April 16th, 2007, 10:08 PM	#2
Mathieu Kassovitz Major Player Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: paris Posts: 289	Do not compare apples with oranges. . . the DVX100 is a 24p or 25p SD camera. The new Canon's and smallest 'digital cinema' camera is a 1080p one.

April 16th, 2007, 10:29 PM	#3
Jaser Stockert Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: California Posts: 147	understood between SD and HD which is why I am asking if I can move up to HD w/ the HV20 specifically for home tours only.

April 17th, 2007, 09:31 AM	#5
Peter J Alessandria Major Player Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 293	Jaser - I haven't used my HV20 much as I'm in the middle of shooting/editing two short film projects done on my DVX100. But it does look like those will be the last projects I shoot with my DVX. Certainly for the family/travel stuff, the HV20 wins - I'm thrilled to no longer be dragging my DVX around. As for my creative work (I get paid occassionally for weddings and odd projects but mostly I'm an aspiring filmmaker) I'm going to try the HV20 out on one short film project with a Beachtek XLR adapter and perhaps a 35mm lens adapter. Then I'll decide. I think I'll miss the heft and controls of a DVX size camera and will probably end up with an A1 or the new Sony EX solid state (depending on price). But as far as image quality goes, the era of the DVX is done for me. I've been watching HD TV for four years now and have longed for video of my own that approaches that. As for low light work, I think the two cameras are comparable for normally lit stuff. The HV20 might be tough for a nighttime candle lit wedding though. If you think you'll use it for non-paying work anyway, I'd say for $900 just buy an HV20 and see how much you like it. Then decide if you want to keep your DVX or not. If your clients are present for the paying work you do, there may also be the "impress the client" issue. People are always impressed by my DVX. The HV20 could be any $250 camcorder you got at Best Buy. On the other hand, if they only see the finished product, you'll impress them even more with the HV20.

April 19th, 2007, 02:52 PM	#6
Jaser Stockert Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: California Posts: 147	thanks for your feedback! i'm seriously considering replacing the dvx w/ an hv20. image alone seems to be hands down the hv20. functionality to the dvx. impression to clients goes to dvx but if i beef up the hv20 w/ a wide angle adaptor, shotgun and spiderbrace, that will help it out a bit. once the clients see the end result, that will be the what matters. will decide by end of the month...i'll be off to best buy to check out the camera. in the meantime, any dvx100 users using an hv20 care to comment? thanks again and much appreciation!

April 20th, 2007, 04:49 PM	#7
Bill Porter Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Ventura, California, USA Posts: 751	I too am wondering about the pro's and cons of an HV20 vs. a DVX100A. Hopefully someone who has used both, even if they don't own both, can offer their input here.

April 20th, 2007, 08:57 PM	#8
Mark Patrick Anderson New Boot Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 20	Well I own the 100B and the HV20 and I was really, really going to put the 100B up for sale but I have since changed my mind. Don't get me wrong I love the 1080p the HV20 puts out but I have found it lacking for "indoor" shots. I love it for outdoors and even at night outside but for some strange reason, I can't get a decent "evening" interior look. As soon as I break out my DVX indoors I'm blown away by the low light capability and the COLOR. I really see the 3CCD of the DVX in these moments. Now, my HV20 rocks and I'd never sell it. I am real happy with it. It is just a small weakness in the HV20's armor. Not big.

April 20th, 2007, 09:52 PM	#9
Solomon Chase Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Woodstock, Georgia Posts: 154	I sold my DVX100a, and bought a HV20. I'm using it for short films and music videos. So far, using it in shutter priority and locking the exposure to a "no gain" level has worked. Not as good in low light as DVX, but decent. Not as many manual controls. Video quality is just GREAT though. Overall it works for me :)

April 25th, 2007, 04:51 PM	#10
Patrick Bower Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: London, England Posts: 126	I have the original DVX100 (PAL). I have just done some tests at 100 lux (6dB gain needed on the DVX100) and 30 lux (18dB gain needed on the DVX). Even at 30 lux the HV20 (progressive) image is better. I do most of my work for distribution on DVD, so I am still interested in standard definition quality. In Vegas, I cropped the HDV files to 4:3, and rendered to PAL 720x576 mpeg for DVD, using the Main Concept codec. Even rendered to SD the the HV20 footage is always better than my DVX100, and a lot better in a good light. I think the later DVX100 models A and B have slightly better low light performance than mine. Patrick