Hi Dave. I certainly agree that in 3 years the FX1 will have been surpassed, but cameras are the same as computers - whenever you buy there will always be something newer and better just round the corner.

In fact three years is about the timescale within which I've mentally written off the cost of a piece of equipment. If it's not horrendously expensive (the FX1 clearly isn't) and I get three years good use out of it then that's fine.

Or put it another way, I've got some Hi8 originated material which I want to replace. It means a foreign trip which will cost about the same as an FX1. I could do it on DV and accept that I will want to redo it in the not too distant future, but it seems to me the safer route is to do it on HDV and hope it gives me the necessary future proofing. Again it all comes down to your budget and the type of work you're doing.

Hello Paul
 

I've quoted you on Forum:

Under Water, Over Land ... thread .. Footage Links

Sorry I don't know how to give you direct link but please have a look ...

You don´t need much testing to see that HDV makes good SD video.
When I switch my Canon XL-H1 from HD to DV I see the improvement instantly, just by watching the live downscaling performed by the camera, on a monitor. If you´re doing SD with a digibeta your OK. But I think HDV will outperform any DV camera in SD mode.