Are all Camera VCRs the same?
 

Ok, this is a question I thought I had cleared up long ago until someone recently cast doubt in to my mind.

I have long been under the impression that when exporting standard definition footage that it does not matter what camera you are using as the deck, the quality of the resulting digital cut will be the same.

So if I have shot and edited footage using my Sony Z1 I will be able to produce the same quality digital cut using either the Z1 as a deck my older Panasonic GS400 domestic camcorder.

I do this to save wear and tear on the Z1's drum.

Someone I was speaking to recently was under the impression the the Z1 would capture a better result than a lesser quality camera when used as a deck, so the old debate has re-opened itself in my mind.

Please can someone finally clear this up for me?

Hey Chris.........
 

Tell your mate to stick it up his ***, as he obviously knows **** about digital anything.

Oh, and stop worrying about your Z1's drum (er, heads, for those who care), it will outlive you, quite probably.


CS

Chris B,
Chris S is 100% correct in his assessment and quite eloquent in his words ;-)
there is 1 thing to watch for and that is SOMETIMES, just sometimes the camera you are using for capture may not read the tape correctly and you get some drops or pixelation on capture. That is generally a head alignment thing. I 've run into this using a JVC 1 chipper to capture with when capturing stuff shot with a Canon-for some reason it's only Canon. then I use a different camera to capture with.
Anyway as long as it's been working for you keep doing it-it's only 1s and 0s. Your friend is wrong.

Don

Thank you, thank you, both.

Consider your responses cut, pasted, printed and shoved firmly where the sun don't....

All the best.

Yes, Chris S and Don B are quite correct, though I might say it's not head wear on the Z1 that's damaging, it's resale value from the hours readout.

The other thing to point out is that if you've shot SD LP in an FX1, say, then it's always best to use the same camera as a VCR when replaying that tape.

tom.