Should I buy a Panasonic AG-DVX100B or the AG-HMC150 with AVCHD format?

[Noa Put]

Originally Posted by Ray Ambrosi

I don't know much about video to tell the truth, I don't know what format my final format my documentary should be in. So any advice on this would be appreciated.

What are the specs of your pc?

[Noah Kadner]

Originally Posted by Jeff Harper

The HMC-150 is a lot of camera for the money.

You can only go wrong with it, IMO because it is AVCHD, which means your files can be difficult to work with if you've not used it before.

Other than the AVCHD issue, there is no better camera for the money.

Regarding AVCHD, see the following quote from a post made in the Vegas forum earlier today:

"I would have never went AVCHD if I knew this was going to happen".

Maybe on Vegas but this is a Panasonic camera and that's a Sony editing program. In Adobe Premiere CS4 and Final Cut Pro 6.0.5 working with AVCHD couldn't be simpler. Far simpler say than digitizing DV tapes or even working with P2 or XDCAM EX because the transfer rates are much faster off the SDHC cards. It's a total non-issue as long as you have up to date hardware and a current version of Premiere or FCP.

So yeah, I'd go with Noa(great name) it all comes down to your PC specs or what sort of budget you have to replace them if they're out of date.

Noah

[Perrone Ford]

Originally Posted by Noah Kadner

Far simpler say than digitizing DV tapes or even working with P2 or XDCAM EX because the transfer rates are much faster off the SDHC cards.

Are you saying that SDHC transfers faster than SxS? Really?

[Noah Kadner]

Originally Posted by Perrone Ford

Are you saying that SDHC transfers faster than SxS? Really?

Heck yeah- at least on my machine. Plus we're dealing with smaller file sizes so that helps.

Noah

[Perrone Ford]

Originally Posted by Noah Kadner

Heck yeah- at least on my machine. Plus we're dealing with smaller file sizes so that helps.

Noah

Wow. That has not been my experience at all moving files from my EX1. And since I use SxS and SDHC, I get to test it often!

[Ray Ambrosi]

Hi everyone.

Thanks for your comments here.

My computer now is an IBM Thinkpad T61 with 4 gig ram, 320gb harddrive. I run Linux only, with windows running as a virtual machine.
I don't think I can do any serious video editing on Linux yet (I've heard that good software is not really available). Is there anything out there for editing on Linux?

I pretty much refuse to use Windows (crashes incessantly and is always attacked by viruses), so I'll likely have to get a Mac for video editing later.

I plan to shoot my video this year, and worry about piecing it together into a documentary next year. Next year, faster computers will be cheaper yet and AVCHD won't be such a big challenge.

I've pretty much decided to buy a AG-HMC153MC (which is the Asian PAL model of the 150). Its about $3400 USD here. But it doesn't come with a long-life battery as far as I can figure out. I have to pay something like $150 for a Panasonic battery.

I really have to kick myself to spend so much money knowing that my living budget is so tight and shooting my documentary will NEVER make me any money. But I've wanted to do this for years now and should just go ahead and do it.

Thanks for all your advice!

PS.
I'm going to sell my Panasonic NV-GS100! Should I sell the VMH3 mic separately? And the 9 hour battery (VW-VBD7)?

[Perrone Ford]

Ray, you are certainly free to do as you please however, I'll offer a few comments.

Originally Posted by Ray Ambrosi

My computer now is an IBM Thinkpad T61 with 4 gig ram, 320gb harddrive. I run Linux only, with windows running as a virtual machine.
I don't think I can do any serious video editing on Linux yet (I've heard that good software is not really available). Is there anything out there for editing on Linux?

I am not aware of any software for Linux, but you'd be hard pressed to edit on a laptop anyway. I do it for dailies and such, but my real machine is a nice Dell desktop. I also have a faster machine just for rendering with no monitor attached.

Originally Posted by Ray Ambrosi

I pretty much refuse to use Windows (crashes incessantly and is always attacked by viruses), so I'll likely have to get a Mac for video editing later.

Your choice of operating system is of course your business, however I have 3 video workstations. All Dells. None has ever crashed. Ever. None have ever had a virus. Ever. So here's a tip from me. If you build a PC for editing, build it, optimize it, and install your software. Then leave it alone. Do NOT connect it to the internet. If you need a machine on the internet, use a different machine with a LAN and internet connection. This has worked beautifully for me for years. My primary editing machine has been running smoothly with the same OS for 3 years now, and has never seen a blue screen.

Originally Posted by Ray Ambrosi

I plan to shoot my video this year, and worry about piecing it together into a documentary next year. Next year, faster computers will be cheaper yet and AVCHD won't be such a big challenge.

Very true. HDV had a very similar curve when it arrived.

Originally Posted by Ray Ambrosi

I've pretty much decided to buy a AG-HMC153MC (which is the Asian PAL model of the 150). Its about $3400 USD here. But it doesn't come with a long-life battery as far as I can figure out. I have to pay something like $150 for a Panasonic battery.

The HMC-150 is a terrific camera. The batteries are insanely expensive though. Nothing you can do though.

Originally Posted by Ray Ambrosi

I really have to kick myself to spend so much money knowing that my living budget is so tight and shooting my documentary will NEVER make me any money. But I've wanted to do this for years now and should just go ahead and do it.

There is a lot to be said for chasing dreams. What you lose in money you will gain in lifelong satisfaction. I felt the same way when I shot my documentary. I just wish I had known 1/10 what I know now about video and film.

[Jeff Harper]

If money is an issue, don't spend so much! Buy a canon HV-30 Vixia. For travelling it is perfect and takes great images...many advantages to a smaller cam. It has a mic input and it takes upbelievable images and costs less than $600.

The panny is relatively large. Travelling you would want to have the most inconspicuous cam possible, I would think.

At any rate you will buy what you feel is best, but I can't imagine hauling a larger cam around overseas.

[Noah Kadner]

Yeah I suppose you go for something compact like a Vixia but c'mon its pictures don't come into the same class as the HMC150, not with those optics and chips. Anyways- just to clarify the 150 uses standard issue Panasonic consumer camcorder batteries which you can find fairly cheap at any major electronics retailer, shouldn't be an impediment.

Noah

[Jeff Harper]

No one said the video was the same, Noa. He's talking about his budget and travelling overseas.

Ray said he could kick himself for spending so much. I'm saying he doesn't have to. He's not a paid professional, he doesn't need a more expensive camera. If he chooses to go ahead and spend more that's his decision and in the end it will work out, it always does.

I suspect, however, that coming from a GS100 he would likely be blown away with the Vixia. If I were a hobbyist I am sure I would be more than happy with it.

[Ray Ambrosi]

Hi Thanks for your advice about Canon HV-30 Vixia. The reason I bought the Panasonic NV-GS100 back in 2004 was to begin my documentary. I wanted a small camera for convenience and because its far less conspicuous. But I found that its low-light capabilities were lousy and this inhibited me many times. As I filmed more, I became more concerned about sound quality. My NV-GS100 doesn't allow line-in input so I can't use my MixPre/SHURE-FP24 with xlr mics for sound input as I hoped. I fear that the preamps in the NV-GS100 are probably too noisy.

So, instead of purchasing a small camera that might be able to do the job, I might as well put the $600 into a the purchase of a HMC-150. The low-light capabilities will be good, the sound should be excellent with 2 xlr mics. I can sell the HMC-150 in a year's time when I've completed filming. I assume I won't lose too much on reselling the camera.

At least I think this is what I will do now! I appreciate everyone's advice!

[Jeff Harper]

You certainly won't be disappointed with it, that's for sure Ray. I haven't even laid eyes on one, but I've read up on it since it was recommended to be comparable to my Sony FX1000. By all accounts it is one fine piece of equipment.

I can't imagine it would match up with my Sony, or I would buy one myself. I'm likely going to buy another FX1000 or the V5....haven't decided yet.

Let us know what you think of it after it arrives.

[Noah Kadner]

[QUOTE=Jeff Harper;980513]No one said the video was the same, Noa. He's talking about his budget and travelling overseas.
QUOTE]

I'm Noah. Noa is the other person... Just remember- the other one is spelled like Boa. Mine is like a friendly denial of something or a moment of intense realization- No! Ahhhhh. :)

Noah

[Ray Ambrosi]

Hi everyone

Thanks for your comment.
Windows is probably reliable if you dont install programs often, or connect to the net. But here in China, I only have room for 1 computer and its Linux. All my friends are incessantly plagued with viruses and system crashes. Il either use a Windows or Mac machine for editing video later

Im off for 7 days of research in the villages. So I be offline for quite some time. When I get back, Ill buy the Panasonic and report on my progress. I sure Il have MANY questions about how to go about filming my documentary. I really dont know how to do this at all, and lack much of the technical understanding about video. All I can say is that I know that I want to tell a few stories, and have a decent eye for photography.

Bye for now! Ill look forward to reading posts when I get back

[Jeff Harper]

Thanks Noahhh!