AG-HSC1U or HDR-HC7?

[kwong2006]

I am in my final phase of considerations about going HD for my semi-professional works, and I understand that I need to make careful decisions before doing so, in terms of performance and (to a lesser degree, but important nonetheless), futureproofing.

Originally, I have been looking at Sony's HDR-HC7, but then, I have been looking at HDV, and it is not a perfect system. I don't know if I should go for a solid state camcorder like Panasonic's AG-HSC1U now. Should I stick with a tried-and-true system like HDV, or should I venture into the new world with solid-state, which is now supported on FCP and iMovie.

Please do remember that I will be using this for semi-professional works, such as making video news reports, as well as family vacation videos.

I don't want to make the wrong choice, so I want to know if HDV is something that will be dead in a couple of years. Please help. Thanks!

 

[colto]

I am in my final phase of considerations about going HD for my semi-professional works, and I understand that I need to make careful decisions before doing so, in terms of performance and (to a lesser degree, but important nonetheless), futureproofing.

Originally, I have been looking at Sony's HDR-HC7, but then, I have been looking at HDV, and it is not a perfect system. I don't know if I should go for a solid state camcorder like Panasonic's AG-HSC1U now. Should I stick with a tried-and-true system like HDV, or should I venture into the new world with solid-state, which is now supported on FCP and iMovie.

Please do remember that I will be using this for semi-professional works, such as making video news reports, as well as family vacation videos.

I don't want to make the wrong choice, so I want to know if HDV is something that will be dead in a couple of years. Please help. Thanks!

Depends on the value of your videos. Hard drives fail. Tape rarely ever fails. If you can deal with the possibility of losing all your work and the 4 gb buffer of the AG-HSC1U then I would go with it. Otherwise the HC7 is definitely your pick. HDV will be fine for awhile and AVCHD is still pretty new. Unless you are shooting sports (HDV doesn't always play nice with a bunch of quick camera pans in succession do the MPEG2 algorithm) I would go with the HC7. Great image quality, mature format, safer video storage, much longer takes can be shot at once(the whole tape if you want. The AG-HSC1U can only record up to 4GB worth before it has to stop and offload to the HDD).

Hope that helps!

 

[LethalWolfe]

Currently going tapeless involves a more complicated, more expensive, and less reliable cradle to grave work flow. I'd stick w/tape.


Lethal

 

[dariusperkins]

agreed.

sony will support HDV for some time to come - it's still a pretty new format and DV tapes will always be available.

for what it's worth, i can't recommend the HC7 highly enough. with the exception of a/v in, it's got everything you need in a prosumer camera, and at a reasonable price.

 

[ibglowin]

If i'm not mistaken, the new Panasonic's don't have a real viewfinder either. Ever tried to shoot outdoors w/o a viewfinder. I't impossible. My first Sony Cybershot didn't have a viewfinder. Sold it in less than a year. You can't frame a shot outdoors properly without one.

 

[marioman38]

Go for the HDR-HC7, I would've purchased it if it weren't for the HV20's 24P capabilities.