The differences between the mini DV stuff and the more traditional BetaSP BetaCAM.(posted 9303 days ago)Well, besides the obvious, size, cost, blah blah, there are a couple things that you should keep in mind.
The formats themselves are very similar when it come down to quality. DV, especially DVCpro, tends to be crisper than their Beta brothers. I do not like the DVC pro for this reason. It is not as noticeable with the Vx1000 or the XL1. Both are great cameras, and I recomend them both. Other than that issue the image quality is very similar. That is what the big stink is about dude! Now you can get a 60 thousand dollar image (that is what the average betaCam is going for) for only a 4 thousand dollar investment.
So what is the difference? Why aren't all the TV studios in the word dropping those bigg ugly cameras and buying truck loads of the mini DV stuff. Bells and frieking whistels my friend.
First you got the lens. You ever tried pulling focus on a VX1000. It doesn't happen. The XL1 is good there cause you can get different lens for it. the DVC pro is also good there cause their lens are easy to use. Shitty glass, but easy to use. If anyone know more about the canon lens please let me know.
Then you got audio. This is not a huge problem cause you can get balanced inputs on both the VX1000 and the XL1.
Then you got your timecode issue. That is where editing comes in. You can easly put your mini DV votage onto beta tapes. If you wanna go tape to tape, or if your usein the new avid that you got last christmas. I on the other hand got a lump of coal, and so I had to put and editing system together myself. 1100 dollars ontop of the computer that I already had, and I got two SCSI 9 gigs, one dv capture board (firewire technology, herd of it?), one SCSI controller, one 128 meg DIMM socket, and a partridge in a pear tree! (I ate the partridge, and I am still enjoying the pears.)
THIS IS THE SINGLE COOLEST THING ABOUT DV. YOU CAN DO IT AT HOME!
Try doing that with beta.
Another thing. The Beta format was really design for multiple usage. Lots of retaping. Useing the same tape again and agian. In short it is tough as hell and that is great. The mini DV format is alot weaker and you must be careful or you will get drop outs and other ugly things. This should not however prevent you from buying either the VX1000 or the XL1.
I shoot the BetaCam everyday at work and I love it, but I really love the freedom that I had when I was shooting my feature (we used the VX1000) cause I put it wherever I wanted. I could use the mini steadicams. People don't get all frieked out by a smaller camera. I was able to shoot all over the city without a single permit, even in the subway. The picture qaulity is awsome, and the freedom of movement, freedom to edit at home, the freedom to have a functioning production house with a five thousand dollar investment at the age of 22 is awsome.
Ya want some man? Everyone is doing it. Take it bro it'll make ya feel goooooooooood!
Oh yeah. The difference between top of the line and bottom of the line mini DV cameras. CHIPS! The XL1 and the VX1000 are both three chip cameras. It is really called a CCD. It is what sees and turns what it sees into data so that the tape can store it. In a three chip camera the light that enters the camera is split into the three main color spectrums. RED, GREEN, and BLUE. So in a three chip camera there is a chip for each of the three main colors. In one chip camera all the light is going onto one chip. that is alot of work to do so the image is not as good.
One chip = consumer
Three chip = prosumer
It is a big quality issue. Have them show you the difference at the store.
good luck, love Edward