Anyone tested the new DigiBeta?

Lars.Erik · December 1, 2005

Hey there. Just thested the new Sony DigiBeta. It's got a whole new body, with menues very similar to the XDCam. Similar actually, to be honest. This camera has a progressive scan on it also.

I just tried it for a few minutes (was at the rental place to test a Steadicam), but it seemed like a great camera. The dealer said it was a great camera with excellent resolution.

Anyone tested this cam seriously yet? Any inputs? Thoughts? Whatever?

Lars Erik

oscar jimenez · December 1, 2005

Is it the DVW 790?

Lars.Erik · December 1, 2005

No. It's the DvW-970.

http://www.ebh.cc/index2.asp?lang=swe

Stephen Williams · December 1, 2005

No. It's the DvW-970.

http://www.ebh.cc/index2.asp?lang=swe

Hi,

I shot with the DVW-970 10 days ago. Very impressed. I thought it was better than the 730/750 range downconverted to SD. I would like to do a back to back using the same lens.

Stephen

BritLoader · December 1, 2005

I'm suprised that sony have brought another digibeta onto the market, surely this is virtually an outdated format, considering the range of HD that is currently available and due onto the market shortly.

I was also under the impression that broadcasters were specifying more and more that the required an HD delivery.

Am I missing something here?

Lars.Erik · December 1, 2005

I'm suprised that sony have brought another digibeta onto the market, surely this is virtually an outdated format, considering the range of HD that is currently available and due onto the market shortly.

I was also under the impression that broadcasters were specifying more and more that the required an HD delivery.

Am I missing something here?

This is a good question. I think the answer is in the price range and the DigiBeta format. If you want to shoot completey HD for tv, well here in Norway it's just not done that often. Way too expensive still. I think this is the case for many countries in Europe.

And other format cams as XDCam, SDX900 etc. well in the end they all get mastered out to a DigiBeta tape . So I think Sony is gunning for the "normal" tv market, since in the end, as I said, the program gets mastered out to DigiBeta. And you can't argue that DigiBeta is a good quality cam.

Also with the new range of HD Canon lenses out there, they with the Dig do make a good picture. But as BritLoader stated, it may be correct to question Sony's decision on this. Specially since they will be introducing the XDCam HD format soon.

Simon Wyndham · December 1, 2005

Digibeta is still very much alive and kicking in Europe. The reason they have released a new camera is simply because there is still a demand for it. Not everything is going to be high def, even with the analogue switch offs.

Peter J DeCrescenzo · December 1, 2005

... But as BritLoader stated, it may be correct to question Sony's decision on this. Specially since they will be introducing the XDCam HD format soon.

I believe the first announced XDCAM-HD camcorder has a 1/2" imager. If so, that's a big difference compared to the new 2/3" DigiBeta cam and most other pro SD & HD cams.

I'm sure Sony and others will announce/continue to announce HD cams which are less and less expensive, including ones with 2/3" imagers.

However, an enormous amount of SD production will continue for years to come, with HD production gradually phasing in.

I'd expect the two acquisition formats (SD & HD) to coexist for many, many years worldwide.

Just my $0.02 US.

All the best,

- Peter DeCrescenzo

Edited December 1, 2005 by Peter DeCrescenzo

Brian Drysdale · December 1, 2005

This is a good question. I think the answer is in the price range and the DigiBeta format. If you want to shoot completey HD for tv, well here in Norway it's just not done that often. Way too expensive still. I think this is the case for many countries in Europe.

And other format cams as XDCam, SDX900 etc. well in the end they all get mastered out to a DigiBeta tape . So I think Sony is gunning for the "normal" tv market, since in the end, as I said, the program gets mastered out to DigiBeta. And you can't argue that DigiBeta is a good quality cam.

Also with the new range of HD Canon lenses out there, they with the Dig do make a good picture. But as BritLoader stated, it may be correct to question Sony's decision on this. Specially since they will be introducing the XDCam HD format soon.

I suspect that Sony was finding that DigiBeta was being left behind in the current fashion for shooting progressive frames. It looks like there's been a lot of crossover in the front end of the latest Sony SD cameras, so the R &D costs have been spread over 3 formats.

The broadcasters have invested large sums in their DigiBeta post production suites, so the market demand will continue for a few years yet. Although, question remains how well it'll do in the reducing middle ground between the DV cameras and the HD formats.

Many of the co-productions with the USA now have to be shoot HD. So Sony must aiming at drama and high end docs for the European market and lower end commercials.

It could also be the case that insurance companies are happier with rushes on a tape format rather than a disk format.

If it looks like downconverted HD on screen (i.e much better than DVCam) and the price of camera is competitive it should do ok.

Peter J DeCrescenzo · December 1, 2005

Interesting.

According to the info on Sony's website, both the DVW-970 DigiBeta and DSR-450WSL DVCAM camcorders have three 2/3" 16:9 Power HAD EX CCDs, and I believe the same progressive & interlaced features.

They have the same S/N specs, and almost identical smear specs (-145 & -140 respectively). The 970 has 14-bit A/D, whereas the 450 has 12-bit A/D. I beleive they both have 30-bit ADSP circuits, but I'm not certain of that.

Obviously there's a huge difference in their native, on-board tape format capabilities.

But it'd be interesting to compare recordings created with a DSR-450WSL fitted with Sony's optional SDI card, and a Rosendahl "bonsaiDrive" (a portable HDD uncompressed SDI recorder), shooting with a high-end SD or HD lens ... vs. ... the DVW-970 DigiBeta recording to its internal tape using the same lens.

There's certainly a big cost difference: The US list price for the above DSR-450WSL system (w. SDI & bonsaiDrive) is about half the cost (or less) compared to a similarly-configured DVW-970 (using its on-board tape).

I wonder what differences would be readily apparent when viewed on above-average monitors and projectors?

Does the DVW-970 have considerably more refined video processing capability compared to a cam like the DSR-450WSL, or is the price difference mostly a reflection of the cost of a DigiBeta tape transport -- and its understandable value to DigiBeta users?

All the best,

- Peter DeCrescenzo

Edited December 1, 2005 by Peter DeCrescenzo

Brian Drysdale · December 2, 2005

Does the DVW-970 have considerably more refined video processing capability compared to a cam like the DSR-450WSL, or is the price difference mostly a reflection of the cost of a DigiBeta tape transport -- and its understandable value to DigiBeta users?

The build quality is also higher on the DigiBeta cameras and the viewfinder is a lot better. However, pricewise, I suspect there's an element of what the market will bear. Although the old Betacam SP BVW 200s were used by the local BBC for about ten years on news (perhaps a case of grandfather's axe), but they got a lot of hard use and they got their money's worth.

Could be the higher grade CCDs from the production run are used on the DVW 970.

David Silverstein · December 4, 2005

WARNING: Did not read the posts above.

The way I feel is I am not into HD I feel its to expensive and I am not interested in it as of now if it becomes more mainstream and affordable then I am going to look into it but right now theres a lot of other formats that are more effcient tape and money wise.

Brian Drysdale · December 4, 2005

WARNING: Did not read the posts above.

The way I feel is I am not into HD I feel its to expensive and I am not interested in it as of now if it becomes more mainstream and affordable then I am going to look into it but right now theres a lot of other formats that are more effcient tape and money wise.

What's this got to do with DigiBeta? DigiBeta is a SD format and is very mainstream!! You shoot with the format that you can afford. If you're at high school and you're interested in the industry, you learn about the other formats, then you can speak with knowledge on your side.