Jon Allen

Hard to compare digital sensors with actual pixels to photo-chemical emulsion. I read in Popular Mechanics/Science the other month that there was some guy using 10+ in film stock and an old spy plane camera and was taking pictures which he claimed were the equivalent of 4gigapixies. I was extremely sceptical, I mean, you can always scan a print at a higher res, it becomes a point of how much people will notice vs cost involved in producing material of such high magnification. But yes, it becomes a point of comparing apples to acorns after a while. This whole debate is rather old, obviously film is better as a standard, yet the cost of digital video provides an acceptable medium at a significantly lower cost.

That's not exactly what I meant. I meant use the PCMCIA slot as the interface between your camera and your computer, go directly to laptop instead of loading and unloading P2 cards.

Of which (prosumer or professional) camera we are unsure of from Michael's story. Thankyouverymuch

Granted, yes, we should hold ourselves to higher standards, but from your story about your viewfinder fogging up makes it sound like you were expecting to be forgiven - even though you can shirk and blame the backfocus (which is still your responsibility). Doctors make mistakes and it costs lives, still we insist that even they can be forgiven- why not a wayward DP too?

Way to go Haakon, gotta stick to your guns. I'm sure there's a lot more of us "closet engineers" out here than some like to admit. I'm pretty excited too about the HVX200, but there's still a fair amount of letdown after the original release date has come and gone and STILL no camera OR footage. The point I would like to make is that the lighting matters far more than the chip size on your camera. That's why producers can get away with using HDV on daytime shots and in the studio, yet you still need a big, clunky 2/3" SDX or Beta when you're doing ENG and reality TV, because the light isn't as controlled. Still, the nature of not even ALLOWING the option of interchangeable lenses is a bit bothersome. Even if getting more lenses in the future isn't an option due to price of those lenses, it should be an option. How many film shooters would have been happy with only one single lens permanently mounted to their wind-up bolex?

Any word on P2 slot-to-cable technology? Since the P2 is really just an upgraded PCMCIA slot, one could conceivably use the p2 slot as a plug to a cable, similar to laptop DAW hardware.

AFAIK, we're talking about HD...

Well we also need to qualify if we're talking SD "pro imaging" or HD "pro imaging"

Is the panasonic cam he's talking about the HVX200? In that case, only JVC and Sony are guilty of marketing hype. Any word on Canon joining the HDV race?

Other options are to use a cheaper camera to get the shot, so in case the CCD gets burned, your main camera doesn't. If you're needing a generic still of the sun, just buy a stock photo, easy enough. Lastly, if your photoshop skills are up to the challenge, you could just draw a yellow circle against a blue background and add a few blur filters. :P

....and Jim's seen a lot of real outer space battles, too!

Strangely enough, no Americans regret it. :D

Sorry about my post about Canada getting in the way. I honestly didn't mean anything by it. I meant it more as a reference to maybe a cross-town school rivalry. I was hoping my comment would be taken as a friendly jab. Either way, I was more meaning towards the "manifest destiny" of the US back during the [formal] expansion years. I didn't mean to offend, and I have quite a few Canadian friends. There's great fishing in Canada and I enjoy Kids in the Hall. jon

Most Americans would wonder if Canada has ever done anything noteworthy- besides getting in the USA's way. :P

Nevermind that XD is only SD and P2 can do both HD and SD applications.