Hi,
I am finishing a feature length movie that I shot in HDV and thought perhaps I could lend some insight in to this discussion. I used the JVC camera and would agree that as a professional tool it is a joke however to call it a palmcorder and say its worthless I feel is an overstatement. The camera performs very much like a GL-2 or a PD-150 so for those who work with mini DV cameras of that caliber it might be worth taking a look at.
That HDV format its self does however show some potential, certainly not for projects intended for the big screen, but what it will offer is independent film makers an opportunity work inexpensively, and possibly gain recognition. Also the format works well for recording dailies via a D-VHS deck. Editing can be performed efficiently by using Cineforms Connect HD to convert the file stream to AVI which allows you to use Premier or Vegas, However when you convert from MPEG2 to AVI you are loosing some information and doubling the file size.
In conclusion I think that the HDV format will never find a home in the high end professional world. When the intended goal is to make a movie and sell it to the public you need the highest possible acquisition format, but if your a no name film maker with a great idea looking to prove your ability then HDV has the potential to become ?the next best thing? and so for a lot of filmmakers that don?t have someone to bank role their project then they must use the best that they can afford which is where I think HDV will find its home.
