transfer options: DigiBeta vs. HDCAM

[Scott Willis]

i'm currently racking my brain trying to decide between the different options for video transfer for the 16mm project i'm about to shot.

 

 

i was pretty much set on doing a full out transfer to HDCAM and digitize into the avid dnx145 codex for editing.

 

BUT. today i found out that my finances aren't as awesome as I had thought and i was told about another lab that can do a transfer to Digibeta for half the cost of the HDCAM.

 

 

The size of the raw hd image is so much larger than anything i'm going to find on standard definition though. Plus the hdcam bitrate is 144 mbit/s whereas Digitbeta is only 90 mbit/s. But they are both massive compared to the 25 mbit/s minidv I've always worked with in the past for transfers.

 

 

Am i worrying about a difference that won't be that noticeable? Or should I spent the extra money to get an HDCAM job thru and thru?

[Michael Nash]

Don't worry about the data rate -- the bigger difference is between standard def and HD!

 

There are other tape formats and direct-to-disk codecs you can use as well, depending on what formats you can handle in post. Consider DVCPRO-HD, or DVCPRO-50 if you want standard def.

[John Sprung]

On a really low budget, given that you're willing to spend time to save money, what you could do is transfer dailies to DV, offline that way, then pull the select neg only and telecine it to HD. The higher the ratio you shoot, the more worthwhile that approach becomes.

 

 

 

 

-- J.S.