Pan Left Productions

We interrupt more important blogs to post this geek luvfest for new video cameras that make me want to empty my bank account. The geek in me is all excited about the new HD no-tape-required camcorders,
Panasonic AG-HMC150 (coming soon) http://gizmodo.com/357336/panasonic-ag+hmc150-shoots-on-sdhc
and Sony HVR-Z7U http://www.freshdv.com/2008/02/first-sony-z7u-user-reports.html

However, there's always great divide between wants and needs. Pan Left has loads of needs before our wants, by the way we still need a new camera! Donate please! http://panleft.org/wishlist/Wish_list/Wish_List.html
Below is some email discussion about these cams from some Pan Lefties. Chime in ur thoughts. And if u ever get ur hands on one of those camcorders. I wanna know how the ride went.

----- Original Message ----

Any tech geeks out there will appreciate this news. Panasonic will be releasing a new Camcorder in the Fall that will be the successor to the DVX.
Get ready for the HMC150!
http://gizmodo. com/357336/ panasonic- ag+hmc150- shoots-on- sdhc

So what u say? Well, this fine piece can shoot HD, 24p, and best of all RECORDS ON SD MEMORY CARDS! No more Tapes! No more Log and Capture! Sony released their version this month and it looks pretty nice too, but for all you Panasonic luvahs, this will get you countin the daze til Fall.
Anybody else got any word on this camera? Let me know what you hear.

J.M.

----Replies----
From: marycharlotte
Looks sweet, and I'm no tech geek, but is 2x the price of the DVX. Then I'd have to buy a HD TV as well. But when you think about it, that equals a little less than a year of grad school tuition. Do you think they will lower the price of the DVX100 now? We can only hope. MC

From: heather
"That is so awesome, it makes me tingle all over..." says the video geek Heather.

The realistic dream-crusher Heather says, "It is quite lovely, but until HD is a standard Pan Left has no practical use for it." We all need to recognize our changing members equipment needs and HD is not currently one of them.

I do see it in Pan Lefts future in the next 5 years or so. I do want to do more research on companies that use the memory cards and see how their work flow goes.

dreaming of 1080/24p,

Heather

From: J.M. Aragón
I do agree w/ the dream-crusher. HD is not ready for Pan Left prime time yet. But 5 years? I don't know. It might make sense sooner.
Allow me to give in to my impulsive side and give the I-want-it-now!-argument:
Recording HD actually makes for better SD quality. It's easy to down convert to SD in Final Cut, and if people are looking for HD quality in future (i.e. PBS) you source footage is ready to go. And these cameras like the Sony http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=WishList.jsp&A=details...
and (most likely) Pana. can record SD if u don't want HD.
For me though, it's the SD memory card recording that makes me want to blow my TX refund. I haven't seen any word yet about the how the Sony handles, but recording tapeless exists already with the Panasonic P2 cards (which are ridiculous in price, no way worth it) and for the most part is very stable from what I've heard. I haven't done my own math on how much I spend in tapes. But I bet Pan Left spends plenty in tape stock, that might even out the big price tag.
Investementwise, we should plan upgrade sooner- 1 to 2yrs. 1. you can travel super easy between HD and SD. 2.FFS work could broaden to more clients because you have a camera that lots of people out there want to use because of the HD and "film-look".

Got a tech headache yet?

J.M.

p.s. If nobody minds. I'm puttin this email string on the blog, maybe get some internet responses. get a comment chain goin. Maybe someone who uses one of these camera in the future can weigh in.