Were getting ready to shoot a movie and my friend won't listen to a word I say. I say we should shoot on OUR HI-8 cameras. He thinks we should rent Mini-DVs from the Community College( btw we're in High School.?). But if we use their cameras then we have to rent them out EVERY time we need to edit AND a teacher would have to be present. But we have HI-8 cameras and I have the equipment to edit on HI-8. He thinks theres a HUGE difference in HI-8 and Mini-DV. There isn't THAT big of a difference in quality right?
JSwinger

If you'll forgive a bad analogy, mini-dv is a significantly taller midget than Hi-8. It is of much higher quality but is still basically an amateur format (Non-broadcast quality). I don't know if it's worth it for your project or not. It's not a right/wrong issue.

Good luck!

Its really about what works for you. The difference is minimal, but it sounds like Mini DV just isnt practical. How often can you shoot? How often can you get the camera? Remember, the college students will have priority over you. Plus, needing it for editing.. I would stick with the Hi-8, even though i love Mini DV. Just my 2 cents.
R. M. McWhorter

And you shall know us by the trail of dead.

I would pick up a Digital8 camera so you can have the editing capabilities of MiniDV with the affordability of Hi8.

Or, you can shoot on Hi8, then borrow a Digital8 camera from a friend to edit. Or even buy one, edit the movie, then return it to the store (I'm not responsible if you actually do this and find yourself unable to return the camera. )

~justin
http://www.showchoir.com/~justinc79
http://www.angelfire.com/film/iwc

Well i only got Hi8mm and I really think they do a desent job...but than agains depends on what you are looking for.

If you guys have time drop by our new site...
http://www.ecliptic.tk\

Later,
Andrew (ecliptic productions)

.:: WoodY ::.

First, isn't Robbery: Homocide Division a revolutionary new program all shot entirely in DV? Not broadcast standards my big hig hairy buttocks.

Second, dude, I once bought a Digital 8, without even knowing what I was doing and whatnot, well, time came when I needed that nine hundred bucks more than I needed the camera itself. I returned it, yet there was still a "fifteen percent reshelving fee," in other words, Best Buy, and I'm sure anyone else you may buy from for that matter, is just too heartless to give you all you're money back.

Laterz,
Elliott

"First, isn't Robbery: Homocide Division a revolutionary new program all shot entirely in DV? Not broadcast standards my big hig hairy buttocks."

There's a pretty picture (What exactly is a "hig" anyway?).
4:1:1 compression (A la DV) is not considered broadcast standard. To a certain extent you're right, though. Some things sourced on DV do get broadcast (For artistic, budgetary or means of profile) and some of the lesser broadcasters will actually send signal straight from a DV deck(KJLA here in L.A. for example). For the most part, even when DV is the source material, things must be bumped to at least Beta SP to actually be broadcast. Most actually want DigiBeta.

Whoever told you "Robbery: Homicide Division" was shot on DV is smoking crack. It is shot on 24p HD (Which is still a form of digital video but is a FAR cry from DV). It is also BROADCAST on HD to those folks lucky enough to own an HDTV set. I assume it's from Digibeta to the rest of us.

Peace!
Nota "Uses the Mach 3" Mono

Okay, I told my friend everything you guys said, about how there isn't THAT big of a difference in the two. And he STILL won't listen to me. He's such a moron. Yeah he keeps on saying, how Mini-DV is the best and blah blah blah. It sucks because I know we're not going to get the cameras as much as he wants to. I just really wish he'd trust my judgment. But then again what the hell do I know.
Danny.

I would just tell your friend that MiniDV is going to be too hard to rent or that it's too expensive ($12 a tape, as compared to around $3 a tape for Hi/Digital8).

Whose film project is it? If he's only working on it, I'd tell him that if he's not going to cooperate, you'll find someone else. Hopefully, he won't call your bluff and go along with using Hi8.

I once read about a movie called White Trash that was shot on Hi8 and then blown up to 35mm... just thought I'd mention that.

~justin
http://www.showchoir.com/~justinc79
http://www.angelfire.com/film/iwc

"I told my friend everything you guys said, about how there isn't THAT big of a difference in the two."

It is a pretty big difference IMO. Perhaps your friend has an idea of how it should look and Mini DV but not Hi-8 fits into that asthetic. Is he shooting this thing or are you? Which one of you is funding this? If it's you then put your foot down. If it's him then you should perhaps trust HIS judgement. I definately wouldn't call him a moron for wanting a higher quality image (That usually offers more control).

Nota "Devil's Advocate" Mono

quote:

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Originally posted by Danny:
Were getting ready to shoot a movie and my friend won't listen to a word I say.

---

I would be that friend he is speaking of. It's not that I wont listen to him, it's that I've worked with Mini DV before and in the end, the result is so much better, I think, but he's right when it comes to the availability of the cameras, we're screwed. So I've decided to use Hi8, only because it is possible to edit them and once you've changed the film to digital, it doesn't look too much different.

And once again, a homicide is prevented.
JSwinger

I hate hi 8, it's all i can use now (schools back in florida and I'm back in michigan). The quality is poor, distant objects are blurred and everything is automated. Sure you got your choice of white balance indoor or out but dammit, their the same. Rather do the white balance myself. As far as an iris, it's fixed at best. Same with focuse, you got it in camera instead of on lens. So many wrecks to mention.

On the other side of the coin, just shoot dammit, if the story is good it won't matter what format.

Hi-8 the beligerent drunk old uncle, mini dv the handsome brother that can get all the chicks, and digi beta...your God.

Movies shot with dv: Killjoy, 80 percent of full frontal.

"The worst times in life happen the moment before the dreams come true"

quote:

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Originally posted by Fishdirt:
Hi-8 the beligerent drunk old uncle, mini dv the handsome brother that can get all the chicks, and digi beta...your God.

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Dare I ask what this makes IMAX?

Nota "Pixelvision" Mono

I'm talking video formats...Imax is 70 mm..the God of film...how anyone can afford to shoot on this is beyond me...shoot it on 35 mm and give me the budget surplus...i'll share haha

"The worst times in life happen the moment before the dreams come true"

Hate to burst all your bubbles but ...

Broadcast Quality merely refers to anything that they care to broadcast!

The BBC (!) uses MiniDV for it's on location news reporting because 1) the quality is excellent 2) The equipment is smaller than say BetaSP or DigiBeta 3) It's more inobtrusive in nasty situations and 4) You can't really tell the difference anyway between MiniDV, DVCPRO and DigiBeta.

Any talk about 4:1:1 vs 4:2:0 or 4:2:2 colour subsampling is basically splitting hairs and doesn't really matter unless you stick the footage through sucessive codec "generations".

Richard.

quote:

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Some things sourced on DV do get broadcast (For artistic, budgetary or means of profile)

---

Take a gander into any American network affiliate. Many don't even own DV, DVCPro or DV Cam decks (Even film labs wouldn't telecine to DV until just recently). If you send something to them on that format, they will usually bounce it back to you or throw it in the garbage. I know not what the BBC's policy is. Government sponsored television would seemingly have more responsability to deal with whatever format people shoot on so that would make sense for them to deal with DV. American television is switching to Hi-Def in the next few years (2007?). For news they still usually use Beta SP because it can be On-lined quickly and they don't waste time with capturing etc.

I'm not just making this stuff up and I'm not trying to bring DV down (Although I believe it really is a barely acceptable format). Anything I speak has come from dealing with broadcasters for various reasons.

Nota "Can easily discern the difference between DV and DigiBeta" Mono