Which way is technology going?

[Starman]

As a cameraman, I have shot on tape, XDCAM and P2 in the past two years. When I shoot tape, it's either an HDX900 or a Sony Z1U or Z7U. I do quite a bit of reality TV and other broadcasts, and it's usually either HDX900 or HDV for the show, those two formats are most popular. I am rather glad that my Z1U is still making me money. However, I have also noticed that P2 is slowly gaining a foothold in broadcast and corporate markets as well. And, I only used XDCAM once with a BBC crew shooting on location here in Texas. A third area of production, which I am just getting into as a DP and a gaffer is TV commercials, music videos, and narratives. Here, I see DSLR's and the Sony F3, Panasonic AF100, and Sony FS700 used the most.

So, I am wondering what is going to replace the standard HDX900 and HDV cameras which are still so prevalent in broadcast and corporate work? My speculation is that it could become evenly divided between XDCAM and P2, but this is just an educated guess.

I am asking all of this because I see no point in buying an HDX900, unless I'm wrong and it will stick around much longer like Betacam did. I am looking at what the next ENG style camera will be the most popular. (Panasonic HPX600 looks like a possibility, as does the PDW800 and 500) I am also going to add a cine-style camera to my kit, maybe the Sony FS700, which will be upgradeable, much like the HPX600.

Currently, I only have a Panny HPX370, Sony Z1U, and a Nikon D800 DSLR.

[Run&Gun]

Which way is technology going?

Roll the dice, shake the magic 8 ball or just flip a coin...

This is 2012 and you would think things would be settling down by now, but it's more up in the air now than it was 8-10 years ago. I own a 16:9/4:3 Betacam, a tape VariCam and a P2 VariCam along with a Nano Flash recorder and I have used ALL of them within the last seven months. The last camera I picked up... My Betacam last week. It's crazy. SD just will not die. And neither will tape... And this is for one of the largest networks on the planet, not some little operation with a shoestring budget.

This time last year, I was pretty certain one of my major clients was going P2(and a lot of people there did, too). Now they're testing the PIX 240 on the P2 cameras recording in the Avid codec. I think it's kind of funny, shooting on a tapeless camera in one file format and recording with an external recorder on it in yet another file format.

What ever you have or buy, someone some where is using it with no problems and someone some where else thinks it's the black plague.

[cameragod]

Had a 3:4 shoot the other day... it felt so wrong :-)
Some things just won't go away.

[The Thing on The Sticks]

Originally Posted by Run&Gun

Roll the dice, shake the magic 8 ball or just flip a coin...

This is 2012 and you would think things would be settling down by now, but it's more up in the air now than it was 8-10 years ago. I own a 16:9/4:3 Betacam, a tape VariCam and a P2 VariCam along with a Nano Flash recorder and I have used ALL of them within the last seven months. The last camera I picked up... My Betacam last week. It's crazy. SD just will not die. And neither will tape... And this is for one of the largest networks on the planet, not some little operation with a shoestring budget.

This time last year, I was pretty certain one of my major clients was going P2(and a lot of people there did, too). Now they're testing the PIX 240 on the P2 cameras recording in the Avid codec. I think it's kind of funny, shooting on a tapeless camera in one file format and recording with an external recorder on it in yet another file format.

What ever you have or buy, someone some where is using it with no problems and someone some where else thinks it's the black plague.

Ditto I still shoot SD on occasion next week for that matter... I think it will be a bit like 3/4 gear at some outfits. I can remember shooting 3/4 on some local/regional sports crews in 2000 when that stuff should have been long dead. The problem is for some clients as long as it turns on they will continue to use it.

[joecam147]

I think the only thing you can bank on is that it will NEVER ever settle down as it seems every 6 months there's yet another new camera/format. If you are old enough to remember Betacam, tell your kids because I don't think we'll ever see that kind of uniformity ever again...

[Douglas]

New cameras, yes. New formats, no.

There haven't really been any new formats in recent years that a typical freelancer would be interested in. It's pretty much XDCAM and P2, what else is there in the last six months that would make any difference it us? Even ProRes has been around for years.

Pick a camera that has the features you want and go for it. What difference does it make if a different model hits the streets a few months later? I don't upgrade computers, printers, DSLRs. TV's, monitors, microphones, cars, iPhones, iPads, or HD cameras just because there's a new one -- if the old one is still working for me.

[photog3535]

The only difference I think matters anymore is if you're going to shoot either ENG style or cinematic style. If I did more ENG work I'd probably go with something like the PMW-320k. But I'm shooting more cinematic style see days, so I've got a FS100 and two DSLR's.