Survey of format uses

[SimonW]

Just wondering if you guys would like to list the formats you use and what you use them for the most? With all these different formats around it's all very confusing. Sometimes I hear a person say DVCAM is no good for broadcast, and on the other hand I hear of people using DSR570's for news gathering.

So I would be interested to know which formats you all use, and what kind of work you use each format for the most?

 

[dinosaur]

Here's my breakdown, so far, of EFP shoots for 2004:
Betacam SP 91 days

Varicam HD 24 days (We are booked for Super Bowl with this format. Major network.)

HDCam F-900 6 days

MiniDV 24p 25 days (at full package rate too)

DVCPro50 SDX 900 24p 7 days

Digital Betacam 1 day (pal)

IMX tape- absolutely none by direct client request, execpt when it was Wexler's camera - 7 days as a daily hire to cover for a reality show cameraman out on sick leave.

XDCam: 3 day field test. NONE of my clients have XDCam installed yet.

Sony HDV: 3 day field test. 1 client is testing 1080i HDV on a Discovery-HD doco project.

DVCam: none. NO clients are currently using DVCam.

HDCam SR: ha ha ha, I have to laugh that this format will probably never be used in an ENG/EFP capacity. It might gain some traction for feature films and studio work. It is way too expensive for ENG/EFP work.

BetaSX: Nobody has ever called me wanting to use this format for EFP work.

[ November 28, 2004, 11:13 AM: Message edited by: dinosaur ]

 

[SimonW]

That's an interesting lineup. Especially the number of days MiniDV that were hired. What kind of cameras were those?

If more people contribute to this thread it might be interesting to ressurect it in a year or so to get a good picture of how things change (or not as the case may well be).

 

[dinosaur]

Panasonic DVX100A in 24p mode

 

[freedom]

Aprox 80 days Betacam.
1 day Sony HD 900.
3 days Pana Varicam 27F
Aprox 10 days Panasonic DVX100A
3 of those days were 60i mini DV requests.
No DVCam this year, several last year.
A few digibeta requests, passed.

 

[Tom F.]

Moi?

Beta SP
F900 CineAlta
Varicam
DVCam 3 chip
DVCPro50
MiniDV as second lockdown or POVcamera only.
DigiBeta (limited)

 

[Ken]

So far this year:
Beta SP - approx. 125 days (about 40 of them WS)
Digibeta - 5 days (all for foriegn broadcasters, all WS)
DVCPro50 - 3 days (24P all WS)
DVCam - 3 days
Mini DVCam - 1 day lockdown as 2nd cam

 

[SimonW]

All looking pretty interesting. Anyone from the European or Eastern countries want to chime in?

 

[PHX Shooter]

Interesting to hear the mix that's being used. To help put the information in better context, I'm wondering who the camera work is being done for. For example, what kind of jobs require Beta gear, news, cable programming, other broadcast venues? What jobs are looking for HD or widescreen, is this agency work?
I'm also wondering who the clients are that ask for specific formats or cameras, are they industry folks, agency creative directors, production companies?
Technical issues/preferences aside, it seems like having a good feel for what formats get the most work for a particular client niche would be good to know from a business planning perspective.

[ November 29, 2004, 04:13 AM: Message edited by: NorCal Shooter ]

 

[FOCUZ]

Why don't you just ask everyone for their client list and phone numbers.

[ November 30, 2004, 03:51 PM: Message edited by: FOCUZ ]

 

[Douglas]

Year to date:
147 days Betacam
33 days DVCAM
0 all other formats

I've been called for other formats, but I turn down all requests for any camera that I don't own myself and shoots where a "toy" camera would be the primary camera.

 

[PHX Shooter]

Aw c'mon Focuz, lighten up. You think an answer like:
Beta 60% broadcast docs, 10% corporate
SDX 80% agency
etc., etc. is giving away competitive advantage and the crown jewels of your industry knowledge?

I thought putting format use into context was a pretty reasonable thing to be curious about.

 

[FOCUZ]

NorCal quote" To help put the information in better context, I'm wondering who the camera work is being done for. For example, what kind of jobs require Beta gear, news, cable programming, other broadcast venues? What jobs are looking for HD or widescreen, is this agency work? [/B]

This doesn't seem like just a format question to me.

It's really no big deal I was only busting your chops.

[ December 01, 2004, 04:25 PM: Message edited by: FOCUZ ]

 

[Tom F.]

These are guesses. I don't have the patience to go through my datebook. I'll bet I am close though.

Percentages are representative of the work I do and equipment I use in the course of a year.

68% network broadcast, Beta SP.
5% corporate, Beta SP
3% television spot commercials, Beta SP
2% television commercials, DVCPro50
10% PBS and cable documentary, DVCam
5% PBS documentary, DigiBeta
5% PBS and cable documentary, HDCam
2% Miscellaneous DVCam, Beta SP

 

[Icarus112277]

Server based work- 75%
Digibeta- 20%
SP/DV- 5%

 

[Run&Gun]

2004:

Betacam SP-Too many to remember right now

HDCam(F-900)-3 so far, 4 more confirmed for the next 2 weeks, other days already booked early '05.

MiniDV(DVX-100)24P-1

DVCam-1 or 2 inquiries

[ December 02, 2004, 10:03 PM: Message edited by: Run&Gun ]

 

[wtv]

100% my own trusty SP.

 

[Lensmith]

Originally posted by wtv:
100% my own trusty SP.

That makes two of us!

 

[tdelarm]

It depends on the clients needs...In my case I support SD and HD 720/1080.

Really depends on what the network format requires.

One day though, I see it finally resting with HD-DVD.

Tim

 

[simard]

Interesting discussion and first post. I realize that things are quite different in the us market but in New Zealand things are on the move format-wise. For ages my work was 90% SP and the rest was Digi (commercials and the likes)

In the last year 70% of my work was beta sp 10% Digibeta and 20% XDCAM. Mostly all EFP work for the US, UK, Canada and of course NZ/Australia. The XDCAM has been for NZ.

Next year I have 3 jobs booked in XD 20-30 days+ each so all and all, its looking like XDCAM will be good to me in 2005.

We get little interest other than commercials and US work for HD and all I have done is some evaluation work for that.
0 jobs in DV
0 jobs in DVC Pro
0 in HDDV

Just signed up so be nice to me!
Yves