Posted by Spex on 07/11/07 07:42

P.C. Ford wrote:
> On Tue, 10 Jul 2007 07:44:37 +0100, Spex <No.spam@ta.com> wrote:
>
>> P.C. Ford wrote:
>>> Nobody seems to be answering this part of my post from above, so I
>>> will make it more obvious:
>>>
>>>
>>> I have the probability of a job related to the Beijing Olympics. Not
>>> the sports events, but documenting the development of a pavillion for
>>> the event, and video content within it.
>>>
>>> I have a PD 150 right now. I am assuming that I will need a hi-def
>>> camera somewhere down the road. Untill the time that I have another
>>> camera, would it be possible to shoot 16x9 on the PD 150 and upsample
>>> it to high def? The content would be planning sessions, talking heads.
>> It is amazing someone needs to ask this question.
>>
>> The PD150 in 16x9 mode has a vertical res of less than 400 lines. It
>> doesn't matter how clever the up-scaling algorithm is no extra
>> resolution is going to be created and it will look out of focus compared
>> to any HD content shot at a future time. You mix up-scaled pd150
>> footage with even one of the poorer budget HD cams and you are asking
>> for trouble let alone a XDCAM HD camera or better.
>>
>> Take Martin's advice re the HV20. If you then went on to purchase a
>> Canon HDV camera like the XL-H1 or XH-A1 you could use the HV20 as a deck.
>>
>> Hope that answers your question.
>
> "Amazing someone needs to ask this question."
>
> Well, you seem to be well informed. Or at least consider yourself
> thus.
>
> Here is some more information for you. The film, "Iraq in Fragments"
> was shot on a AG DVX100, an SD camera as you know. The footage was
> upsampled to hd....not sure what variety. It was then nominated for an
> Academy Award. It is a beautiful movie by, I think, anyone's
> standards. It was nominated for an Academy Award. It lost to "An
> Inconvenient Truth." Gore's movie, in my humble opinion was far less
> of a movie; it was mainly an extremely well done Powerpoint
> presentation. But its political sentiments carried the day.
>
> The point is, contrary to your opinion, it is possible to shoot a
> compelling film on upsample SD. I talked with the video engineer at
> Victory Studios (one of the leading post houses here in Seattle) and
> he said that it was possible as well.
>
> By the way, the guy had some excellent comparisons between the various
> competing flavors of HD these days. Best I have ever seen or heard.
>
> I am certanily well aware that upsampling does not add resolution. But
> it is possible to create good stuff with it. Contrary to your opinion.
> If someone has direct experience instead of mere opinions, I would
> look forward to hearing it.
>
> Oh, the HV20, XL-H1, XH-A1 are less than I was expecting to spend,
> but they are worth a look. Thanks.

Iraq in Fragments was shot in DV throughout to my knowledge and does not
mix SD and HD. From your question I thought you were mixing SD and HD
am I right? I inferred, probably incorrectly, that you intended to
begin shooting with PD150 and then get a HD camera at a later point in
time and then mix the footage by up-rezzing the PD150 footage. If you
intend to go that route the well shot SD footage will look, frankly,
crap compared to well shot HD(V).

PD150s in 16x9 mode have been unacceptable for SD broadcast for some
years now. Even for SD broadcast a PD150 must at least have been fitted
with an anamorphic adaptor or shot in 4x3 and ARC-ed to 14x9 (then
transmitted as 16x9). The mere opinion of broadcast engineers in the UK
is that the PD150 16x9 mode produces unacceptably poor quality images.
The vast majority of ENG and actuality based programming is done using
Sony Z1s and DSR-570 and their replacements. The trusty PD150 has had
its day for serious work...

Of course it is entirely up to you and your client what you see fit to
use on a project and I wish you the best of luck with how it goes. In
my mere opinion if I was shooting a doc now and wanted it to stand the
test of time I wouldn't be shooting in SD at all let alone a bottom rung
quality version of SD.

I suggested the Canon HDV cameras as I thought you had budget
constraints having chosen to shoot with the PD150.. The Canon cameras
are the best (IMO) of the current crop of HDV cameras. Frankly you have
to purchase the F350 XDCAM HD variant and put a bloody good lens on it
to get an appreciably better image than the Canon HDV cameras.

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