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DCP BlogrollKnow Your Formats, Part 1
Apr 14, 2008 12:00 PM, By Jan Ozer
Figure 1: Formats and features.
Click here for a larger image.
Many digital shooters started with DV video, which hammered the nail in the analog-video coffin and democratized video production by dropping the price of capturing very good video from $25,000 (Betacam SP camera and deck) to well less than $4,000 (Sony DCR-VX2000 and FireWire cable). Another strong feature was that DV was simple—simple to edit, simple to understand, and simple to explain.
In the world of high-definition video, things get much more complex, with a multitude of very different formats competing for your purchase dollars. Understanding the similarities and differences between these formats is critical to making the correct purchase decision, and as always, the various product camps and their loyalists spew fear, uncertainty, and doubt about competing formats. It’s always an election year when it comes to high-definition camera gear. So, in this issue of HDV@Work, I’ll take a stab at explaining the differences and similarities between some of the more prominent high-definition formats.
Formats and Features
There are too many high-definition formats to cover exhaustively, but the parameters that I explain should help you navigate the spec sheets of most relevant contenders. Figure 1 identifies the formats and features that I’ll focus on, starting with the formats' aspect ratios. I’ll be the first to admit that there are many features that I didn’t consider—including sampling rate, on-camera storage format (tape vs. HDD), container format (MXF vs. MPG), and the like. From my view, however, those shown in the table are the most relevant and illustrative for future format comparisons. So, let’s get started.
