Canon and Sony HDV MiniDV and 16:9 vs 1080i ? « Videomaker Community Forums

jsmyth
Member

Both Sony and Canon claim to record in 'widescreen' and at 1080. They don't (seem) to claim to do it at the same time.

Both claim that the chip is native 16:9. They claim true '1080'. I ask - "Which is it"?

The Standard MPEG2 formats for MiniDV HD are HDV1 (1280x720) and HDV2 (1440x1080).

Two, and only two standards. There is no 16:9 at 1080.

The only 16:9 is at 720. The only 1080 is at 4:3.

I can't phantom they are recording 2 different formats at the same time.

Moreover Sony provides fuel for the arguement that they might have a 16:9 capture capability but they process it down to 4:3. Ref http://bssc.sel.sony.com/BroadcastandBusiness/minisites/HDV1080/HVR-V1U/devices.html where their discussion of the Enhanced Imaging Processor captures at 1920x1080 (16:9) but outputs at 1440x1080 (4:3).

I haven't gotten a straight answer from anyone I've talke to (and I have called the manufacturers directly). B&H has told me that no way will I get a 1080 widescreen out of anything less than one of Sony's $25+K cameras.

I don't know what version of the truth to believe. I can live with 'what is' if I just know what I am getting.

Anyone here have real experience with it ??

Thanks,
John

Posted 5 years ago #
cfulton
Member

HDV2 uses wide pixels (the pixel aspect ratio is stretched out so the entire 16:9 screen is filled; compared to HDV1 which can use square pixels to fill a 720p monitor.) This is a compromise that had to be implemented in order to get the 1080i data stream down to 25Mbps, allowing it to fit onto a Mini DV tape.
JVC announced a true 1920x1080p HD camcorder at CES this year (the GZ-HD7); though it's not HDV, but hard drive-based instead. It uses an MPEG-2 transport stream-based recording format and also includes Fujinon glass--we're itching to review this one!

Posted 5 years ago #
hidef1080
Member

Cfulton is right.
Non-square pixels.

But it is true HD in 1080.

If you have not done so already, play back some video from your camera into a HD 1080 TV!!!. No editing and no deinterlacing but from the tape in your camera into the TV.
This is why I love my FX1.

Posted 5 years ago #