DommyG 0 #1 January 26, 2007 Hi I'd really like some views/advise/peples thoughts on the future of camcorders suitable for jumping. From the Posts that i've read it seems that there is uncertainty on whether the new HDD cams will actually function at 13k. I read that they are only good to 8k (ish) so not much cop for falling out of planes at any height!!!. So that kind of leaves the options back to MiniDV. However Sony seem, very inconsiderately to the skydiving community to have moved away from producing nice small handycams , like the pc1000 in favour of, if quality is compaired, the hc-96, which is a bt more bulky and doesnt seem the best for sidemounting ( irealise some do, but as i'm only going to start flying a cam soon the sleeker the better, I'm not too keen at this stage to top mount a cam) So what to do? Get a lower spec cam that is smaller, Or possibly search around for a secondhand pc1000, or wait for someone to produce a HDD that is bomb proof like Minidv. Or Maybe even another manufacturor to come up with the goods, I see Canons new HD cam got a slating from several people on here. If people are going for lower spec cams how does the quality vary between say a pC1000 and a HC47, Is it that noticable? I realise there is a few questions in here so thanks for any replies Cheers D Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites vdschoor 0 #2 January 26, 2007 I think the reason they are doing HDD cams is cause that's the way to go until they make solid state media (like compact flash) cheap enough to put in these cameras. There is something to be said for putting it straight to disk, it avoids having to sit there again and converting it all into the computer. DSE might have some ideas on this as well, but I've seen external HDD drives made for some of the professional cameras so they could record straight to hard disk.. Just for our application it's not useful since harddrives don't like altitude.. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Icon134 0 #3 January 26, 2007 what we need is solid state device memory large enough to record a solid hour of video (or at least 15-20 minutes...) then an efficient method to offload that to a harddrive or computer... Damn I wish I was still in Pittsburgh at the Data Storage Systems Center cause I could tell y'all if that sort of thing was in the works... Livin' on the Edge... sleeping with my rigger's wife... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites phoenixlpr 0 #4 January 27, 2007 QuoteJust for our application it's not useful since harddrives don't like altitude.. Can't just be replaced with the same sized flash drive? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Mr17Hz 1 #5 January 28, 2007 I think that a solution already exists. On January 5th SanDisk started shipping a 32GB, 1.8-inch solid-state drive using a standard ATA interface. http://linuxdevices.com/news/NS7676844023.html I would bet that the sony cameras use a 1.8-inch ATA interface harddrive - being as they're the highest produced standard for small drives (this is the type of drive used in ipods and other small handheld devices). Depending on how sony's on board software works - changing one of these drives out could be as easy as switching them and booting it up. If it requires a pre-formatted hard drive a byte per byte copy or custom format may have to take place... Skydivers will probably not have to do the research work on this as I would bet that others have found this process with the goal of putting higher capacity HDDs in devices, this is even more probable if the same format is used on sony built mp3 players (very likely - why reinvent the wheel?) It won't be long before these drives replace the HDD drives in cameras off the shelves for high end models. The drives are more expensive ($600) but will use considerably less battery power, and are physically lighter; which I suspect will be a reason for their demand. Edit: Confirmed that 1.8 inch drives are used, and easy to physically replace; only unresolved issue would be the format: http://sony.hdr.sr1.googlepages.com/Matt Christenson [email protected] http://www.RealDropzone.com - A new breed of dropzone manifest software. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Mr17Hz 1 #6 January 28, 2007 Also released recently: the Sony HDR-HC7 Expected to ship on or before February 19th 2007 "Place the pinnacle of high definition in your hands with the HDR-HC7 camcorder. It’s never been easier to capture the highest quality, high definition video possible on a MiniDV cassette. " http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/SY_DisplayProductInformation-Start?ProductSKU=HDRHC7&Dept=cameras&CategoryName=dcc_DICamcorders_HighDefinitionVideoMatt Christenson [email protected] http://www.RealDropzone.com - A new breed of dropzone manifest software. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites DommyG 0 #7 January 29, 2007 So it will interesting to see how long it takes Sony to replace the HDD with the solidstate drive then!! I'd like to see a working version of the SDR1 with the SSD in it. From the review its a shame that they didnt have another disk to prove ease of swappability (word?) rather than than just to show that its easy to crack open the case. I'm afraid i'm not that brave to buy a SDR1 and then try swapping it with the SSD ( when it becomes avaiable to the market and not just OEM's) But at least its a bit of hope. The HDR-HC7 looks a nice cam, but the dimensions and weight would surely mean top mounting, i'm guessing, but it certainly removes the issues with the currently available HDD's. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites riggerrob 558 #8 February 17, 2015 Bump! An amusing piece of ancient science fiction. Now all those generations of video cameras have been replaced by GoPro. Hah! Hah! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Icon134 0 #9 March 6, 2015 riggerrobBump! An amusing piece of ancient science fiction. Now all those generations of video cameras have been replaced by GoPro. Hah! Hah! Wow, you actually resurrected a post that I interjected in over 7 years ago... good to see where things have gone in the past several years... HA HA HA.Livin' on the Edge... sleeping with my rigger's wife... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Join the conversation You can post now and register later. 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vdschoor 0 #2 January 26, 2007 I think the reason they are doing HDD cams is cause that's the way to go until they make solid state media (like compact flash) cheap enough to put in these cameras. There is something to be said for putting it straight to disk, it avoids having to sit there again and converting it all into the computer. DSE might have some ideas on this as well, but I've seen external HDD drives made for some of the professional cameras so they could record straight to hard disk.. Just for our application it's not useful since harddrives don't like altitude.. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Icon134 0 #3 January 26, 2007 what we need is solid state device memory large enough to record a solid hour of video (or at least 15-20 minutes...) then an efficient method to offload that to a harddrive or computer... Damn I wish I was still in Pittsburgh at the Data Storage Systems Center cause I could tell y'all if that sort of thing was in the works... Livin' on the Edge... sleeping with my rigger's wife... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
phoenixlpr 0 #4 January 27, 2007 QuoteJust for our application it's not useful since harddrives don't like altitude.. Can't just be replaced with the same sized flash drive? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mr17Hz 1 #5 January 28, 2007 I think that a solution already exists. On January 5th SanDisk started shipping a 32GB, 1.8-inch solid-state drive using a standard ATA interface. http://linuxdevices.com/news/NS7676844023.html I would bet that the sony cameras use a 1.8-inch ATA interface harddrive - being as they're the highest produced standard for small drives (this is the type of drive used in ipods and other small handheld devices). Depending on how sony's on board software works - changing one of these drives out could be as easy as switching them and booting it up. If it requires a pre-formatted hard drive a byte per byte copy or custom format may have to take place... Skydivers will probably not have to do the research work on this as I would bet that others have found this process with the goal of putting higher capacity HDDs in devices, this is even more probable if the same format is used on sony built mp3 players (very likely - why reinvent the wheel?) It won't be long before these drives replace the HDD drives in cameras off the shelves for high end models. The drives are more expensive ($600) but will use considerably less battery power, and are physically lighter; which I suspect will be a reason for their demand. Edit: Confirmed that 1.8 inch drives are used, and easy to physically replace; only unresolved issue would be the format: http://sony.hdr.sr1.googlepages.com/Matt Christenson [email protected] http://www.RealDropzone.com - A new breed of dropzone manifest software. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mr17Hz 1 #6 January 28, 2007 Also released recently: the Sony HDR-HC7 Expected to ship on or before February 19th 2007 "Place the pinnacle of high definition in your hands with the HDR-HC7 camcorder. It’s never been easier to capture the highest quality, high definition video possible on a MiniDV cassette. " http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/SY_DisplayProductInformation-Start?ProductSKU=HDRHC7&Dept=cameras&CategoryName=dcc_DICamcorders_HighDefinitionVideoMatt Christenson [email protected] http://www.RealDropzone.com - A new breed of dropzone manifest software. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DommyG 0 #7 January 29, 2007 So it will interesting to see how long it takes Sony to replace the HDD with the solidstate drive then!! I'd like to see a working version of the SDR1 with the SSD in it. From the review its a shame that they didnt have another disk to prove ease of swappability (word?) rather than than just to show that its easy to crack open the case. I'm afraid i'm not that brave to buy a SDR1 and then try swapping it with the SSD ( when it becomes avaiable to the market and not just OEM's) But at least its a bit of hope. The HDR-HC7 looks a nice cam, but the dimensions and weight would surely mean top mounting, i'm guessing, but it certainly removes the issues with the currently available HDD's. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 558 #8 February 17, 2015 Bump! An amusing piece of ancient science fiction. Now all those generations of video cameras have been replaced by GoPro. Hah! Hah! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Icon134 0 #9 March 6, 2015 riggerrobBump! An amusing piece of ancient science fiction. Now all those generations of video cameras have been replaced by GoPro. Hah! Hah! Wow, you actually resurrected a post that I interjected in over 7 years ago... good to see where things have gone in the past several years... HA HA HA.Livin' on the Edge... sleeping with my rigger's wife... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
