Few things to buy first if you are about to order an HC3.

hot-fuzz · 15-06-2006, 6:05 PM

Dunno if this has been covered, but i thought i would try and make people benefit from my experience of purchasing one of these cracking cameras, which involves buying stuff as it doesnt come with alot.

Buy the following in preparation:

1. Some HDV tapes (doesnt come with any !!!!!)
2. A decent case (doesnt come with one - lowepro Rezo 110 is recomended by many)
3. An HDMI cable (if you have a hi-def tv)
4. NP-FP90 (fits perfectly flush and doesnt feel too weighty when in)
5. Battery Charger (BC-TRP - essential if you have 2 batteries)
5. Memory Stick DUO (make sure its a duo - so you can benefit from taking pics aswell).
6. Editing software (from FREE - £999, im getting Ulead VideoStudio 10+ for £50)
7. Firewire card and cable (to transfer movies onto your PC)

Get those five for about £100 (plus softare on top) and it will make your new purchase EVEN MORE enjoyable. my tapes didnt come today and i was gutted as i can only watch real-time footage on my Samsung without recording anything.

I am going to stick some HC3 footage online soon.

HTH

emocean · 15-06-2006, 9:01 PM

Are you sure you need HDV tapes? I've heard conflicting reports but many say you can use standard mini DV tapes and still get a HD image. If so HDV tape at £8 a go sounds like a waste of money.

redsox_mark · 15-06-2006, 9:10 PM

It is correct that you don't need "HDV" tapes. They are simply higher quality DV tapes. The logic behind it (as well as profit) is that with HDV if you were to get a "dropout" it could have a much larger impact than with DV (you could lose a whole group of 15 frames).

So in theory you are safer if you use HDV tapes. But most people find dropouts are rare and don't have problems using quality DV tapes.

Mark

15-06-2006, 9:52 PM

just to clarify, mark means that the occurrance of drop out has much more severe effects in the HDV system than in the DV system, not that DV tape necessarily makes the extent of the drop-out any worse (or many would argue, any more frequent)

The advice is whatever you start using keep using, if you want to pay £8 a pop for tape then thats your call. Just make sure your willing to pay it every time, or you will have problems. I can report no problems using solely one brand of ordinary miniDV tapes. And I use my cameras almost daily (a Z & FX and HC1)

emporer · 15-06-2006, 9:58 PM

Ive just ordered one of these and should get it tomorow, I was wondering though as i'm just browsing through the online pdf manual that it says nothing about a firewire cable, it comes with a usb cable and i presume that transfering pix/footage to the pc is done this way. I have never had a DV camcorder before let alone a HDV one so its all a bit new to me. Can anyone put me right here?

jmcardle · 15-06-2006, 10:01 PM

Highlander1

If you have the time and/or inclination, some info and prices on where to buy these would be welcome.

Have to agree, the stuff that comes with it is pretty basic...

emporer · 15-06-2006, 10:01 PM

i might be getting this now, do sony just refer to the firewire cable as the i.link cable? if so then there is one supplied in the box according to the pdf manual.

16-06-2006, 12:50 AM

What extras did you expect? I've never had a firewire cable or tape with any camera I've bought, usually thats up to the retailler, small things to close the deal, but then if you buy online........

Even the most inexpensive ford you buy will have a radio & cd player in it, a top of the range bmw generally doesn't. Go figure.

hot-fuzz · 16-06-2006, 6:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by emocean

Are you sure you need HDV tapes? I've heard conflicting reports but many say you can use standard mini DV tapes and still get a HD image. If so HDV tape at £8 a go sounds like a waste of money.

Sorry, as stated above, there is no need to get HDV tapes, just put that as one choice.
I just chose to list them over DV tapes, not much difference. im getting DV tapes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by emporer

i might be getting this now, do sony just refer to the firewire cable as the i.link cable? if so then there is one supplied in the box according to the pdf manual.

Just use your firewire card/cable whenever they refer to i-link (apart from when connecting to a non-PC device)

hot-fuzz · 16-06-2006, 6:38 AM

I have chosen XLshop.com below as you can get a discount (albeit quite small, but a discount none the less, from Quidco.co.uk).
You may find them cheaper elsewhere, this is just where i got mine.

Quote: