Sony HDR-HC7 camcorder and PB Ti with IMovie HD

Question

Hello everyone. Im in the army and I will be deploying soon to Irak. Im looking for a good digital camcorder that will work with my PB. Im running Tiger with IMovie HD . I have been looking at different web sites and one that i like is the sony (nothing particular) HDR-HC7. Now the problem is that it is a high definition camcorder. I really dont know if my PB can handle the format or any software that it will require. Besides I dont know a lot about computers and cameras. The reason for the camera is that it has firewire connection( my PB has usb 1.1), image stabilization and good reviews for low light operations. I am a pilot and I'll doing a lot of flying at night. It also has a remote and good still pictures capabilities. Any advice or other suggestion on a good camera will be appreciated. Im I going to have issues with this particular camcorder? Anyone has this equipment setup? Can anyone suggest a good camcorder in the price range of 1000 dollars that will work with my PB? Please any advice and suggestions will be appreciated.
Gonzo

Answer 1

Good camcorder. But importing hi-def HDV will be -s-l-o-w- on your PowerBook, and especially on your 400 MHz G4 PowerMac.
You really do need at least a Dual G5 or a new Intel-powered machine for importing hi-def in real time, and lots of memory (1GB or more).
Hi-def also uses up much more space on your hard disc than standard-definition 13GB/hour video. So you'll need (a) more space, and (b) more patience!
When hi-def has been imported and edited the only reasonable means to create a hi-def DVD is to use Apple's (expensive) DVD Studio Pro software, or external software and hardware such as a Blu-Ray burner. (No Macs presently come with these ..and your existing Macs certainly don't have them.)
So you can shoot in hi-def with the camera ..but using that hi-def material may be problematic.
HDV isn't too good when you're shooting anything fast-moving (..because of the way the compression works..) so shooting from a pilot's seat in hi-def may give inferior results compared with shooting standard-def! ..It may look a bit sharper, but the detail won't really be there, and it may judder, compared with standard-def.
For fairly static shots, hi-def is much (about 4x) sharper.
So, the camera's good, but you may need to upgrade all the rest of your Mac equipment to match the camera's capability if you use its hi-def features. You can, of course, use the camera in standard-def ..but then that defeats the purpose of spending the money on hi-def, doesn't it..?
NOTE that all miniDV-tape camcorders have a FireWire connection, and so do your two Macs. USB is just for transferring photos, not video. Sony call the FireWire connection either 'DV' or 'i.Link', but it is normal FireWire, nevertheless. You'll also need a separate 4-pin-to-6-pin FireWire/DV/i.Link cable ..Sony doesn't put one in the box with the camcorder ..and I don't think many of the other manufacturers do, either.