The filming for Docks has begun. The Canon HV20 I’m currently borrowing to film is rather an incredible little bugger. It’s HD (1080i, 720p), and shoots at ~24p (ie. same framerate as in cinemas… and yes – it matters.) It also sports an optical stabilization feature that’s very, very, good. Panning around the camera on a tripod has never looked so smooth.
The HV20 also uses regular MiniDV tapes. The camera uses the same amount of bandwidth of my standard-definition DV videocam (25Mbit/s.) This is due to a different compression algorithm, which in itself has some pros/cons. Nevertheless, it’s a relief I won’t have to be spending tons of money on special tapes for HD content – regular ($8/pop) MiniDV tapes will be exactly as reliable as they are for 480i cameras.
Yet another plus of this little gem. Most impressive is the budget price for such a piece of machinery ($1,300), and the fact that it’s low-price isn’t standing in the way of the incredible reviews it’s getting. Without further adieu, here is the initial footage I captured:
 
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