Shoot-out at the HD Corral

Many of you won't care, but for those filmmakers looking at getting an HD cam, this shoot-out at DVXuser.com is a godsend. It compares the Sony HDVs, the new Panasonic HVX200, the JVC HD100, and the new Canon XLH1, and the results are surprising. Even more surprising, since the site is heavy on the Panasonic love bone.

The shootout makes me feel better about buying the FX1, despite the fact the Sony doesn't perform as well comparatively. (The FX1's images are very similar to the Z1U being tested.) For the price, the FX1 would put up a good fight.

Read the whole thread, because more information is provided throughout. Try to ignore some of the more snarky posters. Camera fanatics can be rather evangelical about their brand choice.

Addendum: Apparently, there is some controversy that the tests on DVXuser may not be completely accurate. There's talk that attempts were made to make the HVX200 seem superior, instead of having an unbiased test. I personally have no idea, although I wouldn't be too shocked to find Panasonic favoritism on a pro-Panasonic site. They're not big fans of the other brands.

I personally like all the cameras, since they tend to have enough different features to make me want all of them. They each have their strengths and weaknesses, and the final image within their price category is truly subjective. I find this camera snobbery somewhat amusing, in a waste-of-time sort of way. After all, there's plenty of 35mm film purists who scoff at us video "filmmaker" enthusiasts anyway.