Lately I am getting a lot of questions about HD option. When talking to clients I’ve realized that there are some misconception about shooting and delivering in HD. That is why I’ve decided to provide basic information that should be taken into consideration while making a decision.
First of all, there is no doubt that HD is superior to today’s digital format and if you have HDTV you probably experienced for yourself the quality of High Definition: the picture is clearer, the colors are deeper and richer. Some of you may have HD camcorders and if you connect them directly to your HDTV, the picture speaks for itself, and here is where the confusion starts. When you connect HD camcorder directly to your HDTV you see true high definition picture. The key word here is “directly”. It is completely different when the film is delivered on a disc. So, below is what you need to consider while you decide on HD option.
Just recently the market has moved to Blue-ray Disc as a future delivery media of HD video. Practically the only option today to receive your video from an event videographer in HD format is the Blue-ray Disc and if you don’t have a Blue-ray Player, sorry, true HD will not happen.
Considering that Blue-ray technology is relatively new and an emerging winner of HD race, it is still a relatively expensive option, and only few have it. If you are the owner of a Blue-ray Disc Player, and you have your film shoot, edited and delivered in true HD format, remember that people with regular DVD players will not be able to watch it. You would need to convert it to a regular DVD - to downgrade HD video to a regular digital format and, most likely, for extra cost.
Let’s say you don’t have Blue-ray Player, but you still would like your event to be filmed on HD camera. There is no doubt that HD cameras are delivering superior picture quality in HD, but there is one “small” negative side - their performance in low light situation is not as good as regular digital cameras. So, if you have your event outdoor at night or indoor with only few windows (some venues don’t have windows at all), a regular digital footage captured by HD camera will not look at its best unless powerful lights are used. I am talking about two or more 600-1000 watts bulbs. Personally, I prefer and highly recommend to my clients not to use any external lighting except for on-camera light. It ruins the whole atmosphere of your special day, it almost converts your reception into a major movie production. As of today, there are only one HD camera on the event videography market with good low light performance, but it is very new and only few are using it.
In no way I am trying to say don’t shoot in HD. I love HD, I have a full capability of filming, editing and delivering in HD, but I believe that the clients have to know all the facts, so that she/he can make an informed decision before paying extra cost for a TRUE HD FILM.
