What equipment do I need to shoot HDV?

What equipment do I need to shoot HDV?

Tim Smith (Camcorder Training Specialist) gives expert video advice on: What is an HDV camcorder and how does it work?; Can I watch my videos on a Hi-Def TV?; What equipment do I need to shoot HDV? and more...

To shoot HDV, you are obviously going to need a high-definition camcorder. It may be an HDV camcorder; that's probably the most common. You are going to look for tape. Your tape choices are going to be Mini-DV tape or HDV-Mini, and there are some subtle differences there. There is tape specifically formulated for shooting high-definition video called HDV Mini-DV tape; that's what I would recommend in terms of the best integrity, although you can always use the old Mini-DV stuff to shoot in HDV - it works just fine. To view in HDV, you are going to need a high-definition television set and a high definition monitor. If you're going to edit the HDV video, you should consider software which will handle high-definition as well. You still need the same components to shoot HDV - camera, editing system, and something to watch it on - but they all have to be geared toward high-definition.