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Some time ago I posted a discussion topic asking whether mini DV tape was going the way of the Dodo bird. The response seemed to indicate that most BB members thought the future for Min DV tape was still bright. But it seems that in Australia at least mini DV tape cameras are distinctly an endangered species. Camera stores are touting almost exclusively card or hard drive storage cameras and the few Mini DV cameras seem mostly confined to el cheapo beginner models. I would like to know exactly which Casa models are now completely compatible with the new camera systems. It would also be interesting to know whether it is still a majority opinion that the survival of mini DV tape is still resolutely supported.

Hello Barrie,

Whilst I make no pretense at being a camera guru - I have taken in a bit of information from folks, including some of the resellers across North America. I do think that there are so many tape based (DV/HDV) based camcorders still out in use that they will continue to be supported for some time. And since they import using IEEE 1394 (also known as FireWire - which actually is a word patented by Apple technologists) this connector is on SO many components that it stands to reason it will be around for some time.

However - your assessment point to a situation that is rumored here as well in the States... more and more of the newer camcorder models are going solid state. I have my eyes (and my bet) on the AVCHD technology.... I had the opportunity to play a bit recently with the Panasonic HMC-150 and found it to be a great camera. It records to solid state - you can connect to your editor either directly with USB connector or by taking the SD (Secure Digital) flash media out and plug into a high speed reader connected into the USB port on your Casablanca III

That said - the new solid state formats are only compatible with the newer Casablanca units running the Bogart SE OS. The AVCHD technology requires a ton of system resources apparently (I have an application that states your comptuer required X to edit SD, XX to record HDV and XXX to work with AVCHD. I have imported and edited with AVCHD on my S4000 PRO and it does a great job with it.

Hope that provides a little info for you -- others will likely share their viewpoints.

Regards,
Chet

Thanks Chet for your comprehensive reply. I certainly hope mini DV tape outlasts me and my fiscal inability to upgrade to HD, both in camera and Casa.
My inquiries here among hobby and prosumer videographers is that those who raced into high def, several using Final Cut Pro, are having to downscale to edit on present machines--so it is a hugely expensive proposition well beyond the resources of most hobby videographers. And the difference between standard def digital and high def in our Pal system seems to me to be nowhere near as great as the high def touters would have you believe.

I'd say digital tape still has plenty of life left.

The just released Sony HVR-Z5U still uses tape along with other options.

Regarding your other question, I would say currently no Cassie based machines are "completely" compatible with the newer technology.

The Bogart SE machines are theoretically compatible with such, but that is a long way from "completely" compatible at the present time.

The Z-5,Z-7 and the 270 are HYBRID (CF DRIVE CAPABILITY) cameras rumoured to be the last of the tape cameras. The EX-1 and EX-3 will be the future type of cameras. Another rumour is an EX-5 at NAB in APRIL. JVC just introduced three new prosumer cameras....all card oriented ane .mov files. CANON will release only ONE tape based in JUNE called the HV-40....a close cousin of the HV-30. Canon will release in MARCH/APRIL a new card based AVCHD camera called the HF-S10 which already has RAVE reviews by pre-release evaluators. This will be a true 1920 X 1080 with a huge lens to make up for the loss of low light. It will equal any CANON still camera as it takes outstanding 8 Meg. still pictures in Digic DV 111 processing as well..

I still like tape for several reasons. We will discuss this in DAVENPORT during my lecture.

http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/contr ... elid=17993