Software tools for editing HD video is also more common. However, the big question is how can I burn said video to DVD?
What is the situation?
Steve Jobs proclaimed 2005 as “The Year of HD.” It seems proven that one or two years was anticipated. While HDTVs are becoming increasingly popular, HD cameras are still somewhat exotic, thanks in large part to their exorbitant prices. But that seems to be starting to change. With HDV cameras from Sony and Canon hitting the market at reasonable prices, that aspect of the equation is no longer an issue. The other good news is that it is also possible to edit video in high definition with any of Apple’s video editing applications: iMovie, Final Cut Express, and Final Cut Pro.
But there is still the problem of reproducing the finished project on the screen. You can transfer the finished project back to tape and connect the camera directly to your HD TV; Or you can buy an expensive HD DVD Blu-ray recorder and the expensive discs needed to record it, and hope that your audience has one of those expensive players that can play that type of DVD. But one consolation remains: Apple’s DVD recording products (iDVD and DVD Studio Pro) will convert HD video to SD (Standard Definition) video for burning to a standard DVD disc, so that your HD video has some useful after all even at a much lower resolution.
Buying advice
Is it time to spend the money on an HD camera? That depends on how high you want to be on the crest of the wave. If you want to be up to date or have aspirations to become a film director then it is a good time to buy one of these cameras. You probably already have the necessary software to edit HD movies; You just have to remember that if you want to share your HD masterpiece on disc, then you will have to wait a few months for HD-ready DVD recorders to arrive.
You can comment on this trend in the Macworld Forum
