David H Dennis wrote in message <34C449DB.2781@freelink.net>...

>Say I'm new to video production stuff, have some money and want to do
>things in a fairly high-quality manner.
>
>What I'd like to do is produce high-quality video, that would have a
>professional appearance in two applications:
>
>(i) Downloading still images (high quality) and short clips (reduced
>quality) to a web page.
>
>(ii) Creating a video that, when filtered down to VHS, would look like
>it was done on first-class equipment.
>
>My inclination would be to get a 3CCD digital camera and feed it through
>a FireWire card and a digital editing system. Then I could take that
>resultant output and feed it directly from the digital editing system
>card to a VHS VCR for recording. In addition, I could take individual
>frames and short clips and export them to the web. I want those frames
>to be sharp and crisp.
>
>I'd like to be able to use available light as much as possible. Since
>I'm interested in being able to shoot handheld, documentary style, I
>feel that I need a camera with excellent ergonomics that's easy to hold,
>with a FireWire output. Looks to me like the Canon XL-1 is a clear
>winner for this application - the Sony VX-1000 seems more akward to
>hold, and the 3CCD Panasonic has no FireWire output. Obviously I'm
>somewhat concerned about the lines issue, which is why I'd buy the XL-1
>from a local dealer.
>
>I was thinking this would be a rough budget for this system:
[rest deleted...]

Hmmm, why dismiss the VX-1000 so quickly...? ;-) I add a side handle
to mine which improves handling considerably for me. Occasionally
I add a shoulder brace. Add a couple of IBM 9-gig SCSI-II drives
and the Spark or DV-300 (and LOTS of sweat...! ;-) to a used
VX-1000, and you have a first-rate video system at a bargain price.
If you are willing to put up with the set-up woes of a FireWire
computer system, it does well in satisfying all of your requirements
(though a Snappy can give you the highest quality stills from the DV
camcorder for web use [see my web page {index page photo, and "Bob's
Baseball Game" under "Changing Showz"}], with nothing else required;
web video quality requirements can be met with any old VHS camcorder;
and Hi-8 [edited on a good system...] can give good VHS dupes).
(BTW, there is no need to dump the HD-saved image to VHS - dumping
it to the DV camcorder makes a perfect copy [no generation losses]
for archiving/mastering, and later copying to VHS [if necessary...!;-])
--
David Ruether
http://www.fcinet.com/ruether
ruether@fcinet.com