I am about to shoot a DV feature with the intention of transfer to 35mm film. Looking to use a PAL Sony DSR-500, since it's cheaper than digi-Beta and I've heard good things. My main concerns are: 1) is it better to use the 16x9 function built into this camera, or an anamorphic lens? 2) the DSR-500 doesn't have a progressive or frame mode, so the fields are always interlaced. Is this a huge problem, or can it be addressed in the transfer? We will most likely shop the feature around on video anyway before the transfer to film. I'm thinking I can leave this concern until then, but I need to know how this may affect quality now, ie. is it better to use non-interlaced DV in terms of picture quality? What's the best system to use (we can afford up to digi-Beta, though I think this is interlaced, though I heard perhaps the DVW-709 has a non-interlaced mode, perhaps...) 3)what concerns should I have re filming techniques? I've heard that tracking and pans shouldn't be too fast, that motion effects can look jerky, that contrast ratios should be reduced. How do these issues relate to my choice of camera? I'd like to have the freedom to do it all... Yes I can do some testing, but we have a limited budget. help needed urgently...

-- harold brodie (karmik@ihug.co.nz), November 20, 2000