Four Ways to benefit from HDV Equipment - in HD or SD

Four ways to benefit from HDV equipment - in HD or SD

HD and SD in one camcorder.
Even if you're staying with SD for the time being, you can still upgrade your picture quality and prepare for the future with the HDV camcorder. That's because the HVR-Z1U represents the best professional standard definition performance Sony has ever offered at anywhere near this price. The camcorder features phenomenal DVCAM and DV (SP mode) record/playback, in addition to downconversion. All of which make HDV 1080i the perfect bridge from SD to HD. 

Shoot	Edit	Distribute
SD	SD	SD	Shoot DVCAM tapes You'll benefit from the spectacular resolution of the HVR-Z1U optics and CCDs, which oversample the SD image. And you can use the camcorder and HVR-M10U deck in thousands of postproduction systems that currently accept DVCAM tapes or standard definition signals via the  i. LINK® IEEE 1394 DV interface.
HD	SD	SD	Shoot HDV tapes and output SD using your existing infrastructure. Both the camcorder and the HVR-M10U portable deck downconvert to standard definition on the fly, via the i.LINK® IEEE 1394 DV interface. This produces "evergreen" high definition camera masters, ready for future postproduction in HD. And because the SD and HD time code correspond completely, today's SD edit decision list (EDL) will serve you perfectly in the high definition future!
HD	HD	SD	Shoot and edit in HD, but distribute in SD. You'll have an "evergreen" high definition edited master, creating a potential second sale as soon as your clients are ready for HD distribution.
HD	HD	HD	Total HD. When you shoot, edit and distribute in HD, you'll tap into the growing channels of HD distribution in broadcast, cable, satellite, digital signage networks, D-VHS and the emerging Blu-ray Disc™ consumer video format! This is from the Sony website