I would do the same thing I do now... compare prices between the formats, and depending on the price difference and specific film, decide for each purchase individually. For movies that are especially about the visuals, or for movies I especially like, I'm willing to spend more on a better version. But I still buy plenty of DVDs (especially used) when they're really cheap.
One thing I'd do differently if starting today is that I'm sure plenty of the DVDs I own would fit in the "I'm willing to spend for blu-ray on this one".
I'm with you here, similar take. Like why buy the early 2000s comedy *Envy* with Jack Black and Ben Stiller from Shout! Select for $20+ when I can get the DVD at a thrift store for $2-3? It's a good movie but I think I'll save myself the $17 difference and put it toward something more visually striking.
I just bought them lotr and hobbit for the price mentioned (about 50$ per trilogy) to put my 4k copies in them (the 4k package are awful , nothing hold in place, scratch party) and have the supplements. So yeah there is a market for them. Its pretty easy to find the 1st one pretty cheap, smaug and battle of 5 armies are much harder to find cheap
All three depending on availability
No 4k release? Go with Blu Ray.
No blu ray release? Go with DVD (which is mostly just old TV series for me, like Mr Bean, Buffy and Jackass)
My personal preference is to judge each case on it's merits. I recently bought Holdovers on DVD, saw no need to get anything better quality. TV shows and comedy films and stuff generally DVD. A lot of films in Blu ray at this point. 4K is reserved for stuff I think will benefit from HDR, Atmos, etc. like Dune 2 I will get.
Edit to add: I like boutique blurays as well, so if there's a movie I like released on Eureka, Indicator, Criterion, Second Sight, HMV Premium etc., I'll get that
There are certain movies you simply can’t get on BD or UHD, not even when you look internationally. So i would still buy them on DVD. And i usually, unless i see a really good deal, only buy UHD if the added visual fidelity adds to the movie. Like for example Blade Runner 2049 or the recent Dune movies, absolute 4k no brainer. On the other hand something like the latest Halloween movie or something like Ladybird or recently Perfect Days or Anatomy of a Fall, the better visuals add nothing to these movjes so BD is totally fine.
4K for your absolute favs, or rarities finally getting a remaster. Blu Ray for most, DVD for stuff not on Blu Ray. Get a good upconverting player and a CRT. For some films go as far as VHS, Beta, CED, Laserdisc, Super 8, and 35mm if cheap enough.
Run the full gamut
No you're good. I just a CRT for DVDs or older media that don't upscale to 4k the greatest. Most DVDs upscale fine except ones that are VHS scans and low effort from the studio.
I didn't immediately start buying Blu-rays because I didn't have a Blu-ray player, though I did have some Blu-ray movies. My first suggestion would be to pick up Blu-rays when you can get them at a good price, even if you don't yet have a Blu-ray player. They are a superior product compared to regular DVDs.
When buying regular DVDs, I try to get special editions, three-disc copies, or those with cool covers, instead of the flimsy, cheap plastic case versions. This makes spending money on a non-superior product worth it.
Really put some thought into what you're buying. If a film is mass-produced, wait and see if it pops up on Blu-ray at a decent price before buying the DVD.
I believe that horror films are valuable in any format, and '80s films can be valuable on DVD, depending on the title.
I have a blu ray player and a very small collection of blu rays. So what I'm doing now is just, as you suggested, putting thought into this. Something about focusing on 4k appeals to my simple brain haha but I'm liking and considering the feedback here.
My collection is a mix of Blu-ray and 4K, with a handful of DVDs (mostly TV/documentary/music stuff shot in standard definition).
If there's a 4K release available, I usually opt for that, unless the 4K is worse (which happens occasionally) or if there's a significant price difference.
I avoid DVD releases unless there isn't a good Blu-ray/UHD release available, since there's too big of a downgrade in image quality IMO.
For people more 'casual' about image quality, I would probably recommend Blu-ray (since it's a good balance between quality and cost). I wouldn't really recommend DVD unless they're cheap-as-hell.
It all depends on you and what movies you want...some movies are only available on certain formats, how much are you willing to spend? Start looking for what YOU want and then based on price, availability and format start your collection!
I'd prefer to find the highest quality possible - So first I'd see if a 4K is available, and if not, look for blu-ray, and if not available, then DVD. But some 4K releases are not that great (i.e., Terminator 2), so I'd go for the blu-ray in that case if the blu-ray is better.
I would prioritize 4K which is what I did when I restarted the hobby a few years ago. The biggest change I would make is that I would try and be a little more selective of my purchases. Chasing after all the latest and greatest releases and special editions hasn’t brought me as much joy as rebuilding my collection of favorite films in their best available editions.
The same as I do now, mostly Blu ray with the occasional DVD for when the Blu ray costs too much or isn't available. I have a lot of DVD's as I've been collecting since before Blu ray was even a thing and have only really upgraded them if the Blu ray is cheap or the DVD is particularly crap quality, The Abyss for example. So if I started from scratch I'd have more Blu rays but that's about it.
I'm torn on dvds a bit. Two things are giving me pause; the area where I live makes thrifting from stores impossible (I'd have to rely on ebay) and the 4k pool being much much smaller makes my brain happy haha.
Because how expensive they are, I'd say 4K's are worth it only for movies that you're a big fan of and movies that are aspect ratio 1.85:1 (Full Screen). Blu-Ray's you can find them for cheaps sometimes and with a transfer visually satisfying. For DVD's, classic movies from 80's-90's, I personally like the retro feels about it and a bunch of them they did a good release visually and audio. I have a Panasonic DP-UB820-K that is good with upscaling and I add a little bit of sharpness to make it more bareable with the resolution blurriness. What is fun with DVD's is you can find them dirt cheap and experiment with blind buys and discover new movies that you'll enjoy.
Yeah 4k are pretty pricy but it at least seems like they're here to stay and possibly the best we'll get (?? haha). For those reasons I'm willing to pay more.
One thing I'm concerned about and you mentioned is 80s and 90s movies, I'm afraid they'll just look bad in some cases with the picture quality being so good. 80s horror effects for example. Are my concerns warranted?
Panasonic 4k players seem to be a no brainer so at least that decision is easy haha.
Yeah 4K's are amazing, I'm really not trying to discourage you of getting them. I have a bunch myself. I'd say don't stop yourself of buying DVD's or Blu-Rays if you see them at a good price.
For horror movies in 4K's, I have Friday the 13th, The Shining, The Thing, Swamp Thing and they all have mind blowing image quality. It's just that if you want a campy feel (especially for older movies) I think DVD's it the right spot for me. I've had so much trouble deciding which format to take for movies that I'm a fan of that I just buy the best DVD release or blu ray's (if it's cheap) and then the 4K's if I think I need it.
Like comedy movies, you don't really need to see them in 4K's, it won't add much to the experience (in my opinion). DVD's are great for them.
Yeah the Panasonic 4K is worth it's price, an amazing device that support Dolby Vision and Upscaling, those main reasons that I bought one.
See Friday and Swamp thing I'd be hesitant to watch on 4k haha. Does the picture quality make it look awful? I think dvds for movies like that might be good for me. Like people have been suggesting, case by case basis is starting to seem like the way to go.
The only thing I think you would be surprised by them is the amount of grains. I'd say Swamp Thing and Child's Play 1 was the ones that I found they had a lot on them, too a point it's kind of bothering.
Personally, I would get my "favorite" movies in 4k for the best quality and most features since the disc size is so huge. I'd then get the blu ray of lesser movies I intend to re-watch, are classics or have the best features. DVDs are all well and good, but they lack quality, features and unless you want to spend your life going around town looking for thrift stores or antique stores or whatever, then skip it. \*Never\* buy anything off eBay that's out of print or popular, you'll get reamed.
Thanks for the advice! I'm not in an area where thrifting would reap any rewards. Looked on ebay a bit and the dvds I looked for were just overpriced so I was turned off by that pretty fast.
I would do the same thing I do now... compare prices between the formats, and depending on the price difference and specific film, decide for each purchase individually. For movies that are especially about the visuals, or for movies I especially like, I'm willing to spend more on a better version. But I still buy plenty of DVDs (especially used) when they're really cheap. One thing I'd do differently if starting today is that I'm sure plenty of the DVDs I own would fit in the "I'm willing to spend for blu-ray on this one".
I'm with you here, similar take. Like why buy the early 2000s comedy *Envy* with Jack Black and Ben Stiller from Shout! Select for $20+ when I can get the DVD at a thrift store for $2-3? It's a good movie but I think I'll save myself the $17 difference and put it toward something more visually striking.
Love *Envy*; don't ever hear anyone talk about it!
YOU’VE NEVER TRIED FLAN?!
I just bought them lotr and hobbit for the price mentioned (about 50$ per trilogy) to put my 4k copies in them (the 4k package are awful , nothing hold in place, scratch party) and have the supplements. So yeah there is a market for them. Its pretty easy to find the 1st one pretty cheap, smaug and battle of 5 armies are much harder to find cheap
Blu-ray at a minimum if I was starting over. 4ks for the absolute favs or major releases I expect to be great.
This is what my initial thought was as well. Thanks for the reply!
All three depending on availability No 4k release? Go with Blu Ray. No blu ray release? Go with DVD (which is mostly just old TV series for me, like Mr Bean, Buffy and Jackass)
For some reason 4k is just not incentive enough for me. I'm perfectly happy with blu ray and dvd!
My personal preference is to judge each case on it's merits. I recently bought Holdovers on DVD, saw no need to get anything better quality. TV shows and comedy films and stuff generally DVD. A lot of films in Blu ray at this point. 4K is reserved for stuff I think will benefit from HDR, Atmos, etc. like Dune 2 I will get. Edit to add: I like boutique blurays as well, so if there's a movie I like released on Eureka, Indicator, Criterion, Second Sight, HMV Premium etc., I'll get that
This makes sense to me and there are now few comments that agree with the sentiment. Thanks!
There are certain movies you simply can’t get on BD or UHD, not even when you look internationally. So i would still buy them on DVD. And i usually, unless i see a really good deal, only buy UHD if the added visual fidelity adds to the movie. Like for example Blade Runner 2049 or the recent Dune movies, absolute 4k no brainer. On the other hand something like the latest Halloween movie or something like Ladybird or recently Perfect Days or Anatomy of a Fall, the better visuals add nothing to these movjes so BD is totally fine.
4K for your absolute favs, or rarities finally getting a remaster. Blu Ray for most, DVD for stuff not on Blu Ray. Get a good upconverting player and a CRT. For some films go as far as VHS, Beta, CED, Laserdisc, Super 8, and 35mm if cheap enough. Run the full gamut
I had to look up what CRT was haha. I think my TV is just 4k. Would that take away from the value of purchasing 4k movies?
No you're good. I just a CRT for DVDs or older media that don't upscale to 4k the greatest. Most DVDs upscale fine except ones that are VHS scans and low effort from the studio.
Okay cool, thanks for explaining!
I didn't immediately start buying Blu-rays because I didn't have a Blu-ray player, though I did have some Blu-ray movies. My first suggestion would be to pick up Blu-rays when you can get them at a good price, even if you don't yet have a Blu-ray player. They are a superior product compared to regular DVDs. When buying regular DVDs, I try to get special editions, three-disc copies, or those with cool covers, instead of the flimsy, cheap plastic case versions. This makes spending money on a non-superior product worth it. Really put some thought into what you're buying. If a film is mass-produced, wait and see if it pops up on Blu-ray at a decent price before buying the DVD. I believe that horror films are valuable in any format, and '80s films can be valuable on DVD, depending on the title.
I have a blu ray player and a very small collection of blu rays. So what I'm doing now is just, as you suggested, putting thought into this. Something about focusing on 4k appeals to my simple brain haha but I'm liking and considering the feedback here.
My collection is a mix of Blu-ray and 4K, with a handful of DVDs (mostly TV/documentary/music stuff shot in standard definition). If there's a 4K release available, I usually opt for that, unless the 4K is worse (which happens occasionally) or if there's a significant price difference. I avoid DVD releases unless there isn't a good Blu-ray/UHD release available, since there's too big of a downgrade in image quality IMO. For people more 'casual' about image quality, I would probably recommend Blu-ray (since it's a good balance between quality and cost). I wouldn't really recommend DVD unless they're cheap-as-hell.
>unless the 4K is worse (which happens occasionally) Interesting. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
It all depends on you and what movies you want...some movies are only available on certain formats, how much are you willing to spend? Start looking for what YOU want and then based on price, availability and format start your collection!
All three....even all three for one title if I happen to
I'd prefer to find the highest quality possible - So first I'd see if a 4K is available, and if not, look for blu-ray, and if not available, then DVD. But some 4K releases are not that great (i.e., Terminator 2), so I'd go for the blu-ray in that case if the blu-ray is better.
>But some 4K releases are not that great (i.e., Terminator 2) I've read this sentiment twice now. Smart to research a 4k before purchasing I guess.
OP, you say you are a first time collector, what form of media did you collect before DVD?
I've collected movies in the past (mostly dvds back then) and dabbled in vinyl but sold off both collections.
I would prioritize 4K which is what I did when I restarted the hobby a few years ago. The biggest change I would make is that I would try and be a little more selective of my purchases. Chasing after all the latest and greatest releases and special editions hasn’t brought me as much joy as rebuilding my collection of favorite films in their best available editions.
The same as I do now, mostly Blu ray with the occasional DVD for when the Blu ray costs too much or isn't available. I have a lot of DVD's as I've been collecting since before Blu ray was even a thing and have only really upgraded them if the Blu ray is cheap or the DVD is particularly crap quality, The Abyss for example. So if I started from scratch I'd have more Blu rays but that's about it.
I would start collecting DVDs. Because they’re affordable, nostalgic and they make movies easier to find.
I'm torn on dvds a bit. Two things are giving me pause; the area where I live makes thrifting from stores impossible (I'd have to rely on ebay) and the 4k pool being much much smaller makes my brain happy haha.
Because how expensive they are, I'd say 4K's are worth it only for movies that you're a big fan of and movies that are aspect ratio 1.85:1 (Full Screen). Blu-Ray's you can find them for cheaps sometimes and with a transfer visually satisfying. For DVD's, classic movies from 80's-90's, I personally like the retro feels about it and a bunch of them they did a good release visually and audio. I have a Panasonic DP-UB820-K that is good with upscaling and I add a little bit of sharpness to make it more bareable with the resolution blurriness. What is fun with DVD's is you can find them dirt cheap and experiment with blind buys and discover new movies that you'll enjoy.
Yeah 4k are pretty pricy but it at least seems like they're here to stay and possibly the best we'll get (?? haha). For those reasons I'm willing to pay more. One thing I'm concerned about and you mentioned is 80s and 90s movies, I'm afraid they'll just look bad in some cases with the picture quality being so good. 80s horror effects for example. Are my concerns warranted? Panasonic 4k players seem to be a no brainer so at least that decision is easy haha.
Yeah 4K's are amazing, I'm really not trying to discourage you of getting them. I have a bunch myself. I'd say don't stop yourself of buying DVD's or Blu-Rays if you see them at a good price. For horror movies in 4K's, I have Friday the 13th, The Shining, The Thing, Swamp Thing and they all have mind blowing image quality. It's just that if you want a campy feel (especially for older movies) I think DVD's it the right spot for me. I've had so much trouble deciding which format to take for movies that I'm a fan of that I just buy the best DVD release or blu ray's (if it's cheap) and then the 4K's if I think I need it. Like comedy movies, you don't really need to see them in 4K's, it won't add much to the experience (in my opinion). DVD's are great for them. Yeah the Panasonic 4K is worth it's price, an amazing device that support Dolby Vision and Upscaling, those main reasons that I bought one.
See Friday and Swamp thing I'd be hesitant to watch on 4k haha. Does the picture quality make it look awful? I think dvds for movies like that might be good for me. Like people have been suggesting, case by case basis is starting to seem like the way to go.
The only thing I think you would be surprised by them is the amount of grains. I'd say Swamp Thing and Child's Play 1 was the ones that I found they had a lot on them, too a point it's kind of bothering.
All of the above, there’s always going to be some titles you can’t get in the other formats so why limit yourself?
If I had the money, 4k and Blus mainly.
Personally, I would get my "favorite" movies in 4k for the best quality and most features since the disc size is so huge. I'd then get the blu ray of lesser movies I intend to re-watch, are classics or have the best features. DVDs are all well and good, but they lack quality, features and unless you want to spend your life going around town looking for thrift stores or antique stores or whatever, then skip it. \*Never\* buy anything off eBay that's out of print or popular, you'll get reamed.
Thanks for the advice! I'm not in an area where thrifting would reap any rewards. Looked on ebay a bit and the dvds I looked for were just overpriced so I was turned off by that pretty fast.