Actually, I wished I knew the answer to this one. So I'm asking members for their opinions. 1-chip and 3-chip entries are welcome, as long as they are hand-helds. Don't forget to list their strengths (and weaknesses). You may factor in price or anything else of importance to build your argument. Any takers?

PS: not just Panasonics. All terrestrial brands and models---and their year of conception are welcome.

My extra low end Panasonic DV52. For under $400, you can't get anything better. Yes, the LCD screen on mine died, and I often call it a peice of crap, but I keep forgetting how much it cost. Other then that I have like $100 of my goal of about $2500-3000, to save up for a new cam. :D

There we go. For Alex, the Panasonic PV-DV52 is the best little cam in the whole wide world...for the money. I can't argue with that. :)

Though these cams are old, 4 to 5 years or so, I thought the Sony TRV20, Canon Optura, Optura PI and JVC GR-DVL9500U were very good for their time, and still good today. I'd love to have an Optura or Optura PI. These 2 Canons are especially well-build and well-designed. Okay, their resolution aren't up with today's standards but nevertheless their video quality and their operation are pleasing. Also, all these cams perform well with "low light." The original Elura is also a nice shooter's tool. One thing that makes these Canons stand out is that they have OIS instead of DIS, along with a nice F1.6 chunk of Canon glass---not to dismiss their progressive scan CCD. The original Optura and JVC also have a large 1/3" CCD. But overall, I think the most unique out this bunch are the Optura and PI---an ergonomic dream. The Optura is shaped like a heavy, solid SLR camera, and I don't know why Canon discarded this design. To most people it just looked like another SLR camera, and I think it would be quite handy for "stealing" video were shooting video isn't allowed. I'm almost certain that the designers of these gems practiced either Taoism or Zoroastrianism. :)

TRV30

My vote goes to the Panasonic PV-DV702. It's small, solid and easy to hold and operate. I've never used the manual controls but read they are good. I might still get a 3 ccd camera like that PV-DV953. I think this one is the best little cam in the whole wide world, with the PV-DV702 right behind. This is only my opinion, and I only shoot models outdoors at the beach.

For 1CCD, MX8 (not exactly small). Beautiful colours and great low-light performance.

For 3CCD... well, I can't really say, my own purchase was a trade-off between cost and performance.

Come on, Yow. We all know that you wanted to say: MX350.

Well, my eyes are on the Sony VX2000, Sony PD150 or the Panasonic DVX100. But unless my boss is sympathetic and gives me a two-fold pay rise, I'm stuck with value-for-money, which is big-poker MX350.

I may consider the MX500 or the GS100 (PAL? waiting...) when the MX350 croaks but probably not the GS70.

Hey Frank, you are holding on to your MX300, right? That's an ice-cream cone on a match-box!

Hey Frank, you are holding on to your MX300, right? That's an ice-cream cone on a match-box!

Sorry, Yow, that one went over my head---I didn't understand it. Yes, I still have that new MX300A.

There's a new contender (for best 1-CCD) in the block.

Optura Xi: In good light, video quality both in 4:3 and 16:9 ROCKS!!!

To qualify further..

Played with the Optura last weekend and combined with the finding published in the Sept 2003 issue of a Jap video magazine, in good light the Optura Xi is as good if not better than the GS100. Under 16:9 mode, the Optura is better.

In low light, the GS100 beats BOTH Optura Xi and PC300 (less smearing, better color retention)

So Canon's back on top with their flagship 1-chip, eh? That's good. The GS100 beats it out in low light? Really?

And now the GS100K is a great low-light performer??

Yeah unbelievable as it may seem, the GS100 is better in low-light than those 2.

It's more of the OpturaXi and PC300 being poor in low-light.. The PC300 in particular...very bad colored smearing and off-color..the OpturaXi has less smearing but very dull color....the GS100 has the least smearing and able to maintain nice colors..

I could shoot some night outdoor shots last weekend and also can confirm that I'm pleased with the low light performance of GS100.

I experimented putting it in Low Light mode (AE) - it does brighten the image but also boosts the gain up to the max (18 dB) so the noise is heavy.

Again in manual mode but using auto iris the cam resets to max of 12 dB no matter how dark it is so the noise is almost not existent. The colors are great although I couldn't really do manual white balance, so there was slight shift from the real ones. Resolution and detail even in the darkness were good.
I've read that MX5000 boosts noise above 6-9 dB. GS100 is very low noise even at 12.

I also compared ‘low light mode’ (which defaults to 18dB gain) and manually set 18dB gain without AE. Surprisingly the result was slightly brighter 'Low Light mode'. I wonder how this is achieved (slower shutter speed?) - still have to confirm this.

I also did experiment using the 'namera night view' which slows down the shutter if really dark to 8 fps. This mean you have to be steady and your object shouldn't be something fast moving. If there is more ambient light though the shutter goes up to 15 even 30fps (when I shot the neon roof of a dept. store). It's much better than the Sony's 'night view' (without IR light) as it is with good color.

I like this cam!

Oh, and about smearing - a bit disappointed as I've seen GS70 star effect around the street lights. GS100 does introduce light line (although not very heavy) from the top to the bottom of the screen. Not very pleasant but certainly not worse than TRV950 for example.

Thanks for all the info.

My next purchase would be the GS100K replacement, since I already have the MX5000. :)

P.S. Seems like many foreigners live in Japan; it's really good to hear that.

I have two Optura Pi's and a GL-2. I wish the GL-2 did as well with colors as the Opturas - they are amazing. But the GL-2 has a much better lens.

I handled Optura Xi at the WEVA Expo last week. The Berube brothers were touting it for its wonderful 16:9 mode (better than the GL-2?) The Optura Xi is a very nice cam with a load of manual controls and ZEBRAS! From a control standpoint it looks very much like a miniature GL-2. Interlaced only, no progressive mode, and I shoot only progressive........ Oh well!

-Tom-

From what I've read, it seems that Canon has finally replaced their Optura PI. (With their new Optura Xi). However, Canon forgot 2 things:

1) progressive (mentioned by Tom)
2) low light (mentioned by Allan)

Other than that, the cam seems like a dream come true, or is it deja vu with 1 eye half shut?


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Gimme a GS100 or get out the way!

The Pi in Optura Pi must stand for progressive and interlaced.

The i in Optura Xi must stand for interlaced.

That implies that there is an Optura XP or XPi in our future.

Maybe when the Digic processor is fast enough to process a whole progressive frame in 1/60 of a second???

Tom, there will always be new cams on the horizon unless we get nuked, or a big astroid destoys us. :)

I think both the GS100 and Optura Xi are great cams, although I've had neither in my hands. :(

I know many of you could "care less" about what us "old timers" have to say. I cut my video teeth on EIAJ 1/2" Video Standards - (and yes, I have a copy of that standard) - to you, I say "phooey - and I hope you enjoy the toxic landfills we leave for your inheritance."
But to those of you who enjoy the CRAFT of video production, who COMPREHEND the miracle of going from concept to finished video, who ENJOY the rush of seeing a good clean picture on the monitor, I have this to say on this topic: The cheeziest chip camera of today, puts out a better picture than the hottest Saticon camera of 20 years ago.
And it is DAMNED GOOD!
Reality check? Go to your best friend's house, and MARVEL that they watch tv with blue grass and orange sky! And think they have a good picture!
I have a PV-DV600D (and a buggie AG DVC-15; see other post) that has an absolutely gorgeous picuture. If ONLY I could have enjoyed such contrast latitude, crispness, and resolution from my JVC KY-1900's with state of the art Saticons, recording on a brick sized 3/4 cassette with a little red record button!
Yet, we were able to crank out and sell nearly 100,000 video tapes sold 'round the world.
But Jeeze, it woulda been so much better with this little jem!
And I prediced that you could lose the damn video cassette, because it was so small!!

-- Robert McDonald