Help!! Shoot Off

[Dennis Hull]

All the posts comparing GL2, PD150 and VX2000 show subjective nature of comparisons. Cutting to basics gleaned from posts and brochures (of which Sony is really lacking) it seems GL2 gives more manual options to determine "look" and offers better optical zoom (20X). The only thing VX2000 seems to offer better than GL2 is low light capability (due to larger CCDs). To decide on purchase, either at camera store or at home (if they will loan for a day) I want to compare my old TRV 9, GL2 and VX 2000 in my normal hobbyist shooting environment which is a mix of outdoor (sports car races, vacations) and indoor (family events with regular house lighting in evening--no special lights). I have read all the posts on sound issues with VX2000; progressive scan methods between VX2000 and GL2; "warm" vs "cold" look; vertical smear with TRV 950; etc. and don't want to spend as much as PD150 would cost. IF I am right on low light as major thing VX2000 offers vs GL2 (and that may be a critical difference) based on your experiences with various low light situations, what "top 3 or 4" real world (no resolution charts) different shooting scenerios would you recommend to help me spot crucial differences between GL2 and VX2000 in low light. For example, I read where I can increase gain on GL2 at large iris openings that might cover most low light situations but need to judge how grain is affected and just how realistic this will be to do. If there are other critical shooting situations to show up differences between GL2 and VX2000 please let me know those also. I don't really intend to use still photo as differentiating feature.

[Ken Tanaka]

Dennis,
I read your post 4 times and still do not know what you are asking. Perhaps stating your question much more concisely and directly will achieve better results for you.

[Bill Hardy]

If you are going to pit the GL2 against the VX2000 or another cam using all settings on each cam, with the GL2 bring UP the Setup Level in CP mode a notch or three to reduce graininess. Also bringing down sharpness a notch reduces grain in the GL2. Your final results can give a considerable improvement in very low light situations. Dropping the shutter speed from 1/60 to 1/30 is also gives great results in certain situations, found in manual mode.

[Dennis Hull]

Ken, are there shooting situations experts use to spot major differences or find "problems" between camcorders? Sort of thing that is obvious to experts, but would be helpful for novice.

For instance, earlier posts mention aiming at bright lights in dark room to find if vertical smearing is an issue (as in TRV 950).

Rest of my wordy post was just to show areas I already knew about such as audio problems with VX2000, ctc.

[Chris Hurd]

One other primary physical difference between the GL2 and VX2000/PD150 is that the GL2 does not have a manual zoom ring around the lens, while the Sony cameras do have a manual zoom ring. In my opinion, as the poster child for VariZoom, you should always be using a remote lens controller anyway.

[Dennis Hull]

Chris and Buddy, thank you for comments.
Ken and all, apologies for the book (my first post).

[Andre De Clercq]

Some time ago I read an interesting camera sensitivity comparison method from jayvid (see http://www.dvlive.com/forums/showReplies.jhtml?sid=1&fid=2&tid=24600010). It lets you compare the real sensitivity (noise) of camera's, away from all the commercial manipulation about the lux performance.
If you go for vertical smear suppression comparison, there are a few point to be considdered in order to get reliable results..Set both cams close togheter in a dim room on the same scene . Manually set for the same f-number (adjust shutter) and focus on the same distance . Use a 10feet away(strong) lightsource which you can adjust by means of a dimmer. Connect both cams through an A/B switch on the same monitor(TV)

[Dennis Hull]

dre, I found jayvid's test (lens cap on) and will try it out. Local store would not loan out their demos so today went to store and did side by side shoots with GL2, VX2000 and my TRV9. Was a generally cloudy day in St. Paul, MN about 3:00 pm. In time made available did inside store (combination of natural and fluorescent light, in closed room with various low light conditions, outside on cloudy day which also had moment of bright sun against dark thunderstorms for high contrast. Now reviewing the three tapes from each camera using Y/C input on my consumer level JVC (so that is lacking) with tint, color, brightness, detail all set to midrange and left there for all comparisons. All cameras left on full automatic except switched in ND filters as prompted by camera. Indoor classroom shot in various degrees of low light used borrowed red ladies jacket which had cross hatched black lines and also had store assistant for natural skin tone comparisons. Will give my impressions later.

[Bill Hardy]

I know the GL2 can improve somewhat in low light by Setup Level alone, just 1 or 2 clicks up. Wish There was someone with both the VX2000/PD150 and the GL2 who could do such a test. Posted frames would be very interesting to me.