The gigantic "which camera should I buy" thread!

Billy McPherson · August 9th, 2003, 08:16 PM

JVC and Panasonic both make sub-$400 DV camcorders.

Corey Sturmer · August 9th, 2003, 09:30 PM

Go to your local Best Buy or Circuit City, they usually have a case of used and/or open box cameras. Last summer I bought a JVC camera for 250, but there are ones for lower.

Alex Knappenberger · August 10th, 2003, 03:51 AM

I got my Panasonic DV52 for $350 new at B&H. You can get the "newer" DV53 for the same price. It's a nice little camera, all I can afford atleast. Mine is perfect in the recording/heads department, but the LCD went out a while ago, which bummed me out. Panasonic is the route to go, more reliable low end stuff then JVC, thats for sure.

Gerald Lee · August 10th, 2003, 01:32 PM

You know what, that'd be a great product. A stand alone minidv deck.

Jeff Donald · August 10th, 2003, 01:38 PM

There are mini DV decks, as well as Dv decks. However, they are more than the cheap cameras.

Chris Reinhardt · August 10th, 2003, 01:52 PM

A while ago I saw a sony mini dv deck that fit in a 5.25" bay on your computer. It wasn't that expensive if I recall correctly. I WAS going to buy one, but they discontinued them.....bastards....anyone remember the product number, or know where i can get one?

Barry Gilbert · August 10th, 2003, 06:11 PM

I almost hate to say it but have you checked eBay for a used one?

Matthew de Jongh · September 29th, 2003, 09:51 AM

Hello.

i was just about to order a vx-2000 and then i saw all the various references on the web to the vx-2100, is it real? is it a nasty rumor?

i talked to my favorite video camera shop and they didn't know about it but they did say that the vx-2000's had been harder to get lately...

i had a project i was planning on doing in mid october, so i either need to rent a vx-2000 for this or go ahead and buy a vx-2000 now.

i'd hate to buy a vx-2000 and have a vx-2100 come out before the end of the year.

advice? feedback?

matthew

Frank Granovski · September 29th, 2003, 11:10 AM

I doubt the new VX will be here in a few weeks. Personally, I would wait and just rent when I needed the use of a cam.

Matthew de Jongh · September 29th, 2003, 11:14 AM

its just that when i do a project it is for a week at a time and it wouldn't take very many rentals to equal the cost of a vx-2000

matthew

Shawn Mielke · September 29th, 2003, 01:54 PM

Is there a "lesser" camera that might also strike your fancy and be what you need for the meantime (3 months or so)?
trv950
gs100k
Optura Xi
dv953

Bill Pryor · September 29th, 2003, 03:16 PM

Now is probably a pretty good time to buy a VX2000, since the prices are good. I saw the Sony announcement about the new model, but I think it's being released in Europe first, unless I'm mistaken. The differences are not major, only slight improvements to an already solid camera--nothing that would make the original obsolete. I'm sure the link to the announcement is posted somewhere around here.

Matthew de Jongh · September 29th, 2003, 04:09 PM

hmm...

now i have to think about it.

getting a 950 seems like a waste to spend almost as much for a lesser camera...

i used to have unlimited usage of a vx-1000 but i don't have that anymore and i really don't want to do this project with a 1 chip camera.

my plan until i saw the vx-2100 announcement was to get a vx-2000 with a beach tek dual xlr box and a samson airline micro.

the thing that threw me about the vx-2000 was wondering if it might have different audio i.e. xlr inputs? probably too much to hope for.

i had a hard enough time deciding to get a vx-2000 vs. a pd-150

matthew

Bill Pryor · September 29th, 2003, 04:14 PM

I'm quite certain the new model won't have XLRs. Sony reserves those for what it considers its professional or "prosumer" cameras...otherwise people might not pay more.

Glenn Chan · September 29th, 2003, 04:25 PM

Didn't the upgrade to the PD-150 come already? If that upgrade is anything like the VX2100 then you wouldn't be missing out on much.

August 9th, 2003, 09:30 PM	#242
Corey Sturmer Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Durham, NC Posts: 144	Go to your local Best Buy or Circuit City, they usually have a case of used and/or open box cameras. Last summer I bought a JVC camera for 250, but there are ones for lower. __________________ Corey Sturmer Producer - Woffester Productions

August 10th, 2003, 01:38 PM	#245
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	There are mini DV decks, as well as Dv decks. However, they are more than the cheap cameras. __________________ Jeff Donald Carpe Diem Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Where to Buy? From the best in the business: DVinfo.net sponsors

August 10th, 2003, 06:11 PM	#247
Barry Gilbert Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Winnsboro, SC Posts: 96	I almost hate to say it but have you checked eBay for a used one? __________________ "No matter how good she looks; somebody, somewhere is tried of putting up with her crap." Randy Brazell

September 29th, 2003, 09:51 AM	#248
Matthew de Jongh Major Player Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: sounthern maine Posts: 344	buying new camera...vx-2000 or wait for vx-2100?? Hello. i was just about to order a vx-2000 and then i saw all the various references on the web to the vx-2100, is it real? is it a nasty rumor? i talked to my favorite video camera shop and they didn't know about it but they did say that the vx-2000's had been harder to get lately... i had a project i was planning on doing in mid october, so i either need to rent a vx-2000 for this or go ahead and buy a vx-2000 now. i'd hate to buy a vx-2000 and have a vx-2100 come out before the end of the year. advice? feedback? matthew

September 29th, 2003, 01:54 PM	#251
Shawn Mielke Major Player Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Santa Rosa, California Posts: 745	Is there a "lesser" camera that might also strike your fancy and be what you need for the meantime (3 months or so)? trv950 gs100k Optura Xi dv953 __________________ Breakthrough In Grey Room

August 9th, 2003, 08:16 PM	#241
Billy McPherson New Boot Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 15	JVC and Panasonic both make sub-$400 DV camcorders.

August 10th, 2003, 03:51 AM	#243
Alex Knappenberger High School Student Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Canton, Ohio, USA Posts: 609	I got my Panasonic DV52 for $350 new at B&H. You can get the "newer" DV53 for the same price. It's a nice little camera, all I can afford atleast. Mine is perfect in the recording/heads department, but the LCD went out a while ago, which bummed me out. Panasonic is the route to go, more reliable low end stuff then JVC, thats for sure.

August 10th, 2003, 01:32 PM	#244
Gerald Lee Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Arlington, TX Posts: 64	You know what, that'd be a great product. A stand alone minidv deck.

August 10th, 2003, 01:52 PM	#246
Chris Reinhardt New Boot Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 13	A while ago I saw a sony mini dv deck that fit in a 5.25" bay on your computer. It wasn't that expensive if I recall correctly. I WAS going to buy one, but they discontinued them.....bastards....anyone remember the product number, or know where i can get one?

September 29th, 2003, 11:10 AM	#249
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	I doubt the new VX will be here in a few weeks. Personally, I would wait and just rent when I needed the use of a cam.

September 29th, 2003, 11:14 AM	#250
Matthew de Jongh Major Player Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: sounthern maine Posts: 344	its just that when i do a project it is for a week at a time and it wouldn't take very many rentals to equal the cost of a vx-2000 matthew

September 29th, 2003, 03:16 PM	#252
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	Now is probably a pretty good time to buy a VX2000, since the prices are good. I saw the Sony announcement about the new model, but I think it's being released in Europe first, unless I'm mistaken. The differences are not major, only slight improvements to an already solid camera--nothing that would make the original obsolete. I'm sure the link to the announcement is posted somewhere around here.

September 29th, 2003, 04:09 PM	#253
Matthew de Jongh Major Player Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: sounthern maine Posts: 344	hmm... now i have to think about it. getting a 950 seems like a waste to spend almost as much for a lesser camera... i used to have unlimited usage of a vx-1000 but i don't have that anymore and i really don't want to do this project with a 1 chip camera. my plan until i saw the vx-2100 announcement was to get a vx-2000 with a beach tek dual xlr box and a samson airline micro. the thing that threw me about the vx-2000 was wondering if it might have different audio i.e. xlr inputs? probably too much to hope for. i had a hard enough time deciding to get a vx-2000 vs. a pd-150 matthew

September 29th, 2003, 04:14 PM	#254
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	I'm quite certain the new model won't have XLRs. Sony reserves those for what it considers its professional or "prosumer" cameras...otherwise people might not pay more.

September 29th, 2003, 04:25 PM	#255
Glenn Chan Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 4,750	Didn't the upgrade to the PD-150 come already? If that upgrade is anything like the VX2100 then you wouldn't be missing out on much.