The gigantic "which camera should I buy" thread!

[Robin Davies-Rollinson]

I'd go with the Sony DSR570 - only because I haven't tried the other one ;-)
I use the Sony for broadcast work with the BBC and it's a great camera - especially for 16:9, which is the norm here.

Robin

[Craig Bellaire]

We just went to SBE here in NY and it looks like we are leaning toward the 570... so thanks for the advise....

[Bill Pryor]

I've been using the DSR500 for close to 4 years now (the 570 is a minor upgrade). I don't think you can beat it in the DVCAM world. But it is still DV25. Why don't you get the 35 dockable, since you already have a 30?

[Aaron Koolen]

Hi guys and gals. Someone's asked me what a good cheap minidv camera would be best to get? I have no clue about cameras of this sort so wouldn't mind a few ideas I can chuck their way.

They want something small and easy to carry at around the US$800 mark.

Can anyone offer some suggestions etc?

Cheers
Aaron

[Greg Patch]

I bought a Canon Optura 20 from B&H a few months ago...Great little camera and it was less tha $500....

[Kurth Bousman]

OK - I need to purchase a new camera this fall and I've been doing alot of forum reading and because I live in Mexico I can't just go down to bestbuy and try out these cameras so please give me a hand - pdx10- gs400 - xi - optura 3,4, or 500- pc350 - and the pal equivalents . Big question , I know( that's why I'm posting here ) but please give your reason for choosing your favorites. I'm now leaning between the pdx10(xlr, hi-res viewfinder) and the pal pc350e ( for it's size and the fact that it has real 25p ). I'd like to stay with sony because of lanc and my varizoom but I'm more interested in image detail than anything else so if you think the panasonic or the canons' outperform the sonys' , please tell me why. Id be especially interested in hearing about the pal gs400 and more about the xi's 1/30 shutter. thanks for reading and esp. thanks for posting- Kurth

[Boyd Ostroff]

<<<-- Originally posted by Kurth Bousman : because I live in Mexico I can't just go down to bestbuy and try out these cameras -->>>

Actually the PDX-10 is part of Sony's pro line and you won't find it in regular retail stores. This is another thing which sets it aside; I'm told that cameras in the pro line have much faster turnaround for repairs (although I have happily never put this to the test).

I haven't used any other cameras on your list, so I don't have any basis for comparison. My reasons for choosing were that most of the others on your list didn't exist when I got mine, and I also wanted 3 CCD's.

The PDX-10's viewfinder is pretty nice, but I personally use the big, bright LCD panel most of the time. With the addition of a cheap LCD hood I can see it fine even on a sunny day outside. The PDX-10 also shoots DVCAM (if that matters to you) and has a nice black finish.

[Kurth Bousman]

hi Boyd- I was just using bestbuy as a humorous example i.e. BHphoto etc. that I'm unable to do hands-on comparing- that's another good point about sony pro - although I've never had to use it for my pd100a it's another check on the pdx10- dvcam - well I believe you told me on another thread ( and in the manual )that the pdx10 also shoots reg dv which is more appealing - being able to shoot both. I use my viewfinder alot so the b&w on the pdx10 is appealing. I've been looking more lately at the pc350e. What do you think of John Jay's post on that camera. The downside is it doesn't have a headphone jack for monitoring but if it has real progressive , well isn't it assumed that progressive has about 40% higher res plus the extra 100 lines of pal? I've held the pdx10 and it is a beauty and for it's pro feel , I'll probably end up w/it and use nattress film effects but that's not the same as real progressive. Also , living in mex , I have a whole other set of criteria that are dictated by low profile ! which plays to the pc350- the pdx10 , while small , is real pretty and that attracts attention. Well , who knows , maybe the reviews of the fx-1 will be so awesome that I'll have to not buy the canon20d ( which is getting alot of bad reviews ) and go for the new sony-I just don't like buying new products ! thanks - take care- Kurth

[Boyd Ostroff]

IIRC, the 350 is one of Sony's new cameras that moves all the controls to the touchscreen which I don't think I'd like. Does it even have full manual control? How about battery life? Doesn't it use those little batteries that fit inside the camera? It does look like an interesting product, but maybe a little too "consumery" for my taste...

I suppose another option to consider might be the HC-1000 which supposedly has the same 16:9 mode as the PDX-10. It also has gone the touchscreen route and uses smaller batteries than the PDX-10.

The FX-1 looks like a real beauty, but evidently considerably larger and heavier than the PD-170.

[Chris Hurd]

I'd say the FX1 is *somewhat* larger and heavier than the PD170. Wouldn't say that "considerably" is the word for it. Everything is relative, anyway.

The current Canon Optura line offers native 16:9 at price points of $900 to $1200.

[Kurth Bousman]

hello Chris- I was kinda interested in seeing more about the little canons' . It's really hard to get hard data from just posts. Two questions I'm really interested in is the rumor of 30p on the xi at 1/30th ? And the possibility of full res out of the firewire on the 300 ? I believe Steve Nunez posted and his little clip was, resolution wise , quit nice. Is there any continuity of those properies with the 4 & 500 ? I'd really like to be able to record to a powerbook at full use of pixels with a correctly shown image on the lcd ( would you be monitoring the capture window at the same time ? ). I'd love to see a real comparison from an optura genius . One things' certain , they are beautiful . If you have any info , I'd be glad to hear more. thanks - Kurth

[Kurth Bousman]

And sorry Boyd - I was just in a canon state of mind ! No , the hc- 1000 is just too ugly and it's also touchscreen menued - that's the downside of the 350 , that and the lack of a headphone jack. but the progressive part plus my ability to use my varizoom continues to interest me , and it's stealth-nature. I love the idea of a pocketcam for serious work ever since I saw The Celebration- the moving shots were great- and the pdx10 is small enough , like you said w/o the mike but then there's these tantalizing tidbits about the canons' . I'd love to see a real review of the pc350(e) and optura 500 before it's over ( wishful thinking ) , and then there's the magician on the horizon - the fx-1 and it's big brother - exciting times we're in - Great guys , thanks for your inputs. Hope to hear more . Kurth

[Joshua Provost]

I have to put in a good word for the Panasonic GS400. I got the camera a few weeks ago and just shot my first short last weekend. The 16:9 quality is excellent, color is excellent, placement of the manual controls and multi-function ring worked together brilliantly, and it even does super-slow, super smooth zooms (using the rocker). Overall, I was able to get very good results working very fast.

The camera is a little small to be taken seriously, but it really performs.

[Damien Greaves]

hi i have been reading through the various posts doing searches on each camcorder i had in mind

my decision is between the sony pdx10 , panasonic agdvc 30 and the sony vx2100

firstly 16:9 dosent mean much to me i shoot mainly 4:3

i definately need xlr audio

i will be shooting for Electronic news gathering , documentries etc

i have one question though specifically for the panasonic agdvc 30 do i have to buy the reccomended panasonic xlr adapter or can i use a beachtek adapter?

i dont really like the placement of the xlr adapter on the sony pdx10 and the panasonic dvc30

any help regarding these camcorders will be greatly appreaciated

[Chris Hurd]

The right one for you is the one which *feels best* in your hands.

See this thread: http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...threadid=33475 as it's asking nearly the same question, PDX10 vs. DVC30. Please direct your replies to that discussion as it's already cooking pretty well over there.