Needs some info

[Randy Johnson]

I have GY-HD100s last year the Firewire ports on them blew I spent $1500 to get one fixed yesterday it blew. JVC is not getting one more dime out of me! I hate getting cameras like this but I need to buy 2 new cameras hopefully I can get $1,000 each for mine. How does the AG-hmc150 compare to the GY-HD100? I do weddings is it alot better in low light? Is it the best camera in this price range? Sorry for all the questions but I need to decide by next week. I need a camera that has a pretty wide lense, good in low light, lets me use any frame rate and resolution, and will work with my anton/bauer batterys(I guess i'll have to get the stasis for that).

Thanks
Randy

[Mark Von Lanken]

Hi Randy,

I have only shot with the JVC HD-100 once, so I am not an expert on the camera. If I remember correctly my Sony Z1 performed better in low light and had a wider lens than the HD-100. The HMC150 performs better in low light and has a much wider lens than the Z1, so with my limited experience with the HD-100, I would say the HMC150 has the advantage over the HD-100 in both low light and a wider lens.

The HMC150 is a great wedding camera and in my opinion, offers the best bang for the buck of any camera currently on the market, especially for weddings. No rolling shutter problems since is is CCD and not CMOS.

You can read more about the HMC 150 here.
EventDV.net: In the Field: Panasonic AG-HMC150

[Randy Johnson]

Thanks Mark thats just the kinda information I needed. I also plan on picking up a few of your DVDs.

[Randy Johnson]

I tell ya I played with the settings tonight on a wedding with my GY-HD100 for once I shot in 24p and I boosted the color through the matrix and I have to say I got some of the best pix I have ever gotten from that camera even in low light (which seemed better in 24p). The thing that still drives me nuts is the studering I get when I move not so much when they move but me. Is that a problem with the HMC 150 also? the GY-HD100 only shoots 720p 30 or 24 in HD I dont have a interlace option or 59.94.

[Tom Hardwick]

Blowing Firewire ports suggests that you're hot wiring them and the answer is not to. Conect up the camera and the pc by firewire, then turn the pc and the camera on. You'll not blow a port again.

[Randy Johnson]

I wont blow a fireport again because im done with it. Ive been using firewire since it was invented and have never blow a port it wants until I got the JVCs that I started blowing ports. I follow all the procedures and they still blow and JVC still charges me $1400 to fix them. For that money I will just get out of those POSs and get a real camera.

[Mark Von Lanken]

Originally Posted by Randy Johnson

...The thing that still drives me nuts is the studering I get when I move not so much when they move but me. Is that a problem with the HMC 150 also? the GY-HD100 only shoots 720p 30 or 24 in HD I dont have a interlace option or 59.94.

Hi Randy,

The HMC150 does 720/ 24p, 30p and 60p as well as 1080/24p, 30p and 60i. After shooting interlaced for the last 13 years, switching over to progressive is an acquired taste for me. If you don't like the look of progressive, you can shoot interlaced with the HMC150.

[Tom Hardwick]

Originally Posted by Mark Von Lanken

switching over to progressive is an acquired taste for me.

And it's as well to remember that quite possibly a lot of your client base will be feeling the same way.

[Randy Johnson]

Thanks for the input guys, If my brides dont mind its alot easier to ride these cameras out for another year or two so I can save up instead of going into debt for the ones I really want.

thanks
Randy