MX500 is coming, what about the rest?

Alex Lake · February 2nd, 2004, 03:28 PM

Actually it's a TR820E - about 8 years old or so, I'd say.

I'm wondering if older 3CCD panasonic's (eg. NV DX110) which had 1/4" CCDs would actually be of similar capability. Then I'm torn as the 953 is so lovely in the light. However, my wife would throw a fit if I wanted to take 2 cameras everywhere with me!

Tommy Haupfear · February 2nd, 2004, 03:36 PM

Gotcha, I thought you were referring to the DCR-TRV820 Digital8 which wasn't so great in low light.

I never gave low light a second thought back in the Hi-8 and 8mm days. You gotta love progress!

The JVC GR-DV3000 is a great low light single chipper.

Frank Granovski · February 2nd, 2004, 04:40 PM

Quote:

...the MX500B simply doesn't work indoors at night unless the lights are turned up to a rather disconcerting level.

Lights, camera, action! :-))

Ayosha Kononenko · February 2nd, 2004, 10:15 PM

OK we are in business. The toy arrived today.

First impressions:

It is small enough.
Some buttons are awkward to reach, but we will learn.
Very limited light dynamics, made worse by over increased contrast, in the same frame highlights are burned out and details in the shadows lost, all indoors and under tungsten. The situation is much worse than on my digital Nikon not to mention negatives or slides.
On full automatic under low light the result is 1 stop darker (on average) than the real thing. On manual (1/50, open, +18dB) the sensitivity is more or less what you see. The slow shutter mode is useless unless desperate.
But the sensitivity under auto was good enough for a nice shot of a cat purring in my lap under 100W reading light. We all know you have to go VX2000 for a low light solution.
I am impressed with auto focus, couldn’t do a better job manually in a low light low contrast situation.
The sound is realistic. There is slight motor whine but I believe it is dominated by a single frequency and therefore removable.
The feel is of a quality.

I am happy so far and ready to order wide angle and filters.

Alex thanks for Fairdeal tip, I was Googling extensively for lenses and filters but didn’t do the same for tapes. Well done with Jessops, when I checked them the price was around £1500 on the web.

Rubbers by Hama at http://www.7dayshop.com, adjustable and in various sizes. Haven’t seen them but cheap enough.

No Firewire cable included. The cam has 4pin hole, and I am led to believe my Audigy has 6 pin. Is that correct? I was surprised to see 4/4, 4/6 and 6/6 Firewire cables offered. I thought the thing is more standardised than that.

Guy Bruner · February 2nd, 2004, 10:39 PM

Congratulations Ayosha! I look forward to hearing your impressions after you have shot some more video. BTW, I have a Kodak Ektanar 43mm wide angle coming. I just couldn't resist the price. I'll let you know what I find with it in a few days.

Alex Lake · February 3rd, 2004, 07:47 AM

<<<-- I have a Kodak Ektanar 43mm wide angle coming. I just couldn't resist the price. -->>>

Spill the beans..... What factor is it and what was the price?

Guy Bruner · February 3rd, 2004, 12:10 PM

Alex,
It is a .65x 43mm wide angle made for the Kodak DC4800 and other still cameras. If you do an internet search, you'll find them all over for <$50. I picked mine up on e-**y for $44.95 before credits. Turns out, with credits, it only cost me shipping so I couldn't pass up the opportunity. I don't know what kind of quality to expect, but for that price thought I'd try it. After all, it was originally made for the top-of-the-line Kodak digital camera.

Yow Cheong Hoe · February 3rd, 2004, 08:05 PM

<<<-- Originally posted by Ayosha Kononenko : No Firewire cable included. The cam has 4pin hole, and I am led to believe my Audigy has 6 pin. Is that correct? I was surprised to see 4/4, 4/6 and 6/6 Firewire cables offered. I thought the thing is more standardised than that. -->>>

Firewire only for those who actually use a PC to edit video. Manufacturers do not expect consumers to edit their video and the pros to have their own equipment ready. Third party cables will be cheaper, anyway.

As for 4 pins and 6 pins, it has to do with power. The two extra pins supply power to the Firewire device. I have a Firewire card, which uses 6 pins sockets, but I have not used it with power as I did not connect my mainboard power supply to the card. It works the same, as video cameras are self-powered.

BTW, the term Firewire is strictly Mac, the official term is IEEE1394 and Sony, fancy as ever, calls it iLink.

Alex Lake · February 4th, 2004, 04:56 AM

<<<-- Originally posted by Guy Bruner : Alex,
It is a .65x 43mm wide angle made for the Kodak DC4800 and other still cameras. If you do an internet search, you'll find them all over for <$50. I picked mine up on e-**y for $44.95 before credits. Turns out, with credits, it only cost me shipping so I couldn't pass up the opportunity. -->>>

Yeah, well I've seen it on the Internet for $35 in the US, but over here you're looking at close to $100. This turns a "WTF" priced object into something that would dent funds that might otherwise go towards the (good but bulky) Raynox option.

Alex Lake · February 4th, 2004, 05:00 AM

I've found it at Jessops for £30 - almost a WTF price!

Their part number is KODDCSWAL43.

I wonder if I could get them to get one in for me to play with...

Frank Granovski · February 4th, 2004, 05:52 AM

Quote:

I have a Kodak Ektanar 43mm wide angle coming. I just couldn't resist the price. Etc.

I gotta check one of these out. I gotta tell Pokey about it too.

Does it have filter threads on the front?

Alex Lake · February 4th, 2004, 06:15 AM

If you go to www.jessops.com

and type KODDCSWAL43 into the search, you get a picture of it - doesn't look like a front-thread to me.

Guy Bruner · February 4th, 2004, 06:39 AM

Frank,
I honestly don't know, yet. Will let ya'll know in a few days. In the interim, here is another 43mm Panny user's shots using the wide angle, telephoto and fisheyes.

EDIT: According to the good, ole, reliable B&H Photo, it doesn't.

Hey, we've got to stop hijacking this thread.

Young Lee · February 4th, 2004, 05:04 PM

Thanks for the info!! I'll buy one for my MX5000.

Tommy Haupfear · February 4th, 2004, 05:46 PM

I would really like to hear how this Kodak 43mm WA works out. I've been looking at the Tiffen 43mm ($89 B&H) but I'd like to save a few bucks with the Kodak and its a better match for my black mamba.

February 2nd, 2004, 03:28 PM	#16
Alex Lake Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: London, UK Posts: 42	Oops Actually it's a TR820E - about 8 years old or so, I'd say. I'm wondering if older 3CCD panasonic's (eg. NV DX110) which had 1/4" CCDs would actually be of similar capability. Then I'm torn as the 953 is so lovely in the light. However, my wife would throw a fit if I wanted to take 2 cameras everywhere with me! __________________ Alex

February 2nd, 2004, 10:15 PM	#19
Ayosha Kononenko Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: London UK Posts: 51	OK we are in business. The toy arrived today. First impressions: It is small enough. Some buttons are awkward to reach, but we will learn. Very limited light dynamics, made worse by over increased contrast, in the same frame highlights are burned out and details in the shadows lost, all indoors and under tungsten. The situation is much worse than on my digital Nikon not to mention negatives or slides. On full automatic under low light the result is 1 stop darker (on average) than the real thing. On manual (1/50, open, +18dB) the sensitivity is more or less what you see. The slow shutter mode is useless unless desperate. But the sensitivity under auto was good enough for a nice shot of a cat purring in my lap under 100W reading light. We all know you have to go VX2000 for a low light solution. I am impressed with auto focus, couldn’t do a better job manually in a low light low contrast situation. The sound is realistic. There is slight motor whine but I believe it is dominated by a single frequency and therefore removable. The feel is of a quality. I am happy so far and ready to order wide angle and filters. Alex thanks for Fairdeal tip, I was Googling extensively for lenses and filters but didn’t do the same for tapes. Well done with Jessops, when I checked them the price was around £1500 on the web. Rubbers by Hama at http://www.7dayshop.com, adjustable and in various sizes. Haven’t seen them but cheap enough. No Firewire cable included. The cam has 4pin hole, and I am led to believe my Audigy has 6 pin. Is that correct? I was surprised to see 4/4, 4/6 and 6/6 Firewire cables offered. I thought the thing is more standardised than that. __________________ ayosha

February 3rd, 2004, 07:47 AM	#21
Alex Lake Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: London, UK Posts: 42	<<<-- I have a Kodak Ektanar 43mm wide angle coming. I just couldn't resist the price. -->>> Spill the beans..... What factor is it and what was the price? __________________ Alex

February 4th, 2004, 04:56 AM	#24
Alex Lake Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: London, UK Posts: 42	<<<-- Originally posted by Guy Bruner : Alex, It is a .65x 43mm wide angle made for the Kodak DC4800 and other still cameras. If you do an internet search, you'll find them all over for <$50. I picked mine up on e-**y for $44.95 before credits. Turns out, with credits, it only cost me shipping so I couldn't pass up the opportunity. -->>> Yeah, well I've seen it on the Internet for $35 in the US, but over here you're looking at close to $100. This turns a "WTF" priced object into something that would dent funds that might otherwise go towards the (good but bulky) Raynox option. __________________ Alex

February 4th, 2004, 05:00 AM	#25
Alex Lake Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: London, UK Posts: 42	Stupid me... I've found it at Jessops for £30 - almost a WTF price! Their part number is KODDCSWAL43. I wonder if I could get them to get one in for me to play with... __________________ Alex

February 2nd, 2004, 03:36 PM	#17
Tommy Haupfear Wrangler Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 1,415	Gotcha, I thought you were referring to the DCR-TRV820 Digital8 which wasn't so great in low light. I never gave low light a second thought back in the Hi-8 and 8mm days. You gotta love progress! The JVC GR-DV3000 is a great low light single chipper.

February 2nd, 2004, 10:39 PM	#20
Guy Bruner Major Player Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Ashford, AL Posts: 937	Congratulations Ayosha! I look forward to hearing your impressions after you have shot some more video. BTW, I have a Kodak Ektanar 43mm wide angle coming. I just couldn't resist the price. I'll let you know what I find with it in a few days.

February 3rd, 2004, 12:10 PM	#22
Guy Bruner Major Player Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Ashford, AL Posts: 937	Alex, It is a .65x 43mm wide angle made for the Kodak DC4800 and other still cameras. If you do an internet search, you'll find them all over for <$50. I picked mine up on e-**y for $44.95 before credits. Turns out, with credits, it only cost me shipping so I couldn't pass up the opportunity. I don't know what kind of quality to expect, but for that price thought I'd try it. After all, it was originally made for the top-of-the-line Kodak digital camera.

February 3rd, 2004, 08:05 PM	#23
Yow Cheong Hoe Major Player Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Singapore, Passport: Malaysia Posts: 407	<<<-- Originally posted by Ayosha Kononenko : No Firewire cable included. The cam has 4pin hole, and I am led to believe my Audigy has 6 pin. Is that correct? I was surprised to see 4/4, 4/6 and 6/6 Firewire cables offered. I thought the thing is more standardised than that. -->>> Firewire only for those who actually use a PC to edit video. Manufacturers do not expect consumers to edit their video and the pros to have their own equipment ready. Third party cables will be cheaper, anyway. As for 4 pins and 6 pins, it has to do with power. The two extra pins supply power to the Firewire device. I have a Firewire card, which uses 6 pins sockets, but I have not used it with power as I did not connect my mainboard power supply to the card. It works the same, as video cameras are self-powered. BTW, the term Firewire is strictly Mac, the official term is IEEE1394 and Sony, fancy as ever, calls it iLink.

February 4th, 2004, 06:15 AM	#27
Alex Lake Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: London, UK Posts: 42	Don't think so If you go to www.jessops.com and type KODDCSWAL43 into the search, you get a picture of it - doesn't look like a front-thread to me. __________________ Alex

February 4th, 2004, 06:39 AM	#28
Guy Bruner Major Player Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Ashford, AL Posts: 937	Frank, I honestly don't know, yet. Will let ya'll know in a few days. In the interim, here is another 43mm Panny user's shots using the wide angle, telephoto and fisheyes. EDIT: According to the good, ole, reliable B&H Photo, it doesn't. Hey, we've got to stop hijacking this thread.

February 4th, 2004, 05:04 PM	#29
Young Lee Major Player Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 268	Thanks for the info!! I'll buy one for my MX5000.

February 4th, 2004, 05:46 PM	#30
Tommy Haupfear Wrangler Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 1,415	I would really like to hear how this Kodak 43mm WA works out. I've been looking at the Tiffen 43mm ($89 B&H) but I'd like to save a few bucks with the Kodak and its a better match for my black mamba.