GS400 or Sony HC1000? at DVinfo.net

Anton Coene · September 17th, 2004, 02:29 PM

Hello everybody,

I'm Anton, a student in a Belgian secundary filmschool. I need a camera for my schoolwork and I'm having this 2 prefered cameras which I've heard a lot about them. It's about the Panasonic GS400 and the Sony HC1000.

Could somebody give me some more information about these two cameras and their specifications...and if you should have to buy one of these...which one should you buy and why?

Every bit of information is really appreciated. I'm an amateur in this sort of things, but I'm prepared to learn a lot :)

Thank you in advance,
Anton.

PS: Sorry for my English.
PS2: The search has helped me a lot, but I didn't found a familair thread to this one, so that's why I started one...*blush* I hope it isn't against te rules

Frank Granovski · September 17th, 2004, 04:41 PM

Allan can probably best help you.

In a nutshell, I think that they are both good cams for the money, though the GS400 is cheaper and has frame mode.

Greg Takacs · September 17th, 2004, 09:43 PM

The GS400 also has a 3.5" diameter screen while the HC1000 has been downgraded to a 2.5" screen from the TVR950's 3.5".

I also held a HC1000 in the store and it just sits really weird in the hand. It is really wide and tries to tip over to the left as you hold it.

The touch screen is a true annoyance on the HC1000, I could not figure it out, while the manual controls on the GS400 including shutter iris and white balance as well as focus and zoom are all very intuitive and one button push away.

The HC1000 also has an enclosed battery compartment which means you can only use the stock size battery, forget about using bigger, longer lasting batteries.

I think the 4 speaker surround mode of the HC1000 is a big gimmick, you need to buy the special mic to record such animal and you have to use Sony's propriatory editing software bundled with Vaio laptops and PCs to use it.

The only positive I could find for the HC1000 is the fact that it's black. But I can certainly live with my silver GS400. The video is fantastic!

I think all of the above and the fact that you can get a SG400 for $1200 makes it a no brainer.

Allan Rejoso · September 17th, 2004, 10:26 PM

Anton,

Please try to search for the posts under my name and read through them. My recent posts are mostly about the HC1000 and GS400. Whatever topic or feature is not covered in those posts, please ask. I hope they could help somehow although to be honest with you, for me it is quite fuzzy what particular kind of cam a film student needs.

Most of the manual features of the GS400 are also available in the HC1000 but accessed in a different way (sometimes indicated differently also). I think that manual operation of the GS400 is more convenient than that of HC1000. However, please note that the GS400 does not have the following features:

manual slow shutter settings under video mode
spot focus
LANC
interval recording

So far, I seem to be alone trying to defend the touch-screen menu system and the grip/feel of the HC1000 but nevertheless, I still prefer the GS400 for other reasons.

Good luck!

Anton Coene · September 18th, 2004, 03:04 AM

Thank you for your reply Allan. I've been surfing into your other post and I found a lot of information!

I'm going to test the 2 cams in a shop next week, but my preference goes to the Panasonic on this moment.

Thank you for the information,

Anton.

Mauricio Garcia · September 29th, 2004, 10:09 PM

Anton, have you had the chance to try thr cameras out? I would like to read your opinion since I'm about to buy my first DVcamera. I'm pretty much set on the GS400, but still shopping around.

Mauricio

Mathieu Ghekiere · October 12th, 2004, 12:25 PM

hey,

I'm the nephew of Anton, and to respond to your question, Mauricio, he buyed the panasonic.

I'm telling you because I don't think he saw noticed your question or since then checked this thread, others he would have replied.

(Colors of the sony were to cold, in comparison with the panasonic, that's the main reason I think, colors being much better)

Hope it helps.

September 17th, 2004, 02:29 PM	#1
Anton Coene New Boot Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Belgium Posts: 6	GS400 or Sony HC1000? Hello everybody, I'm Anton, a student in a Belgian secundary filmschool. I need a camera for my schoolwork and I'm having this 2 prefered cameras which I've heard a lot about them. It's about the Panasonic GS400 and the Sony HC1000. Could somebody give me some more information about these two cameras and their specifications...and if you should have to buy one of these...which one should you buy and why? Every bit of information is really appreciated. I'm an amateur in this sort of things, but I'm prepared to learn a lot :) Thank you in advance, Anton. PS: Sorry for my English. PS2: The search has helped me a lot, but I didn't found a familair thread to this one, so that's why I started one...blush I hope it isn't against te rules

September 17th, 2004, 09:43 PM	#3
Greg Takacs Tourist Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 2	The GS400 also has a 3.5" diameter screen while the HC1000 has been downgraded to a 2.5" screen from the TVR950's 3.5". I also held a HC1000 in the store and it just sits really weird in the hand. It is really wide and tries to tip over to the left as you hold it. The touch screen is a true annoyance on the HC1000, I could not figure it out, while the manual controls on the GS400 including shutter iris and white balance as well as focus and zoom are all very intuitive and one button push away. The HC1000 also has an enclosed battery compartment which means you can only use the stock size battery, forget about using bigger, longer lasting batteries. I think the 4 speaker surround mode of the HC1000 is a big gimmick, you need to buy the special mic to record such animal and you have to use Sony's propriatory editing software bundled with Vaio laptops and PCs to use it. The only positive I could find for the HC1000 is the fact that it's black. But I can certainly live with my silver GS400. The video is fantastic! I think all of the above and the fact that you can get a SG400 for $1200 makes it a no brainer. __________________ That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!

September 17th, 2004, 04:41 PM	#2
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	Allan can probably best help you. In a nutshell, I think that they are both good cams for the money, though the GS400 is cheaper and has frame mode.

September 17th, 2004, 10:26 PM	#4
Allan Rejoso Major Player Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Tokyo, Japan Posts: 569	Anton, Please try to search for the posts under my name and read through them. My recent posts are mostly about the HC1000 and GS400. Whatever topic or feature is not covered in those posts, please ask. I hope they could help somehow although to be honest with you, for me it is quite fuzzy what particular kind of cam a film student needs. Most of the manual features of the GS400 are also available in the HC1000 but accessed in a different way (sometimes indicated differently also). I think that manual operation of the GS400 is more convenient than that of HC1000. However, please note that the GS400 does not have the following features: manual slow shutter settings under video mode spot focus LANC interval recording So far, I seem to be alone trying to defend the touch-screen menu system and the grip/feel of the HC1000 but nevertheless, I still prefer the GS400 for other reasons. Good luck!

September 18th, 2004, 03:04 AM	#5
Anton Coene New Boot Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Belgium Posts: 6	Thank you for your reply Allan. I've been surfing into your other post and I found a lot of information! I'm going to test the 2 cams in a shop next week, but my preference goes to the Panasonic on this moment. Thank you for the information, Anton.

September 29th, 2004, 10:09 PM	#6
Mauricio Garcia Tourist Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bogota / Colombia Posts: 4	Anton, have you had the chance to try thr cameras out? I would like to read your opinion since I'm about to buy my first DVcamera. I'm pretty much set on the GS400, but still shopping around. Mauricio

October 12th, 2004, 12:25 PM	#7
Mathieu Ghekiere Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Belgium Posts: 2,195	hey, I'm the nephew of Anton, and to respond to your question, Mauricio, he buyed the panasonic. I'm telling you because I don't think he saw noticed your question or since then checked this thread, others he would have replied. (Colors of the sony were to cold, in comparison with the panasonic, that's the main reason I think, colors being much better) Hope it helps.