GS150 is quite a camera

[Darren Kelly]

As some of you will know, I also own an XL2 and an FX1, but I needed something for my pocket for vacations, and stuff like that, so I started looking for a new "Pocket Cam"

I really wanted the new Sony DCR OC1000, but it is not yet in the Pacific North West or in Canada. While checking out my local best buy I found the GS150. 3 chips, 16X9 and 4X3 shooting, and about half the price, so I bought it.

I'm very impressed with it right now. The quality is much better than I expected and it is full featured.

If you'r looking for a great deal, on a nice little camera, I would recommend this to you.

Cheers

DBK

[Chris Hurd]

Thanks Darren,

I'm really curious how this little guy compares to your bigger cameras. Do you think it's good enough to match to the XL2 or your FX1 (in DV mode) if, say, you're outdoors with decent light? I'm definitely interested,

[Patrick Jenkins]

My GS150 that I bought 6 days ago (NIB) actually just died on me tonight. I seem to be having the worst luck with cameras in the last 2-3 weeks.

I was taping at a bouldering competition at a local climbing gym when the cam made a mechanical popping noise (sounded like a built in ND filter engaging actually). Here's a clip of what happened...

http://www.section32.us/pat/EarthtreksComp.mov (MP4)

At first I thought the whitebalance messed up somehow (things got very yellow), but it looks like the blue CCD died. It hasn't been jostled or physically harmed, it's been extremely well looked after (and it's QUITE new).

I've tried resetting it, but nothing seems to work. Going back to the store for a refund (doubtful that I'll replace it w/ the same model) on Monday.

[Chris Hurd]

Depending on where you bought it, they shouldn't have any trouble replacing it for you. Or so it would seem to me.

[Darren Kelly]

<<<-- Originally posted by Patrick Jenkins : My GS150 that I bought 6 days ago (NIB) actually just died on me tonight. I seem to be having the worst luck with cameras in the last 2-3 weeks.. -->>>

It sure looked like something happened in camera. I am sure the store will exchange it if you want. From some of the reviews I've read the camera has shown to be pretty dependable in it's short life.

Sorry for the bad luck

DBK

[Patrick Jenkins]

Oh yeah, it came from Best Buy, so no worries on the return. I'll bring the tape in and play it back for them just incase there's any problem...

Enjoy the 150, it is quite a camera!

[Ron Johnson]

Darren - Is the GS150 able to accept tele and wide lens adapters? Do you know of any recommended units?

Patrick - Have you received a replacement cam yet? Working ok?


thanks,

ron johnson

[Craig Bellaire]

OK here's the deal... I had the same problem with my camera... I just got a dv953 and it took me 3 weeks to figure out why my camera did the same thing... I was very mad... I purchased used but this is a $1,500.00 camera new. I’ve been doing video for 15 years and never seen this...BUT I've never owned a Panasonic camera either. So this is why your camera is giving you problems... 1. The camera does this due to a mix of lighting... So the camera doesn't know what to white balance on... 2. the camera will just flip to this greenish tint when it decides to, even in the middle of recording...The cameras manual at least on mine even says this. If you look at the video on a good monitor, then you can see all the colors, even white, red and blue, BUT with a greenish/blue tint... When you white balance manually and it flips to green/blue happens and you turn the camera off and back on, it is still using the old white balance with the tint... So go to the non blinking/manual control option and re-white balance... I use an 18% grey card to white balance on... The camera is very sensitive to bright whites and will do this if you point your camera at a bright like "Do this at your own risk" Also if your camera does this, go into manual mode and turn down the iris just to check...The green tint if your outside should go back to normal. Also I use the option in the menu and set the camera to "Bright sun/ Snow" settings and still use manual white balance... This should fix the problem... DO I like it that my camera does this? NOPE but as for me I can't take it back... Do I wish I had a Sony at this point? Yep, but when the camera is working properly then it does look very nice... Hope this helps...

[Darren Kelly]

<<<-- Originally posted by Ron Johnson : Darren - Is the GS150 able to accept tele and wide lens adapters? Do you know of any recommended units?

Patrick - Have you received a replacement cam yet? Working ok?


thanks,

ron johnson -->>>

Sorry, I missed your mail last week. I was on the road.

I would assume it would take standard WA and teleadapters available at best buy, but I think the camera handles this sort of thing well.

DBK

[Patrick Jenkins]

<<<-- Originally posted by Ron Johnson : Darren - Is the GS150 able to accept tele and wide lens adapters? Do you know of any recommended units?

Patrick - Have you received a replacement cam yet? Working ok?


thanks,

ron johnson -->>>

Hey!

I actually exchanged it for an Optura 30. Other than the Canon having dreadful battery life (gs150 had ~ 2.5 hours w/ the included battery; canon has ~ 50 minutes), it's a nicer cam.

CBellaire: I thought I had a freak white balance problem, but I tried resetting using gray cards, white cards, warm cards, etc etc. Tried the reset button, tried messing w/ the internal battery (just in case).

Here are some pics of what happened...

Before

After

It wasn't a white balance problem. It was a definite CCD problem.

[Patrick Jenkins]

Here's the clip where it died...

http://www.section32.us/pat/EarthtreksComp.mov


Oh, if anyone's interested... I had about 20 minutes of footage before the camera died, so i turned it into this (about 90 minutes of editing/color matching/graphics on Easter morning).

Just a goofy little video for some friends who were participating in the competition.


http://www.section32.us/pat/ET-mp4.mov

[Craig Bellaire]

Just saying how nice the video came out... thanks