DVX100 comparison with DVX100a at DVinfo.net

Peter Jefferson · September 3rd, 2004, 08:29 AM

hmm..

now i have both units.. im finding it very intriguing..

okies, first off i havent used the camera out in the field or fo rtest runs, but i have come across afew niggly on cam differences...

on the 100, if i was to run ATW it would give me accurate colours and i would then lock it. I usually work manual for most project, but sometimes i like being lazy... now with the 100a, i find that indoors, it gives me somethign aking to a 5600k temperature and redden everything.. i dont like this.. ive tried everything to make it a lil more accurte, but it just wont give me the accuracy i get from the 100. Instead to get a truly accurate colour, i need to go manual... which is fair enough, but sometimes when your working a shoot u dont have time to do this.
Im going to do some more tests and run a preset config fo rthe button, but im not to confident..

Noise..
I thought the 12bit RGB cpu would offer a cleaner image, however i have noticed a fair bit of grain when using a 12bd increase in gain.
I dont know if its the differnt LCD, (coz they ARE different) and i cant really compare results until im in post and check the vectors as well as runnign it through to a tv

umm.. audio..
ive noticed the inputs on the 100a are not as loud.. what i mean is that on the old 100, i get good inpout levels when i have my input set to zero (centre) however when i set teh same mic and same levels on teh 100a, i need to boost it by at least 6.. hmm.. leave that one with me.. i tink its the 100a input gain control still set to 50.. coz i cant remember what the 100 had.. i think i may have raised it..

now to learn abotu these new settings within the scenes... does anyone know wher ei can get a comparaive chrat for the NEW settings?? I have the old flyer which goes thru phasing etc, but thee new settings would be helpful..

and finally, i remember reading once, that u can set teh vewifinder to BW, and in BW, u can have a sort of focus "indication" wherby the focused area is highlighted???

anyone know how i can get this?? I noticd the viewfinder has a "detail setting" with the rec chk button... is this is?? I havent noticed anythign all that different so far?? maybe im doin something wrong..

any help is appreciated...

Barry Green · September 3rd, 2004, 10:47 AM

Quote:

it gives me somethign aking to a 5600k temperature and redden everything

I don't know anything about this, I haven't used ATW with the 100A... but it seems that you could overcome it with the COLOR TEMP menu setting, if you want to fine-tune how the auto white balance responds.

Quote:

and finally, i remember reading once, that u can set teh vewifinder to BW, and in BW, u can have a sort of focus "indication" wherby the focused area is highlighted???

You're talking about the EVF DTL function. It works whether you're in B&W or in color, so don't think it's tied to making the VF B&W. What it does is put a SUBTLE sharpened outline around areas that are in sharp focus. The effect is not overwhelming, but once you see it and know how to use it, it's one of the best new upgrades in the 100A (that and the exquisitely improved drag on the zoom ring!)

Peter Jefferson · September 3rd, 2004, 11:13 AM

that and the exquisitely improved drag on the zoom ring!

now THAT was the first thing i noticed.. lol

Peter Jefferson · September 4th, 2004, 11:37 AM

hmmmm.......

another thing i have noticed..
is that i have NO CLUE what these new scene settign configs do..

ie vertical detail (pretty obvious) but theres also afew others, like the knee (i assume this is akin to the a video equivalent of audio kneeing) as well as those different gamma configs.. as all as medium detail (ie the old one had thinck and thin.. thichk for tv, and thin for film... )

any ideas on this woudl be appreciated as i am so dvx100 set that these new settings are totally alien to me..

another thing.. i have a wedding shoot coming up and the couple want it shot in widescreen, which is ok by me , coz i have an anamorphic adapter which will be fitted to the 100, but would the widescreen stretched footage from the 100a look crap compared to the full res of the adapter??
I was tinking considering these new detail settings that theres be a way to at least make them match to the human eye.
Its mainly for projector and TV's..

Ill be running 2 DVX100's, one is the advanced model, the other being the oldy but goody one..

another thing, as i do alot of strange angled shots, i was a lil apprehensive about running the adapter on an angle, but it seems to behave in the exact same way as the 100's squeeze mode.

Tomorrow im takin the cams out and runnign afew identical shots with different settings to get a decent calibration, but with teh 100a, i feel like a newbie.. lol

ay thounghts on gettin good widescreen??

Barry Green · September 4th, 2004, 12:08 PM

Quote:

another thing i have noticed..
is that i have NO CLUE what these new scene settign configs do..

I'm working on a book/DVD combo that addresses everything about the DVX100 and DVX100A that I can think of, and it will include a section on settings and on the new settings of the 100A. Should be ready by the end of the month.

Quote:

but would the widescreen stretched footage from the 100a look crap compared to the full res of the adapter??

Yes and no. The anamorphic adapter, when properly used, can deliver about 35-40% more resolution than the 100A's Squeeze Mode. When not properly used, the anamorphic can look just as low-res, or worse, than squeeze mode. Squeeze Mode's not bad at alll, it's actually quite good, and delivers as much resolution as a PDX10 does in 16:9 mode (when you shoot with progressive/thin on the DVX... when you shoot interlaced, Squeeze Mode looks pretty bad).

If you must mix & match, try to use the Squeeze Mode camera for closeups and the anamorphic camera for wide shots.

Quote:

ay thounghts on gettin good widescreen??

For the best possible widescreen from a DVX, order the guide in my signature line. It'll tell you everything you need to know about letterbox, squeeze & anamorphic, and how to extract the ultimate quality from the anamorphic adapter.

Peter Jefferson · September 5th, 2004, 08:19 AM

thanks for the reply barry, much appreciated, im trouncing through your adapter article info now looking at buying.. :)

i was going thru the manual and this time it seems Pana have given some more detail regarding the differences each setting will make (ie, what coring does and the differences of vertical detail etc etc.

To be honest, i havent had a client ask me for it (widescreen) yet, due to cost involved (most want 2 formats, 4:3 and Widescreen).

I have done afew personal projects and i was happy with the results... but i now have a wedding client whos wanting full widescreen, and im just a bit wary.. i can easily do it in post, but i have the means to offer someting better than resampled converted footage, hence the thread..

hmm...
theres alot to learn about this which is agood and bad.. i mean i have to learn a new way of seeing and framing my shots.. I also have to relearn how to crop & pan and scan within the format.. usually for my widescreen projects theyre all pre set shots.. so its all pretty much eay to handle in post, but run and gun ive stuck with masks..

Padre puts on his learning cap.......

September 3rd, 2004, 08:29 AM	#1
Peter Jefferson Inner Circle Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Aus Posts: 3,884	DVX100 comparison with DVX100a hmm.. now i have both units.. im finding it very intriguing.. okies, first off i havent used the camera out in the field or fo rtest runs, but i have come across afew niggly on cam differences... on the 100, if i was to run ATW it would give me accurate colours and i would then lock it. I usually work manual for most project, but sometimes i like being lazy... now with the 100a, i find that indoors, it gives me somethign aking to a 5600k temperature and redden everything.. i dont like this.. ive tried everything to make it a lil more accurte, but it just wont give me the accuracy i get from the 100. Instead to get a truly accurate colour, i need to go manual... which is fair enough, but sometimes when your working a shoot u dont have time to do this. Im going to do some more tests and run a preset config fo rthe button, but im not to confident.. Noise.. I thought the 12bit RGB cpu would offer a cleaner image, however i have noticed a fair bit of grain when using a 12bd increase in gain. I dont know if its the differnt LCD, (coz they ARE different) and i cant really compare results until im in post and check the vectors as well as runnign it through to a tv umm.. audio.. ive noticed the inputs on the 100a are not as loud.. what i mean is that on the old 100, i get good inpout levels when i have my input set to zero (centre) however when i set teh same mic and same levels on teh 100a, i need to boost it by at least 6.. hmm.. leave that one with me.. i tink its the 100a input gain control still set to 50.. coz i cant remember what the 100 had.. i think i may have raised it.. now to learn abotu these new settings within the scenes... does anyone know wher ei can get a comparaive chrat for the NEW settings?? I have the old flyer which goes thru phasing etc, but thee new settings would be helpful.. and finally, i remember reading once, that u can set teh vewifinder to BW, and in BW, u can have a sort of focus "indication" wherby the focused area is highlighted??? anyone know how i can get this?? I noticd the viewfinder has a "detail setting" with the rec chk button... is this is?? I havent noticed anythign all that different so far?? maybe im doin something wrong.. any help is appreciated...

September 3rd, 2004, 11:13 AM	#3
Peter Jefferson Inner Circle Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Aus Posts: 3,884	that and the exquisitely improved drag on the zoom ring! now THAT was the first thing i noticed.. lol

September 4th, 2004, 11:37 AM	#4
Peter Jefferson Inner Circle Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Aus Posts: 3,884	hmmmm....... another thing i have noticed.. is that i have NO CLUE what these new scene settign configs do.. ie vertical detail (pretty obvious) but theres also afew others, like the knee (i assume this is akin to the a video equivalent of audio kneeing) as well as those different gamma configs.. as all as medium detail (ie the old one had thinck and thin.. thichk for tv, and thin for film... ) any ideas on this woudl be appreciated as i am so dvx100 set that these new settings are totally alien to me.. another thing.. i have a wedding shoot coming up and the couple want it shot in widescreen, which is ok by me , coz i have an anamorphic adapter which will be fitted to the 100, but would the widescreen stretched footage from the 100a look crap compared to the full res of the adapter?? I was tinking considering these new detail settings that theres be a way to at least make them match to the human eye. Its mainly for projector and TV's.. Ill be running 2 DVX100's, one is the advanced model, the other being the oldy but goody one.. another thing, as i do alot of strange angled shots, i was a lil apprehensive about running the adapter on an angle, but it seems to behave in the exact same way as the 100's squeeze mode. Tomorrow im takin the cams out and runnign afew identical shots with different settings to get a decent calibration, but with teh 100a, i feel like a newbie.. lol ay thounghts on gettin good widescreen??

September 5th, 2004, 08:19 AM	#6
Peter Jefferson Inner Circle Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Aus Posts: 3,884	thanks for the reply barry, much appreciated, im trouncing through your adapter article info now looking at buying.. :) i was going thru the manual and this time it seems Pana have given some more detail regarding the differences each setting will make (ie, what coring does and the differences of vertical detail etc etc. To be honest, i havent had a client ask me for it (widescreen) yet, due to cost involved (most want 2 formats, 4:3 and Widescreen). I have done afew personal projects and i was happy with the results... but i now have a wedding client whos wanting full widescreen, and im just a bit wary.. i can easily do it in post, but i have the means to offer someting better than resampled converted footage, hence the thread.. hmm... theres alot to learn about this which is agood and bad.. i mean i have to learn a new way of seeing and framing my shots.. I also have to relearn how to crop & pan and scan within the format.. usually for my widescreen projects theyre all pre set shots.. so its all pretty much eay to handle in post, but run and gun ive stuck with masks.. Padre puts on his learning cap.......