Various questions about Panasonic DVC and DVX

[Jason Epperson]

Where can I go to effectively learn to use Cinema Tools. I'm willing to spend some dough on a good tutorial or book! Please don't send me to lafcpug again, the tutorial on their site is worthless.

[Peter Richardson]

Hi Jan--A while back I posted the trailer for my doc that was shot with the DVX100 and you posted that you might like to include it in a Panasonic demo DVD. Just curious to see if you are still interested. If you are, please e-mail me at: peterrichardson@ureach.com so I can get you the necessary materials. For a refresher on the trailer you can go to:

www.bicoastalfilms.com/clearcut.mpg

Thanks and best wishes,

Peter

[David A. Johnson]

I've noticed that when you go shopping for 72mm filters, you see regular filters (threaded front and back) for less $. Then you also see "wide angle" filters (threaded only on the back) for more $.

Given the widest angle of view with the DVX, just wondering if there is any vignetting at the corners with regular filters, and, therefore, a "wide angle" filter is necessary.

Any experiences?

Thanks,
David

[Paul Colt]

Greetings! Does anyone know if Panasonic is making or planning on making a PAL version of the AG-DVC80. I'm a Yank videographer but I live and shoot in Asia and Australia and I had to sell my NTSC DVX100. I agree with Videomaker magazine in that 24p is nice but if you don't need it why pay for it? I'm getting a AG-DVC80 PAL or a Sony PD-170 PAL. Just trying to track them down now.

[Andrew Cleary]

is this lens any good.? does anyone have it?

[George Vallejo]

If you think the on-board mike on your dvc80 leaves a lot to be desired, you are not alone. The $150.00 accesory mike Panasonic offers for the DVC80/dvx100 is better but limited. Doesn't cover all bases for me. I was looking for a light, studio quality omni/cardioid condenser that would fit in the camera's mike holder. Believe it or not, I found it in the Behringer B5 for $75.00. Check out this link: http://stores.ebay.com/SM-Productions-Inc

[Meindert Bosma]

Anybody here who has a link to a place in the USA where I can get this camera in PAL at the best price ??????

Thanks for information

Meindert

[Marcia Janine Galles]

I apologize in advance if these are real bonehead questions, but I want to make sure of a few things.

1) In a discussion of the contrast ratio of film vs. video under the “What is Cine Gamma?” heading in the supplemental PDF set-up menu guide, the guide states:

“The Cine-line Gamma feature of the AG DVX100 emulates this wider exposure range characteristic and with the recommended ½ f stop underexposure should help to maintain increased highlight handling abilities.”

So does this mean that I take whatever my meter is telling me and underexpose that by 1/2 a stop? I've been stunned by how off I was is my estimation when eyeballing it indoors insofar as what I thought exposure should be vs what my meter was telling me. My LCD always looked way too dark at the meter's suggested setting, but it was dead on when I brought the footage into the computer. And I should go a 1/2 stop even below that for optimal saturation, cine-look, etc.?

2) When my meter reads 5.6 (5) for 5.6 and 5/10ths, is that the equivilent of 6.8 on the DVX? Aren't the additional f-stops which aren't on my light meter but are on the DVX (3.4, 4.8, 6.8, 9.6, 14) the equivilent of 1/2 stops? Also, and this isn't critical, I'm just curious... why are the 1/2 stop numbers on the DVX different than the numbers on my 35 mm Canon? I never noticed it 'til now. Where the Canon reads 4.5 and 6.7 the DVX reads 4.8 and 6.8. I thought this stuff was pretty standard. Are they making allowances for DV vs 35mm exposure in some incremental way?

Marcia

[Ian Poirier]

I've been looking at these kits for a while and I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with them. If you go through and add up the price of everything seperately it is a pretty good savings, specially when you get up to the filmaker's kit. I've only heard good things about Abelcine as well. Any different experiences out there?

The filmakers's kit doesn't have the Chrosziel follow focus which is something I was considering getting. The only other kits I've found that include all the things in the Abel kits and the full follow focus are 15k!

As a secondary question, since the dvx100a has the numbered focus system in the display you can use that to make repeatable stops, right? Is the follow focus that needed or is it just that the higher gear ratios allow for smoother pulls?

I think that's enough different questions in one post. Any help is welcome.

[Joe Lloyd]

Can I make a Arri 2C mattebox fit the DVX100?

Example, this one here:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=43479&item=3809822815&rd=1

[Kris Kaufmann]

In our high school studio we have 3 Panasonic AG-DVX100A camcorders and an SVHS vcr as inputs to a Videonics MXPRODV. (two cameras are connected via firewire, the third camera and vcr via SVHS) Audio from a Mackie mixer is input to the MXPRO's line input #4 and routed as background. The main out of the MXPRO is then sent via firewire to a FireWriter CG and then via firewire to a Panasonic DMR T3040 DVD/hard disk recorder.

The problem we are experiencing is two-fold:

First, even with all equipment turned on, when left idle for a short time, the MXPRO will "drop" one or the other of the firewire inputs and freeze up, necessitating a restart.

Second, about 60% of the time, after performing any transition from one source to another, the audio will "stutter."

The only successful way to make the MXPRO work properly has been to revert to using all analog video inputs. Then it is rock solid.

Before reverting to all analog sources I tried all the following:

Switching cameras, using Sony DCR TRV70’s
Changing the delay setting in audio set up (happens on every setting)
Routing audio of input four to every source
Muting audio of every source but input four
Performing transitions, with different audio routing combinations in both video only and audio follow video modes
Every possible combination of power up sequencing between components
Replacing the MXPRODV with another one from our dealer

Is it possible there is a setting with the DVX 100's regarding the firewire that I need to adjust ?

So, I am open to any and all suggestions, especially if you think I missed something obvious.

Thanks,

Kris Kaufmann
A/V Technology Specialist
North Hills School District
kaufmannk@nhsd.k12.pa.us


__________________
A/V Technology Specialist
North Hills School District
kaufmannk@nhsd.k12.pa.us

[Guy Shaddock]

Is there a setup supplement for the DVC 80 available. I would be nice if someone has already discovered the best "Scene Files" settings.

[Gerald Galloway]

I shot recently a tv commercial on my dvx100p in regular 24p (standard). I obviously worked with the material iin 29.97, and performed no "pulldown" since I didn't shoot in advanced. Creating a quicktime or viewing the commercial in my timeline before compressing for dvd output, i have NO problems with motion. However ... after exporting as an mpeg-2 file and creating a dvd in DSP2 and then viewing it on my 27" Panasonic television, I see some REALLY jerky motion problems that didn't exist in the uncompressed versions of the project. It's not just a subtle 24p strobing deal. it's obnoxious in one particular scene. Should I use innobits compressor instead ? Does the FCP supplied mpeg-2 compressor do this to all video shot in 24p (regular or advanced) mode ?

* I did put this in the FCP forum, but want the dvx100 gurus on here to see the question also since you guys edit 24p the most.

Many thanks for any help or advice anyone can offer.

[Lucia de Nieva]

For the Europeans here searching for a good purchase without worrying about customs and warranty questions, I would like to recommend www.stoneheadcut.de in Germany. This is a local dealer in Berlin, biased towards the customer. We just purchased our AG-DVX100AE there and experienced truly good and friendly service. Furthermore, their price is excellent for a genuine European DVX with two years of Panasonic Broadcast warranty. It is 3950,- Euro at the moment, including VAT, or 3405,- Euro without VAT, which is the same charged by our usual suspects in Singapore without warranty, if you add the 4,9 percent duty fee for digital camcorders. You may contact them via e-mail info@stonehead.de and by phone 0049-30-8512992 or facsimile 0049-30-8516421. However, due to a high demand here in Europe which made us wait three weeks for the camera, a sales price increase of 3 percent ist expected within the next weeks.

Stay tuned for my examinations of the PAL version.

[Yang Wen]

Any good reviews or screen caps from the DVC30 out there? And no.. I don't count the one from camcorderinfo.com as a "review".. is there nothing out there yet?