AG-DVC80 various topics

[Bob Fitzgibbon]

Anybody,

I have my heart set on the DVC80 and before purchasing I decided to download the user manual. So this morning at about 7AM I did just that and read it from cover to cover.

At first reading (without camcorder in hand) the menu structure seems to be overwhelming.

Please say it isn't so.

Thank you in advance for any input.

[Steve D. Taylor]

Bob,

I've had mine about 2 weeks now and have no trouble getting around the menu. In fact, I found it much easier than most consumer type cameras, particularly one I've got that is of the "palm" variety, which explains the difficulty, I suppose. On the DVC80, all you do is hit the "menu" button and the options pop up, you change what you want, and hit the menu button again. I read the manual online as well before purchasing, and was overwhelmed as well, but it wasn't that bad when I had the cam.

Good luck,

Steve.

[Bob Fitzgibbon]

Hello Steve,

That is just what I was hoping to hear. I have been researching myself silly to be as sure as possible that I buy the right cam. This will be my first Pro cam and I know how expensive a purchasing mistake can be.

You have been very hlpful and it is appreciated.

Best to you

Bob

[Bob Fitzgibbon]

Steve,

Did you buy new or used?

It seems as though everyone who is selling their camcorder has used it for under 10 hours and is selling in order to upgrade.

Why would you have a need to upgrade a camcorder that isn't being used???

My dad used to say, "Nomatter how dumb the dealer looks...Cut the cards."

Bob

[Steve D. Taylor]

Bob,

I got it new. I'm not sure about the upgrading thing. Perhaps everyone keeps wanting the latest and greatest. 3 years ago I got a Canopus DVRapter card and Premiere 6.0. Now I got Premiere Pro and the $400 Canopus card won't work (no should it, as PP does everything and more as far as real time preview that it did). Everyone I've talked to has said, "well duh, it's been 3 whole years!" Perhaps that's how most deal with cameras as well.

Steve.

[Dan Brown]

Setting aside the Cine capabilites of the Panny cams, how do users compare these to models? The DVC80 looks like the best bang for the buck of any 1/3" cam right now. $2100 ready to shoot. The DVC30 has lower size and weight, plus the addition of the IR night shooting and a longer lens. But, it has the smaller 1/4" sensors. And, the DVC30 is quite a bit more money by the time the XLR audio adapter is added.

I was thinking of one of these cameras as an upgrade to my DV852. I really want the XLR audio, and a tape mechanism that loads while the camera is on the tripod. Zebra patterns and color bars would be helpful too. I like manual controls too. Also, access to the broader range of accessories like filters, wide/tele adapters, on-camera lights, zoom controller, batteries, matte boxes etc.

I'm shooting general family stuff, some ~10 short productions I've written, and lately some stringer/ENG efforts (with the help of my Bearcat police scanner).

Right now, I'm sort of leaning toward the DVC30 because of the extra reach on the long end and its smaller size for use on a monopod (ENG run & gun style). But I wonder how important the larger 1/3" sensor really is? The audio of the DVC80 looks more complete too.

Thanks for any thoughts and comments.

[John Britt]

Dan

I shoot with the DVC80, and although I have not used the DVC30, I would say that for my work I would prefer the DVC80.

The 80 has phantom power XLR inputs; the 30 does not. If XLRs are important to you, then the 80 is the best bet (although, as you said, you can get an adaptor for the 30). I think the audio on the DVC80 is great.

Personally, I don't need night vision and the 10x zoom of the dvc80 is fine for my work. If you are doing late-night, scanner-stalking ENG work, then you might need both the night vision and longer zoom.

You can see some of the commercials I have shot with the DVC80 at my website at www.karatemedia.com/video -- Marti's at Midday, Musician's Warehouse Christmas, and Gardens at Eden Christmas are some of the ads shot with the DVC80.

I also have some excerpts from a very quickly done and pointless silent short at www.karatemedia.com/video/dvc80.html. I have some snow day footage I'm going to add at some point as well.

None of this stuff is great, but it will give you an idea of the DVC80 in action. The commercials were shot using only existing, ambient light. The "short" was lit in some scenes with work lights. Nothing fancy at all. The audio in the ads was recorded on the DVC80 as well.

[David Holtek]

Hi people. Just got the cam and just got a Tiffen 72 mm UV filter. I feel stupid at the moment, but what's the proper way to attach this filter? It doesn't seem to screw in the lens hood. I can get it to stay in place, but even a small bump while turned lens down causes it to fall out. What am I doing wrong?

thanks

[David Holtek]

Smack me in the face guys......on my third look my brain finally processed that I have a 77mm filter for a 72mm lens!
Pack it up!

[Tim Borek]

In my event videography business, I have relied on a 3-year-old PV-DV100 Palmcorder as a backup (and sometimes second) camera. Well, it died last week; I turned it on at a wedding rehearsal and to my dismay everything was cast in shades of yellow and green, or blue, depending on White Balance setting. (It still records audio perfectly.) Panasonic wants AT LEAST $260 and 20 business days to fix it (if it can even be salvaged). Being short on both time and money, I'm looking for a comparable consumer camcorder in the $500 range. Any suggestions? I need the following requirements:

* External mic input
* Analog input & pass-through
* Headphone jack
* Side- or top-loading tape door
* Manual zoom and shutter controls

Pricewise, the Canon Optura 20 is looking good at $480 (B&H). I can be fully outfitted with camera, battery, ND and UV filters for $600. I like the Sony look, but those are bottom-loading cameras which aren't practical when mounted on a tripod, as I'd need it to be.

(I'd REALLY like to go for broke and snatch up another DVC80 for $2100, but this camera would also be for personal use, and my wife doesn't want to lug around a camcorder that big which devours batteries so quickly.)

[Tim Borek]

I once heard that even if one camera is pro and the other is consumer that videographers should always use the same brand of camera on a shoot. Is there anything to that? Personally, I can tell the difference between Panasonic and Sony consumer cams. Each has its strengths and weaknesses.

Any opinions?

[Mathew Evan]

If you are a professional and are charging good money (over $900) then you really should have a decent back up camera. Another dvc80 is a no brainer. Otherwise I have found the Canon Gl1 to match up pretty well with the Panny.

[Tim Borek]

... I need some bookings beyond September, as I've already exceeded my equipment budget for 2004. If my 2005 calendar starts filling up this fall like 2004's did last year, I'll get another DVC80 -- I wouldn't mind a used one -- and then get my wife a $300 point-n-shooter. Manual controls are a waste of money for her.

*fingers crossed*

[John Britt]

Tim --

re: mixing cameras -- A friend of mine was in town recently with a small crew, shooting a concert for a DVD. The people he works with are professionals and they were using a mix of cameras: my friend had his PD150, another had a XL1s, there was a "shoulder-brick" production-type camera of unknown brand (I don't believe it was Sony or Canon), and supposedly one more cam which I never saw. I don't know what sort of post they will do to the video, but they definitely had no problems mixing brands, for what that's worth.

That said, what about the Panny DV953? It's about twice what you want to spend, though...

Also, on some of your requirements: Do you really need external mic capability and analog pass-through? Re: the mic, will this cam be responsible for picking up audio that the DVC80 can't? Or can you just mix in the audio from the 80 during post? Just trying to think of ways to widen your options in your price range...

[John Gaspain]

does the DVC80 do frame mode?