AG-DVC80 various topics

[Ken Tanaka]

B&H has just recently started their Gift Card program. The card can be used online, by phone or by mail. But, yes, you do need to have the card in-hand.

More information here.

[David Jonas]

Thanks

Dave

[Tim Borek]

Yes, the DVC80 rocks. It's everything I expected. My B&H packages arrived Thursday, only four days after placing the order with UPS Ground shipping. I will definitely order from B&H again.

I bought a Quantaray 18" x 13" aluminum case from my local Ritz Camera store. All I need before March -- is an on-camera light for light duty at wedding receptions. I'll probably buy a Bescor VS-50 and use a 10- or 20-watt lamp to prolong battery life.

Because my PV-DV100 uses the same batteries, I now have three 1700mAh batteries at my disposal, but I'll be buying a CGP-D28 or equivalent so I won't have to worry about charging batteries on the job.

[Vignir Haraldsson]

Hey all,
First of all, thanks for a great forum. It has proven very helpful with my new camcorder purchase. I received the Panasonic DVC80 yesterday, along with a few accessories (Azden X1 XLR microphone, lightweight Velbon tripod...). I ordered from BH and the service was good. The shipping experience was less so. It is the third UPS/FedEX shipment in a short time where the box is pretty badly damaged.

The shipment box was in tatters and taped together. Apparently it had also been opened because the 10-pack dv tapes was gone. I called BH and they filed a claim with UPS and promised to send me another pack. The panny camera box was also slightly damaged and the molding inside broken. I've been worried that the camera might have been damaged.

Tested yesterday evening and today and everything seems fine. It's a super cool-looking piece and a joy to use. It's been a while since I shot video (old vhs-c and u-matic) and I was a bit surprised that shooting outside on a somewhat cloudy day in full auto-mode, without ND filters, the image was very overexposed. Had to increase the shutter speed or apply 1/8 or 1/64 filters to get it nice.

I'm heading off to India over xmas and hope to shoot a small documentary there. Can't wait to start using the panny for real.

Thanks,
Vignir

[Steve Nunez]

Hello DVC users.....I've put up a bunch of hawk video frame stills exported from the actual DV footage using Quicktime and recompressed to 500 pixels wide after deinterlacing......for those wanting to see what sort of image quality the DVC80 is capable of- have a look at

http://stevenunez.com/DVC80Stills/index.htm

....there's some compression added in the jpeg format- but the original footage and stills are really artifact free.......have a peek and let me know what you guys think. I had to manually expose for the bird itself so the blue sky is overexposed a bit- this situation really called for a graduated ND filter- but none was on hand so I opted to expose for the bird instead of the background (backlit).....so using the "iris" control I opened the aperature a click or 2 from what the camera wanted to shoot with by default.......further down the thumbnails have a look at the leaves in the running water- that was the camera's actual exposure and it nailed it perfectly keeping highlights in check- the DVC80 is a solid camera for sure!

Have fun

[Nick Kerpchar]

Steve,
First off, great method for showing the frame stills. The slide show format was great.
Second, I liked the color and sharpness of the stills. At first I thought the colors were somewhat dull but then as I looked at the stills for a second time I felt that the colors were more towards realistic and not over saturated (I had to remind myself that everyone in NYC does not have bright pink and green hair spikes) (just kidding, just kidding). I had suspected that the DVC-80 provided good results but these stills showed it off nicely.
Third, The leaves in the water was really good. The colors were great and it was possible to see the ripples in the water. That still probably summed up the DVC-80s quality abilities.

Separate question. Have you had a chance to use the DVC-80 for any macro work, like copying photos or documents? I have a real big project coming up that will require making a video montage of photos (lots and lots and lots of photos), and I was thinking about using the DVC-80. If you used this cam for macro work did you use the existing lens or have to get an adapter?

Thanks for posting the slide show and I look forward to your reply about the DVC-80's abilities with macro work.

Thanks, Nick

[Steve Nunez]

Nick,

Thanks for commenting on the posted stills- it's good to know someone is looking and getting a feel for what these cameras can do....I hope the stills encourage potential buyers to consider the DVC80 as I believe it beats allot of better known cams.

For the macro work- I really suggest scanning the photos for the best possible quality- unless you want that video look the camera will give it- but for the utmost quality I recommend scans. I do have 3 tiffen 72mm macro screw-on lenses that really make the DVC 80 shine incredibly- I have the 3X, 2X and 4X lenses and I recorded some incredible macro video of exotic praying mantids (my son)....every detail, even the internal wing veins are easily shown with the DVC80. The DVC80 can focus extremely close without lenses- and it is very suitable for macro work- you wont be able to zoom unless you move the camera back a bit- it does have a minimum focusing distance (stated somewhere in the user's manual).....for $2300 the DVC80 with it's large CCD really can't be beaten!

[Nick Kerpchar]

Steve,
Thanks for the reply regarding using the DVC80 for macro.

Yea, I thought about scanning the photos but I havn't done that before for video (did it for a Power Point presentation). I want to be able to do a slow crawl (probably not the professional term) in various directions on some of the photos, and right now I am not sure what NLE system I'll have to work with. So, I was thinking of the path of least resistance (or headaches and late nights).

I really appreciate your input on the DVC80. Sounds and looks like a winner.

Nick

[Neftali Cano]

I'm looking to add a second camera to my studio. I need this camera for alot of interior work such as apt/home interior tours and inside buildings/office spaces.

I will also be mounting this camera to my cobra crane and glidecam 3000 pro. Because of this I was looking at a PDX10 due to it's obvious small form factor.

But, it's limitations in the low light area concerns me as well as the fact that I would have to spend another $200 to $250 for a quality CenturyOptics WA lens for the camera.

That said is this Lecia WA lens already on the camera and does it perform?

NEF

[Michael Wisniewski]

Is this true? The only way to get 16:9 right now, on the DVC80, is to crop the image? There is no electronic or anamorphic adapter that can do this?

I'm kinda sold on this camcorder, I just want to make sure I know exactly what I'm getting into.

[Rob Lohman]

I don't know about the WA lens, but what is your primary camera?
Often it is good to keep the primary & secondary camera the same
if you want to easily match the footage.... (just a note).

[Barry Green]

You can definitely use the anamorphic adapter to get full-resolution 16:9 on it.

Other than that, without an adapter, yes you'd have to crop and stretch in post.

[Michael Wisniewski]

Thank you, I wasn't aware when I first posted that Panasonic makes a 16:9 widescreen adapter for the DV series

[Carlos E. Martinez]

Steve,

You seem to be one of the most active people in this Forum who has a DVC80.

As I am considering buying two new ones, instead of a single DVX100A, I would like some other comments about it.

You also declared your intention to get a DVC30 when it's released, particularly because of the longer lens, which would make your nature work easier.

But my intention is a different one: using the DVC80s for my doc projects and for renting them.

Any reliability problems you would care to comment on? What about the so talked about low light quality when compared to Sony cameras? Have you shot stuff with a Sony that was better than the one shot with the DVC80?

From what I have seen, doing a good menu setup is most important on this camera, and I would probably do that beforehand for the people renting it. Renting the cameras would be a good way to alleviate the investment issues.



Carlos

[Steve Nunez]

Carlos,

I had a DVX100 and liked it allot- but the allure of 24P just isn't realistic unless you're an actual filmaker or aspiring one...I'm more of a documentarian and found no real benefit to having 24P- the DVC80 was excellent for what I wanted it for......having said that- I just sold it and will likely get the DVC30 when it's available unless an HDV camera from another co. entices me enough.....we'll see!

As for reliability- there are issues with some DVC/DVX heads producing drop-outs etc and the common consensus is to buy Master Quality Pan tapes which I find appauling- the fact that someone HAS to use a certain brand so that the camera can function correctly is inexcuseable- I bought my DVC80 locally and mine DID have head problems from day one- I returned the unit to B&H and exchanged it for another one- the newer one had no issues and that's the one I kept.....it performed flawlessly with any type of MiniDV tape and that's the way it should be- so if your camera has head issues- quickly return it and try another one. As for low light- you wont find better anywhere- the Pan did better low lux video than my XL1S or GL2.....I doubt any camcorder currently available will surpass the clean images the DVC produces under low light- I was/am impressed- it would make a superb wedding camera with it's great low light abilities.

As for menu setup- I left Scene mode 1 as is from factory with all adjustments zeroed, then made additional Scene Files with more contrast and sharpness turned up a click for outside video etc.....use different scene settings for different video settings and keep track....I suggest a slightly blurred (lessen sharpening) for portrait work etc.....you'll have fun- the camera is a capable camera right out of the box......get yourself a 72mm UV filter or haze-1 filter and an extra high-capacity battery and you'll be set.......

...enjoy!!!!

(I'll be participating less in the next months as I don't have a DVC80 anymore and am eagerly awaiting new models- hopefully something HDV- until then the DVC30 has "next" camera status)