Does anyone have footage of up-rezzed PD150 footage
 

I was on the DVX100 and HD10 forums and they had some up-rezzed DVX100 footage that looked awesome. Has anyone seen what the PD150(or PD150p) looks like when up-rezzed

How to lock the exposure with PD150
 

Really stupid question...
How do I lock the exposure in my PD-150???
If I use manual Iris, it still seems to automatically adjust...
If I use manual exposure, it also does this...
Do I need to use a combination or go into some sort of other mode ???

Thanks for your help !!!

Shutter and aperature need to be in manual. Helps to put gain in manual too. Then if you want to lock them from change even in manual mode, you can slide the upper-left switch on the rear of the camera to LOCK

THANKS !!!..that was quick...

Ahh. We're only inaccurate, not slow <G>

PD150 Head Clean?
 

I've had my PD150 for over 18 months now and have been using it quite regularly (weddings) and I've never had a problem. My question is - when should you use a head cleaning tape? Should I have had it serviced at all? What do you guys do?

I clean the heads on my 150 when they need it. Which, so far, has been never. Same for my other cameras, my DSR-20 and all the cameras at the local college.

After a few years of use, it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to ship it off to someone good and have it cleaned, lubed and align-checked (don't automatically have some one realign it because if it is your only deck and they 'make it right,' you've just lost the ability to read your old tapes).

I prefer someone I know rather than a generic shop. And that includes Sony. I'd prefer a local pro shop or someone like Armatos.

2 plus years on 2 150's with hard useage and I've cleaned 1 camera 1 time because of some dropout/pixelation problem. The other NEVER. I absolutely agree with Mike, if you have it done make it by someone you know and trust. I have never and I mean never sent any camera I've ever owned back to the mfg for "routine" maintanence. However my take is simple, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it"!!!!!
Don

Video Drop out on PD150
 

Hello,
Have had my 150 for about a year now, no problems until I noticed a small drop out in the video yesterday. Decided to record over a short 10 minute section of tape. As I played it back I noticed a quick 2-3 second horizontal bar playing the new video reorded over the old. Both were taken in DVCAM. The last 5 minutes are fine. Just that 2-3 seconds in the middle. Should I throw in the head cleaning tape for 5 seconds or is this just a really minor drop out that shouln't be worried about?

Also, I noticed for some reason on one of my tapes that I recorded in DV and DVCAM, Is this really hard on the camera as it switches when playing back?

Thanks everybody!
Take care,
Todd

There's no reason to panic. If you would have used a fresh tape or a stripped tape, most-likely you wouldn't have had that drop-out.

Re: Video Drop out on PD150
 

<<<-- Originally posted by Todd Moen :

As I played it back I noticed a quick 2-3 second horizontal bar playing the new video reorded over the old. Both were taken in DVCAM. The last 5 minutes are fine. Just that 2-3 seconds in the middle.

Also, I noticed for some reason on one of my tapes that I recorded in DV and DVCAM, Is this really hard on the camera as it switches when playing back?

Thanks everybody!
Take care,
Todd -->>>

Normally you should place only DV or DVCam on a single tape as the playback transport can become confused.

Notably, the only bad video I ever had from my 150's is when I recorded DVCam over a DV tape. No idea why and the tape was new. I tend to keep the tapes separated now. I had not meant to record DVCam at all on the 150 but this was a replacement unit Sony sent me and I forgot about the Factory Settings (only momentarily as it turned out!).

You certainly could run a cleaning tape for 5 seconds, no more. But running more regular tape and checking the performance would probably do as well.

Focusing problem... I lose focus on my pd150
 

hi all ... i am having a problem with focusing with my pd150.
i would zoom into my subject and then zoom out..i will be able to get to a certan point then the focus will go completely.
can any1 help me there.??
thanks

Questions about Sony DSR PD150
 

Hi there,
I'm john and am new to this forom. I'm new to this neiborhood. Sing with me first before I get to my question....emm... A video producer is a person in your neiborhood, in your neiborhood, in your neibor..ho..od. Very good, thank you. I do video production for my part time business and hope to grow to full time. I do different videos but I really like doing travel videos. I bring my camping gear and video equipment and go off into remote jungle aeras with locals and meet tribe people and missionarys, catch snakes, island hop, eat strange food, climb mountains, shoot many interesting tropical plants and animals, try to aviod conflicts with hungry monkeys, sleep in my tent in different places, avoid getting tangled up with jellyfish, ect. I would like to hook up with people with similer interests and plan other trips. I am in the process of edditing to videos, both in the Philippines. One on the main island of Luzon and one on Palawan. I then plan to make a website and sell them. I am a christian and thus give a christian perspective to my videos. I enjoy making videos and want to continue to learn to make them better in all aspects. I am using a PD150 and a video toaster. Does anyone know about the Digital Optics .45 wide angle lens? I think I overpaid for it but I hope it will serve as a good lens. I would like to get a lens hood for the lens with a lens cap if possible. I'm having trouble finding that at the moment. Also I would like to fing a training video on my camera so I could learn the ins and outs on using all the manual adjustments. Any help with this stuff from you camera wizzards would be great. My email is highendvideo@hotmail.com Thank you. John

There's a lot of info on this camera and the vx2000 on the BBC site.
http://www.bbctraining.com/

Here also:
http://www.urbanfox.com/

A tour through the archives here wouldn't be so bad either, Kevin

Haha. Oops
Yes, Of Course.

Sony PD150 - Looking for tips and advice on lighting, iris, etc...
 

Hi. I have an upcoming shoot in which I will be using the PD150 for a film. I am looking for any advice from experienced users and/or DP's that can give me some tips to get the most out of this beauty. I'm looking for lighting tips, audio tips and anything else that might help me get the best image possible. I've seen some great films shot with this camera so I know it's possible.


Any help would be great. Thanks,
Brandon White
Another Green World Productions

I thought Alan Barker's article was chock-full of practical info for PD150/170 documentary shoots. Some of which MAY apply to your film or just help with wrangling the camera.

http://www.alanbarker.com

Try this site too:

http://www.urbanfox.tv/workbooks/sonypd150/index.htm

Pd150? Help
 

Hey guys I am a little new to the pd150 and haven't learned all the ropes yet but I have ran into a little problem. I have recored a lot of fottage but never played it back. So I sat down to capture at hope and I noticed that the audio only recorded from the right side. I dont no if this is a setting some where I missed or possibly something wrong with my mic or the xlr. Any suggestion would help.

The mike is monophonic but you can set the channel select switch to send it to both channels:

http://www.urbanfox.tv/workbooks/son...pd150sound.htm

when set to CH1/2 it records to bot channels (left and right)
when set to channel 2 only it will record to the right channel only.
The switch is on the left side of the camera.

Don B

Thnk you guys so much!!!!

Sony PD150 manuall focus
 

It's not more than 7° C outside now. After a few minitues I'm loosing the manuall focus in this temperature. It does no metter if I turn the focus ring to the right or to the left, it doesn't work. The auto focus still works well. Is it normal?

No, operating temperature for the camera is from 0 degrees Centrigrade to 40 degrees Centigrade

Thank you.

2nd camera to PD150
 

Looks like I am going to be getting a PD150. For hte work that I want to do, my partner and I will mostlikely need a 2nd camera. Neither one of us has the money to put out for a 2nd PD150.

What are my options for a 2nd camera then?

We will mainly be filming indoors, but at times we will be filming in recording studio control rooms, which can be darkly lit, and they won't want any sort of a lighting rig in there (though an on camera light would be fine as long as it is diffused).

So, we need a 2nd camera, and the budget is real tight. We are definitely looking used. The optimal 2nd camera would be a VX2000, but that might be out of the price range of my partner. What are our alternatives?

We want to be able to basically match the "look" of the footage as closely as possible. After seeing screenshots of the VX1000 vs the VX2000, I don't know if a used VX1000 will give us a close enough look. It is more grainy, the WB is slightly different, etc. Maybe the VX1000 will work OK...

We will setup the cameras to match as closely as possible in the field, and then try to fix the rest in post if possible. I know that only so much can be done...

So what are my options other than the VX1000? I am thinking either a Canon GL1 or GL2, or a Sony PD100. Something around $1000 price range. I have not seen any used PD100s so I don't know what they are going for. Used GL1s for under $1000 are easy to find on eBay, and used GL2s for under $1000 can be had if you are patient enough...

Thoughts? Comments?

Thanks!

Alex F

As I was reading your post my mind was saying ''go get a PD100'' and there it was in your list. What about the TRV900? (forget the TRV950 because of its appalling low-light capability). The 900 won't allow XLRs, but will intercut well with the PD.

But you know it and I know it - what you really want is a VX2000. They're tough as nails and seem to suffer far fewer of the problem the first generation VX1000 had. The first ones are 4 years old now, and will be a better bet than the PD100, and a lot better than the dissapointing GL1.

tom.

Absolutely right, I would get a VX2000 if we had the extra cash. As it is, getting the used PD150 is going to tap me out for a while! My partner has even more limited funds.

I'll look into the TRV900 as well. Not worried about audio. We will probably either record the audio to the PD150, or run it by itself and synch it in the PC. We will have to experiment a bit and see what gets us the best balance of sound quality, synch, & ease of use/setup (setup being on the lower end of the list).

BTW, my understanding is that if you run audio into the PD150 and record using DVCam you get true SMPTE time code. Is that correct? Will the time code transfer out to the NLE?

If I go tapeless (direct to disk) will I still get the SMPTE?

Thanks,

Alex F

The transfer of timecode is entirely up to your NLE. Same thing for the disk approach (assuming it has SMPTE timecode)

PD150 Question
 

Can You Customize The PD150 Like You Can The Xl1s? I know the pd150 dosen't have the different lens thing but i am making my first movie and i would like to get to the same kind of image that danny boyle had for 28 days later.(That Movie Rocks) HELP!!!

No problem, Mike. Just tranfer all your footage to film and color correct it and you will be good to go. That's a bit of sarcasm you understand.

I don't think they did anything mysterious when they shot their film. They used a lot of cameras for the London after the apocalypse shoot, so I doubt they messed around with all the cameras. I'm sure there are more detailed answers, but obviously the majority of the work came when they did their post.

Short answer; shoot the best footage you can and don't mess with it! Then when you transfer you will have good quality that can be manipulated to your heart's content. Even if you don't transfer to film, you will still have footage that you can manipulate with digital color correction in your NLE.

If you want to see good looking footage shot with a PD150 and transfered to film, check out Personal Velocity. Then check out the commentary track.

Wayne

Life expectancy of a pd150
 

I am looking to purchase a pd150 second hand. What is the life expectancy (both in hours of operation and tape run) of these cameras? Any pd150 owners care to comment on how many hours they put on their camera before it needed major repair work? Thanks for your help.

Chris

kinda random depending on when the camera was made.

Sony had to replace the transport bearings in my first camera at 10 months. I probably had 200-300 hours on the drum at that point and the transport could be heard grinding across a quiet room. Then they got the transport rebuilt, and started to work on the OIS randomly banging about. But they were stumped by that problem ( I sent them a sample tape showing the problem as one should always do) and they gave me a new one because they didn't know about the general RF susceptiblity of the camera design at that point.

The builds (they build them in batches) have had some notable problems including the audio hiss and transport failures (see above) and then Sony got everything settled down and they made a generally reliable product which I think it was for the second half of the product lifetime.

Batch building tends to have problems that many or all of the batch will exhibit. Like the rash of hard-to-close tape doors on the 170 not too long ago.

OTOH, I have almost 800 hours on my DSR-300 transport and my DSR-20 and narry a hitch.

Sony unofficially will claim between 1000 and 1500 hours for the heads.

I reacon that every hour costs about $2 that must be put away for head and transport repairs. So if you buy one that has 500 hours on it, the price should reflect the amount of head and transport that has been used up.

And don't forget that Sony stops the blanket repair charge policy and charges actual parts and labor for any product that hasn't been produced in 7 years.

As a sort of standard process of buying used equipment, I call the service center and ask them what might be wrong at the approximate age of the equipment and what it would cost to fix. It always gives me a departure point for setting a price.

Sony PD-150 Questions..A Couple
 

I probably know these have been asked before, but I did some searches.. I didn't find the answers..So..

I have a PD-150 camera and a couple questions. I want to shoot some 16:9 widescreen for the letterbox look. However, the camera shows a 16:9 function, but is that REAL 16:9 or just adds a letterbox?

Second question.. Please bare with me, as I don't even know if I am wording this correctly. I am shooting my brothers wedding outdoors and there is no power sources.

I want to catch the audio from the bride and groom during the ceremony. I don't know if this exists or not, but is their a wireless lapel and power pack that attaches to one of them and then a battery powered receiver and hooks to the camera and inputs into the PD-150 XLR input? I have seen large batteries on the backs of PD-150's with two antennas but I don't know if that is what I am looking for.. basically I am very new to all this camera work stuff, editing I can handle.. Shooting..well thats another story..lol

Thanks for your time in advance..

Patrick

1) It is true 16x9 recording, but not true 16x9 imaging chips so the output is better than letterboxing in post, but not as good as a device with 16x9 chips;

2) Yes there is. A good combo costs more than $1,000 -- there are OK ones for less, and really awful ones for little. Consider renting a good one for a special event.

GB

Thanks for the reply..

I guess I would have to know what to rent.. What exactly would I be looking, brand/models?

Thanks

You are looking for a wireless lapel mic and a diversity receiver. Get advice from the rental house near you ... I expect they'll only be offering the better stuff.

GB

Sony PD150 HELP!
 

Hi all,

Shooting an exercise video with my fairly new PD150 with very low miles tomorrow. Shooting rehearsal today, I started seeing blue smeared light in the viewfinder. It kind of looks like water but it is obviously something that is affecting the camera in some way. At first I thought it might just be the LCD. Nope, the problem is in the viewfinder as well. I pulled tapes out and it didn't seem to exist on the footage. However, I just got home and did a few tests. First of all, I used a sony cleaning cassette to try and clean the heads. Secondly the camera was reading no tape when I put a tape in it. I tried resetting the camera with th resest button. Finally I got the camera to recognize a tape, the blueish light filled the LCD. When I pulled the tape and played it back in my DSR11, the problem is clear as day. Blue light, particularlt in hot spots.

What should I do?? Has anyone ever experienced this? Pleas let me know asap as I shoot tomorrow morning.

Thank you,

Troy

Your camera is in need of repair...I dont think there is anything you can do.