PD150 or VX2K at DVinfo.net

Bryan Beasleigh · May 11th, 2002, 10:33 PM

Several questions if I may.

Given that the spread between the VX2k and PD150 will be $450-500 Canadian and a beachTec will cost $250 Canadian.(I fully realize that the glass and engine are the same)

1. would I get a more complete sound "system" with the PD150?

2. Is the Beach Tec a clunky ungainly add on?

3. Is the B/W viewfinder really the best way to go

4. Can the 150 utilize mini DV fully. I saw a caution on the sony spec that MiniDV wasn't seamless. whatever that would mean.

5. Any caveats that I should know about. One person mentioned that the miniplug will wear out rapidly and introduce noise into the sound equation.

I realize that hindsite is 20/20. As my wife said "If this new camera is so good why didn't you buy it in the first place?"

I really appreciate the opertunity to learn from your expertise and hope to become a fully functional and active part of these threads.

Thanks
Bryan

Lou Bruno · May 12th, 2002, 07:32 AM

The VX2000 offers a color viewfinder and only MiniDV BUT it does have an LP mode. The microphone is stereo!

The PD150 has a MiniDV and DVCAM mode-same picture quality. The DVCAM is good for 40 min. The MiniDV is good for 60 plus.

The PD150 has better XLR audio controls. The viewfinder is B/W.The microphone is mono.
Better/seperate exposure control over DB gain and IRIS.

You have to balance your needs. Is it worth another one thousand dollars for the above 150 features or should an investment in the external audio control be a consideration for 219 bucks.

I chose the VX2000 and saved a grand. I then put that money toward a pro-monopod, wide angle lens, varizoom controller and extra batteries, bag and filters.

Bottom line is: Same picture quality,same chips, same lens.

Lou Bruno

Adrian Douglas · May 12th, 2002, 07:49 AM

Lou is spot on. The VX is probably the better way to go unless you are shooting for broadcast and the station requires DVCAM.

One thing not a lot of people know is that Canon actually make the lens and Image stabilizer for the VX/PD Sony cams. It's not the same flourite lens that's used in the GL/XM but it's still a nice piece of glass.

Bryan Beasleigh · May 12th, 2002, 09:15 AM

The difference between the 150 and VX2K will be $300 us. (450 canadian). I got a price on a demo with under 10 hours for $4800 or a new one for $4950 Canadian. the VX2K is 4400 Canadian.

The beach tec can be had for 250 canadian.

Your statements make sense for a $1000 difference.

Dave Richler · May 12th, 2002, 09:21 AM

Hey Bryan,

I'm from montreal so this interests me. I'm not asking for your source on a sloghtly used 150, but would you mind sharing where you can get the 150 in Ontario for 4950 new?

Thanks, Dave

Bryan Beasleigh · May 12th, 2002, 10:50 AM

G&G Electronics, Kingstone Road.

http://ggelectronics.com/

They have a killer price on batteries
$115.Can for the 750 and $169Can for the NP-F960

The other cam is from Dynamix a broadcast house. it is a cam that was supposedly used a few hours by the salesman. I will check the hours on it.

Martin Munthe · May 12th, 2002, 02:28 PM

After 15 minutes the VX2000 switches of to save power. It forgets all your settings. The PD150 does not do this.

Adrian Douglas · May 12th, 2002, 06:53 PM

That's a good point Martin. It's one of the things that annoys me about the XL1, especially when shooting surfing. I'd be waiting for the guy I'm shooting to catch a wave, then just as he does the XL would go into standby. DOH!!!!!!!

Bryan Beasleigh · May 12th, 2002, 08:00 PM

I guess the biggest question is the B/W viewfinder, I've only seen the cheaper B/W viewfinders on the low end consummer cams. Also will the 150's sound be OK out of the box , it may be a while till I can afford a better mike. I'm assuming also that the 150 is tottally Mini DV compatible.

Given that the 150 is only a little more than 300US difference from the VX2K, I wouldn't be able to buy much to beef up the VX sound right away. $160US forthe adapter and that leaves about $150 US. I'm spending that much I may as well go all the way. Arrrrrrrgh!

Next week will be hectic, the wife has cataract surgery tomorrow at 6:30 am. It would be poor form for me to bug out and head for the city I guess. I'm going to whip into the bradcast dealer and checkout the hours on the 150 and make my decision.

Chris Hurd · May 12th, 2002, 08:36 PM

Bryan,

Despite what particular cameras you found and what certain dealers tell you, the *real world* price difference between any new PD150 and any new VX2000 anywhere is going to be about $800 US.

Also regarding the black and white viewfinder on the PD150, it is important to note that it is an LCD monitor and not a CRT (cathode ray tube, like a TV set). The pro cameras like the JVC GY-DV500U and the Sony DSR250 (big brother to the 150) have black and white CRT viewfinders and these are much, much better than the black and white LCD viewfinder on the PD150.

There is a mild improvement in viewfinder resolution with a black and white LCD over a color LCD, but neither are as good as a black and white CRT. I would not base a purchase decision on the 150's LCD viewfinder. It'll be a bit sharper than the flip-out color LCD but also a lot smaller.

Audio on the 150 will be better than the 2000 but if you really need stereo sound, be advised that the mic that comes with the 150 is mono. Hope this helps,

Bryan Beasleigh · May 12th, 2002, 10:36 PM

>>Despite what particular cameras you found and what certain dealers tell you, the *real world* price difference between any new PD150 and any new VX2000 anywhere is going to be about $800 US. <<

Maybe in the US, Consumer cams come through the Sony US and then to Sony Canada. A VX2K can be had from B&H for 2400 US plus $80 shipping (no canadian warranty)The best price that I have been able to get in canada and from a reputable dealer is $4400 canadian or $2780 US. The pro division is separate and i suspect the product comes directly from Japan.That would make the price structure different.

I have two prices for a PD150. one is new for $4950 Canadian (3120 US), (trouble is they are back ordered) and 4800 for one with "a few hours " on the drum. If this is only a few hours I may go with it as it is from a well respected dealer and carries a one year parts and labor warranty. If it isn't i'm out the door. Apparently in menu under "ETC" drum hours can be read.

No offence but I live in the real world too (just a different part) and for me the difference isn't $800 US. I may pay a lot more for the consumer stuff than I should but that's life. We also pay way to much for beer up here.

So far as the B/W finder , I feel more comfortable with color but I like totally manual control and i like the idea of having the sound gear on board.

Chris Hurd · May 12th, 2002, 10:52 PM

Thanks Bryan, I'm still getting educated on Canadian pricing.

Aaron Koolen · May 13th, 2002, 05:56 AM

Isn't there the problem with the audio hiss on the VX2k, which the PD150 doesn't have?

Bryan Beasleigh · May 13th, 2002, 11:25 PM

You've been a great help and i sincerely appreciate all of the input. Ain't life a bitch when you spend money.

Dan C. · May 14th, 2002, 12:16 PM

<<<-- Originally posted by Chris Hurd :
Also regarding the black and white viewfinder on the PD150, it is important to note that it is an LCD monitor and not a CRT (cathode ray tube, like a TV set). The pro cameras like the JVC GY-DV500U and the Sony DSR250 (big brother to the 150) have black and white CRT viewfinders and these are much, much better than the black and white LCD viewfinder on the PD150.
-->>>

Sorry to be off topic but is the XL1s B&W viewfinder (the one that is purchased seperately) CRT or LCD?

May 11th, 2002, 10:33 PM	#1
Bryan Beasleigh Trustee Join Date: May 2002 Location: Barrie, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,922	PD150 or VX2K Several questions if I may. Given that the spread between the VX2k and PD150 will be $450-500 Canadian and a beachTec will cost $250 Canadian.(I fully realize that the glass and engine are the same) 1. would I get a more complete sound "system" with the PD150? 2. Is the Beach Tec a clunky ungainly add on? 3. Is the B/W viewfinder really the best way to go 4. Can the 150 utilize mini DV fully. I saw a caution on the sony spec that MiniDV wasn't seamless. whatever that would mean. 5. Any caveats that I should know about. One person mentioned that the miniplug will wear out rapidly and introduce noise into the sound equation. I realize that hindsite is 20/20. As my wife said "If this new camera is so good why didn't you buy it in the first place?" I really appreciate the opertunity to learn from your expertise and hope to become a fully functional and active part of these threads. Thanks Bryan

May 12th, 2002, 07:49 AM	#3
Adrian Douglas Trustee Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Chigasaki, Japan. Posts: 1,660	Lou is spot on. The VX is probably the better way to go unless you are shooting for broadcast and the station requires DVCAM. One thing not a lot of people know is that Canon actually make the lens and Image stabilizer for the VX/PD Sony cams. It's not the same flourite lens that's used in the GL/XM but it's still a nice piece of glass. __________________ Adrian DVInfo.net Search for quick answers Where to buy? From the best in the business...DVInfo.net sponsors

May 12th, 2002, 02:28 PM	#7
Martin Munthe Major Player Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Posts: 331	After 15 minutes the VX2000 switches of to save power. It forgets all your settings. The PD150 does not do this. __________________ Martin Munthe VFX Supervisor/DP/Director

May 12th, 2002, 06:53 PM	#8
Adrian Douglas Trustee Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Chigasaki, Japan. Posts: 1,660	That's a good point Martin. It's one of the things that annoys me about the XL1, especially when shooting surfing. I'd be waiting for the guy I'm shooting to catch a wave, then just as he does the XL would go into standby. DOH!!!!!!! __________________ Adrian DVInfo.net Search for quick answers Where to buy? From the best in the business...DVInfo.net sponsors

May 12th, 2002, 08:36 PM	#10
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,368 Images: 513	Bryan, Despite what particular cameras you found and what certain dealers tell you, the real world price difference between any new PD150 and any new VX2000 anywhere is going to be about $800 US. Also regarding the black and white viewfinder on the PD150, it is important to note that it is an LCD monitor and not a CRT (cathode ray tube, like a TV set). The pro cameras like the JVC GY-DV500U and the Sony DSR250 (big brother to the 150) have black and white CRT viewfinders and these are much, much better than the black and white LCD viewfinder on the PD150. There is a mild improvement in viewfinder resolution with a black and white LCD over a color LCD, but neither are as good as a black and white CRT. I would not base a purchase decision on the 150's LCD viewfinder. It'll be a bit sharper than the flip-out color LCD but also a lot smaller. Audio on the 150 will be better than the 2000 but if you really need stereo sound, be advised that the mic that comes with the 150 is mono. Hope this helps, __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

May 12th, 2002, 07:32 AM	#2
Lou Bruno Go Cycle Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Huntington, NY Posts: 815	The VX2000 offers a color viewfinder and only MiniDV BUT it does have an LP mode. The microphone is stereo! The PD150 has a MiniDV and DVCAM mode-same picture quality. The DVCAM is good for 40 min. The MiniDV is good for 60 plus. The PD150 has better XLR audio controls. The viewfinder is B/W.The microphone is mono. Better/seperate exposure control over DB gain and IRIS. You have to balance your needs. Is it worth another one thousand dollars for the above 150 features or should an investment in the external audio control be a consideration for 219 bucks. I chose the VX2000 and saved a grand. I then put that money toward a pro-monopod, wide angle lens, varizoom controller and extra batteries, bag and filters. Bottom line is: Same picture quality,same chips, same lens. Lou Bruno

May 12th, 2002, 09:15 AM	#4
Bryan Beasleigh Trustee Join Date: May 2002 Location: Barrie, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,922	The difference between the 150 and VX2K will be $300 us. (450 canadian). I got a price on a demo with under 10 hours for $4800 or a new one for $4950 Canadian. the VX2K is 4400 Canadian. The beach tec can be had for 250 canadian. Your statements make sense for a $1000 difference.

May 12th, 2002, 09:21 AM	#5
Dave Richler New Boot Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Montreal, Quebec Posts: 9	Hey Bryan, I'm from montreal so this interests me. I'm not asking for your source on a sloghtly used 150, but would you mind sharing where you can get the 150 in Ontario for 4950 new? Thanks, Dave

May 12th, 2002, 10:50 AM	#6
Bryan Beasleigh Trustee Join Date: May 2002 Location: Barrie, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,922	G&G Electronics, Kingstone Road. http://ggelectronics.com/ They have a killer price on batteries $115.Can for the 750 and $169Can for the NP-F960 The other cam is from Dynamix a broadcast house. it is a cam that was supposedly used a few hours by the salesman. I will check the hours on it.

May 12th, 2002, 08:00 PM	#9
Bryan Beasleigh Trustee Join Date: May 2002 Location: Barrie, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,922	I guess the biggest question is the B/W viewfinder, I've only seen the cheaper B/W viewfinders on the low end consummer cams. Also will the 150's sound be OK out of the box , it may be a while till I can afford a better mike. I'm assuming also that the 150 is tottally Mini DV compatible. Given that the 150 is only a little more than 300US difference from the VX2K, I wouldn't be able to buy much to beef up the VX sound right away. $160US forthe adapter and that leaves about $150 US. I'm spending that much I may as well go all the way. Arrrrrrrgh! Next week will be hectic, the wife has cataract surgery tomorrow at 6:30 am. It would be poor form for me to bug out and head for the city I guess. I'm going to whip into the bradcast dealer and checkout the hours on the 150 and make my decision.

May 12th, 2002, 10:36 PM	#11
Bryan Beasleigh Trustee Join Date: May 2002 Location: Barrie, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,922	>>Despite what particular cameras you found and what certain dealers tell you, the real world price difference between any new PD150 and any new VX2000 anywhere is going to be about $800 US. << Maybe in the US, Consumer cams come through the Sony US and then to Sony Canada. A VX2K can be had from B&H for 2400 US plus $80 shipping (no canadian warranty)The best price that I have been able to get in canada and from a reputable dealer is $4400 canadian or $2780 US. The pro division is separate and i suspect the product comes directly from Japan.That would make the price structure different. I have two prices for a PD150. one is new for $4950 Canadian (3120 US), (trouble is they are back ordered) and 4800 for one with "a few hours " on the drum. If this is only a few hours I may go with it as it is from a well respected dealer and carries a one year parts and labor warranty. If it isn't i'm out the door. Apparently in menu under "ETC" drum hours can be read. No offence but I live in the real world too (just a different part) and for me the difference isn't $800 US. I may pay a lot more for the consumer stuff than I should but that's life. We also pay way to much for beer up here. So far as the B/W finder , I feel more comfortable with color but I like totally manual control and i like the idea of having the sound gear on board.

May 12th, 2002, 10:52 PM	#12
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,368 Images: 513	Thanks Bryan, I'm still getting educated on Canadian pricing. __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

May 13th, 2002, 05:56 AM	#13
Aaron Koolen Trustee Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Auckland, New Zealand Posts: 1,727	Isn't there the problem with the audio hiss on the VX2k, which the PD150 doesn't have?

May 13th, 2002, 11:25 PM	#14
Bryan Beasleigh Trustee Join Date: May 2002 Location: Barrie, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,922	Thankyou, everyone who posted. You've been a great help and i sincerely appreciate all of the input. Ain't life a bitch when you spend money.

May 14th, 2002, 12:16 PM	#15
Dan C. Major Player Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Cheshire, England Posts: 105	<<<-- Originally posted by Chris Hurd : Also regarding the black and white viewfinder on the PD150, it is important to note that it is an LCD monitor and not a CRT (cathode ray tube, like a TV set). The pro cameras like the JVC GY-DV500U and the Sony DSR250 (big brother to the 150) have black and white CRT viewfinders and these are much, much better than the black and white LCD viewfinder on the PD150. -->>> Sorry to be off topic but is the XL1s B&W viewfinder (the one that is purchased seperately) CRT or LCD?