vx2100 came today! at DVinfo.net

Casper Tighe · August 12th, 2004, 11:52 AM

After months of indecision, debating between all the prosumer cams i bought a vx2100 which arrived today.

I was able to accquire a beachtek dxa-6 for a scandalous price on ebay (scandalous in a good way!)

so i could stretch to the high-end sony.

wow.

Thanks to these forums for alleviating my ignorance! :-) I am very happy with my choice, it's super.

But i was wondering if it was possible to buy a different EVF, i seem to remember hearing that one could purchase a B&W one as an extra.. is this true or is my head making things up? :-S

The EVF is the only thing is can think of improving in the camera, it doesn't look to give a really nice image, the res seems a bit low.

Mike Rehmus · August 12th, 2004, 12:23 PM

Congratulations on the camera and welcome to the forum. The B&W viewfinder comes only with the PD170.

Lou Bruno · August 14th, 2004, 06:21 AM

Good luck and enjoy the camera!

Casper Tighe · August 14th, 2004, 06:56 AM

Thanks :-) I intend to put the thing through it's paces soon enough.

Having a few issues with the audio though.. (but it's a vx and that's old news, right? ;-))

Thinking of getting the BBC/Glensound mod .. but having a bit of success filtering the hisss out with FC.

Other than that, brill.

Tom Hardwick · August 14th, 2004, 09:49 AM

DXA-6 Casper? I have the DXA-4 for my VX2000 and there's a DXA-8 I know of, but the 6?

Welcome to the VX club. The Glensound mod will lift your cam even higher and you've chosen well. If mine exploded this afternoon I'd be buying another before nightfall.

tom.

Casper Tighe · August 15th, 2004, 04:54 AM

Yes, i ordered the dxa6.. which is basically the dxa4 with dual phantom power for my mics.

Starting to wish i'd got the dxa8 though.. it has the preamps that the 6 lacks.. may have reduced the hiss I'm getting.

- But i do wish somebody had informed me of the 'exploding problem' you speak of..
if i'd have known beforehand that the vx's had a tendency to blow-up i would've opted for the gl2!

;-)

Tom Hardwick · August 15th, 2004, 08:25 AM

GL2 Casper? Has no one told you of the spontaneous combustion problem? DVX100s implode (just to be different) and XL2's fill up with water.

Bryan Beasleigh · August 15th, 2004, 11:00 AM

The best way of reducing the hiss is to keep the VX preamp below 50% gain and ideally closer to 25%. The Beach DXA-8 has limiters and gain. Read this write up for more info

"Thinking of getting the BBC/Glensound mod"

Read about Greg Winter's mod, better than the BBC/Glensound. The audio is fed at line level directly into the analog to digital converters.
Greg's site
Winter mods

Tommy Haupfear · August 16th, 2004, 10:39 AM

Beaser, thats the first time I've had a chance to actually listen to the difference the line-level mod by Greg Winter makes and that is extremely impressive.

I think my VX2000 may just have to be "winterized" and then I'll bug you about mics (of which I have zero knowledge).

:)

Dave Largent · August 23rd, 2004, 02:29 AM

<<<-- Originally posted by Bryan Beasleigh : The best way of reducing the hiss is to keep the VX preamp below 50% gain and ideally closer to 25%.

As I recall, the *specific* best signal-to-noise ratio
was found to be at 5-6 notches down from
50% gain. Of course, this is basically what
you said.

Dave Largent · August 23rd, 2004, 02:31 AM

Casper,
There's nothing great about the 170 viewfinder.
Maybe the 150's is better, don't know.

Laurence Kingston · August 26th, 2004, 10:29 AM

The Sennheiser ME66 mic has a louder output than other shotgun mics. With the ME66 you end up using really low input volume settings and the famous Sony background hiss is (IMHO) inaudible.

Lou Bruno · August 26th, 2004, 02:38 PM

You "SAID THAT ALRIGHT!" All the new EVF is nothing but a magnifier that enlarges the LCD EVF and actually causes side distortion unlike its predecessor-the SONY PD 150.

<<<-- Originally posted by Dave Largent : Casper,
There's nothing great about the 170 viewfinder.
Maybe the 150's is better, don't know. -->>>

Dave Largent · August 26th, 2004, 03:29 PM

Yeah, I've noticed that side distortion interferes with
the view. Sorta like lens flare washes out the
whole image. I find I can focus better using
the LCD screen. Looks like Sony messed up
here. I was looking forward to an improvement
over a VX having read how nice the 150's viewfinder is.
I can probably focus better with the 2000's
viewfinder than I can with the 170's. It's bad.

Tatjana Knapp · August 31st, 2004, 06:36 AM

I'm one step away from purchasing vx2100, but I cannot help wondering....
Should I wait for canon xl2, in which I ''fell in love'' right after it was announced to come out (little short on cash to get it just now)? In any case I'd use it for short videos and some documentary work.
Decisions...
Right now I'm (un)happy with my little sony dcr-trv60E (very cute for home use, but of course no more than that).

August 12th, 2004, 11:52 AM	#1
Casper Tighe New Boot Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Leeds/Canterbury UK Posts: 6	vx2100 came today! After months of indecision, debating between all the prosumer cams i bought a vx2100 which arrived today. I was able to accquire a beachtek dxa-6 for a scandalous price on ebay (scandalous in a good way!) so i could stretch to the high-end sony. wow. Thanks to these forums for alleviating my ignorance! :-) I am very happy with my choice, it's super. But i was wondering if it was possible to buy a different EVF, i seem to remember hearing that one could purchase a B&W one as an extra.. is this true or is my head making things up? :-S The EVF is the only thing is can think of improving in the camera, it doesn't look to give a really nice image, the res seems a bit low. __________________ ..

August 12th, 2004, 12:23 PM	#2
Mike Rehmus Wrangler Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vallejo, California Posts: 4,049	Congratulations on the camera and welcome to the forum. The B&W viewfinder comes only with the PD170. __________________ Mike Rehmus Hey, I can see the carrot at the end of the tunnel!

August 14th, 2004, 06:21 AM	#3
Lou Bruno Go Cycle Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Huntington, NY Posts: 815	Good luck and enjoy the camera! __________________ Lou Bruno

August 14th, 2004, 06:56 AM	#4
Casper Tighe New Boot Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Leeds/Canterbury UK Posts: 6	Thanks :-) I intend to put the thing through it's paces soon enough. Having a few issues with the audio though.. (but it's a vx and that's old news, right? ;-)) Thinking of getting the BBC/Glensound mod .. but having a bit of success filtering the hisss out with FC. Other than that, brill. __________________ ..

August 15th, 2004, 04:54 AM	#6
Casper Tighe New Boot Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Leeds/Canterbury UK Posts: 6	Yes, i ordered the dxa6.. which is basically the dxa4 with dual phantom power for my mics. Starting to wish i'd got the dxa8 though.. it has the preamps that the 6 lacks.. may have reduced the hiss I'm getting. - But i do wish somebody had informed me of the 'exploding problem' you speak of.. if i'd have known beforehand that the vx's had a tendency to blow-up i would've opted for the gl2! ;-) __________________ ..

August 14th, 2004, 09:49 AM	#5
Tom Hardwick Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Billericay, England UK Posts: 4,711	DXA-6 Casper? I have the DXA-4 for my VX2000 and there's a DXA-8 I know of, but the 6? Welcome to the VX club. The Glensound mod will lift your cam even higher and you've chosen well. If mine exploded this afternoon I'd be buying another before nightfall. tom.

August 15th, 2004, 08:25 AM	#7
Tom Hardwick Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Billericay, England UK Posts: 4,711	GL2 Casper? Has no one told you of the spontaneous combustion problem? DVX100s implode (just to be different) and XL2's fill up with water.

August 15th, 2004, 11:00 AM	#8
Bryan Beasleigh Trustee Join Date: May 2002 Location: Barrie, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,922	The best way of reducing the hiss is to keep the VX preamp below 50% gain and ideally closer to 25%. The Beach DXA-8 has limiters and gain. Read this write up for more info "Thinking of getting the BBC/Glensound mod" Read about Greg Winter's mod, better than the BBC/Glensound. The audio is fed at line level directly into the analog to digital converters. Greg's site Winter mods __________________ Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ".......holy smokin rubber lips...what a ride!"

August 16th, 2004, 10:39 AM	#9
Tommy Haupfear Wrangler Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 1,415	Beaser, thats the first time I've had a chance to actually listen to the difference the line-level mod by Greg Winter makes and that is extremely impressive. I think my VX2000 may just have to be "winterized" and then I'll bug you about mics (of which I have zero knowledge). :)

August 23rd, 2004, 02:29 AM	#10
Dave Largent Trustee Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 1,483	<<<-- Originally posted by Bryan Beasleigh : The best way of reducing the hiss is to keep the VX preamp below 50% gain and ideally closer to 25%. As I recall, the specific best signal-to-noise ratio was found to be at 5-6 notches down from 50% gain. Of course, this is basically what you said.

August 23rd, 2004, 02:31 AM	#11
Dave Largent Trustee Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 1,483	Casper, There's nothing great about the 170 viewfinder. Maybe the 150's is better, don't know.

August 26th, 2004, 10:29 AM	#12
Laurence Kingston Major Player Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Clermont, FL. Posts: 941	The Sennheiser ME66 mic has a louder output than other shotgun mics. With the ME66 you end up using really low input volume settings and the famous Sony background hiss is (IMHO) inaudible.

August 26th, 2004, 02:38 PM	#13
Lou Bruno Go Cycle Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Huntington, NY Posts: 815	You "SAID THAT ALRIGHT!" All the new EVF is nothing but a magnifier that enlarges the LCD EVF and actually causes side distortion unlike its predecessor-the SONY PD 150. <<<-- Originally posted by Dave Largent : Casper, There's nothing great about the 170 viewfinder. Maybe the 150's is better, don't know. -->>> __________________ Lou Bruno

August 26th, 2004, 03:29 PM	#14
Dave Largent Trustee Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 1,483	Yeah, I've noticed that side distortion interferes with the view. Sorta like lens flare washes out the whole image. I find I can focus better using the LCD screen. Looks like Sony messed up here. I was looking forward to an improvement over a VX having read how nice the 150's viewfinder is. I can probably focus better with the 2000's viewfinder than I can with the 170's. It's bad.

August 31st, 2004, 06:36 AM	#15
Tatjana Knapp Tourist Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 1	I'm one step away from purchasing vx2100, but I cannot help wondering.... Should I wait for canon xl2, in which I ''fell in love'' right after it was announced to come out (little short on cash to get it just now)? In any case I'd use it for short videos and some documentary work. Decisions... Right now I'm (un)happy with my little sony dcr-trv60E (very cute for home use, but of course no more than that).