VX9000 / DSR200 / DSR250 various topics

[Law Tyler]

Thanks guys.

I was using industrial velcro, from sewing store, etc, but I would admit to pulling items off straight out instead of rotating it, and also sometimes "pushing it" a bit after initially putting the velcro down.

Oh, well, give those advise a try. Thanks again.

[Matt Woodson]

Have any of you shot any of your projects with the sony dsr 250?
Do you have a link of a preview, or a short that was shot with the DSR 250?

I know the DVX kicks major ass, but right now I can't afford to buy it or even rent it.

Any advice and or tricks with the DSR 250? Possible to do wonders with it.

[Jon McLean]

Gidday Matt

Anything you shoot with a PD150 you can shoot on the 250(unless the larger size is going to upset things). Video quality is pretty close to being identical between the two cameras. I own both and find the 250 works out being easier to use because of the placement of controls (wb,gain etc) and the fact its a shoulder mount.

The 250 will shoot DV on 180min DVCAM tapes giving around 4.5 hours of taping! Not bad going and it will run for around 3 hours on the BPL40/IDX50S style batterys and for years on a BPL90 ;).

Also have a DSR-390, IMHO the biggest difference between the 250 and 390 is the manual lens which can be handy sometimes and the bigger CCD's fitted to the 390. The pics are a bit sharper compared to the 250 and it has the ability to handle a greater contrast range.

I've had my 250 for just under 2 years and use it for weddings, taping seminars and the odd bit of stringer work.

[Matt Woodson]

Thanks Jon,

I'm planning to film a short film with it, and hopefully I can do magic in the editing process :)

Are there filters for this camera? And how about if I want to shoot in widescreen?

[Jon McLean]

The camera can use 58mm filters on the front and there are bayonet mounting wide angle and anamorphic lens around for it and the PD150.

I have had a play with the inbuilt electronic 16:9 and it does drop in resolution compared to 4:3. Probably better to either crop in post, put an anamorphic adaptor on the front or get hold of a PDX10(in order of cost!).

[Craig Seeman]

Which camera has "better" audio using the standard Sony mic that came with it? PD-170 or an old DSR-200? I have a friend who says the DSR-200 has less noise and the PD-170 "distorts" more easily.

I ask because we need to "match" audio with the camera built in mikes on some shoots.

[Mike Rehmus]

That's a tough one. Few of us have both those cameras. Weren't many 200's made before they upgraded to the A model. don't know if there was any diff between the two with respect to audio.

Since you have both of the cameras, a test seems in order. It is very likely that the cameras came with about the same microphone.

Most of us get around that issue by using one camera as sound master and the others just to furnish room tone and to act as a backup in case the prime camera has a problem.

[Craig Seeman]

Hi Mike,

It seems the 200 has a Stereo mic!!!

We shoot quite a few "club" concerts/performances. We record audio to DAT but mix in camera audio. Mix depends on which camera was near which insturment etc.

On the video side of things I do believe the 200 seems more prone to gain up noise than the 150. It does seem to look a bit better than a vx1000 but I thought they were using the same CCDs. The 200 might have a better lens though.

Our typical shoot arsenal includes PD150, PD170, DSR 200, VX1000, Panny DVX100 cameras and Tascam DA-P1 DAT deck. We haven't done straight up comparisions because the cameras are in different postiions and therefor subject to different lighting and audio circumstances.

[Mike Rehmus]

<<<-- Originally posted by Craig Seeman : Hi Mike,

It seems the 200 has a Stereo mic!!!

We shoot quite a few "club" concerts/performances. We record audio to DAT but mix in camera audio. Mix depends on which camera was near which insturment etc.

On the video side of things I do believe the 200 seems more prone to gain up noise than the 150. It does seem to look a bit better than a vx1000 but I thought they were using the same CCDs. The 200 might have a better lens though.
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The 150 is a LOT better than the 200 in low light. Overall, the 150/170 will deliver a better picture even in good conditions, IMHO.
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Our typical shoot arsenal includes PD150, PD170, DSR 200, VX1000, Panny DVX100 cameras and Tascam DA-P1 DAT deck. We haven't done straight up comparisions because the cameras are in different postiions and therefor subject to different lighting and audio circumstances. -->>>

[Shawn Mielke]

Some minor Sony cam related Q.z, probably belonging in Area 51, but not only, necessarily.

Has anyone heard anything about the possibility of a DSR270? I don't mean to start a thread of mere wishful thinking, but I am awfully curious.
What was the timing of the PD150 and the 250 when they hit the market? At the same time, or one then the other, over a few months or something like that?
I've been getting into wedding videography, am itching for a second cam that will go nicely with my PD170 (which I like very much), have a use and desire for a shoulder cam, and would rather have all of the improvements that came with the 170 (over the 150). Does it seem like Sony might not bother with a 270?

Also, pricing...I was at the B&H website the other night, looking at their DSR250 packages, as well as their Pana DVC200 packages (my other interest, as far as semi-affordable shoulder cams go). Comparable packages of each of these two cameras cost about the same. How does that work? The DVC200 is a 1/2" cam with superior controls, and the 250 is a 1/3" cam with a fixed electronic Sony lens. Is this supply and demand at work? Or the difference between the two companies, Sony and Panasonic? Who knows?

Well, at any rate, I'll probably end up going with a second PD170 at some point, but if anyone has heard anything real about the prospect of the DSR270, I'm interested (but only if it's going to cost less than the dvc200!).

Shawn

[Don Bloom]

Depends on the package. Some of the DSR250 packages at BH photo come with AB Hytron 50 batteries and a charger, thats about $1500 right there. Throw in an AB Ultralight for a hundred and sixty and maybe a Sony softbag and BINGO. $5800 for the kit. Not a bad price.
Make sure you're comparing EVERYTHING that comes in the package to insure a viable comparison. The Panny may seem like a great deal but if you've got to invest another thousand or 2 for power and charger, maybe it's not. I don't know, I'm just saying make sure they have equal things in the package.

Good Luck,
Don B

[Shawn Mielke]

You're absolutely right, forgive my ignorance. It was these two packages that I was comparing, without knowing the differences between the components:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=233970&is=REG

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=252465&is=REG

[Don Bloom]

Hey Shawn,

The Panny kit looks like a good deal, the big differences in the kit are the batteries. TrimPacs with the Panny and Hytron50's with theSony. Of course the biggest difference is the chips. 1/2 vs. 1/3rd inch, so it's really up to you which you would feel more comfy with AND also remember that the Panny only uses full size tapes so you need a way to load to your NLE.

I don't think you can go wrong with either kit depending of course what your needs and comfort level are.
Hey, same money, different kits. Tough choice.
Good Luck in your decision,
Don B

[Shawn Mielke]

Yes, and $1500 for a vtr, and...$500 for a battery charger?
It IS a good deal of a package, eh?
And a little further on down the road, for me.
A second PD170 is probably what will happen as an intermediary step.
A DSR270 would be stellar, though!

Is there a good resource that can help me understand the nature of things like all of the different batteries and lenses for these higher end cameras? That would obviously clear up things for me.

[Mike Rehmus]

Just a bit of advice. Before you decide on the 250, rent a pro camera with a removable lens. It may be that you will really like the speed associated with the pro camera with its direct control of lens elements. Also, the difference in image processing and the 1/2 chips is significant as compared to the 1/3 inch chips in the 250. So much so that I elected to purchase a good used DSR-300 as my 'big' camera. In almost all respects, it beats, as it should, my PD-150.