sony pd 170

[Ian Thomas]

After makeing a bold investment on the pd170 thinking that i had landed a top of the range dvcam camcorder sony seem only a few weeks away from releaseing the HDV format.

What does this mean for people like me, is it going to make my camera's life very short, the pd170 has only been out for about a year and already sony are giveing rebates on it with talk of it been replaced with the pro HDV model. No iam not against new technology but how can we keep up with it all, and how does this effect people like me who is hopeing to start makeing a living from filming and can't afford to be upgradeing every five minute's?

Iam i going to get left behind or will the pd170 stand its ground for the next few year's?

worried regards

Ian.

[Robin Davies-Rollinson]

Ian,
It depends on how you intend making the camera pay for itself as well as earning your living. If you intend to shoot for UK broadcast, the the lack of true 16:9 will be a drawback. I'll be going with the XL2.
Personally, I wouldn't bother about HDV yet, not with only one camera being available...

Robin

[Don Bloom]

Personally I wouldn't worry about the HD cams yet UNLESS you plan on shooting HD. I've ben using 150's for about 3 years now and for weddings no ones every asked about HD. A few about 16:9 but they were just asking. The 170 is a fine piece of equipment that will be around for many years to come as is its predecessor, the 150.
I would concentrate on making great video with a great camera before I'd worry about being left out in the cold equipment wise.

Don B

[Ian Thomas]

Thanks Don for your post,

You have made me feel alot better, Iam just concerned about the pace thing's are changeing. one minute you have one of the best dv camcorders around the next it's old hat'

anyway thanks again

Ian.

[Craig Seeman]

Note the new Sony HDV camera is "consumer." A "pro" version will be at next year's NAB I believe according to Sony so there's really time unless your looking at the VX2100 feature set by comparision. To me features like XLR connectors and how manual modes are handled are important.

One key question to ask is how many of your clients or potential clients have true HDTV (NOT 16x9 !!!) displays. Are they willing to PAY MORE to justify you equipment expense (Sony says pro camera will be around $7000).

If you're a "film" maker you might have more of a reason to switch to HDV sooner since you'd be thinking about theatrical presentation.

Don't forget HDV is heavily MPEG2 compressed. I'd really like to know how artifacts are avoided on "busy" shots. I can't imagine it matchs 2PassVBR encoding (which is not real time for most of us) found on a commercial DVD.

I don't doubt one of the reasons Sony's pro model is a bit aways is that they want to get feedback from early users of the "consumer" camera so the "pro" camera is truly pro as far as feature set is concerned.

[Mike Rehmus]

And the pro version is said by Sony to be coming in at about $7,000

[Wayne Orr]

HD in the UK? A non-issue, Ian. Thanks to the high quality images you get with the PAL system, there is very little interest in Hi Def for the near future, according to numerous sources. You might prowl the BBC site for further information on the topic. Or, contact Christina Fox at her website, http://www.urbanfox.tv She used to work for the BBC, and her website is a goldmine of info about the Sony cameras. I'm sure she will tell you to forget the HD, and enjoy your new camera.

Wayne Orr, SOC

[Ian Thomas]

Thanks very much for that Wayne i will take a look

Thanks
Ian

[Hugh DiMauro]

Ian, if it makes you feel any better, I just purchased the PD 170 as a wedding videography replacement for my XL1s. Just read the posts on here about the 170's picture quality and you should sleep well.

Also, the $300 rebate made the deal even better. My B & H package included a UV filter, aftermaket ten hour battery and shipping, total $3,295.00 Couple that with Sony's $300.00 cash back and you have a camera for under $3,000.00 that sold for $3,999.00 just seven months ago!

As far as 16 x 9, hell, just use rubber bands across the flip out screen as a 16 X 9 "guide" not unlike the XL1s.

Cheers!

[Glen Elliott]

I have a friend that just THIS WEEK traded his 3 XL-1s's with Manual lenses in for a PD-170 and 2 VX2100's.

Besides...currently there's no digital medium to deliver the edited content to the client. They are now selling HD VCRs but who wants to take a step back to a Tape Medium as delivery format. I'll have to wait till blue-ray or some other technology to take over that will allow delivery of HD content digitally. Even then it be several MORE years for consumers (ie clients) to catch up and become a standard.

SD is not dead- not for a long while.

[Ian Thomas]

Thanks Hugh and Glen,

I have just sold my trustie XL1 and am sad about it, but life goes on! up to now the 170s picture is better than the XL1 i think,, its just the zoom is not as good, I also do wildlife films and might struggle abit to get the close ups i did with the XL1, ( i had to part with it to generate funds) and iam now looking for a converter, the Ranox 2.2x pro, has anybody used one

thanks Ian

[Mark A. Foley]

I guess I'm the guy Glen was talking about...having just dumped my Canons....

Just a few moments ago I saw a videographer from WMAZ13 (TV Station from Macon Ga) with a camera outside a store taking some shots of customers entering...he was using a 170. I asked him if he like the little guy...and he he couldn't stop talking about how great the cam is...especially now that he don't have to lug around his old/big cam. He told me except for their studio cameras, they have switched all their field cams to the 170.....

[Frederic Segard]

They switched to the 170? That's impressive. What did they have before? BetaSP?

[Bob Zimmerman]

Does anyone think Sony will come out with a PD-170 upgrade with 24 frames or will they just go with the HD?

[Mike Rehmus]

I believe that's it since the HDV camera will also do DV