VX2100 questions

Advil Dremali · March 20th, 2005, 03:46 PM

Hello all, your previous posts have been a great help and I really appreciate it. But I've ordered a 2100 and I CAN'T WAIT for it to arrive, hopefully tuesday :)

Alright, I'm really curious and I'm not patient enough to wait until mine arrives to find out for myself so I'm going to ask.

Ahem.

I always hear about the low light shooting of the 2100, I hear it's great. Now when people say low light, do they mean like.. LOW light? As in for instance, a dark bedroom with no light except for the Television? or maybe just the door open and a light outside? Or do they mean something like a normal room and there isn't much lighting.

Also.. in order to transfer still images to my computer, do I NEED that sony card reader thing? Theres no way I can have my computer read it as an external drive via firewire, like my digital camera?

I mean like, plugging it in, turning it on and going to My Computer and having it read it as an external drive.

And how is the quality of the camera when you just turn it on and start shooting? Does it require fiddeling with exposure settings and such or is it good on auto?

Any sample footage anywhere?

Mike Rehmus · March 20th, 2005, 06:05 PM

<<<-- Originally posted by Advil Dremali : Hello all, your previous posts have been a great help and I really appreciate it. But I've ordered a 2100 and I CAN'T WAIT for it to arrive, hopefully tuesday :)

Alright, I'm really curious and I'm not patient enough to wait until mine arrives to find out for myself so I'm going to ask.

Ahem.

I always hear about the low light shooting of the 2100, I hear it's great. Now when people say low light, do they mean like.. LOW light? As in for instance, a dark bedroom with no light except for the Television? or maybe just the door open and a light outside? Or do they mean something like a normal room and there isn't much lighting.

Like it is too dark to read and the only light is from candles in the center of 8 foot tables and the guest's faces are OK.

Also.. in order to transfer still images to my computer, do I NEED that sony card reader thing? Theres no way I can have my computer read it as an external drive via firewire, like my digital camera?

They ship one with the camera, the card-reader thing. Also can use USB connection but I've never used it.

I mean like, plugging it in, turning it on and going to My Computer and having it read it as an external drive.

And how is the quality of the camera when you just turn it on and start shooting? Does it require fiddeling with exposure settings and such or is it good on auto?

Just fine. Everything is mainly fine-tuning. Exceptions are when you want a specific item exposed at a specific value. Then you need to play.

Any sample footage anywhere? -->>>

Advil Dremali · March 20th, 2005, 07:30 PM

Cool, thanks. Are you sure they ship the card reader with the camera? I have the .pdf of the manual and it doesn't say it's included. And at bh's site it doesn't say it's included.

Mike Rehmus · March 20th, 2005, 09:21 PM

I cannot confirm that but I've got 2 PD 150's and 2 card readers that came with them. Maybe 2100's are different, there have to be other 2100 owners lurking around that can answer this question from direct experience.

Advil Dremali · March 20th, 2005, 09:30 PM

oh alright, I thought you had a 2100.

I'll give you 5 bucks for one of them card readers :)

Tom Hardwick · March 21st, 2005, 02:29 AM

The thing about the VX2100's low light ability is that whatever you're filming, in whatever light, you can always say to yourself that if you had any other camera (GL2, XL2, DVX100, DVC30, FX1, Z1, MVX3i etc etc) then you'd be working at a higher gain-up setting.

Or look at it this way. If you're at max aperture and max gain-up with your new VX, then all the other cameras will under-expose the footage, some horrendously so. The single chippers will mess up the colours, too. Go forth safe in the knowledge that to get better low light performance you've got to buy a 1/2" chip camcorder and spend thousands more.

tom.

Advil Dremali · March 21st, 2005, 02:01 PM

Sweet. Thanks Tom :)

Do you have a vx? Did it come with the card reader?

Mike Rehmus · March 21st, 2005, 02:30 PM

My DSR-300 is about 1-2 stops slower than my 150. It might be that a DSR-370 is as sensitive as these cameras but I wouldn't bet on it based on a quick test I made between a 150 and a 370 at NAB at the Sony booth.

Tom Hardwick · March 22nd, 2005, 12:58 AM

Yes Advil, I have a VX2000 and it came with Memorystick, card reader and CDROM.

Advil Dremali · March 22nd, 2005, 03:57 AM

Sweet, I hope mine comes with one.

I still don't see it in the manual or on BH as an included item though.

Ken Landrum · March 22nd, 2005, 12:54 PM

My vx2000 came with one but unfortunately the vx2100 does not.
Here is what's included with the vx2100.

• Supplied Accessories: AC-L15 Power Adaptor/ In Camera Charger, NP-F330 InfoLithium® Rechargeable Battery, RMT-811 Wireless Remote Commander® Remote Control, 8MB Memory Stick® Media3, 2AA Batteries, Stereo A/V Cable, Lens Hood, Shoulder Strap

http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/SY_DisplayProductInformation-Start?CategoryName=&ProductSKU=DCRVX2100&TabName=specs

Advil Dremali · March 22nd, 2005, 02:51 PM

Ah I see :( that sucks.

THEY DELIVERED MINE TODAY BUT NOBODY ANSWERED THE DOOR AND I WAS ASLEEP!!!

I'm so angry

Advil Dremali · March 22nd, 2005, 09:09 PM

Hey all,

I just picked up my 2100 from UPS. I couldn't help but notice that the microphone is a wee bit loose.. Is that normal? Like, if I hold it and wiggle it. It moves around very slightly.

Is it supposed to be like that? Or is it normally solidly in place.

Boyd Ostroff · March 22nd, 2005, 09:22 PM

Relax!... the microphone is shock-mounted and should be a little wiggly. If you're worried about reading memory sticks then pickup one of those multi-format USB card readers like this http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...=282348&is=REG. You'll find lots of other uses for them... I have one which I use for my still camera's compact flash cards, memory sticks from my video cameras and SD cards from a GPS. They're cheap.

Advil Dremali · March 23rd, 2005, 12:05 AM

Haha.. whew I thought my mic was screwed up.

Thanks for that link, I'll check that out.

One last question though!

How do I get photos to save to the memory card and not the tape? Whenever I press the photo button, it says no tape... But the memory card is in.

March 20th, 2005, 03:46 PM	#16
Advil Dremali New Boot Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 70	Not many, but a few vx2100 questions. Hello all, your previous posts have been a great help and I really appreciate it. But I've ordered a 2100 and I CAN'T WAIT for it to arrive, hopefully tuesday :) Alright, I'm really curious and I'm not patient enough to wait until mine arrives to find out for myself so I'm going to ask. Ahem. I always hear about the low light shooting of the 2100, I hear it's great. Now when people say low light, do they mean like.. LOW light? As in for instance, a dark bedroom with no light except for the Television? or maybe just the door open and a light outside? Or do they mean something like a normal room and there isn't much lighting. Also.. in order to transfer still images to my computer, do I NEED that sony card reader thing? Theres no way I can have my computer read it as an external drive via firewire, like my digital camera? I mean like, plugging it in, turning it on and going to My Computer and having it read it as an external drive. And how is the quality of the camera when you just turn it on and start shooting? Does it require fiddeling with exposure settings and such or is it good on auto? Any sample footage anywhere?

March 20th, 2005, 06:05 PM	#17
Mike Rehmus Wrangler Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vallejo, California Posts: 4,049	Re: Not many, but a few vx2100 questions. <<<-- Originally posted by Advil Dremali : Hello all, your previous posts have been a great help and I really appreciate it. But I've ordered a 2100 and I CAN'T WAIT for it to arrive, hopefully tuesday :) Alright, I'm really curious and I'm not patient enough to wait until mine arrives to find out for myself so I'm going to ask. Ahem. I always hear about the low light shooting of the 2100, I hear it's great. Now when people say low light, do they mean like.. LOW light? As in for instance, a dark bedroom with no light except for the Television? or maybe just the door open and a light outside? Or do they mean something like a normal room and there isn't much lighting. Like it is too dark to read and the only light is from candles in the center of 8 foot tables and the guest's faces are OK. Also.. in order to transfer still images to my computer, do I NEED that sony card reader thing? Theres no way I can have my computer read it as an external drive via firewire, like my digital camera? They ship one with the camera, the card-reader thing. Also can use USB connection but I've never used it. I mean like, plugging it in, turning it on and going to My Computer and having it read it as an external drive. And how is the quality of the camera when you just turn it on and start shooting? Does it require fiddeling with exposure settings and such or is it good on auto? Just fine. Everything is mainly fine-tuning. Exceptions are when you want a specific item exposed at a specific value. Then you need to play. Any sample footage anywhere? -->>> __________________ Mike Rehmus Hey, I can see the carrot at the end of the tunnel!

March 20th, 2005, 09:21 PM	#19
Mike Rehmus Wrangler Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vallejo, California Posts: 4,049	I cannot confirm that but I've got 2 PD 150's and 2 card readers that came with them. Maybe 2100's are different, there have to be other 2100 owners lurking around that can answer this question from direct experience. __________________ Mike Rehmus Hey, I can see the carrot at the end of the tunnel!

March 21st, 2005, 02:30 PM	#23
Mike Rehmus Wrangler Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vallejo, California Posts: 4,049	My DSR-300 is about 1-2 stops slower than my 150. It might be that a DSR-370 is as sensitive as these cameras but I wouldn't bet on it based on a quick test I made between a 150 and a 370 at NAB at the Sony booth. __________________ Mike Rehmus Hey, I can see the carrot at the end of the tunnel!

March 22nd, 2005, 12:54 PM	#26
Ken Landrum New Boot Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Clermont, Florida Posts: 11	Sorry...NOT included My vx2000 came with one but unfortunately the vx2100 does not. Here is what's included with the vx2100. • Supplied Accessories: AC-L15 Power Adaptor/ In Camera Charger, NP-F330 InfoLithium® Rechargeable Battery, RMT-811 Wireless Remote Commander® Remote Control, 8MB Memory Stick® Media3, 2AA Batteries, Stereo A/V Cable, Lens Hood, Shoulder Strap http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/SY_DisplayProductInformation-Start?CategoryName=&ProductSKU=DCRVX2100&TabName=specs

March 20th, 2005, 07:30 PM	#18
Advil Dremali New Boot Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 70	Cool, thanks. Are you sure they ship the card reader with the camera? I have the .pdf of the manual and it doesn't say it's included. And at bh's site it doesn't say it's included.

March 20th, 2005, 09:30 PM	#20
Advil Dremali New Boot Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 70	oh alright, I thought you had a 2100. I'll give you 5 bucks for one of them card readers :)

March 21st, 2005, 02:29 AM	#21
Tom Hardwick Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Billericay, England UK Posts: 4,711	The thing about the VX2100's low light ability is that whatever you're filming, in whatever light, you can always say to yourself that if you had any other camera (GL2, XL2, DVX100, DVC30, FX1, Z1, MVX3i etc etc) then you'd be working at a higher gain-up setting. Or look at it this way. If you're at max aperture and max gain-up with your new VX, then all the other cameras will under-expose the footage, some horrendously so. The single chippers will mess up the colours, too. Go forth safe in the knowledge that to get better low light performance you've got to buy a 1/2" chip camcorder and spend thousands more. tom.

March 21st, 2005, 02:01 PM	#22
Advil Dremali New Boot Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 70	Sweet. Thanks Tom :) Do you have a vx? Did it come with the card reader?

March 22nd, 2005, 12:58 AM	#24
Tom Hardwick Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Billericay, England UK Posts: 4,711	Yes Advil, I have a VX2000 and it came with Memorystick, card reader and CDROM.

March 22nd, 2005, 03:57 AM	#25
Advil Dremali New Boot Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 70	Sweet, I hope mine comes with one. I still don't see it in the manual or on BH as an included item though.

March 22nd, 2005, 02:51 PM	#27
Advil Dremali New Boot Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 70	Ah I see :( that sucks. THEY DELIVERED MINE TODAY BUT NOBODY ANSWERED THE DOOR AND I WAS ASLEEP!!! I'm so angry

March 22nd, 2005, 09:09 PM	#28
Advil Dremali New Boot Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 70	Hey all, I just picked up my 2100 from UPS. I couldn't help but notice that the microphone is a wee bit loose.. Is that normal? Like, if I hold it and wiggle it. It moves around very slightly. Is it supposed to be like that? Or is it normally solidly in place.

March 22nd, 2005, 09:22 PM	#29
Boyd Ostroff Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 11,802	Relax!... the microphone is shock-mounted and should be a little wiggly. If you're worried about reading memory sticks then pickup one of those multi-format USB card readers like this http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...=282348&is=REG. You'll find lots of other uses for them... I have one which I use for my still camera's compact flash cards, memory sticks from my video cameras and SD cards from a GPS. They're cheap.

March 23rd, 2005, 12:05 AM	#30
Advil Dremali New Boot Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 70	Haha.. whew I thought my mic was screwed up. Thanks for that link, I'll check that out. One last question though! How do I get photos to save to the memory card and not the tape? Whenever I press the photo button, it says no tape... But the memory card is in.