PD150 new version at DVinfo.net

Robert Bobson · March 12th, 2003, 07:01 AM

Any talk of updating the PD150 any time soon? I've finally decided it's the camera I want, but would hate to buy one if a 30 frame progressive version is looming on the horizon.

Bob

Rick Spilman · March 12th, 2003, 07:41 AM

The great thing about waiting for the newer version of any technology is that it doesn't cost anything. If you need a camera right now, the PD150 is an excellent choice. If you can afford to wait, who knows what will come along. Regardless what you do, when you do buy a camera, either a new model will come out within weeks or the price will drop. At least that is the way it works with me.

Of course the downside of waiting is that you will miss the opportunity to do alot of good shooting. And rumors of the replacement for the PD150 have been around for a while, though not quite as long as rumors about the XL2. I wouldn't believe any of them.

Mike Rehmus · March 12th, 2003, 10:47 AM

Given that new models tend to be announced at major trade shows, at this point it probably wouldn't hurt to wait until NAB next month.

Justin Strock · March 12th, 2003, 12:11 PM

Bob,

i've been going through the same decision for three years now. I finally decided because I'm shooting my senior project in the next 3 weeks. It's a vicious cycle after a while, waiting for new models to come out. i waited and waited for an update to the TRV900 and once the 950 came out I had built it up so much it was a huge disappointment. just got a pd150 yesterday.

That being said, the pd150 has been around for a while and if your not losing valuable shooting time or projects, NAB is just around the corner. keep in mind that just because they show you something there doesn't mean it will come out right away - might have to wait till XMAS time.

one of these days you've got to just do it. the technology will always outpace our needs and like everything, equipment will become obsolete. if you've got projects to do, get the camera. but don't keep waiting around for news from every video conference like i did.

-justin

Tom Hardwick · March 12th, 2003, 04:11 PM

Well said Justin. I too was very disappointed with the TRV900's replacement and I was glad I'd gone for the VX2000. The 950 has been moved to the top of the single chippers rather than being a smaller brother of the VX as the 900 was.

tom.

Robert Bobson · March 13th, 2003, 07:39 AM

thanks for your responses. I will wait till NAB next month. I don't have the money yet, anyway.

Brian Pink · March 13th, 2003, 08:40 AM

another thing to consider is that cameras seem like cars. when the first models finally roll of the line, there's little issues. and they get resolved eventually, but there's no easy way to get a newer one. so in some cases, getting the stable known quantity is better ( imo ). that said, i did just buy a PD150 in january and i couldn't be happier with it.

Patrick Grealy · March 14th, 2003, 12:38 PM

Furthermore, when a new version comes out (and there will be a better camera at some stage!) it will probably sell for full retail price for quite a while, with its price only softening after a year or two!

I am on the bring of buying a PD150 and console myself that if I buy one now and a new version appears within months, it is likely to be £1000 or $1000 more expensive, becaue the PD150s are way below retail price (at least in Europe)

Regards P

Mike Rehmus · March 14th, 2003, 01:04 PM

And, GASP, the 150 replacement could also go the way of the TRV900 and lose low-light sensitivity.

Maybe I should go out and buy another one just for insurance :-)

Tom Hardwick · March 14th, 2003, 01:53 PM

The PD200(?) just has to have native 16:9 chips, doesn't it Mike? I was so surprised that Panasonic'c lead-time meant they had to pass on that with their new 100. So - if the PD200 is 16:9, would you think it was a fair trade if you lost a stop of sensivitity?

It might be tempting to say yeah. But think, that means you have to double the amount of light in the room to film at the same aperture...

tom.

Derek Beck · March 15th, 2003, 05:37 PM

I recently emailled the business-to-business side of Sony about several questions I had on their DVCAM x10 and pd150, and I did ask if there are plans for a replacement to the 150. Their official reply was "no plans to replace the 150 at this time".

Just an fyi...

Mike Rehmus · March 15th, 2003, 06:18 PM

16:9, 24 p are all just marks on paper to me and my business. The vast majority of the world still runs on 4:3 and 30fps. And will for quite some time.

Only good HD would tempt me and that is almost no use until the majority of my customers have HD equipment. That is not likely to happen soon.

Here's my take on why the above two paragraphs are true for me:

16:9 may be sexy but most TVs still only have 4:3 and a fixed resolutions. So, as my wife complains about letterbox, 'All it does is make our large TV small again.' So a mask is just as effective (or a faked camera-generated 16:9) as is shooting with a true 16:9 camera.

24 p is just not important to my customer base and to most videographers running a business. Maybe it would be more important were I working on a short or a feature. Even then I'd rather have a better picture in each frame than have 24 p.

HD is appealing because I'm a f64 guy at heart (look it up if that puzzles you) but look at HD from a realistic point of view. There are no affordable HD display devices (except computer monitors) and no affordable (or just no) HD playback devices available for consumer or industrial use.

I've got a friend who is shooting his first feature length production. He's got $20K to work with and has a DSR-500WS to use for free (real 16:9 and a good lens and great picture). Know what he's decided to shoot it on?

The JVC 24p camera cause it's 24p and that will make a difference should he ever transfer to film. OK, maybe, but I'd bet the 500's much better picture, gamma control and everything else would give him a prettier picture to start with.

The bottom line is that we technology geeks (I'm one of them)tend to forget that there are only three things that count in our work:

#1 is CONTENT
#2 is CONTENT
#3 is CONTENT

Everything else is just technology to get the CONTENT. Our customers and viewers normally could care less how we did it.

Don't get me wrong. There's nothing I like to curl up with around a warm fire than shiny new technology. Read the manual, push the buttons, ooh and ahh over the picture. Great.

BTW, nobody is going to give you a timetable on when their current products will be made obsolete by their new products. That's the way to sink the company as one very well know portable computer manufacturer would tell you IF they were still around. And because of that, new products are developed with a great deal of secrecy, even for employees.

And no, I would not give up a single photon of sensitivity for 16:9. I want more sensitivity because that would make my business easier for me.

If you asked me what would make the bigest difference to my business it would be the ability to easily create a DVD in my studio that would play in any DVD player. The quality of my output would easily double just with that one change.

March 13th, 2003, 08:40 AM	#7
Brian Pink Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 94	another thing to consider is that cameras seem like cars. when the first models finally roll of the line, there's little issues. and they get resolved eventually, but there's no easy way to get a newer one. so in some cases, getting the stable known quantity is better ( imo ). that said, i did just buy a PD150 in january and i couldn't be happier with it. __________________ This is the way the world ends.

March 14th, 2003, 12:38 PM	#8
Patrick Grealy Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Dublin, Ireland Posts: 90	Furthermore, when a new version comes out (and there will be a better camera at some stage!) it will probably sell for full retail price for quite a while, with its price only softening after a year or two! I am on the bring of buying a PD150 and console myself that if I buy one now and a new version appears within months, it is likely to be £1000 or $1000 more expensive, becaue the PD150s are way below retail price (at least in Europe) Regards P __________________ Sony PDX10 by 2, DRS-11, Dual G5, FCX, DVDSP and Logic Plat. www.VarsityMusicVideo.com

March 14th, 2003, 01:04 PM	#9
Mike Rehmus Wrangler Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vallejo, California Posts: 4,049	And, GASP, the 150 replacement could also go the way of the TRV900 and lose low-light sensitivity. Maybe I should go out and buy another one just for insurance :-) __________________ Mike Rehmus Hey, I can see the carrot at the end of the tunnel!

March 15th, 2003, 05:37 PM	#11
Derek Beck Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 50	I recently emailled the business-to-business side of Sony about several questions I had on their DVCAM x10 and pd150, and I did ask if there are plans for a replacement to the 150. Their official reply was "no plans to replace the 150 at this time". Just an fyi... __________________ Derek Beck

March 15th, 2003, 06:18 PM	#12
Mike Rehmus Wrangler Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vallejo, California Posts: 4,049	16:9, 24 p are all just marks on paper to me and my business. The vast majority of the world still runs on 4:3 and 30fps. And will for quite some time. Only good HD would tempt me and that is almost no use until the majority of my customers have HD equipment. That is not likely to happen soon. Here's my take on why the above two paragraphs are true for me: 16:9 may be sexy but most TVs still only have 4:3 and a fixed resolutions. So, as my wife complains about letterbox, 'All it does is make our large TV small again.' So a mask is just as effective (or a faked camera-generated 16:9) as is shooting with a true 16:9 camera. 24 p is just not important to my customer base and to most videographers running a business. Maybe it would be more important were I working on a short or a feature. Even then I'd rather have a better picture in each frame than have 24 p. HD is appealing because I'm a f64 guy at heart (look it up if that puzzles you) but look at HD from a realistic point of view. There are no affordable HD display devices (except computer monitors) and no affordable (or just no) HD playback devices available for consumer or industrial use. I've got a friend who is shooting his first feature length production. He's got $20K to work with and has a DSR-500WS to use for free (real 16:9 and a good lens and great picture). Know what he's decided to shoot it on? The JVC 24p camera cause it's 24p and that will make a difference should he ever transfer to film. OK, maybe, but I'd bet the 500's much better picture, gamma control and everything else would give him a prettier picture to start with. The bottom line is that we technology geeks (I'm one of them)tend to forget that there are only three things that count in our work: #1 is CONTENT #2 is CONTENT #3 is CONTENT Everything else is just technology to get the CONTENT. Our customers and viewers normally could care less how we did it. Don't get me wrong. There's nothing I like to curl up with around a warm fire than shiny new technology. Read the manual, push the buttons, ooh and ahh over the picture. Great. BTW, nobody is going to give you a timetable on when their current products will be made obsolete by their new products. That's the way to sink the company as one very well know portable computer manufacturer would tell you IF they were still around. And because of that, new products are developed with a great deal of secrecy, even for employees. And no, I would not give up a single photon of sensitivity for 16:9. I want more sensitivity because that would make my business easier for me. If you asked me what would make the bigest difference to my business it would be the ability to easily create a DVD in my studio that would play in any DVD player. The quality of my output would easily double just with that one change. __________________ Mike Rehmus Hey, I can see the carrot at the end of the tunnel!

March 12th, 2003, 07:01 AM	#1
Robert Bobson Major Player Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Bay City, Michigan Posts: 585	PD150 new version Any talk of updating the PD150 any time soon? I've finally decided it's the camera I want, but would hate to buy one if a 30 frame progressive version is looming on the horizon. Bob

March 12th, 2003, 07:41 AM	#2
Rick Spilman Major Player Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Jersey City, NJ Posts: 366	The great thing about waiting for the newer version of any technology is that it doesn't cost anything. If you need a camera right now, the PD150 is an excellent choice. If you can afford to wait, who knows what will come along. Regardless what you do, when you do buy a camera, either a new model will come out within weeks or the price will drop. At least that is the way it works with me. Of course the downside of waiting is that you will miss the opportunity to do alot of good shooting. And rumors of the replacement for the PD150 have been around for a while, though not quite as long as rumors about the XL2. I wouldn't believe any of them.

March 12th, 2003, 10:47 AM	#3
Mike Rehmus Wrangler Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vallejo, California Posts: 4,049	Given that new models tend to be announced at major trade shows, at this point it probably wouldn't hurt to wait until NAB next month. __________________ Mike Rehmus Hey, I can see the carrot at the end of the tunnel!

March 12th, 2003, 12:11 PM	#4
Justin Strock New Boot Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Oakland, CA Posts: 16	Bob, i've been going through the same decision for three years now. I finally decided because I'm shooting my senior project in the next 3 weeks. It's a vicious cycle after a while, waiting for new models to come out. i waited and waited for an update to the TRV900 and once the 950 came out I had built it up so much it was a huge disappointment. just got a pd150 yesterday. That being said, the pd150 has been around for a while and if your not losing valuable shooting time or projects, NAB is just around the corner. keep in mind that just because they show you something there doesn't mean it will come out right away - might have to wait till XMAS time. one of these days you've got to just do it. the technology will always outpace our needs and like everything, equipment will become obsolete. if you've got projects to do, get the camera. but don't keep waiting around for news from every video conference like i did. -justin

March 12th, 2003, 04:11 PM	#5
Tom Hardwick Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Billericay, England UK Posts: 4,711	Well said Justin. I too was very disappointed with the TRV900's replacement and I was glad I'd gone for the VX2000. The 950 has been moved to the top of the single chippers rather than being a smaller brother of the VX as the 900 was. tom.

March 13th, 2003, 07:39 AM	#6
Robert Bobson Major Player Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Bay City, Michigan Posts: 585	thanks for your responses. I will wait till NAB next month. I don't have the money yet, anyway.

March 14th, 2003, 01:53 PM	#10
Tom Hardwick Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Billericay, England UK Posts: 4,711	The PD200(?) just has to have native 16:9 chips, doesn't it Mike? I was so surprised that Panasonic'c lead-time meant they had to pass on that with their new 100. So - if the PD200 is 16:9, would you think it was a fair trade if you lost a stop of sensivitity? It might be tempting to say yeah. But think, that means you have to double the amount of light in the room to film at the same aperture... tom.