Thinking of getting an EX3, time running out.

[Brian Cassar]

Once you order the Bebob, you are supplied with a short wire with a Hirose connector at one end (which attaches to one of the 4 Hirose outputs of the Bebob) and an EX3 dc plug at the other end which inserts into the camera.

I'm not sure what you are actually asking but if I'm understanding rightly, you can, if you desire, remove this wire (from the bebob to the EX3) and attach the EX3 to the mains adaptor to power the camera via AC. You can still hook up a V-lock battery on the Bebob at the same time to power up the accessories (IDX and cordless mics). However I cannot see why you need to do this. A 140 WHr or a 210 WHr will power the camera for many hours even with accessories on board.

By the way when you attach the Bebob to the EX3 with the supplied lead you will still retain the battery voltage gauge in the viewfinder, i.e you will see the actual battery voltage reading (just like the DSR-300 cameras).

With a 210 WHr Blueshape V-lock battery and a 20 watt halogen lamp I am able to film an entire wedding lasting many hours whilst using about 25% only of the battery!

[Anthony McErlean]

Thank you again Brian for your detailed answer, just what I wanted to know. Yes, I did wonder that if I removed the wire from the Bebob and plugged in the mains lead, for whatever reason, would I still be able to power the IDX light, glad to see it will work.
(I have 2 DSMs and 2 IDX batteries btw)

So Brian, your not one bit disappointed with the EX3 compared to the DSR300, the 300 was a greatttt camera. In my case I'm moving from the 390 and I also know how good a camera is too.

Thanks again.

[Brian Cassar]

Anthony I would not have changed my DSR-300 if it were not for the fact that it had been in operation for 10 whole years and it records in 4:3 only. Otherwise there is nothing at all to fault in that camera! The SD picture coming out of a 10 year old camera is still amazing.

However, now that I've starting to master the EX3 (after 6 months of use and adaptations) I will not go back to the DSR-300 for the following main reasons:

- the HD picture is awesome (not the SD unfortunately - only when compared to the DSR as otherwise the SD downconverted footage looks good on its own)
- the tapeless workflow (I never had problems with tapes but cards are so much easier to work with)
- the large colour viewfinder of the EX3 takes out the guesswork out of white balancing
- the instant palyback of previous footage

What I've lost....

- the auto switching of the on-board light on pressing the rec button (I still cannot get used to this severe loss)
- the better ergonomics of the DSR range
- the fall back system of a relative decent AWB (I rarely if ever used it but it used to work on the DSR but is abysmal on the EX3)
- the automatic audio level controls (I know auto audio levels are frowned upon but in run' gun filming it is essential - in the EX3 I've found that auto audio is disastrous so it has to be in manual mode with proper trimming levels. Having said this I'm happy to say that now I'm achieving much better audio than the DSR-300 thanks to buying the Sony 678 shotgun)
- the care free filming attitude! With the DSR-300 I've never had a problem about focusing or exposure. With the EX3 you have to be pin-point focused all the time and you have to watch out very careful not to overexpose. I never had one single overexposed shot with the 300!

So overall, no...I'm definetely not disappointed with the switch over to the EX3. As I said I surely miss the auto switch for the on-board light - that was the main loss which can never be obtained with any third party accessories unfortunately. ....however I do not think that this camera will serve me for 10 years like the 300 since its overall build is much more flimsier than the armour plated 300! But then again in 10 years time we will not be talking of 1080 - this will look like VHS..........

[Anthony McErlean]

Thanks again Brian, a lot of information there and a good comparison between the two cameras. just the detail I need. I wouldn't have known about the difference in the automatic audio level controls. I use this all the time in my DSRs and couldn't work without it. (I'm a one man band) The EX3 has it but you think its not as good. I have the sennheiser K6/ME66 BTW.

I too never had any bother with overexposure, never, so the EX3 will take a bit of getting used to in that department too.

Thanks for everything Brian.

Just another thought, what about my 4pin XLR power adapter used for my 390, I suppose theres no 4pin XLR socket on the EX3, or is there.
Thanks again.

[Anthony McErlean]

This is really important guys and starting to panic, how will I know if the EX3 I ordered will let me use the cheaper Transcend SDHC 16GB Class 6 Cards. Thats the reason I bought it.
Thanks.

[George Kroonder]

No need to panic; all EX3's support this to date (with the use of a compatible adapter).

George/

[Anthony McErlean]

Originally Posted by George Kroonder

No need to panic; all EX3's support this to date (with the use of a compatible adapter).

George/

Thanks George, as i said I was starting to pan cake :)

Panic over then.