Recommendation for DV Camera – nothing in archives

[Allen Zagel]

I recently spent a lot of time researching cameras because I had to get a new one for something. First question. Will you be lookiing for an HD camera or SD.

I’m partial to Sony’s, having had a VX2000 for 4 years now and no problems and takes some banging around, however I do have a pelican case for it. Lot’s of field work run-n-gun stuff both here and in China.

For HD, unless you can afford one of those Panasonic P2’s There’s some posts here I believe on the Sonys V1U or Z1u. DSE’s written a lot on them. For just SD work, I’d personally go for the PD170 or the prosumer version the VX2100.

Personally, I think the Sonys are sharper and do better in low light than the Canons. I just bought a Sony DSR-250 but for shooting in China, I think my VX2000 is lighter and easier to handle. ha ha
Allen

ASX Media Productions
https://www.asxvideo.com

[Bloomingg]

Thanks.

I’m thinking I’m going to stay just DV for now. Would you still recommend the Sony? Even over the Canon?

Which specific model?

Thanks again!

Tim

[Allen Zagel]

Tim
Realy I think it would be a personal choice for you. If I said to get this one or that one and you did’t like it then I’d feel bad 😉

Let me tell you a short story. I do some technical video work for railways. I recenty retired from the commuter railroad here in the Chicago area. I have a ‘partner’ who also is with me and this fellow has over 20 years in video and film production.

I believe he had a GL1 at the time. Then he bought the new XL2 I think it was. Boy he was happy as heck. XLR imputs, pro camera and all. We we did a shoot together so he wanted to test and compare his video to mine with my VX2000 (now 2100).

We do technical stuff for railroads. So we set up the mounts on both ends of the train. I shot one way and my friend the other. We compared videos and the video from my Sony was noticably better and sharper than his new expensive XL2. He took that camera back a week later. He did buy that new Canon HD, I can’t remember the model but it sort of looked like the GL1/2 He likes it as far as I know.

So if you can, get your hands on a few cameras. Try them out, see how you like holding them.

If it were me with the type of shooting I do, I’d go for the Sony PD-170, and it won’t break the bank. But most (90%) of what I do get’s encoded to MPEG-1 and put on CD-ROM’s So while the PD-170 or my DSR-250 is good for me, but may not be the right one for you.

Allen