TungstenTony
New member
I’ve read online of people being able to hack the dvx100 to record in 720p. Does anybody know of anybody that’s doing this and where to get it done?
CAMCORDERS: Dvx100 andromeda mod
- Thread starter TungstenTony
- Start date
Imamacuser
Veteran
Why are you interested? A sub $1k mirrorless camera blows the 20 year-old DVX100 out of the water.
I believe the Andromeda mod was a PCB hardware modification, so it's not as simple as flashing a different firmware.
P.S. Are you a bot?
I believe the Andromeda mod was a PCB hardware modification, so it's not as simple as flashing a different firmware.
P.S. Are you a bot?
TungstenTony
New member
I am not a bot. I plan on getting a mirrorless camera eventually but I like the dvx too. Just wanted to have a cool setup. My dvx is for skateboarding.
Hi, Tony, and welcome to DVXUser!
The Andromeda Mod was only around for a short while, and was a paid, third-party modification from a company called ReelStream. The company was bought out, and the buyers shuttered the modification. You can’t get it done these days. The only way to get your hands on an Andromeda mod for DVX100 is to find an already-modified camera for sale somewhere.
But honestly, there are much better, modern options. If you like the DVX form factor for your skate videos, you might take a look at any of the current 4K camcorders from Panasonic, Canon, or Sony.
CharlesPapert
Director of Photography
I keep hearing about the resurgence of cameras from that era especially for the newer generation of skateboard folks who are looking to replicate the vibe of the DVX/"death lens" combo. Of course a modern sensor is not going to look like a DVX in any number of ways other than higher resolution, so I can see where a DVX with a little more clarity is going to be a nice bonus.
Zachadoodle
Well-known member
As I'm finding out older cameras are kind of unique in helping amateur filmmakers know how to use a wider variety of cameras.
CharlesPapert
Director of Photography
I guess. It's probably a little bit comparable to driving a vintage car, that doesn't have a computer overseeing so many performance aspects for you. Like knowing how to pump the brakes if you go into a skid vs ABS that does it for you, sensing loss of traction and regulating the brake action against that. Take away shallow depth of field, log/raw, high ISO and the like and you'll need to do a lot more work to make the image look great.
Zachadoodle
Well-known member
Kind of like what I'm finding out on film cameras. Using 35mm film requires you to do almost everything manually.
CharlesPapert
Director of Photography
Depends on the camera of course. Late model cameras had various automatic modes similar to the ones on DSLRs/mirrorless models today. But I think the main thing that differs is evaluating exposure. If one is accustomed to histograms, immediate playback etc., I could see where moving to a film camera with a far more basic exposure tools would be challenging.
Zachadoodle
Well-known member
Those usually tend to require a light meter professionally, or what's referred to as bracketing exposures.
Zack Birlew
Veteran
I've asked about anybody still using or even considering to sell their DVX Andromeda, no takers and not too many using it. I figured it was adopted a lot more back when it was announced but it may have been a rare thing. The next best option is the HVX200 and the later 1080P Panasonic cameras up to the modern DVX200 which may be a little too modern for what you're looking for. I recently bought my own DVX100B a while back just for nostalgia fun as I had used them when they were new in my college film program, the footage still looks surprisingly good!
Back to the Andromeda, the only issue with using the DVX100 Andromeda today is that you need the Reelstream software and a laptop to record the footage with, I always imagined a touch screen tablet like a Surface Pro being a good candidate but to complicate things, you may need an older computer to support the software. Without the camera to test, it's hard to say if it would be worth it at this point.
Also, if you think about getting a 2/3" camera like a Panasonic SDX900 or, like me, an HPX500 to get quality old school footage, be aware that those are REALLY heavy and feel like they weigh more than my RED One MX.
Back to the Andromeda, the only issue with using the DVX100 Andromeda today is that you need the Reelstream software and a laptop to record the footage with, I always imagined a touch screen tablet like a Surface Pro being a good candidate but to complicate things, you may need an older computer to support the software. Without the camera to test, it's hard to say if it would be worth it at this point.
Also, if you think about getting a 2/3" camera like a Panasonic SDX900 or, like me, an HPX500 to get quality old school footage, be aware that those are REALLY heavy and feel like they weigh more than my RED One MX.
