I know this discussion is almost obsolete, but I feel I should share it with you guys, since I've been reading your fine posting for a year...
Here's my story
I've owned a dvx100 and exchanged it with a dvx100a. I've also got a pd170. Now here's a impression of someone that has been working on these systems for a while, and what I felt about them.
DVx100 vs dvx100a
People say that the DVX100a is a better camera than the dvx100- the slow shutter options, more scene file controls, extra cinegamma, 12 bit dsp... Indeed, Even though I was extremely satisfied with my dvx100 (having done some award winning short mtv's around here with it), I sold it to someone that would do good use to it and jumped fully convinced of an improved dvx100- How I was wrong.
One thing that I immediately noticed was grain. This has been discussed here on these boards for a while, and I see that lots of people try to find ways to overcome this problem by scene file settings, or adding a filter. This problem, however, is not present in the original dvx100. Is it because of the 12 bit dsp vs the 10 bit? This is what I suspect. What also happens is that in the dvx100a the diagonal lines are extremelly pixelated vs the dvx100, incredible and unacceptable for a Broadcast camera. The same can be said about the LCD- it is worse than the dvx100 one! Imagine my huge disappointment with facing this shortcomings... I really don't understand what happened... Needless to say I returned my dvx100a to panasonic in search of a problem, and they said it was inside factory specifications. A more bizarre episode will be described further ahead.
PD170
I really never liked this camera. It is heavy has hell, uses a jog dial for functions, no picture control and has no manual zoom. But something I have to admit. The image is SOLID. Yes, no jagged lines and very little to no gain. The lens is a lot inferior to the DVx's 100/a Leica Dicomar, and the colors probably not that good, but they can be souped up in post-production.
PD170 vs DVx100- The DVCAM PD170 looks solid. It has the solid picture look of a broadcast TV camera. The DVX100, however, looks less solid, but a lot more sharp, beautiful and artistic in picture. The wide lens gives the picture a very film type of imagery contrasted to the flat reporter like image of the PD170: I really would go for a DVX100 in this comparison
PD170 vs DVX100a- Note that both dvx's are compared in interlace mode against the PD170- we all know that in terms of progressive shooting there's no better option
Now this is my main problem. I can only shoot footage, nowadays, with my DVX100a inc progressive mode to justify a broadcast picture with the camera: beacause the dvx100a picture is a lot noisier and less solid than the PD170, to the point that I had to send my camera to panasonic with a tape with both images (pd170 and DVX100a) recorded and they saying that (!), the PD170 footage would look better because DVCAm is a superior format than MiniDV- aren't they the same in terms of mbps? I tought it was only for reliability!
Needless to say that I was furious with the answer, and , having stated the superiority of the dvx100 vs the dvx100a, the mentioned people just answered "the camera is inside factory specifications".
Bottom line
I've been messing with my dvx100a with the scene files settings in order to get a image has solid has the PD170, but with no avail: detail coring up, less grain- this is good- But the result is a lot less detail- wich means a picture poorer than the PD170.
- any suggestion to make the picture better than the PD170? No, no progressive scan!
- Do you DVX100a users feel the same towards picture quality in the original dvx100?
I'm really a bit furious with Panasonic HK right now, so I'm really leaning toward upgrading to a FX1 soon. I really felt passionate about my original dvx, and still struggle with my dvx100a sometimes, looking at how to improve the picture- However, its just too grainy and if I have to abdicate picture sharpness and quality in order to have a grainless and solid picture, than why bother and not stick with the PD170?
- And I'm an informed guy. I really can't believe that the Panasonic guys told me the DVCAM records better quality picture than the Mini dv Panasonic- What's the deal with Panny's Master series tapes, then?
DVX100 better than PD170 better than dvx100a. Is this possible?
Please help me to set up my 100a or tell me it isn't so!
Here's my story
I've owned a dvx100 and exchanged it with a dvx100a. I've also got a pd170. Now here's a impression of someone that has been working on these systems for a while, and what I felt about them.
DVx100 vs dvx100a
People say that the DVX100a is a better camera than the dvx100- the slow shutter options, more scene file controls, extra cinegamma, 12 bit dsp... Indeed, Even though I was extremely satisfied with my dvx100 (having done some award winning short mtv's around here with it), I sold it to someone that would do good use to it and jumped fully convinced of an improved dvx100- How I was wrong.
One thing that I immediately noticed was grain. This has been discussed here on these boards for a while, and I see that lots of people try to find ways to overcome this problem by scene file settings, or adding a filter. This problem, however, is not present in the original dvx100. Is it because of the 12 bit dsp vs the 10 bit? This is what I suspect. What also happens is that in the dvx100a the diagonal lines are extremelly pixelated vs the dvx100, incredible and unacceptable for a Broadcast camera. The same can be said about the LCD- it is worse than the dvx100 one! Imagine my huge disappointment with facing this shortcomings... I really don't understand what happened... Needless to say I returned my dvx100a to panasonic in search of a problem, and they said it was inside factory specifications. A more bizarre episode will be described further ahead.
PD170
I really never liked this camera. It is heavy has hell, uses a jog dial for functions, no picture control and has no manual zoom. But something I have to admit. The image is SOLID. Yes, no jagged lines and very little to no gain. The lens is a lot inferior to the DVx's 100/a Leica Dicomar, and the colors probably not that good, but they can be souped up in post-production.
PD170 vs DVx100- The DVCAM PD170 looks solid. It has the solid picture look of a broadcast TV camera. The DVX100, however, looks less solid, but a lot more sharp, beautiful and artistic in picture. The wide lens gives the picture a very film type of imagery contrasted to the flat reporter like image of the PD170: I really would go for a DVX100 in this comparison
PD170 vs DVX100a- Note that both dvx's are compared in interlace mode against the PD170- we all know that in terms of progressive shooting there's no better option
Now this is my main problem. I can only shoot footage, nowadays, with my DVX100a inc progressive mode to justify a broadcast picture with the camera: beacause the dvx100a picture is a lot noisier and less solid than the PD170, to the point that I had to send my camera to panasonic with a tape with both images (pd170 and DVX100a) recorded and they saying that (!), the PD170 footage would look better because DVCAm is a superior format than MiniDV- aren't they the same in terms of mbps? I tought it was only for reliability!
Needless to say that I was furious with the answer, and , having stated the superiority of the dvx100 vs the dvx100a, the mentioned people just answered "the camera is inside factory specifications".
Bottom line
I've been messing with my dvx100a with the scene files settings in order to get a image has solid has the PD170, but with no avail: detail coring up, less grain- this is good- But the result is a lot less detail- wich means a picture poorer than the PD170.
- any suggestion to make the picture better than the PD170? No, no progressive scan!
- Do you DVX100a users feel the same towards picture quality in the original dvx100?
I'm really a bit furious with Panasonic HK right now, so I'm really leaning toward upgrading to a FX1 soon. I really felt passionate about my original dvx, and still struggle with my dvx100a sometimes, looking at how to improve the picture- However, its just too grainy and if I have to abdicate picture sharpness and quality in order to have a grainless and solid picture, than why bother and not stick with the PD170?
- And I'm an informed guy. I really can't believe that the Panasonic guys told me the DVCAM records better quality picture than the Mini dv Panasonic- What's the deal with Panny's Master series tapes, then?
DVX100 better than PD170 better than dvx100a. Is this possible?
Please help me to set up my 100a or tell me it isn't so!