DVX100 vs DVX100A

kylelewis1

kylelewis1

Well-known member
Hey Guys,

I am sure this questions has been brought up on this site, but I couldn't find it, so let me throw it out there...

I am planning on buying a DVX100 or DVX100A in the next month and want your advice on if the "A" is worth the extra $1000 or so.

Thanks! ::)
 
Re: DVX100 vs DVX100A

We have gone through this before, but basically the consensus has been:

Will you use gain in 24P?
Will you use autofocus in 24P?

No? Then go for the 100. Forget the "A". If its a question of a thousand dollars, it entirely depends on what you'll be using the camera for. Live events may require these modes, but film projects do not, normally. I bought a 100, no "A", and get awesome results.

The DVX100A is a great camera, but so is the 100. We keep bringing this up, it's the artist, not the brush. And this particular newer brush has one extra bristle (and one that most people pluck out anyways :P)
 
Re: DVX100 vs DVX100A

Remember whatever you spend on your camera . You will spend just as much on the assesories A good tripod will set you back about $700.00 So plan your budget. Just my 2 cents 8)
 
Re: DVX100 vs DVX100A

Thanks. I am planning on using 24P, and I would love to have an autofocus, but it is not essential.

Kyle ???
 
Re: DVX100 vs DVX100A

Like Elvis said. With the money you save, you could buy accessories. ;) You'll need a case, batteries, tripod, etc., etc., etc. :o
 
Re: DVX100 vs DVX100A

I've been reading that "A" fixes a lot of little nagging problems, along with some more serious audio problems, specifically the buggy sync problems in post, which could cause audio to go out of sync. Anyone with a plain old 100 have problems with this? In the long run, I suppose $1000 isn't too much to ask for to never have to re-sync audio all the time... what a pain.
 
Re: DVX100 vs DVX100A

There is a SLIGHT audio synch problem with the 100, but its really not that noticeable. I'm currently editing a short film that I shot on my DVX, and while on paper there is in fact an issue, and for VERY precise cuts, it might phaze you, it really for the most part isnt a problem. I haven't re-synched anything, and when I watch the cut, it looks perfectly fine to me, and everyone I've shown it to.

The main thing is, barely anyone can tell if the audio is a frame or two off from the video, as long as it's consistently so.

My $0.02
 
Re: DVX100 vs DVX100A

Exactly. The camera was out on the market for half a year before anyone discovered the issue.

And, for clarity's sake, it's not quite right to call it a sync issue, it's more of an alignment issue. "losing sync" or "drifting out of sync" has plagued audio/visual systems since, well, the beginning of audio/visual systems. Let's be clear: the DVX does not lose sync. It will be just as in-sync after an hour as it will be after 10 seconds. The DVX is one of only three cameras in existence (that I can think of) that uses professional "locked" audio (the others are the JVC 500 and 5000). The DVX keeps perfect sync.

The issue is, the audio leads the video by anywhere from 1/2 frame to 2 full frames. If, in your NLE, you slide the audio to the right 2 frames, you'll find everything in exact sync. And it doesn't have to be a big issue at all: DVFilm Maker software automatically corrects for it, and I believe FCP 4 can do so as well. I will occasionally correct for it in Vegas, but many times I don't bother -- lots and lots of footage has been shot where nobody even notices the issue.

In short, it's no big deal. Yes it would be better if it was fixed (as apparently it is fixed in the 100A). But it's not sometihng that most of us original DVX100 users even think twice about.
 
Re: DVX100 vs DVX100A

Alot has been posted all around the web by many of us already, but for me it was in-camera squeeze, 12 bit DSP, and improved color sep/clarity with new prisms.

Now that I have the DVX100a, its also very nice to have autofocus in 24PA coupled with the ZOE zoom control on the DVRig Pro. I find for nature videography (in clear settings), I can leave it on autofocus and when necessary, slow zoom-in and the autofocus can keep up. I still want to have manual focus on a remote (will build one sooner or later), but I do make use of autofocus in 24p.

There are more reason's (many more if you like to count), but for me to buy the 100 (knowing that for the extra $800 or so it cost when I bought the 100a), I would have regretted it now -- And I don't regret buy the 100a at all. In fact just the opposite, I just love this camera.

-Rodger
 
Re: DVX100 vs DVX100A

kyle, the auto focusing in the 24p modes is not really fast enough to actually use as an auto focus , unless what you are doing allows it to have a while to focus. it is aptly named "focus assist" for the 24p modes, becuase it works alot slower than the auto focus in the interlaced modes. basically this is because the autofocus in interlaced mode has 60 fields per sec to use to focus by, and the 24p modes only gives it info 24 times a sec. so its about 45% or so slower than using a true autofocus.. somtimes even alot slower. which means that is not going to keep up with somthing that needs to change focus quickly, and youll just get alot of blurry footage inbetween subjects whle you wait for it to focus. anyhow. its nice to use if you have the time, and cant manage to focus using your eyes and the lcd screen, or a production monitor when your lining up a shot. if youve got the money, or can wait on the accessories of course get the "a", but if your going to sell yourslef short by getting the "a", and not having anything left to get any accessories, your kinda at a loss till you can cough up more dough. the cam is the biggest part of the picture for sure, but without any accessories, its going to be a pretty small picture.
 
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