Inexpensive Camera as good deck

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Looking for suggestions on an inexpensive camera to be used a deck for capturing DVX100 footage. As I've mainly been in the Canon (XL1) world till now, I'm not very familiar with lower end panasonic and sony cameras that could be used as a deck. Any suggestions and experiances?

Thanks for any info,
Dale
 
Re: Inexpensive Camera as good deck

Do you have to use panasonic/sony? You could easily use a Canon ZR-40 (or whatever their low-end 600 dollar range camera model is now). As far as I know, they're the cheapest kind you can get (in MiniDV)
 
Re: Inexpensive Camera as good deck

Any 1 chip minidv camera will do as a deck. I got mine el cheapo in Good Guys in the after thanksgiving sale for $100. It was a demo model w/o accessories. I purchased a battery for it and a charger. Has a sweet large lcd. Halleluja. I give thanks to the post-thanksgiving.
But really, just find any camera as you won't have to shoot with it.
 
Re: Inexpensive Camera as good deck

The nice thing about a low-end Panasonic is the charger & battery can be used for the DVX as well.
 
Re: Inexpensive Camera as good deck

anyone know if the battery and charger of the pv-dv53 is compatible w/ the dvx? what is the cheapest panasonic camera that has compatible accessories for the dvx? thanks!
 
Re: Inexpensive Camera as good deck

Mike - agree with the ZR (especially since I have lots of old XL1 footage), but there is that sync concern with Canons on clips over 5 min. It's always worked for me in the past, but is it a concern when it's from DVX footage?

Natasha - what kind of camera is the "EL Cheapo"?

sfogden - Good point about the battery and charger. Wouldn't mind it doubling as a dummy-cam around the house when not capturing. Any suggestions which Panasonic?

Thanks again all.
 
Re: Inexpensive Camera as good deck

Boo, Yes the the battery and charger of the pv-dv53 is compatible w/ the dvx. That is the same camera/deck that I am using with my DVX. B and H has the dv53 for $284.99.
 
Re: Inexpensive Camera as good deck

I used a Canon ZR40 I picked up for $399 as my feeder deck for my non-linear system. It works great. If you dig around, you can find ZR series cameras for $325 range. Another place to check for cheap cameras are refurbished electronic sites like www.refurbelectronics.com and www.refurbdepot.com. I've never bought anything from them, but they've got great prices.

Scott
 
Re: Inexpensive Camera as good deck

thanks joe...do you know if the pv-dv53 has analog passthru where you can take a vcr connected to the dv53 and pass thru directly to the computer? thanks again!
 
Re: Inexpensive Camera as good deck

Mike - agree with the ZR (especially since I have lots of old XL1 footage), but there is that sync concern with Canons on clips over 5 min. It's always worked for me in the past, but is it a concern when it's from DVX footage?
Click to expand...

I wouldn't know for sure, because I haven't tried it, but I would assume it wouldn't be a problem. When you're transferring through firewire, from footage that already is in sync, you're only transferring the digital files (essentially). If the source was clean, the copy should be too.

The issue with synch problems AFAIK would be with the recording coming from the CCD's on the camera, and their ability to record the video in synchronization with the audio coming from the camera's mic. But because you're just using it as a deck, theoretically youre just playing footage, because you're not using the CCDs, so it should be okay.

Anyone correct me if I'm wrong, though...I'm only talking out of theory here.
 
Re: Inexpensive Camera as good deck

Boo, unfortunately that is one of the draw backs of the dv53. The analog port only allows A/V output and will not allow input from a vcr.
 
Re: Inexpensive Camera as good deck

I just spotted this thread after returning from an out of state family visit, so I hope I'm not late in chiming in. On another forum, I asked if a 'regular' miniDV cam-as-deck would play back 24p and 30p recordings as from the DVX. Two points were noted beside the fact that yes it will play back OK.

1) Canon brand camcorders have a propensity to NOT play well with recordings done on other brands of cameras. YMMV, but why take the chance.

2) Some brands, namely JVC will/may strip the header (or is it wrapper?) of 24p and 30p and will play it back --and into your NLE-- as plain old 30fps interlaced video.

My choice was a Sony TRV-22 miniDV. Don't yet have a DVX100A (outrageous!) but I feel confident that the little TRV22 will work just fine as a low-cost deck to save wear and tear on whatever 3 chip I purchase.

Just a few thoughts for ya.

LHB
 
Re: Inexpensive Camera as good deck

As for the JVC thing, I've only ever heard of one deck that did that, all the others seem fine. I use a JVC BR-DV3000 deck and have no problems with it.

As far as a Sony camcorder properly feeding DVX footage into an editing system, that'll work fine. I've used an old Sony TRV8 as a feeder on occasion, and it works okay.
 
Re: Inexpensive Camera as good deck

I use a JVC (GR-30 or something like that)... good, but doesn't do A/V -> DV and doesn't have a headphone jack, which is sometimes inconvenient.

However, dare I suggest it, I also use a Sony Digital8 camcorder - it has A/V -> DV, headphone jack, and, most importantly (again, dare I say it) I HAVE NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMATIC ARTIFACTS FROM A Digital8 CAMCORDER! I have also never had a MiniDV tape without a visible glitch or two. In my "day job", I've used an identical D8 camcorder for years, and it's been capturing Mars rover tests in dusty deserts and in the rain, it's been horribly maltreatred, left open and exposed to dust (not by me!) for weeks at a time... and has NEVER PRODUCED A VISIBLE TAPE GLITCH. IMHO, the wider D8 format is far more reliable than MiniDV, and I use it to back up all important footage.

Also, you can get 90-minute (135 in LP, if anyone cares) D8 tapes, which means you can store long projects more easily (most of mine lie right above the threshold of a 60-minute tape).

-Barry
 
Re: Inexpensive Camera as good deck

I wouldn't know for sure, because I haven't tried it, but I would assume it wouldn't be a problem.  When you're transferring through firewire, from footage that already is in sync, you're only transferring the digital files (essentially).  If the source was clean, the copy should be too.
 
The issue with synch problems AFAIK would be with the recording coming from the CCD's on the camera, and their ability to record the video in synchronization with the audio coming from the camera's mic.  But because you're just using it as a deck, theoretically youre just playing footage, because you're not using the CCDs, so it should be okay.
 
Anyone correct me if I'm wrong, though...I'm only talking out of theory here.
Click to expand...

I don't think it's related to the CCDs; the same problem occurs when converting from A/V inputs to DV directly. If I play analog video through the camcorder, out the DV port and into an NLE, sync suffers. If I first record onto a DV tape in the same camcorder, then pull into NLE, there're no sync problems...

I don't know how camera dependent this is.


-Barry
 
Re: Inexpensive Camera as good deck

Hmmm...anybody else know if the synch would be a playback issue, or a recording issue?
 
Re: Inexpensive Camera as good deck

You might want to make sure that your el cheapo miniDV purchase can play back footage shot in 16:9 mode. I've got a bunch of tapes which I shot with an XL1 in wide mode, and a borrowed Sony portable deck refused to play them back properly. Panic ensued, as I thought the tapes were ruined, but no, it was just the deck.

I have been borrowing a Panasonic DV51 miniDV camera which has been working fine as a deck. I think that model has been discontinued, but you might be able to find a floor model at your local Best Buy or CompUSA for a song.
 
Re: Inexpensive Camera as good deck

Hmmm...anybody else know if the synch would be a playback issue, or a recording issue?
Click to expand...

As has been discussed elsewhere on dvxuser (I think), it's neither recording or playback... it's related to whether the audio is locked, and how the capture application handles that... on tape, and played back from tape, sync is constant (well, within very small bounds) due to the physical nature of the medium.
 
just a note:: i got a cheapo panasonic palmcorder for about $200.00 refurbished
two advantages:
it shoots in 16:9 so it can be a crappy back up.
it uses the same battery charger.

So far it has worked very well , i don't feel as bad about going bakc and forth like i did when i was using my dvx as a deck and thus, i think the quality of my work is a bit better....i hope :)
 
yea, but do you really need a "deck" camera though? as in a general question..as in does anyone really need one.?
 
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