Loud Zoom on every DVX100A?

S

savethestars

Active member
Hi,

I heard that the noise of the zoom on the DVX100A is outrageous. Is that true--any owners of the camera please respond? Thanks! Still considering the next camera purchase...

Anyone have any thoughts on the VX2100?
 
Re: Loud Zoom on every DVX100A?

Well it's so noisy on mine, 2 nights ago my son was in our front yard (40 acres) filming some deer and 1 in particular walking all around him within 15 feet or so, that every time he would zoom in or out all that could be heard on the tape (using onboad mic's) was nothing. Well, maybe just a hint of tape drive noise. This is with Mic's set a -60 db and controls at just over 3/4 on.

Oh, and to the end of the tape, as the deer was walking away, Andy clicked his tongue a few times softly to get the deer to turn back, and THAT I HEARD! Sorta like that in comparison to the background noise.

-Rodger
 
Re: Loud Zoom on every DVX100A?

My experience when using a ME66 mounted on camera is absolutely no camera noise. I've read about the noise, but haven't heard it on my 100A, even when placing my ears next to the camera & zooming.
 
Re: Loud Zoom on every DVX100A?

Well on the fastest zoom I can hear the motor working. lower speeds it's pretty good. How silent is it supposed to be anyway? I haven't testet how much is picked up during recording though. I'll do some tests.
 
Re: Loud Zoom on every DVX100A?

In Auto MOde it definatley has a 'whir' to it but who really wants to shoot in Auto Mode? :P
 
Re: Loud Zoom on every DVX100A?

Right on, John. Two things I've never used on mine are built-in mic & auto mode.
 
Re: Loud Zoom on every DVX100A?

Do you mean manual zoom? I thought you meant the motor noise. Manually my zoom is smooth as...
 
Re: Loud Zoom on every DVX100A?

Hmmm. Don't remember noticing any zoom motor noise. I've definitely heard the autofocus motor, I'd say the autofocus motor is a bit noisier than I've heard on other cameras.
 
Re: Loud Zoom on every DVX100A?

i've never noticed it & i shoot primarily with the on-camera mic. certainly not even close to my old VX1000 which sounded like there was a robot hoedown off-camera every time i did a zoom.
 
Re: Loud Zoom on every DVX100A?

[quote author=Barry_Green link=board=Events;num=1078990591;start=0#7 date=03/11/04 at 11:16:27]Hmmm.  Don't remember noticing any zoom motor noise.  I've definitely heard the autofocus motor, I'd say the autofocus motor is a bit noisier than I've heard on other cameras.[/quote]

I second that. For some reason I was thinking FOCUS. :P
 
Re: Loud Zoom on every DVX100A?

Depending on your shoot, you can get rid of the noise in post production. Just record a little bit of room tone when your on your shoot. Room tone is ambient sound that you can edit in place of audio that is messed up.
 
Re: Loud Zoom on every DVX100A?

Ive owned dvx for almost a year. Ive never heard or noticed the zoom motor sound once. Surely not anything that I would debate on buying another camera over. Recording sound even around blimped 35mm cameras can be a problem, but this. Come on people dont nit-pick over some BS. Besides zoom shots while filming is just flat out amature from a cinematographers prospective.
 
Re: Loud Zoom on every DVX100A?

true, true, true...You should zoom with your eyes and not your hands meaning move the camera closer to whatever it is IF POSSIBLE. If your in a run and gun type situation zooming while recording could be okay depending on the subject matter. I have only noticed the zoom motor sound when its super quiet. Other than that, I don't even hear it and I don't notice it in my recordings. Now I have heard that folks with shotguns attached to their camera complaining that, the SG will pick it up. So who knows.
 
Re: Loud Zoom on every DVX100A?

[quote author=DVX100Shooter link=board=Events;num=1078990591;start=0#10 date=03/11/04 at 19:59:43]Depending on your shoot, you can get rid of the noise in post production. Just record a little bit of room tone when your on your shoot. Room tone is ambient sound that you can edit in place of audio that is messed up. [/quote]

True that. In Vegas it is Volume envelopes. BUt really, Manual is the way to go.
 
Re: Loud Zoom on every DVX100A?

[quote author=Kevin link=board=Events;num=1078990591;start=0#11 date=03/11/04 at 20:14:07]Besides zoom shots while filming is just flat out amature from a cinematographers prospective.   [/quote]

Not necessarily. If doing a music video or a commercial, the "snap zoom" is a very common shot. And, the DVX is the only prosumer camera on the market that can do it (besides an XL1 with an expensive manual lens, of course).

Zoom repositioning is all over "24" as well.

In classic big-screen motion picture cinematography, zooming is definitely frowned upon. But even so, it is a tool in the arsenal that just may come in handy sometime.

And, let's keep in mind that there are thousands and thousands of shooters out there, using DVX's, who aren't cinematographers. Documentary shooters, ENG/EFP, news shots, VNR's, wedding & events, etc. All of them may need to zoom during a shot, and all of them would be adversely impacted if the zoom motor was noisy.

But, I think we're all coming to the conclusion that the zoom motor isn't noisy, so it's a moot issue.
 
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