Need some advice on camera purchase

B

benscottproduction

Member
Not sure if its appropriate as a first post to bring up PD-150's but..

My friend and I stumbled into a situation where we've been hired to do semi-regular work for an industrial. We were able to use equipment from work to accomplish the first two days of shooting but for future work we realize we need to bring our own gear to the table.

I primarily use a DSR-390 or PD-150. I love my PD-150. I don't own my PD-150. I'll never own a DSR-390.

So i'm torn now. The thought occurs to me: Are there more jobs for camera owner/operators with 24p setups? Are DVX100a guys shooting 60i most of the time anyway?

It's really just a difference of about $1200.. but thats money that could be going towards lights, leightronix, wallet, etc.

I dunno. Any advice you guys have for people like me would be great. Im sure we find our way in here every once and a while scratching our heads and looking at the pretty clips on the forum.. er. subquestion. Does alot of the image quality from 24p shooting come from post work? Seems like those magic bullet plugins are pretty powerful.

-ben
 
shooting progressive is different and generally takes a different approach. i use to shoot interlaced only when i have to match my materials to other interlace materials shot by others. when i'm the only shooter in a project i shoot progressive. punkt. nothing else. clients love it even without really understanding the different (and that's so much the beauty of it..) and i enjoy it 100 times more than shooting "i".
book me for a normal interlace video shoot and see how sad i become.
 
Yes, there are definitely more job options if you can shoot 24p, but it all depends on the type of work you do. The DVX100 is a better buy over the PD-150/170 for the improved sound quality alone and the 24p option is easily worth the extra $$$. Clients are very impressed with DVX100 24P footage for the 24P cadence and the overall look. As Shai mentioned, they don't understand the reasons why the footage looks different (nor do they care), but they like the "movie" look. Never say anything about the camera, let them think you're a genius.:happy:
 
It seesm to me that people who shoot events (weddings, sports, etc) prefer the Sony for the low light capability and people who shoot movies, advertising, and controlled lighting situations prefer the DVX100. Not a hard and fast rule, but that does seem to be the pattern I see.
 
galt said:
It seesm to me that people who shoot events (weddings, sports, etc) prefer the Sony for the low light capability and people who shoot movies, advertising, and controlled lighting situations prefer the DVX100. Not a hard and fast rule, but that does seem to be the pattern I see.
Click to expand...

sorry, but this rule doesn't work for me at all. take a cheesy video in very low light conditions, push the gain up to 18db and shoot. what kind of material will you get?!
on the other hand, the DVX s-h-i-n-e-s in low light as well as some available light conditions, nothing you can say about the pd-150. right on the lower third of the gamma you start to get the good out of this camera.
sure, lighting is important, it will help ANY video to look better. but just take a classic soft (available) light coming from the window.. cine-gamma + progressive will make this simple yet so common set up look just perfect.
with the pd-150 there's almost nothing like a good looking under-exposed footage. and why is it so important to be able to shoot dark? because when you shoot in a dark church for example, you want it to look as it was - dark and yet to produce something that will please the eye. a sweet 15 IRE on the skin (or even lower) and you pretty much got it.
just my 0.2 about low light.. (i shoot so much low light with the DVX lately, that's why i'm so hot on this subject..)
 
Thanks for the responses, I appreciate it...

but just take a classic soft (available) light coming from the window.. cine-gamma + progressive will make this simple yet so common set up look just perfect.
Click to expand...

I've noticed that just by looking at some of the posted clips/grabs. Pretty stuff.

Im curious where everyone purchased their DVX100a's... I'll most likely be feeding B&H but curious if anyone has any better sources.

(as of now we've decided on the DVX100a)

Anyone got an opinion on PD-150 60i vs DVX100a 60i?

Thanks again,
-Ben
 
I really don't see too many PD150s on shoots anymore, I know they're out there and I know private operators have 'em, but on the paid gigs, DVX's have taken over where I'm at. Even when shooting 60i -- I'd guess 75% of the time my cam is in 24p, 25% in 60i. There was a time when ALL you'd ever see was a PD150 (except for the guys who cheaped out and got a VX2000) but really, it's really changed -- nowadays if it's not a shoulder-mount DSR series, it's a DVX...

As for where to get it, B&H is a superb dealer, but many of us prefer EVS for the personalized service. If you're east-coast, B&H, but if you're west coast, definitely give EVS a chance to earn your business.

As for as the PD150 60i vs. the DVX 60i -- all I'll say to add to the chorus is that we just did a three-camera shoot, with three different cameras all shooting a reality TV show that's intended to be cut together. Three cameras were a JVC DV500 (1/2" interchangeable-lens camera), the PD150, and the DVX. (for the first day we had the JVC and two DVXes, but for the remaining days we had to hire a different shooter, and he came with a PD150). The producer and the editor both preferred the DVX over the PD150, when looking at the a/b comparison on the monitor (and we tried very hard to get the images to match). The editor actually had never seen a DVX, he's used to working with broadcast cameras and avid editing (wasn't even planning on editing this show via firewire) and he came over to talk with me for 20 minutes about the camera, proclaiming that it easily had the best picture of the three, and left there declaring that he was buying one.
 
I know I am preaching to the choir here. but I don't know too many other cameras that you can take down to a Lakers game, patch into the director's feed, and shoot a whole game along with 3 other Thomson cameras with the director never catching on. I will never give up the name of the shooter either, even under torture :grin:

Thanks, Barry, for the referral! Ben, please email me if you need anything. I would be happy to bid for your business.:thumbsup:
 
I chatted with a sales rep at Vistek in Toronto just two weeks ago. He has a whole bunch of cameras on the shelf: DVX100A, XL2, FX1, ... plus many others.

I asked him about the FX1, just out of curiosity. He said it's not bad, BUT: Even today, with XL2 and FX1 being on the market for a while, he sells more DVX100As than XL2s and FX1s combined.

Make your own conclusion. I think when people see the picture, hear the sound, and hold it in their hands, it's a no brainer.
 
You said it in the first post; INDUSTRIALS

Do you want it to look like Shep the Tech Guy shot it or do you want it to look like you brought in the 16mm? (Assuming camera op skill of course)

24p baby
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top