Sony PD170P

[KeyDesignz]

I am in the process of buying two cameras to do primarily weddings, I was initially looking at the Sony Z1HD camcorder, but the low light performance and the occasional 15 frame dropout on HDV is inexcusable. I now think maybe the old PD170P is the way to go, considering all of my output is on standard def DVD. The only thing is there is no widescreen 16:9 ratio for the PD170. Apart from this I actually never get asked about widescreen anyway. Most people still have a 3:4 ratio standard def TV. What is everyone's impression of this camera, even though it is older, it's lowlight capabilities are unrivalled for a standard def camcorder. Do you think this is the way to go?

 

[STYLZ]

Seriously? Yes this is the way to go. Like you said, hd is not needed, 16x9 is usually on hd tv's, so same their. I never shot a wedding, but, logic says weddings are uncontrolable light aka some times you'll be in low light. I say pd-170 is your perfect choice.

 

[Barry_Green]

Nothing wrong with the PD170; the PD150 was the mainstay for a long time before the DVX came along, and the PD170 is a little bit updated PD150.

It does have 16:9 though; it's not native 16:9, but it can create the 16:9 look.

If you don't need progressive-scan images, the PD170 makes very very nice video indeed.

 

[myfriendimage]

I am in the process of buying two cameras to do primarily weddings, I was initially looking at the Sony Z1HD camcorder, but the low light performance and the occasional 15 frame dropout on HDV is inexcusable. I now think maybe the old PD170P is the way to go, considering all of my output is on standard def DVD. The only thing is there is no widescreen 16:9 ratio for the PD170. Apart from this I actually never get asked about widescreen anyway. Most people still have a 3:4 ratio standard def TV. What is everyone's impression of this camera, even though it is older, it's lowlight capabilities are unrivalled for a standard def camcorder. Do you think this is the way to go?

I have never had a frame drop out with HDV yet, if you have a dropout your using crappy tapes. The z1u acually has good low light preformance in most of the side by sides I have seen.

 

[KeyDesignz]

I would like to know more, I know that the PD170 is a great camera for weddings, but would the Z1U perform OK? I understand it has a hypergain to get the footage down lower than 3 lux, but is this at the cost of grainy imagery? I was reading a report on the DVX100 and having used it for both a couple of weddings, and a film clip for a band, it performs well. I am not keen to buy the DVX100 because of the warm imagery I tend to get from it, but also from the grain it pulls up when the lights go down. I have used the PD150 before and it was the best looking wedding I ever shot. You say the PD170 can do a simulated widescreen? That is all I need, most wedding clients wouldn't be able to tell the difference on a standard DVD and a widescreen TV. What tapes do you use on the Z1? What tapes would you recommend? I used a Sony PDX10P once and used Panasonic tapes, and it dropped out quite a few times. The Camera was new and so were the tapes, so go figure. The audio drop was the worst. Gaps of nothing for like a quarter of a second.

 

[KeyDesignz]

Oh I forgot to mention, progressive scan is really something I don't need, I used the Panasonic progressively to shoot a film clip and it was terrible when I needed to slow down the footage. Frames jerking and warbling all over the place. I often slow down footage for weddings, so I really need to have interlaced footage. I can achieve a film look in post, I use Final Cut so it looks awesome when touched up.