What you don't like in the DVX?

Re: What you don't like in the DVX?

"-The auto focus is too slow - I missed some critical shots because of it. By the time I realized and flipped the switch to manual and focused - too late "

Auto focus should not be used in 24p, it is not true autofocus, it is "focus assist". It says this in the manual.

"-Most embarrassing - using the professional DVX all week and the professional Final Cut Pro HD all week, my 17 minute music video recap and the end of the week played from my DVX into the LCD projector. Much to my horror, the default setting for playback of the date was on the whole thing. It gave it the amateur home video touch! "

Seriously! I'm sorry it didn't work out for you.
 
Re: What you don't like in the DVX?

magicdavek "The hiss coming out of the headphone jack is a pain "

I have seen some other complaints about this problem in the forum before. However I really feel lucky not to have it in my 100AE.
 
Re: What you don't like in the DVX?

Someone mentioned that MQ tapes were, mandatory?
My DVX100 came from the factory with AY-DVM60EJ tape. I've been using them for over a year with absolutely no problems at all.
 
Re: What you don't like in the DVX?

First off, let me say it's a refreshing change from shooting with the Sony--the 100a, that is.

Per others' comments, dido on the manual zoom ring--I found it almost useless. The servo zoom is decent, better than the Sony, but it always jerks to a stop or start when zoomed near display position 100.

I've heard people complain about XLR's being located too close to the hand and getting in the way. I leave plenty of cable slack when using a mixer and have had no problem with this.

Push focus is slow. But the EVF DTL feature makes manual focus quick and reliable.

Easy to accidently press the iris button. Have to be careful with hand placement on left side.

And, yeah, I noticed some hiss and echo when plugged into the headphone jack.

Otherwise, great camera!
 
Re: What you don't like in the DVX?

Thanks Ransom and Sharky for your feedback. When I first got the cam, I tore right into the manual and was reading every word - to a point. I never got past half way, other than some jumping around. I didn't realize that about "autofocus" in 24p. Also, I was clueless about that rocker on top not responding in the second position. Looks like I need to read the second half of that manual!

Also, I switched off the date and time feature so now when I play it back, I don't look like Funniest Home Videos. It's just that I wished my being unaware of that wasn't displayed in front of 300 people.

Just as I figured, most of my complaints were actually due to operator error :D

As previously mentioned, I love the results I get with the camera. It's just that, um, forgive me for saying this but . . . I wish Panasonic had a setting where everything was automatic, like a consumer cam - for those times you're in a pinch (and for my wife, who I've shown how to operate the camera 3 times already). Don't get me wrong, I LOVE all of the manual controls and use them gleefully all the time. But there are times a total autopilot would be nice.
 
Re: What you don't like in the DVX?

YOu can set it to "auto pilot" if you will. Make sure that you are in a 60i mode and everything should work fine. Just don't expect great results, expect consumer cam looking results.

Wow vote someone off the site. Never thought of that. Well if it were up to me, I would vote for John Hudson :D

That is John Hudson for president right? ;D
 
Re: What you don't like in the DVX?

[quote author=magicdavek link=board=nws;num=1090309559;start=60#64 date=08/27/04 at 20:00:35]But there are times a total autopilot would be nice.[/quote]
Er, magicdavek, you *really* need to read the rest of that manual! ;D

There's a button on the side of the camera called "auto". Press it and the camera will immediately go into autofocus/autoexposure/auto white balance/auto-everything. It's designed for exactly what you describe -- when you have to get a shot and you can't bother with switches and manual stuff. There's even a menu that lets you choose which functions become "auto" when you go to "auto" mode.

Also, it's the only way to get camera-controlled auto gain in the image. With the auto switch, you determine how much gain you want to allow, and the camera will decide how much it needs in dark situations.

(of course, if you have a DVX "classic", autofocus and gain won't work in the progressive modes, but on the 100A they do).
 
Re: What you don't like in the DVX?

[quote author=Barry_Green link=board=nws;num=1090309559;start=60#67 date=08/28/04 at 08:36:00]

(of course, if you have a DVX "classic", autofocus and gain won't work in the progressive modes, but on the 100A they do).
[/quote]

Barry, that is true, however, who wants to shoot full autio in 24p
 
Re: What you don't like in the DVX?

Calling it a DVX "classic" is so awesome. Sounds much better than "the older version"

I love my DVX "classic!"
 
Re: What you don't like in the DVX?

Isn't that kinda like calling the theatrical versions of Lord of the Rings "classics," as opposed to the DVD extended versions?
 
Re: What you don't like in the DVX?

No, we're talking about "Coke Classic" vs. "New Coke"... so someone started calling it "DVX Classic"...
 
Re: What you don't like in the DVX?

Hi Gang... nice to be back after taking a much needed month off following the completion of 13 shorts in eight months.... (a burnout!)

Everyone loves this tool including me... which is why it's so interesting to see the comments about what aspects we would like to see improved. The zoom- of course sucks... but can be helped a little with an external zoom control... (forget about the manual zoom) Most of the other items can be lived with considering the low price and fantastic image quality.

One thing I didn't see mentioned that has been a real problem for me is the innacuracy of the viewfinder to what actually goes on tape. I work from archival stills for my museum shows and want to get as much of an image as I can. When I then go through the digitization to my edit system, I find that what I thought was a clean image now has a LOT more border (including the edge of the photo I thought I had cropped out) and now needs to be reshot.

The problem is similar to the Old Nikon cameras... the pro models had what they called a 100% viewfinder and the "consumer" cameras put more on the film than what you saw in the viewfinder.

Lets say you're making a pan and want to stop just before something enters or goes out of frame... you have to mentally subtract what the camera will add to the edges. There is no really accurate way to do this. (pretty exasperating as you don't know until you get back and digitize onto the editing system.

I know about "safe area" and TV display... but I'm shooting for DVD and playing back on a computer and they do not crop down to "safe area".

I'd like to see a viewfinder with marks for overscan and safe area. That would be great.
 
Re: What you don't like in the DVX?

If you find that your image shows more than you wanted to shoot, you can always scale it up (enlarge it) in your NLE to crop out the unwanted edges.

I frequently scale images up or down or move them left or right if I decide I want to recompose what I've shot.
 
Re: What you don't like in the DVX?

Multi Media, I have two suggestions. The first would be to skip the camera completely and scan the images. You would then have much higher resolution and crisper images to work with, not to mention the wonders that todays NLE's can do with panning and zooming on images. The final product would just look that much more professional. Second, if you must use the DVX to capture images, get a monitor with overscan. That way you will be able to see the whole image while you are capturing it. Truthfully, the only camera that I recall that had a 100% field of vision, or close to it is the original Nikon F, which I think had in the ballpark of 96-97% of the entire image. Right now I shoot with a Pentax 645 medium format SLR and the viewfinder is about 95% of the actual image. Not even the new 13MP Digital SLR's will give you 100% field of view, so I guess we're kind of stuck huh.
 
Re: What you don't like in the DVX?

[quote author=scharky link=board=nws;num=1090309559;start=75#77 date=09/01/04 at 08:18:44]Second, if you must use the DVX to capture images, get a monitor with overscan. [/quote]

What kind of monitor is that. sorry for this basic question, I am new to DVX, and the forum.

As for the original question, I find DVX much more difficult to operate and understand than sony pd170. some of the issues related to it are simply beyond me. I must say I am not a videography-idiot. but It is a very demanding camera to work with.

but I love it nonetheless.

Billo
 
Re: What you don't like in the DVX?

Normal monitors and televisions don't show the entire picture that is recorded or broadcast, they leave out a few lines on all sides...this is called "overscanning".

A monitor that does "underscanning" shrinks the picture on the monitor screen so that the entire video frame is viewable, edge to edge.
 
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