[MacDV] DV cam

[Richard Brown]

The DVX100A has a superior picture quality to most current prosumer 
cameras (particularly things like XL1s), and unlike all other Mini DV 
cameras, actually records audio synced to picture via a PLL circuit, 
which equates its audio performance to the DVCAM standard while 
maintaining excellent picture quality. This will save you the 
extraordinary headaches of having to deal with audio sync issues which 
exist both in bona fide MiniDV implementations from companies like 
Sony, as well as the ghastly utterly non-standard audio of the XL-1 
series from Canon. The term "Sync Adjust" is essentially non applicable 
when audio is actually locked to picture, which is the Beta SP standard 
as duplicated in the DVCAM standard intended to supersede it, and 
thankfully present, albeit a little bit differently, on the DVX100 
series through phase-locked loop (PLL) circuitry, as mentioned, ABSENT 
elsewhere in MiniDV. Sorry for the blatant reemphasis, but it is a HUGE 
deal in editing at any level.

Optically, you have many choices to both extend and widen the DVX100's  
focal length range via wide angle and telephoto adapters made by 
Century Precision Optics ( http://www.centuryoptics.com/ ) as available 
through discounters like B&H Photo and Abel Cine Tech of New York.

I have the DVX100A as well as a Sony PD150. The 150 has been outfitted 
with the full zoom/shoot through .65x wide angle adapter since the day 
it was purchased. There are no appreciable aberrations of any kind when 
viewing footage shot using the wide angle adapter, even when viewed on 
professional broadcast monitors depicting underscan playback. The 
ability to instantly go quite wide makes the adapter a valuable tool 
which we almost never remove.

Generally, it is the wide angle end of the spectrum which is 
disappointing on prosumer (as well as professional) video cameras. 
Century Precision has been around forever, and the quality of their 
glass is generally outstanding.

To correct the slight distortions wide angle (with adapter) shooting 
may cause, look to Digital Film Tools' 55mm V 4.0 filter collection, 
http://www.digitalfilmtools.com. Generally, most people will not 
complain when you are shooting wide, given there is not a perfect 
horizon line (like when shooting the ocean from a boat) as the 
curvature will not be as pronounced.

My humble advice: stick to the DVX100A - you WILL be happier, overall, 
even though the accessories might set you back a few house payments. Go 
to http://www.mediumblend.com/abelstore/customer/home.php?cat=13 to be 
amazed at how seriously the world is taking this Panasonic revolution.

Nuff said,

Richard Brown
www.go2rba.com




On Jun 27, 2004, at 9:29 AM, Richard wrote:
>
> I'm leaning towards the Panasonic DVX100A, even though it only has a 
> 10X
> zoom lens.