Hi--

First of all I want to thank you for sharing your experience with us in your very informative website. I have learnt a lot from you. I am working for a small production company in Turkey. We are planning to buy either Sony VX-2000 or PD150. I have a few questions that I have not been able to find the answers to in your website.

You have praised VX-2000 on its excellent auto modes including the Exposure mode. From what I have read, instead of having the ability of adjust AE or changing it in steps as I have in my other Sony DCR-PC 115 camera, PD150 has adjustments for aperture, shutter speed and gain.

Yes. The VX2000 has a single button exposure lock, with a wheel

for shifting exposure in 1/2 stop increments, same as PC115 (though

it mat use menus for shifting instead of the wheel [UGH!]). With the

PD150, you must lock two of the three variables (aperture, shutter speed,

and gain) before the third can be locked and shifted - which is more

awkward...

I am also learning traditional photography but I don't feel myself good enough to depend on my experience to adjust those parameters. What I want to ask is, will I have to be comfortable enough to use those adjustments in order to use the camera normally like the VX-2000, which means we will get a professional photographer in the mean time, or are will I in some way pull it of by trying to get an image right in the LCD screen.

If you calibrate the LCD screen (saturation and brightness) to a good

monitor, and can also see it well (not easy), this can work fairly well.

I prefer to add the large eyecup to the eyepiece finder, and use

it as a guide - it is easier to see well. The PD150 finder is B&W, though,

giving you no color balance info. I prefer the VX2000...

Also I can with my current knowledge of photography only think of adjusting depth of field to my liking with those parameters. In what other ways will it be usefull for me when I get the hang of photography?

In Program-AE-A, you can select the aperture - but without shooting

close and with longer FL, even at f1.6 the DOF will be great most of

the time...

I also have question about the hiss problem. I could not find information in the web for why users would turn of auto gain control and use manual when using an external mic and thus facing the hiss problem. I would be glad if you could help me with this.

The "hiss problem" is minimal - and arises from a lack of understanding

of audio matters (regardless of the claims to expertise of those

complaining...;-) If you use a high-sensitivity mic with manual-gain,

you will not hear hiss at the line outputs; if you use a low-gain mic,

the AGC works better, and you will not have excessive compression

of dynamics. Manual is used when the levels range is known and

predictable - this leaves unmodified the gain; Auto-Gain-Control boosts

low volume (increasing ambient noise) and reduces peaks (preventing

clipping) - for some purposes, the changing noise levels are not desirable

(but this effect is subtle with the VX2000, and I use AGC most of the time).

My last question is about these cameras' comparison with Betacam SP cameras. I know this is not a topic to be discussed in a few sentences. I just want to know if there is more to betacams now, other than their professional adjustments and lens options.

The image is "quieter", with less ugly artifacting with motion - but it

takes a lot of money and skill to get a top-quality BetaSP image and to keep it dependable, and keep its advantages through copying - for subtle

advantages. Better to buy D50 gear, or wait for HDTV...

Thank you very much in advance. I would be really glad if you could take the time to answer my questions.

Akif Malatyali

Sekans Productions