See "BulletEDGE's" post, above (though I hate 30p footage

instead of proper 30i footage for NTSC TV viewing, and for

this, the VX2000/PD150 is a tad sharper [they are CLOSE!]

than the DVX100) - he is right, the PD150 and DVX100a are

*the* compact 3-CCD cameras right now. They each have

advantages/disadvantages (for me, a WA nut, the wider range

of good WA lens converters available for the Sony is more

important than having the natively-moderately-wider lens

and slightly better audio of the Panasonic...). The XL-1 is

not in the same league. BTW, both can do macro, have XLRs,

and record/play common Mini-DV tape. These may be useful:

www.David-Ruether-Photography.com/vid_pict_characts.htm

www.David-Ruether-Photography.com/camcorder-comparison.htm

www.David-Ruether-Photography.com/sony_dcr-vx2000.htm

www.David-Ruether-Photography.com/diffraction.htm

www.David-Ruether-Photography.com/WA-converters.htm

www.David-Ruether-Photography.com/VX2000_odds.htm

www.David-Ruether-Photography.com/camcorder--comparison.htm

http://www4.big.or.jp/~a_haru/index.html

http://www4.big.or.jp/~a_haru/exknow2002au

www.bealecorner.com

www.adamwilt.com

--

 David Ruether

 d_ruether@hotmail.com

 http://www.David-Ruether-Photography.com

 

"Randy Brown" <NotMyAddress@all.com> wrote in message news:3akPb.17187$q4.6169@newsread3.news.atl.earthlink.net...

> If all goes as planned, I expect to be making my first 3 CCD camera purchase

> this spring.  I know there are a lot of options out there, and without me

> telling you what I'm planning to do with it, I realize you won't be able to

> make an informed recommendation.  Frankly, even I am not entirely certain

> what I'll be doing with it.  <g>  Several options on the table.  But suffice

> it to say I know I'll never get the kind of work I want to be doing with my

> little consumer-level Sony Handycam that I've been playing with since I

> first got seriously interested in video editing and production about 18

> months ago.  I've focused this time on just learning the editing part.  I'm

> looking at trying to get some corporate video work and/or some local

> (cable?) TV spot work.  (Trust me, I can do this...I keep saying this, as

> much to remind myself that I really can.  But honestly, I'm not quite the

> novice I let on.  Well, maybe.)

>

> Set aside for a moment your skepticism.  I'm looking for some advice.

>

> I can't afford the $10K+ plus cameras.  That's out of the question.  I'm

> looking at the $3K-$4K level for now.  The veritable "prosumer" line of

> cameras.  Not ready for prime time, but good enough to shoot local cable TV

> spots and most any sort of non-broadcast marketing material.  No weddings.

> I've been to two of my own already, I don't care to go to anyone else's.

>

> Over the past year, I've done a little "window shopping" and I've narrowed

> down my choices to these three (in no particular order):

>

> * Canon XL1S.  Seems to be quite popular.  I've heard it's front-heavy.

> Dropping a bulky $3,000 camera would, for me, be a really bad career move.

> Intechangable lenses are touted as a plus, but don't all cameras have that

> capability?  I've heard good things about the image it captures (softer,

> more "film like," although I'm not going to be doing movies, so Mr.

> Spielberg, you can rest easy).  The biggest down side for me is that as a

> career audio guy, I'm not thrilled with mini plugs for mics.  (They're

> amateurish, and for the life of me, I don't know why Canon doesn't get

> smarter about that.)  I know, I know, there's an adapter (shoulder brace)

> that has XLR input jacks.  But who wants to pay for "extras" to get what

> SHOULD BE standard?  Other than that, it seems like a very solid camera...IF

> I don't drop it.  :-)

>

> * Sony PD150.  This is the one I'm leaning toward, largely based on a

> recommendation I got from a guy here in my hometown who (I think) is a

> pretty successful videographer, and who admits even he is drooling over

> them.  (I guess that means he doesn't have one.)  He tells me CNN equipped

> their embedded reporters with these in Iraq.  Don't know if that's true, or

> if it's even a good way to judge whether it's viewed as an acceptable

> "broadcast" camera.  For a big operation like CNN, a $3K investment makes it

> more or less "disposable," I would guess.  "Wolf, I've gotta go, they've

> just shot the cameraman and the camera has just exploded into a million

> pieces!"  But I've heard other good things about it.  An all-around solid

> investment, if my sources are correct.  XLR all the way.

>

> * Panasonic AG-DVX100.  Saw this one side-by-side with the PD150.  Both look

> pretty similar, with the biggest difference being the lens, although by

> looking through the little flip-out screen, I couldn't tell any difference

> in picture quality (not the ideal way to judge, I know).  The Panasonic lens

> has the added feature of being able to do macro.  Not that I intend to be

> filming any documentaries of insects fucking, mind you, or shooting

> corporate videos that include shots up the CEO's nostrils or looking inside

> the pores of his skin.  So I'm not sure what the value of this macro feature

> would have for me.  But you never know.  Folks do rave about this camera,

> and I have it on my short list.  XLR mic plugs.  But something deep down

> inside me says Panasonic is not a PRO brand.  But that's just me.

>

> The down side, it seems to me, of the Sony and the Panasonic is that they

> both use a proprietary tape format.  Or maybe I've got that all mixed up

> (help me sort that out, will ya?).  I believe the Sony will play MiniDV &

> the format it uses (I forget what that is), while the Panasonic will only

> play its own format (DVCAM?).  That's another strike against the Panasonic,

> in my view.

>

> I'd appreciate any reviews y'all might have of these three cameras, and in

> general, your thoughts about the various DV tape formats

> (advantages/disadvantages of each one).

>

> Thanks in advance.  This should be fun.

>

> Randy