On Sat, 11 Aug 2001 21:01:20 GMT, "Morgan Evans"
>"Neuman - Ruether"
>news:3b767b8d.2076365@newsstand.cit.cornell.edu...
> > Most people prefer the PD150 picture compared with either
>> the XL-1 or PD100; the PD150 has XLRs, almost "infinitely"
>> better lens-controls/finder(s)/power-solutions/AF/MF/AE/ME
>> compared with the XL-1 - so, why the interest in it?
>> (I suspect that Canon's superb advertising/image-building
>> efforts, not the reality of what the camera is/provides,
>> may be the cause...?;-)
>David, You're just starting to sound more and more like another pro-sony
>anti-canon hack. I'm not a fanatic in either case and am familiar with all
>these cameras. Some of the projects where I've used a 3-year old Xl1 have
>been for PBS, Discover, 16 TV spots and 2 corporate videos. Two of the
>projects won national awards for excellence in communications. My partner is
>a 44-year Hollywood verteran cinematographer who worked for Walt Disney for
>9 years and filmed the original underwater footage for 20,000 Leagues. He is
>astounded by what that camera can do for the $3600 cost, not what it can't
>do. Koppel's Nightline field crews as well as 20/20's are more and more
>using combos of XL1s, PD150s, DSR-300s and others for cost considerations.
>>the PD150 has XLRs, almost "infinitely"
>> better lens-controls/finder(s)/power-solutions/AF/MF/AE/ME
>> compared with the XL-1 - so, why the interest in it?
>> (I suspect that Canon's superb advertising/image-building
>> efforts, not the reality of what the camera is/provides,
>> may be the cause...?;-)
>Gimme a break. I'm not jumping you because I have owned an XL1 (and am
>buying a Sony 500WS this month) but rather for one who claims to have fair
>reviews (based, I assume, on a deep broadcast equipement engineering/optics
>background) but can't resist the opportunity to bash a camera that is
>popular, effective. (annoying? buy the flippin manual lens ya cheap buggers)
>and is feeding the family and paying the bills of scores of documentary
>producer/shooters around the world. I doubt that Canon's PR has anything to
>do with it. It's called bang for the buck.
>
>rant over,
>kind regards,
>Morgan Evans
Ah......;-)
I guess I keep beating what I would think (and you might
think) is a dead horse 'cuz I keep seeing in these
NG's from folks just starting ***almost invariably***
questions like "What should I get, a Canon GL-1, or
an XL-1?", with, ***almost invariably*** no reference
to what I (and a few others...;-) consider (as
objectively as I can), the obvious choice for the money,
the VX-2000/PD150, or even the quite-worthy-but-less-
expensive alternative, the TRV-900/PD100a. Gosh, I
wonder why this is...;-) Sure, one can make a living with, and
good video with, inferior gear - but should one recommend
it, or let pass an opportunity to possibly point out
superior alternatives to those asking about what to buy?
I don't care if the brand name stuck on the side says
"Canon" or "Sony" - but it bugs me when the lesser gear
comes to the fore and the better doesn't, mostly as a
result, I think, of superior marketing on the part of
one of the makers... If a huge advertising budget and
smart "promo" people at RCA made people think only of
"full-sized" RCA VHS camcorders when they entered the
camcorder-buying market, and if those camcorders actually
cost more than better alternatives, well, would you
comment on the alternatives.....?;-) Again, not that
Canon 3-chip camcorders are really terrible, and Sony's
are wonderful in every way (they aren't), but, heck,
the lens controls on the XL-1 are poor, and to properly
equip the camera costs a fortune - and the image
quality is still not up to that of a ready-to-roll,
much cheaper Sony model (or even 4 models...). As
for the GL-1, well, uh.......;-) Call this predjudice
or whatever, but if Canon ever produces anything up
to even the TRV-900 in terms of picture quality, folks
will hear about it from me...;-) BTW, for those who
would like to look at reviews that represent my
observations about various camcorders I've tried
(with none supplied directly by the mfgr., and with no
contact from/to any mfgr...;-), the URL is:
www.David-Ruether-Photography.com/camcorder-comparison.htm