On Tue, 22 May 2001 01:16:02 -0400, poolnut@bellsouth.net wrote:
>Neuman - Ruether wrote:

>> Interesting...
>> So, describe the TRV-900/VX-2000 exposure manual
>> controls, please... I may have left out the
>> manual shutter speed control, but this does not
>> help much with forcing a wide stop (which the
>> original poster was seeking to do) except in a
>> somewhat imprecise way. The TRV-900 and VX-2000
>> are essentially auto-exposure cameras with
>> various overrides provided. Show me how to
>> shift the aperture without shifting the exposure,
>> with direct control of the aperture anywhere but
>> in AE-A mode...

>Like I said, I can only speak about the trv900/pd100, but I am ABSOLUTELY SURE
>that fully manual operation is possible on the vx2000. On the 900/100 the
>procedure is like this. First, make sure the AUTO LOCK switch is in the middle
>(manual) position. Now, press the SHUTTER SPEED button and select your shutter
>speed, next press the EXPOSURE button and adjust the iris/aperture. The
>sequence however is important, you must set the shutter speed first. So there
>it is, fully manual, independent exposure controls. Frankly, I never use the AE
>settings, I believe the best results are achieved with all controls on manual.

I describe this method as "lock-and-shift"
exposure - possible in both AE and M, BUT,
it fails the true manual-set test in that
the iris intervals selectable are sometimes
rather large, and the shutter speed can
only be shifted in whole stops, leaving the
exposure choices rather too imprecise for
ideal exposure setting. I suspect that in
AE modes, the shifts are in smaller increments
and better exposure (and smoother exposure
changes during takes) is possible in AE.
Unless you are using a calibrated monitor
during use (in the appropriate light levels
for accurately judging exposure on the
monitor), you are probably trying to use
the camera's viewfinders as an "exposure
meter", which is likely to result in a high
exposure failure rate (especially when
combined with the discontinuous iris and
shutter intervals available on these
cameras...). Since the original poster was
interested in being able to set the f-stop
to control DOF, and presumably was also
interested in achieving good exposures,
the best way to do this is to use AE-A,
set the desired stop, and roughly adjust
the shutter speed (if desired) with other
available means - after setting the AE-bias
for best average exposure results. I cannot
imagine trying to pan one of these camcorders
while trying to keep up with the required
exposure adjustments using the method you
suggest - though with the AE-A method, you
can still easily apply the "lock-and-shift"
override when needed... BTW, the VX-2000
exposure operation is very similar to the
TRV-900's (though the VX-2000 allows you
also to limit gain rise) - but the PD150
permits independent and, direct as these
get on camcorders, setting of A, S, and
G without having to resort to the convoluted
(but technically correct) method you describe...

>So again, I can't believe that someone who claims to be a video professional,
>doesn't know how to set the manual controls on a consumer grade camera. It
>think this is relevant, because you are always referring people to your
>camcorder reviews on your web site. Like the saying says: 'Let the buyer ( or
>in this case 'the reader') beware'.

I find the above comments kinda silly...