On Tue, 23 Jan 2001 20:56:56 GMT, "Tuna_Boy" wrote:
>"Neuman - Ruether" wrote in message
>news:3a72eea7.4364887@newsstand.cit.cornell.edu...
>> On Tue, 23 Jan 2001 19:51:56 GMT, "Tuna_Boy"
>> wrote:

>> >What are your comments on the Sony PD150 ? It appears to be just an
>> >updated VX2000 with a better mic, and XLR inputs. This may be the
>one
>> >for me to get.
>> >Any thoughts?

>> Somewhat better sound controls, DVCam shooting ability
>> (with LP-mode Mini-DV shooting ability lost?), XLRs,
>> B&W finder (a slight improvement only in sharpness
>> over the VX-2000's similar color one?), more bulk,
>> a removeable mono shotgun mic instead of an excellent
>> built-in stereo near-omni mic, and a higher price for
>> the PD150, if I got it all right...;-)
>> Depends on your particular needs. I went for the lower
>> price, LP-mode for those long weddings/speeches, and
>> better packability of the VX-2000 (and all my
>> el-cheapo mics are mini-plug type, anyway...;-).

>From the sound of it, this may be more of what I was looking for. XLR
>inputs, B&W viewfinder for easier manual focusing. It still has the
>color LCD flip out monitor, so the B&W viewfinder actually makes more
>sense. True, it is higher in price. But the real question is are the
>extra features worth the extra cost. Also, will I use these features?
>I'll use them.
>Maybe you can help me out here.. The only thing I have questions about
>is the whole DVCam/DV thing. What exactly is the difference between
>DVCam, and mini DV? I need to research this format a bit more.

Not much... You can think of these as essentially the same
format electrically, but with different rates of incidence
of dropouts (rare, even in LP, with clean gear), and
probably different long-term storage stability: Mini-DV
LP (1.5 hours on standard mini-cassette), Mini-DV SP
(1 hour on standard mini-cassette), and DVCam (40 minutes
on standard mini-cassette) - though some DVCam cameras
will take the large 3-hour cassette (not the PD150, though...).
The speed the tape passes over the heads is different,
but otherwise you should see little difference
in performance. For greatest safety, use DVCam; for very
good safety, use Mini-DV in SP-mode; when you need the
extra record time and can risk some dropouts, use
Mini-DV in LP-mode. Though LP-recorded tapes may not play
properly in any but the device they were recorded in,
all my (5) Sony camcorders will record/play LP tapes
in any combination...