On Mon, 11 Mar 2002 13:43:18 GMT, gpapaioa@mail.ford.com wrote:

>I need a back camera for cuts only and need to replace my trusty old
>AG455. My main camera is a VX-2000 and I am thinking I don't need a
>3-chipper for only 3-5 mins of footage typically used from back camera
>footage. I need something small, but not ultra small. I am leaning
>toward the TRV-19 [17] which has the 1/4" chip and probably has one of the
>better lo-light ratings (5 LUX) which is of primary importance to me.
>The other being cost. I would like to stay with the Sony for
>simplicity (same batteries/chargers/similarities). I found it for
>$749 - half the price of the TRV-900. I also noticed that the TRV-30
>has a 7 LUX rating, which is going in the wrong direction for me.
>
>Anything else I should consider?

I seem to remember answering this post before, but if not,
here goes...;-)
At www.David-Ruether-Photography.com/camcorder-comparison.htm is
a comparison of five of the six Sony Mini-DV ***imaging
types*** (with their associated camcorder models named),
in three different lighting situations, with frame-grabs.
The two 3-chip types VERY NOTICEABLY outperform all the
one-chippers in low light (and their battery type is different
from the one common to the recent Sony
one-chippers...). In my experience, the PC9/TRV17 has
*slightly* greater (but less difference than the lux
numbers would indicate...) low light range than the
PC100/TRV20 and PC120/TRV30 imaging types, though
**some** aspects of the picture are inferrior to these...
For matching with the VX2000 in low light, first choice
is easily another VX2000, with the TRV900 second, and
depending on the ***exact*** light level, either the
TRV20 or TRV17/11 next (in the lowest possible light
for shooting any of the one-chippers [with the stabilizers
off], the TRV17 image can be more easily corrected to match
the VX2000 image acceptably well for ***SHORT*** cutaways;
for slightly higher light levels, the TRV20 would be my
next choice instead, and for light levels high enough for
it, the TRV30 would be the choice in one-chippers. BTW,
even though this may make the image too dark, when you are
at the one-chipper low light limit (lens wide open,
stabilizer off, shutter speed at 1/60th, gain at +18db),
using manual exposure and shifting to +15db will improve
color noticeably, as will going to 1/30th or 1/15th shutter
(this produces lower resolution, and some motion-effects...),
and the exposure can be corrected in editing ("slow shutter"
"1" and "2"...).