On 28 May 2002 23:05:20 -0700, nacho33@wol.es (Ignacio Simon) wrote:

>I have a Sony TRV20 camcorder and was considering buying a better one
>(VX2000, Canon XL1, etc) in order to get a better image quality.

www.David-Ruether-Photography.com/camcorder-comparison.htm
www.David-Ruether-Photography.com/sony_dcr-vx2000.htm
www.David-Ruether-Photography.com/camcorder--comparison.htm
compare some of these, and the last covers your camera,
with frame-grabs. For reference, this may be useful:
www.David-Ruether-Photography.com/vid_pict_characts.htm
The best video image in a "handycam" form camera is
currently offered by the VX2000. Going to a big/heavy/
expensive shoulder-mount camera provides worse
auto controls, better manual controls, more controls
over the picture characteristics, and the possibility
of a *slightly* sharper lens - but the D25 medium
itself is the limiter with the best cameras, and it
takes a LOT more money to see very subtle improvements
over what the VX2000 picture offers...

>I use Adobe Premiere 6.0 with the Microsoft DV codec and a Pinnacle
>Studio DV Plus firewire card.
>
>I would like to hear comments about:
>
>Where is the bottleneck (in quality terms)? Do I have to invest in
>better codecs or better camera, or better firewire card?

The camera. The MS codec is not the best, but it is not
bad (as some early codecs were...), and the codec quality
is relevant only when footage is modified during editing.
All FireWire cards transfer the same data (though some
may offer advantages in ease of use, dependability, etc.).

>Is it possible to use the Pinnacle codecs (included in my studio dv
>plus pack)with Adobe Premiere?

Probably. But the best are the $50 MainConcept, and
the Canopus, useable only with Canopus cards like the
excellent Raptor.

>And where can I update the Microsoft DV codec?
>
>Are there free DV codecs?
>
>Thanks ever!
>
>Ignacio Simon