PV-DV852 a good cam today?
 

Hey all,

I've been looking for a single chipper that has good color and is reasonable in lower light conditions (interior shots at night with typical 75w and 100w lamps) The DV852 came up as a good option, and I've found one for US$425 asking price.

Does it still hold well by today's standards, or is it really worth the extra $400 to move up to the Opura XI?

Brandt, that is a decent price and the DV852 definitely still holds its ground. The only shortcoming on its part is the lack of a HQ widescreen mode and for whatever reason the 2.5" LCD. The Japanese DV852 (MX1000) had a 3.5" LCD and the PAL version (MX8) had a 3.0" LCD. Too weird.

Let us know what you end up going with! B&H mysteriously had some brand new DV852s appear last year and I believe they wen for under $600 for price refeference.

Certainly good price for a fantastic 'little' cam.

The low lights sensitivity is great. You'll love this.

Thanks Tommy and Yowch.

I've seen images that I believe Frank posted in the past, and they looked really nice. Do either of you know how the camera would compare against the Opturas, even at the level of the Optura 30?

Thanks!

Brandt, I haven't had the pleasure of using any of the new Opturas other than the Xi.

...possibilities...
 

Thanks for the info guys.

Another possibility has come up. I have come across several nv-mx500's and a couple dv953's that are within a couple hundred dollars of the 852.

How much better is the low light capability of the 852, and how much better is the overall video and color on the 953/500?

Any of these cameras will primarily be used in photo mode with a firewire capture device.

Thanks!

Hiya fellas...to make your decision even harder, there is a GS100k going for $700 in the classifieds here...

On nice bright lights, e.g. before sunset or not-too-cloudy days, the MX500 (953 equivalent) with 3CCD will really give sharp images with VERY bright colours. But once indoors and in dim lights, the MX8 (852 equivalent) will be less noisy, and will see images where the 953 sees black.

Overall, the 953 has more features, better resolution and is certainly a better cam. The 852 wins only in low lights and having a wider angle of view at the widest zoom (hence shorter tele, it is corresponding, as the lens is essentially the same between this two cams).

Thanks YowCh.

If I were to go the multiple camera route, how well to images from these cameras intercut?

I do have one video with scenes from my MX8 and MX350 mixed. The 3CCD is surely sharper and with brighter colours. However, it is quite acceptable, expecially if the 1CCD is used on wide and the 3CCD for close-ups. But any serious hobbyists or pros will be able to tell the difference.

My video were of a choir performance, indoors but not on stage, and the lighting was still pretty ok (not spots), both cams shooting without digital gain.