Used PD170 been offered for sale? EVER? at DVinfo.net

Patrick King · July 21st, 2004, 02:14 PM

I've scoured the Private Classifieds here looking for a good price on a Canon product since that's what I use twice a week for a church service. But even though I know them, I'm hesitant to buy even a new one because they don't have built-in XLR, which increasingly I think is a must have. I know Beachtec, SignVideo and others can rectify that and I also know that the XL-2 recitifies that, but one solution seems like a kluge and I can't afford the other.

So...I have found myself hoping that a used PD170 might pop up in the Private Classifieds. But after use of the SEARCH tool, I can't find where one has EVER been put up for sale. If this is true, why? Is it just such a work-horse that no one will divest themselves or does it create some touchy-feely bond that can't be broken. Please elaborate as this might sway me to bite the bullet and purchase a new one instead of acquire a used Canon XL-1s for my documentary and personal biography work.

Boyd Ostroff · July 21st, 2004, 02:28 PM

Well it's quite a new model. Maybe look for a used PD-150 instead?

Patrick King · July 21st, 2004, 02:34 PM

Boyd,

There are several XL-1s, GL-2 and others that have only been purchased and then the owner soon after decides to sell. Why doesn't that happen with the PD170?

Leslie Wand · July 21st, 2004, 06:07 PM

two reasons perhaps;

a. pro's are more likely to buy 150/170 simply because of audio inputs.

b.pro's rarely sell equipment untill it's genuinely paid for itself, or here's a major step up

my 170 came after my vx1000, which came after my 300 sp, which came after my 505/5sp, which came after my 3000/150 hband

it's going to have to work it's pretty little butt off before i'd even consider selling it. (and that's a financial consideration only!)

leslie

Boyd Ostroff · July 21st, 2004, 07:30 PM

<<<-- Originally posted by Patrick King : Why doesn't that happen with the PD150? -->>>

I don't know, but I was responding to your original question, and the title of this thread, which was why aren't there any used PD-170's for sale...

Patrick King · July 21st, 2004, 10:17 PM

Boyd,

I appreciate the response to, but I was kinda fishing for folks to tell me what they really love about their PD170s that results in them never being put up for sale.

Didn't want to be overtly duplicitous, but you busted me; I want to hear why you love your PD170 if you have one.

Tom Hardwick · July 22nd, 2004, 08:10 AM

People love it because it does what it claims it'll do. Have you seen the flashy colour brochure for the Panasonic DVX100A? They show their ''main competitor'' (which is the PD170 in silhouette) and make a big play on how much better balanced their Panasonic is than the Sony. Well big deal. People buy the 170 because it's a tried, tested, refined and long-lived design. It's reliable to the point where lists such as these never come up with the same fault twice. It sees better in the gloom than anything out there and doesn't feel the need to buy in German names to embelish the front of the lens.

It has its faults, sure. So does my wife, but we know where we stand with each other. It's a bit like that when you've got a 2k1 or a 170.

tom.

Boyd Ostroff · July 22nd, 2004, 08:43 AM

Patrick OK, I see. Tom and Leslie cover that pretty well. I don't have a PD-150 or 170, just a VX-2000 and PDX-10 which I wouldn't sell either.

Getting back to the original question, the PD-170 was annouced in Sept 2003 and I don't believe it even started shipping until December. So it's really a rather new model, and the fact that people aren't selling them is a testament to how satisfied they are.

Like I said before, you might want to look for a used PD-150 instead, the PD-170 upgrades are pretty minor (more iris clicks, different LCD, different color scheme, less noise in very low light, maybe something else I forgot?). The 150 is certainly a tried and true workhorse. I don't see any here in the classifieds now, but there have been a number of them offered in the past if you search for "PD-150" and limit it to the Private Classifieds forum.

Otherwise, as you say, you might "bite the bullet" and get a new one which doesn't seem like such a bad deal these days. The PD-150 sold for more than this when it came out, and they were impossible to get for quite awhile. I know, because it was my first choice back in 2001 but I had to settle for a VX-2000 because nobody had the PD-150 in stock and the vendors all had waiting lists.

One other thing to bear in mind in the event that you do find a used PD-170... early models had some audio problems with hum from the LCD screen. If you buy a used one make sure that this problem has been corrected. You can find info on this, including serial numbers of the affected cameras, if you do a search.

Leslie Wand · July 22nd, 2004, 11:57 PM

i might add, i looked around before buying a 170 - handled a few s/h (well, the two i could find!) 150's. since they were fetching such a high price s/h went for a new 170. that said, there's hardly that much difference, but i do like the extra f stops (no obvious 'steps' when opening/closing iris).

have, as you gather from my previous posts, always been a sony man. i hate sounding like a salesman for them, but i have shot with nearly every other pro brand broadcast camera, and only the ikegami matched the sony for want i was looking for. of course, it's all pretty subjective - yeah, specs read like statistics, they say what you want them to say.

my one and only criteria for a camera is that it brings my clients back (oh, that comes after the script / aesthetics, etc.,), and pays for itself.

and, if i want a film look, i shoot on bloody film!!!!!!

leslie

July 21st, 2004, 02:14 PM	#1
Patrick King Major Player Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Enterprise, AL Posts: 857	Used PD170 been offered for sale? EVER? I've scoured the Private Classifieds here looking for a good price on a Canon product since that's what I use twice a week for a church service. But even though I know them, I'm hesitant to buy even a new one because they don't have built-in XLR, which increasingly I think is a must have. I know Beachtec, SignVideo and others can rectify that and I also know that the XL-2 recitifies that, but one solution seems like a kluge and I can't afford the other. So...I have found myself hoping that a used PD170 might pop up in the Private Classifieds. But after use of the SEARCH tool, I can't find where one has EVER been put up for sale. If this is true, why? Is it just such a work-horse that no one will divest themselves or does it create some touchy-feely bond that can't be broken. Please elaborate as this might sway me to bite the bullet and purchase a new one instead of acquire a used Canon XL-1s for my documentary and personal biography work.

July 21st, 2004, 02:28 PM	#2
Boyd Ostroff Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 11,787	Well it's quite a new model. Maybe look for a used PD-150 instead?

July 21st, 2004, 02:34 PM	#3
Patrick King Major Player Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Enterprise, AL Posts: 857	Boyd, There are several XL-1s, GL-2 and others that have only been purchased and then the owner soon after decides to sell. Why doesn't that happen with the PD170?

July 21st, 2004, 06:07 PM	#4
Leslie Wand Trustee Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: upper hunter, australia Posts: 1,410	two reasons perhaps; a. pro's are more likely to buy 150/170 simply because of audio inputs. b.pro's rarely sell equipment untill it's genuinely paid for itself, or here's a major step up my 170 came after my vx1000, which came after my 300 sp, which came after my 505/5sp, which came after my 3000/150 hband it's going to have to work it's pretty little butt off before i'd even consider selling it. (and that's a financial consideration only!) leslie

July 21st, 2004, 07:30 PM	#5
Boyd Ostroff Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 11,787	<<<-- Originally posted by Patrick King : Why doesn't that happen with the PD150? -->>> I don't know, but I was responding to your original question, and the title of this thread, which was why aren't there any used PD-170's for sale...

July 21st, 2004, 10:17 PM	#6
Patrick King Major Player Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Enterprise, AL Posts: 857	Boyd, I appreciate the response to, but I was kinda fishing for folks to tell me what they really love about their PD170s that results in them never being put up for sale. Didn't want to be overtly duplicitous, but you busted me; I want to hear why you love your PD170 if you have one.

July 22nd, 2004, 08:10 AM	#7
Tom Hardwick Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Billericay, England UK Posts: 4,711	People love it because it does what it claims it'll do. Have you seen the flashy colour brochure for the Panasonic DVX100A? They show their ''main competitor'' (which is the PD170 in silhouette) and make a big play on how much better balanced their Panasonic is than the Sony. Well big deal. People buy the 170 because it's a tried, tested, refined and long-lived design. It's reliable to the point where lists such as these never come up with the same fault twice. It sees better in the gloom than anything out there and doesn't feel the need to buy in German names to embelish the front of the lens. It has its faults, sure. So does my wife, but we know where we stand with each other. It's a bit like that when you've got a 2k1 or a 170. tom.

July 22nd, 2004, 08:43 AM	#8
Boyd Ostroff Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 11,787	Patrick OK, I see. Tom and Leslie cover that pretty well. I don't have a PD-150 or 170, just a VX-2000 and PDX-10 which I wouldn't sell either. Getting back to the original question, the PD-170 was annouced in Sept 2003 and I don't believe it even started shipping until December. So it's really a rather new model, and the fact that people aren't selling them is a testament to how satisfied they are. Like I said before, you might want to look for a used PD-150 instead, the PD-170 upgrades are pretty minor (more iris clicks, different LCD, different color scheme, less noise in very low light, maybe something else I forgot?). The 150 is certainly a tried and true workhorse. I don't see any here in the classifieds now, but there have been a number of them offered in the past if you search for "PD-150" and limit it to the Private Classifieds forum. Otherwise, as you say, you might "bite the bullet" and get a new one which doesn't seem like such a bad deal these days. The PD-150 sold for more than this when it came out, and they were impossible to get for quite awhile. I know, because it was my first choice back in 2001 but I had to settle for a VX-2000 because nobody had the PD-150 in stock and the vendors all had waiting lists. One other thing to bear in mind in the event that you do find a used PD-170... early models had some audio problems with hum from the LCD screen. If you buy a used one make sure that this problem has been corrected. You can find info on this, including serial numbers of the affected cameras, if you do a search.

July 22nd, 2004, 11:57 PM	#9
Leslie Wand Trustee Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: upper hunter, australia Posts: 1,410	i might add, i looked around before buying a 170 - handled a few s/h (well, the two i could find!) 150's. since they were fetching such a high price s/h went for a new 170. that said, there's hardly that much difference, but i do like the extra f stops (no obvious 'steps' when opening/closing iris). have, as you gather from my previous posts, always been a sony man. i hate sounding like a salesman for them, but i have shot with nearly every other pro brand broadcast camera, and only the ikegami matched the sony for want i was looking for. of course, it's all pretty subjective - yeah, specs read like statistics, they say what you want them to say. my one and only criteria for a camera is that it brings my clients back (oh, that comes after the script / aesthetics, etc.,), and pays for itself. and, if i want a film look, i shoot on bloody film!!!!!! leslie