"noob" when it comes to pro cameras
 

Hey guys

Ive been using this samsung SC-D353 for about 2 years now and im sick of the quality im going to be filming snowboarding and skateboarding
i was looking at the vx2100

how hard is it to use this camera or should i say how hard is it to get used to using it

thanks guys

-Andrew

This site discusses the operation of the PD-170 which is the "pro" cousing of the VX-2100. It should give you some sense of what it's like to use the camera with manual controls. Of course you can also put it on auto...

http://www.urbanfox.tv/workbooks/sonypd150/index.htm

Thanks boyd
what firewire will i need to get to transfer the DV format video onto my computer

also (non-sponsor link removed) that site seems to have it at a extremly low pprice are they ripping me off on something?

Welcome to DVinfo Andrew. Since you're new you probably don't realize that we direct all "where to buy" inquiries to our sponsors. They have been hand-picked for integrity, service and competitive prices. Please patronize them; they make this site possible. Here's the full list: http://www.dvinfo.net/sponsors/

Regarding those other places, the standard wisdom of "if it looks too good to be true then it probably is" applies. Unfortunately they play all kinds of bait and switch games, or they sell you the camera alone at a ridiculously low price, but require you to buy a bunch of very expensive accessories which would normally be part of the package. But if you feel compelled to consider places like this, look at their ratings here: http://www.resellerratings.com/

I'm not sure what you're asking about firewire... I use Macs and they all have firewire ports built-in. If you're on a PC and it doesn't have one then firewire PCI cards are inexpensive, as are cardbus cards for laptops. Firewire 400 is all you need, I got a cardbus PC card last year at Best Buy for about $20. The VX-2100 and all DV cameras use a 4-pin firewire cable. Depending on your computer, you might need either a 6-pin or 4-pin connector on the other end. Macs have 6-pin firewire connectors, so I use a cable with a male 4-in connector on the camera end and a male 6-pin connector for the computer.

wow boyd thanks just read the review both places got like .30 your right it comes with JUST the camera no battery no hood no nothing ok thanks man

do you have any video shot with the vx2100

I guess I gotta pop in once again at this point :) Here's quite a bit of footage shot with VX2100: http://video.skyfilmproductions.com . Under General category at least 4 from the top are VX and also the Sun Valley Airpark trailer under Trailers.

wow that is amazing footage

can anything match the vx2100 for that price

Well that can be tough to answer without knowing what you expect. The VX-2100 is a rather old design (basically the same as the VX-2000) and does a great job of shooting 4:3 video, especially in very dark places.

Some might argue that the HVR-A1 would match or surpass the VX-2100 for the same price (after rebate): http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...ughType=search

If you want to shoot widescreen then the VX-2100 doesn't do a very good job unfortunately. The A1 gives you high quality widescreen DV, DVCAM and of course high definition as well. You also get professional audio features. The downside is a bit less manual control and worse performance in dark places.

There are also other cameras to consider in this general price range, like the Canon GL2 or Panasonic DVC-30. Spend a little while doing some research before buying in order to be sure you're getting the right camera for your needs in this rapidly changing landscape. The other camera forums here at DVinfo are a good place to learn.

wow man dose that boom mic come with that camera becuase if so that would be perfect for what im gunna be doin

snowboarding in bright snow

then snowboarding in dark

then same for skateboarding

whats a good on camera light?

Andrew,


I have skated for 20+ years and have been using the VX2100 for over a year now to capture skate footage. It works great and you can get wide angle lenses realitively cheap. You may also want to look in the the GL2 which I have seen several skaters use. If you have the money though, might as well go HD>

thats sick man

im on a pretty tight budget nothing over 3000 for the camera and some accessories

Well the HVR-A1 will give you HD for $2,200 (after rebate)...

im really worried about the low light how is it on the HVR

Hey Andrew, I shoot a pretty decent amount of skateboarding with my Vx2100 and I can say it's the perfect camera for the job. As stated earlier, the 1lux low light is quite impressive, slap on a sony 10/20 watt light and you'll never very rarely have to raise the gain for close up (wide/fisheye) shots.

I would use the record button on the handle as an incentive for you to choose the vx2100 over something else but as I've seen, I'm 90% sure the new sony HD cameras have the record button on the handle as well. However, for what you are shooting, HD just doesn't look quite right (and don't get me started on 24p). SD at 60i will get you the most realistic, true-to-life results.

You say you want to keep your budget under $3000 well in that case I would suggest buying the Vx2100 brand new from BHphotovideo (I'm not sure if I'm allowed to link to their site) for something around $2300 I believe, getting a couple "fake" np f960's on eBay (about 2 or 3) for $25 each. If you need a light, as I mentioned earlier, you should get the Sony light thats adjustable to 10 or 20 watts. Doesn't sound powerful but it really does do a decent amount. That light will set you back another $80. Now you'll deffinetly need a fisheye if you want to shoot "lines". Raynox makes a decent one called the mx3000 that sells for roughly $100 but then there's also the Century Optics MK2 "death" lens which costs $700. That's out of your price range but I can assure you the quality differance is ridiculous and I can say that as I own both of the lens's (however the mk2 was recently in an accident but even then, sometimes I prefer it over the raynox because the quality is so bad on it). Now to put all this in you'll probably want a comfy backpack. I have the Quantaray Urban Pro backpack which retails for about $90. This will put you at a grand total of $2645 and for that you get a brand new camera, an entry level fisheye, 3 8 hour batteries, a great light (uses the batteries as the vx2100 by the way), and a gigantic backpack to fit all that stuff and much much more.

Additional info...

Here is a link to a little bit of "unusable" footage (little too shakey), the last clip is with the sony 10/20 so you can get an idea of how powerful it is with a shutter speed of 1/350 at around 7:30pm and no gain added.

http://media.putfile.com/Collin

Also, if you are interested, I can make a deal with you on my Century Optics Death lens for a cheap price, it's still useable in the right conditions as long as the footage is for fun and you don't plan to send it in to a company or something.

Hope this helped, took a good 20 minutes to write but I think I covered a lot of stuff so if it helps, it's all worth it.

wow man thanks for allll that info

pm me about the lense