PAL brochure but very useful all DVX100 users with example shots and explanations of camera settings, menu etc.

http://www.rexelvideo.com.au/Whats%20New/agdvx100powerl.pdf

Thanks Stephen, it's interesting

Nice to have that.

Jan Crittenden of Panasonic Broadcast has kindly sent us a copy of Harry Fould's "The AG-DVX100 Setup Menus; A Guide for Getting the Most From Your 60i, 30p, 24p Camcorder". I think you'll find this 42 page Acrobat file to be a welcome supplementary reference to the DVX100 and even to the newer DVX100A.

Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. How to Use the Menus
3. Quick Menu Index
4. Camera Menus
___4.1 Scene File
___4.2 Camera Setup
___4.3 SW Mode
___4.4 Auto SW
___4.5 Recording Setup
___4.6 Display Setup
___4.7 Other Functions
5. VCR Mode Menus
___5.1 Playback Functions
___5.2 Recording Setup
___5.3 AV In/Out Setup
___5.4 Display Setup
___5.5 Other Functions
6. Glossary

So make a pot of coffee, pull out that camera, download and print this guide and do some book learnin'!

You can download the PDF from this link (www.dvinfo.net/panasonic/resources/ag-dvx100menu.pdf).

Thanks, Ken,

And post your thoughts here, looking for feedback as Harry is going to work on a DVX100A manual. So what would you like explained?

Best regards.

Jan

Thanks Jan & Ken. I've made this sticky to keep it at the top of the forum.

Per a manual, I would like to see a included CD with sample images taken at the various camera settings for a quick visual reference for the many "looks".

<<<-- Originally posted by Jan Crittenden : Thanks, Ken,

And post your thoughts here, looking for feedback as Harry is going to work on a DVX100A manual. So what would you like explained?

Jan -->>>

Hello Jan,
here's an idea for a manual, try working from real life scenarios,

"You're shooting news outdoors for your local TV station"
"You are shooting a film for DV-to-film transfer"
"You are interviewing someone in tungsten/flourescent lights"
"You are making a outdoor action sport movie"
"You are in a dimly lit basement documenting a performance"

and give some suggestions for basic set-up and where to tweak for best results. That would put all menu options into context and make them meaningful.

Of course you will get flamed from someone "who would NEVER use the ND filter in THAT situation" but that's passion.

From reading this forum and many others i gather that many users have never used/owned a camera this advanced before, a pro camera hasn't been in the "justifyably affordable" (sorry, non-native creative license with english language) range until now.

I have the DVX100ae, and the funny thing is I just can't find anything which is irritating in day by day use, everything with this camera is in harmony, sort of. Optimal balance of trade-offs, the technical term would be, I think. Good job! Curiosity: what
is the strategy the dvx uses to find end of last recording on the tape, i assume it's not just randomly cueing the tape...



regards
/magnus

Thanks! Going through the supplement now. I'll be sure to provide feedback soon.

Jan, when do you think we can expect an AG-DVX100A version?

Christopher asked:
Jan, when do you think we can expect an AG-DVX100A version?

Don't have an exact time frame but it is under development.

Jan

Thanks for the quick reply, Jan!

Thanks all, especially Jan, for this splendid document!

I't making a big difference to me, I just bought a used 100 and even reading through the manual thoroughly didn't yield as much ready information as your supplement has provided.

If I have any supplemental questions, can I post them here?

Thanks!
Cheers
Chris

Sure.

There is another book that has since been published by Barry Green that takes all of this another notch. He includes a DVD tutorial. You can buy it off of Amazon.com, it is called the DVX Book and DVD. Best $69.95 you will spend.

Best,

Jan

Yeah, I have that and the DVD already. The thing is, it makes an awful lot out of the 100a and not a lot out of the 100.
Thanks
Cheers
Chris

Interesting that you say that, as I don't see it that way. And perhaps that is because the 100 was the foundation for everything and as I read the material and looked at the
dvd and knowing that Barry owns the 100 not the 100A, I sort of felt there was a slant to the 100. ;-)

Best,

Jan

Hi Jan
You're right, it's just that there are so many (DXV100A ONLY)'s through it that it gets a little annoying to see what the A will do that the 100 will not.
If I didn't know any better I'd think that this was a book to make one think about moving up to the 100a jsut to make use of the book's full contents...

Just my own 2c, I hasten to add. It's all great information regardless. I guess I'd have preferred the 100a information to be in its own section (which would have made the book twice as think, of course).

Again, no flames please. Just my own personal feelings.

Cheers
Chris

Chris, I know what you mean. As Jan said (and thanks for the endorsement by the way Jan!) I have a DVX100, not the 100A. I had to borrow a 100A to do all the testing and research on it.

... and initially, when the 100A was introduced, I thought "nope, not enough to make me feel like I need to upgrade."

... but the more I went through it, and the more I used the 100A, the more I wanted one.

Everything about the 100 is in the book, of course. All the menu settings in the DVD use only the 100 settings. But I had to include all the 100A settings, and spell them out specifically (so 100 users wouldn't be confused), and man, it sure made me want a 100A! If it wasn't for the impending high-def camera, I am sure I'd have gotten a 100A a long time ago! As it is, we just bought a 100A for an indie feature we're doing, but that's not mine, it's the cinematographer's...

Hi Chris,

Why would I flame you? I think that your feelings may well be accurate, but you should know there have bee a great number of films done with the DVX100 and not the DVX100A, in fact I would bet more. The film that won the Best in Cinematography award at Sundance in 2004 was done with the DVX100.

The DVX100A was a an outgrowth of the DVX100. It is not only reasonable, but rational the the A does more. But the 100 is a mighty little camera and frankly still holds up to the competition extremely well. Your camera is no slouch. And all that is in that little book is useful, the more you understand how the controls work the camera the less of a victim you are to the shoot.

You might find that by joining the DVX discussion below you will find other brethren that have the same little camera and are darn proud of it.

Best regards,

Jan

Dear Jan,

We all appreciate very much your contirbutions here and that's why I dare ask you, and hope I won't be putting you in a difficult position:

Please tell me that by buying now the DVX100AE I won't be missing something significant of this forthcoming upgrade I've read about, the 'b' model... Or that you're not going to get the camera out of market anytime soon and replacing it with something even better, I should absolutely wait to get my hands on... (hi-def is not a major concern here, thus I decided NOT to wait for that new camcorder -besides, who knows when it will be available in the EU...)

Thanks in advance and I eagerly await...

-Sotiris.

As far as I know it is only changes to come into compliance with the ROHS initiative for Europe. Might be a color change, but I see nothing that should hold you back.

Best,

jan

Ken,
thanks for the link it's very informative. I'm a proud new owner of a DVx100 and I must say that nothing was missed with this camera.
It's like a mini DVCam:)

Thanks,
Mick

Thanks for posting this info. I'm new to video production & have no idea what many of the features in the menu do. I just use the preset, hopefully I'll be able to get a more film-like quality by tewaking some of the settings.

Thanks again,

Hugo

Does anyone have that orignal manual with sample shots and stuff anymore?

Does anyone have that orignal manual with sample shots and stuff anymore?

The only Manual/DVD that had shots was/is the DVD that is sold by Barry Green, the DVX Book. You can find him on this site. His book is excellent and worth every penny.

Hope that helps,

Jan

Hi Guys!
I'm new to this site and need some input about my camera. I purchased my DVX-100 about 3 years ago. Recently I've been noticing that it looks washed out. I think it might just be a setting that needs to be adjusted, but I don't know which one. I've check the iris setting, the black levels and other buttons but haven't had any luck. Is there a way to set the camera to its original factory settings?
I mainly use the camera to shoot weddings and bands. In the dark with stage lighting it looks okay, but in regular light it looks washed out.
The camera was used to shoot a documentary with studio lighting, since then it has that haze about it.
Does anyone have any suggestions? Any input will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Karen

You can restore each and every scene file to its initial settings, as well as the user file. For the scene files, go in the scene file menu and look at the last menu item, should be "save/init"; choose "init" and it will restore that scene file to the factory original settings. You'd do that for each of the six scene files.

For the user file, that's in another menu, I think it's "other functions" but I don't remember right off hand, but you can do the same "init" thing on it.

There's also a reset button that you can push with a paperclip, look in the manual and read about it before attempting that though.

hi
i'm cinematographer based in bucharest,romania.
i'll appreciate if somebody will help in my problem.
i own a panasonic dvx100ae pal 25p.
is almost new , but durind my firs transffer session using a fire wire cable
fire wire something happened and this "ilink" didn't work at all.

any idea?

the transfer was made in front of me by a video editor , but he by-passed the fire wire through his sound board (pinaccle capture tool allowing also to capture image).
i asked him if is ok and he told me no problem.

that day we stop the session , he captured the material later using a different player, but , most important for me , my dvx don't work no more.

if somebody have advices , i'll apreciate

ovidiu marginean
www.cinematographer.ro

PAL brochure but very useful all DVX100 users with example shots and explanations of camera settings, menu etc.

http://www.rexelvideo.com.au/Whats%20New/agdvx100powerl.pdf

I believe this link is outdated. Any other tips?

Thanks,

Jeroen

jeroen, that link was when Rexel were the distributors of Panasonic gear here in Australia. Now that the HVX exists, Pana have taken the reigns of theor own horse..
Best to check the Panasonic websites for more info