AG-DVC30 various topics

Mark Phillips · July 31st, 2004, 07:36 AM

Erik- I just ordered the same package (minus the tripod & battery) from B&H, expecting it Monday. You might want to check out the batteries at DVXuser.com, they were recommended highly (and $45), the dvc30 uses the same battery as the DVX100A.

Good luck with your new cam!

Mark Williams · July 31st, 2004, 09:27 AM

Mark/Eric

I have had the DVC 30 for about 6 weeks now and really like it. The key to getting it to look the way you want is the scene settings. The default setting are only passable in my opinion. For me it was +1 sharpness and +1 saturation to come closer to matching video shot on my old Canon GL-1 which is the look that I like. If you get better settings for outdoor scenes please post and I will try them out. Also, you may want to get a polarizer and ND filter latter on. I use them both a lot. Another word of advice...take care of the lens cap. It does not have a cord to keep it attached to the cam. You can rig one up though. I lost mine and had to pay $18 OUCH! from Panasonic for a new one. Now its tied on.

Regards,

Mark

Erik J. Sturcke · July 31st, 2004, 11:42 AM

Thanks! Yeah, it seems like a good camera that will suit our needs.

I guess with the filter i can just wait to see what i need. I am new to higher end video stuff (to me high end, at least) so i will have a lot to learn.

Dave Croft · August 1st, 2004, 07:52 AM

Good choice Erik, the DVC30 is a great camera. Seems like it is either underated by many, or untested by most. People seem to go with another camera in this price range instead, like a tried and tested vx2100 or a GL2.

I've kept meaning to post some frame grabs to promote what this cam is capable of, but as with most things I haven't got round to it yet ;)

I like the features this camera has, and find myself adjusting various settings to get different looks.

Good look with your new camera.

Kevin James · November 3rd, 2004, 06:02 PM

Will the DVX100 varizoom work on the 30? The one specifically for the dvc30 is quite a bit more expensive than the one for the dvx100.....I wonder if they're interchangeable.

Chris Hurd · November 5th, 2004, 01:17 PM

Call VariZoom toll free at (888) 826 - 3399, ask for Tom Smith and find out!

Kevin James · November 5th, 2004, 05:39 PM

Thanks Chris! I'll post what I find out.

Kevin James · November 15th, 2004, 08:20 AM

The panny vz-dvc30 is a rebadged version of the VZ-Rock for the dvx......essentially the same product. The VZ badged version is cheaper and operates exactly the same.

Joe Amato · January 9th, 2005, 05:08 AM

Does the dvc-30 have the crystal engine like the gs-400 and which has better video quality in 4to3 aspect ratio since i own the the dvc-30 thinking of getting gs-400 for back up

Max Mishler · January 24th, 2005, 01:23 AM

Sorry if this is something that was already posted last year but as a new owner of a DVC30 I found this article intriguing. I know the a lot of the cable networks are using dv cams these days to shoot these "no budget" shows but this is the first one I've heard of that was using all DVC30's.

http://www.editopia.com/news/2173?

Chris Hurd · January 24th, 2005, 09:52 AM

Four of them, to be exact! Thanks for the link,

Rusty Cromwell · January 30th, 2005, 10:06 AM

hey guys!! i got a dvc 30 recently and here is my quick review.

When I opened the box I was stunned at how small it was. I mean when I was looking at the pictures on BH I thought this camera was going to be pretty big. Anyways I am satisfied with it size.

Now I got this camera for taping this show in a theater that I am asked to every year and I was also pondering about taping weddings here and there. So about a week later after I bought the camera , I had to go and tape that show... Boy was I mess , I sat on the balcony while reading the manual.... Anyways thats a different story. The camera performed beautifully. The camera has a spotlight mode that lets you see inside a spotlight on stage but not at the stuff around it. So what I would do was first film in manual and then switch to spotlight, it worked admirably. Since the show was about 3 hours I had to go through about 3 tapes and I have to say that this camera ejects the tapes quickly. The white balance must be set up manually in order to achieve real whites and not a yellowish tint however. I love the zoom rocker and there are also three settings for speed of the zoom. The only thing that bothered me about this camera was that the jog wheel around the lens (or whatever its called) has too many uses (iris,zoom, focus). All in all I think this is a great camera , I just have to figure out how to use it.

Tommy Haupfear · January 30th, 2005, 10:10 AM

Congratulations on the DVC30 and welcome to DVinfo!

I didn't know the DVC30's focus ring was multi-function like on the GS400. Thats good to know.

Frank Granovski · January 31st, 2005, 06:14 AM

I can't recall if the DVC30 has the crystal engine. Wouldn't the DVC30 be a tad better in lower light than the GS400? (If that's important for you.) Also, do you use an external XLR'd mic? That would be another concern unless you're will to go with GS400's after-market external mic; which isn't too bad from what I was told.

Bo Smith · February 8th, 2005, 01:21 PM

I've been playing around with different file settings on my DVC30 lately and I noticed that even if the settings between two different modes are exactly the same, the resulting picture's are not.

I've got my "scene 2" setting as follows:

DETAIL LEVEL: -3
CHROMA LEVEL: +4
CHROMA PHASE: 0
COLOR TEMP: 0
MASTER PED: -11
AE SHIFT: -3
SKIN TONE DTL: ON
REC MODE: FRAME

Now my "movie-like" settings are exactly the same, but the picture is darker and almost feels fuller.

Is this because the "movie-like" setting has the Cine-like D gamma curve like the DVX, and the "scene 2" setting does not have the same gamma curve?

August 1st, 2004, 07:52 AM	#49
Dave Croft Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Yorks UK Posts: 89	Good choice Erik, the DVC30 is a great camera. Seems like it is either underated by many, or untested by most. People seem to go with another camera in this price range instead, like a tried and tested vx2100 or a GL2. I've kept meaning to post some frame grabs to promote what this cam is capable of, but as with most things I haven't got round to it yet ;) I like the features this camera has, and find myself adjusting various settings to get different looks. Good look with your new camera. __________________ Dave Croft Experimental filmmaker, Nature video, Documentary work and more. Panasonic DVC30, XLR adapter, Shotgun Mic, Canon WD43 Wide angle, PC using Premeire + AE.

November 3rd, 2004, 06:02 PM	#50
Kevin James Major Player Join Date: May 2004 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 204	VariZoom's for DVC30 Will the DVX100 varizoom work on the 30? The one specifically for the dvc30 is quite a bit more expensive than the one for the dvx100.....I wonder if they're interchangeable.

November 5th, 2004, 01:17 PM	#51
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,366 Images: 513	Call VariZoom toll free at (888) 826 - 3399, ask for Tom Smith and find out! __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

January 9th, 2005, 05:08 AM	#54
Joe Amato New Boot Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: astoria new york usa Posts: 23	dvc-30 crystal engine Does the dvc-30 have the crystal engine like the gs-400 and which has better video quality in 4to3 aspect ratio since i own the the dvc-30 thinking of getting gs-400 for back up

January 24th, 2005, 01:23 AM	#55
Max Mishler Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Myrtle Beach, SC Posts: 53	DVC30's used on Nickelodeon show Sorry if this is something that was already posted last year but as a new owner of a DVC30 I found this article intriguing. I know the a lot of the cable networks are using dv cams these days to shoot these "no budget" shows but this is the first one I've heard of that was using all DVC30's. http://www.editopia.com/news/2173?

July 31st, 2004, 07:36 AM	#46
Mark Phillips New Boot Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Medina, OH Posts: 18	Erik- I just ordered the same package (minus the tripod & battery) from B&H, expecting it Monday. You might want to check out the batteries at DVXuser.com, they were recommended highly (and $45), the dvc30 uses the same battery as the DVX100A. Good luck with your new cam!

July 31st, 2004, 09:27 AM	#47
Mark Williams Trustee Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Deep South, U.S. Posts: 1,526	Mark/Eric I have had the DVC 30 for about 6 weeks now and really like it. The key to getting it to look the way you want is the scene settings. The default setting are only passable in my opinion. For me it was +1 sharpness and +1 saturation to come closer to matching video shot on my old Canon GL-1 which is the look that I like. If you get better settings for outdoor scenes please post and I will try them out. Also, you may want to get a polarizer and ND filter latter on. I use them both a lot. Another word of advice...take care of the lens cap. It does not have a cord to keep it attached to the cam. You can rig one up though. I lost mine and had to pay $18 OUCH! from Panasonic for a new one. Now its tied on. Regards, Mark

July 31st, 2004, 11:42 AM	#48
Erik J. Sturcke New Boot Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 15	Thanks! Yeah, it seems like a good camera that will suit our needs. I guess with the filter i can just wait to see what i need. I am new to higher end video stuff (to me high end, at least) so i will have a lot to learn.

November 5th, 2004, 05:39 PM	#52
Kevin James Major Player Join Date: May 2004 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 204	Thanks Chris! I'll post what I find out.

November 15th, 2004, 08:20 AM	#53
Kevin James Major Player Join Date: May 2004 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 204	The panny vz-dvc30 is a rebadged version of the VZ-Rock for the dvx......essentially the same product. The VZ badged version is cheaper and operates exactly the same.

January 24th, 2005, 09:52 AM	#56
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,366 Images: 513	Four of them, to be exact! Thanks for the link, __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

January 30th, 2005, 10:06 AM	#57
Rusty Cromwell New Boot Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 16	welcome another dvc30 user hey guys!! i got a dvc 30 recently and here is my quick review. When I opened the box I was stunned at how small it was. I mean when I was looking at the pictures on BH I thought this camera was going to be pretty big. Anyways I am satisfied with it size. Now I got this camera for taping this show in a theater that I am asked to every year and I was also pondering about taping weddings here and there. So about a week later after I bought the camera , I had to go and tape that show... Boy was I mess , I sat on the balcony while reading the manual.... Anyways thats a different story. The camera performed beautifully. The camera has a spotlight mode that lets you see inside a spotlight on stage but not at the stuff around it. So what I would do was first film in manual and then switch to spotlight, it worked admirably. Since the show was about 3 hours I had to go through about 3 tapes and I have to say that this camera ejects the tapes quickly. The white balance must be set up manually in order to achieve real whites and not a yellowish tint however. I love the zoom rocker and there are also three settings for speed of the zoom. The only thing that bothered me about this camera was that the jog wheel around the lens (or whatever its called) has too many uses (iris,zoom, focus). All in all I think this is a great camera , I just have to figure out how to use it.

January 30th, 2005, 10:10 AM	#58
Tommy Haupfear Wrangler Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 1,415	Congratulations on the DVC30 and welcome to DVinfo! I didn't know the DVC30's focus ring was multi-function like on the GS400. Thats good to know.

January 31st, 2005, 06:14 AM	#59
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	I can't recall if the DVC30 has the crystal engine. Wouldn't the DVC30 be a tad better in lower light than the GS400? (If that's important for you.) Also, do you use an external XLR'd mic? That would be another concern unless you're will to go with GS400's after-market external mic; which isn't too bad from what I was told.

February 8th, 2005, 01:21 PM	#60
Bo Smith Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Exit28, NY Posts: 64	DVC30 and scene file settings I've been playing around with different file settings on my DVC30 lately and I noticed that even if the settings between two different modes are exactly the same, the resulting picture's are not. I've got my "scene 2" setting as follows: DETAIL LEVEL: -3 CHROMA LEVEL: +4 CHROMA PHASE: 0 COLOR TEMP: 0 MASTER PED: -11 AE SHIFT: -3 SKIN TONE DTL: ON REC MODE: FRAME Now my "movie-like" settings are exactly the same, but the picture is darker and almost feels fuller. Is this because the "movie-like" setting has the Cine-like D gamma curve like the DVX, and the "scene 2" setting does not have the same gamma curve? __________________ Bo Smith \| Camera Operator / Cinematographer web \| http://BoSmith.tv