DVX-100AE for US$1,300
 

Hi: I live in Panama we are NTSC. Today a guy called me to ask me if I was interested in a DVX-100A for $1,300 (brand new). At first, I was suspicious because I thought that perhaps it could have been a stolen camera or something. I met the guy and I told him that I wouldn't do business if there was something illegal regarding the price of the camera. He told me that he had a pawn shop and someone lost the camera. He gave me the camera to play with it and checking the camera I found that it is a PAL version. I thought... what the heck! I can shoot PAL, edit PAL in FCP4 and then, when approved, I could simply convert the video using Quicktime. But for some reason the converted to NTSC video stutters a lot, so I think I will say no to him. Any suggestions?

I personally wouldn't mess with a PAL camera if I were in an NTSC dominated society, the same goes the otherway around. The only time I would use PAL is if I never had any intention of going to video and I was shooting it for blowup to film. Not to say that PAL is bad, it's just bad if you live in NTSC land, and the same goes the otherway around. Plus the fact that somebody lost a PAL Dvx in an NTSC country and didn't bother filing a report sounds pretty fishy to me.

<<<-- Originally posted by Stefan Scherperel : The only time I would use PAL is if I never had any intention of going to video and I was shooting it for blowup to film. -->>>


But if you are using a DVX for film distribution, wouldn't you want an NTSC version, since that's the one that shoots 24p (instead of having to step down the PAL video that one frame per sec)? Of course, there is the slightly higher resolution of PAL, I suppose...

Oh, and by the way, Edwin, this transaction sounds fishy. If it seems to good to be true...

I admit that it does sounds weird, and as a Christian person I decided not to buy anything that seems to be illegal. He swore he is telling the truth about it, but I think it would be wise not to go for it.

The thing is I have the camera for trial with the accesories and he is supposed to pick it up today. The camera works but even if it is legal, I think there´s way too much complication.

As general knowledge, anyone knows how to transfer to NTSC seemlesly? Any good; proved software?

DVFilm has a program - I believe it's called Atlantis - that will do a good transfer back and forth from PAL to NTSC.

Joshua: Thanks. Actually, I tried DV FILM Atlantis' trial version and didn't get good results. Too much blurr, small blocky artifacts, etc. too me, it didn't look good. For what I saw, I even think you'd get better results by connecting the PAL camera to a multisystem VHS via composite and do an analog dub to another NTSC mini dv deck.

Truthfully, no matter the software, you will never get as good results as shooting in the intended format that you want to deliver. It is actually easier to shoot NTSC and distribute world wide because most PAL DVD players will play NTSC as well, but it doesn't go the other way around. Again, if you live in a NTSC country stick with NTSC, you'll save yourself headaches and hours of rendering time in the long run.

1300.00--Sounds like it fell of the truck somewhere..Buyer beware. No warranty..Could have broken parts, or swaped out ones...If it's too good to be true..well you know the rest.

I returned the camera to the guy last week... it smelled like trouble everywhere.

I wish that was me- I'm looking for a PAL DVX-100A or any 3CCD PAL for that matter.