Which one to purchase first CX550v or 2000
 

Hello everyone getting back into my favorite hobby will be purchase my first tape-less camcorder. I edit with Avid Media Composer 5. I do not do this for a living just a hobby. The events I will be using the camcorder for is things like Air, and Car Shows, Vacations, and family events. I am looking at the Panasonic TM700 and Sony HDR CX550V and if I can fine a used oneor work a lot of over time Panasonic HMC 150 or the Sony HD AX 2000. If purchase both and use both on a project will have any problems getting them both match on the timeline? I would love to read any suggestion and feedback on the cameras. What are the advantages disadvantages?

The TM700 and its ilk are minute and give outstanding picture quality if you use them in good light. The 50p footage is wonderful. The likes of the HMC151 allow much better audio recordings to be made but they're bigger, heavier, more impressive. Much better in low light of course and no silly auto ND filtration.

My tests of the TM700 show that its constantly running cooling fan degrade the on-board audio hugely - and you won't like this camera without an external mic. The AX2k is a lovely camera but everyone says the small increase in price to the Z5 is worth the money. It's 20x zoom shames the Panny's 13x, but the latter's CCDs don't suffer any of the jello-shutter effects of the VX2k.

You can intercut all of these cameras if your NLE allows comprehensive colour correction.

tom.

Thanks Tom for the reply. I am trying to fine the best two camcorder combinations. One to take on vacation and a procomsumer for family and special events a two camera setup when call for.

cx550 is and EXCEPTIONAL camera for the price

If your getting both id say get the cx550 and the ax2000. Both Sony Products. Similar color space. Both AVCHD Codec. If you can only afford 1 i would say get the ax2000 used. Way better camera.

Although i would suggest dishing out another 200$ and get the Sony XR550. You get 200Gb more space which translates to over 11hours of HD capacity. Would be very nice to have on your long events. No need to purchase cards or dump footage.

Kenneth, I have XR500, SR11 and NX5U. Use the XR500 for family stuff and its great. Also use it as the unattended camera when I shoot theatre with NX5U as the main camera. These mix well together. The latest XR550 is better than the XR500 thought still uses the same "R" sensor that has very low noise level, lower than the NX5U !!! The AX2000 is the Prosumer version of the NX5U and lacks the ability to use the large Sony flash memory and a few other things. AX2000 and XR550 or CX550 would make a good combination.

Ron Evans

I am using the AX2000, CX550, & VG10 together and have no problems with multicam editing in Vegas Pro10. Most of my projects are live theatre and dance concerts. The colors match up well with little cc.

Wow Thanks all
 

This is my first post and was wondering why no one mentions Canon or Panasonic but I see I am in a Sony forum but that's ok. Great feedback. For others what are you using editing? I have Avid but was thinking of going to Adobe premier. I got Avid MC5 by way of I had Avid Liquid and could not past up the deal getting a $2500 editing software for $500, I use Adobe photoshop also.

It doesn't really matter what editing platform you use Kenneth. Editing is decision making, all day long. Your brain makes those decisions and all you're asking the NLE to do is carry out your commands in real-time, and not faff about rendering, stuttering or falling over.

I can sometimes tell what camera has shot something, but I can never tell whether iMovie or CS5 has edited it.

Like Tom, use whatever editor your happy with using and will work consistently on your PC. I currently use Edius Pro 5.5 as well as Vegas 10 but also have Premiere too. They all excel at some things and are sometimes weak in some area or other. I use DVDLab , DVD Architect 5.2 for authoring but also have Encore too. TMPGenc4 for encoding and Nero for burning. Retrospect 7.7 for DLT tape backups.

Ron Evans

I'd go the other direction, preferring the CX550 over the XR550 - I've owned the XR's, and while it's great to have a huge storage capacity, the price of SDHC and to an extent MS Duos is farily reasonable. I prefer the lighter CX over the heavier and to me a little bit more awkward to handle XR. I was thrilled when the CX550 finally got a VF and bigger screen - advantages reserved to the XR's previously.

The Pansonic 700 series look quite good overall, and have tempted me, but as much as I like the Panasonic specs, when it comes to mixing/editing/cc, it's easier within the same brand.

I'd add to the "you can't go wrong with a CX550" vote. Get an FV70 or a couple extra FV50's, a couple memory cards, maybe a hood and mic depending on your shooting situations, and you've got a very competent little camera rig.

Good Point thanks

Picked up my Sony CX550 today
 

Thanks again everyone for the feedback. I picked up the CX550 today at Sammy's. Now the next one if I can afford it is AX 2000 or 5U for major projects.

Kenneth - read the posts here that compare the price / spec of the AX with the NX. The general consensus is that although it was high time Sony added XLRs to their prosumer cams, the price difference made the NX5 a much better bet.

I'd be interested to see the Sony sales charts for the two models. I feel the AX is somewhat overpriced - especially as I reckon its depreciation is going to be higher in that second-hand buyers will be after the posher model..

tom.

Yes I chose that NX5U because I wanted the FMU128 but at the time the price difference in Canada to the AX2000 was only $200 and the NX5U came with a bigger battery and the mic. I would have chosen the NX5U on that basis alone even if I wasn't going to immediately get the FMU128.

Ron Evans