DCR-TRV950 = broadcast quality? at DVinfo.net

Manuel Sepulveda · May 17th, 2004, 01:58 PM

Hello.

I'm looking at buying a PAL digital camcorder and have been impressed by the reviews for this camera. I was just wondering if anyone could tell me if the footage from this camera was considered to be "broadcast quality". If not, which camera would you recommend in a similar or slightly higher price range?

many thanks for any assistance :)

Love Mov · May 17th, 2004, 05:24 PM

PDX10 != broadcast quality
PDX10 >= TRV950
So:
TRV950 != broadcast quality

But what I want to say is TRV950/PDX10 are quite good in most of the time. (not good in low light, not good under strong sunlight(need good ND)).

Maybe a Panasonic DVX100 is what you want in term of close to broadcast quality, but the price is about double, and, no 16x9..

Ignacio Rodriguez · May 17th, 2004, 07:37 PM

Hi Manuel, 'Broadcast quality' is a very unspecific term. Can you produce video that will have acceptable quality to air on TV? Yes. Will it be better with the PDX10 than with the TRV950? No, unless it's 16:9. The sound is more versatile with the PDX10 though.

To me the PDX10 seems a very high quality piece of equipment, costing enough less than the PD150 or DVX100 to get you a portable illumination kit AND a cheap MiniDV camera for the tear and wear of NLE. This, and the 16:9 native performance, is why I preferred the PDX10 over the PD150 or DVX100, even before I had compared their images side by side. The DVX100A has progressive mode which seems to make a big difference, so much difference that in certain conditions it might even be as good as the PDX10 in 16:9 mode without an anamorphic lens.

My advice as of May 2004: if you need a versatile, professional quality camera now and don't need to do night-time exteriors, go for the PDX10. If you can hold off buying a camera for some time, wait and see what will come of HDV, the high-definition prosumer format using DV-like media in a similar price range. After JVC shook the industry with the MPEG2 "HD on DV" tape trick, there will be similar offerings which will become the next step of the DV revolution, and perhaps drive HDTV with some much needed independent and local content. Also, I hope Sony responds to the Panasonic AG-DVX100A camera with at least a 30p camera in this price range. It's about time Sony gave us something better than the line doubling slow shutter thing at 30 fps.

Please tell us more about what your specific needs are and we might be able to give you more specific advice.

Manuel Sepulveda · May 18th, 2004, 04:29 AM

thanks for your reply :)

just to answer your question - i will be mostly using it to make short films. i'll be putting them up on internet sites like triggerstreet and also sending them to tv channels for consideration (there are a number of programmes dedicated to showing short films). they would only accept films in 16:9 as that is the UK broadcasting standard.

i want something that is portable, so even though i'd love to have something like the Canon XL1, a small camera is best for me.

being able to take good footage in low light would be a plus but it's not essential as i'm happy to use lighting. however, picture noise in dark areas would be bad.

budget-wise, i don't really want to spend more than £1500 sterling.

however, even though i want the best possible image quality it should be pointed out that when i used to make short films at college i used a small sony Video8 camera and the footage was good enough for it get shown at the Milan Film Festival in 1998 (my film got an honourable mention) so i realise that the story is the most important thing.

--

incidentally Ignacio, my family live in Santiago, but i've not been back since 1976 (i live in London now). it would be good to see them again, armed with a quality camera! :)

Frank Granovski · May 18th, 2004, 04:42 AM

Quote:

I was just wondering if anyone could tell me if the footage from this camera was considered to be "broadcast quality."

It sure is. But, good audio is also very important, and the PDX10 has XLRs---then there's the PDX10's great widescreen and the pro DVCAM format.

Manuel Sepulveda · May 18th, 2004, 05:06 AM

the PDX10 does indeed seem pretty good, but i notice that it doesn't appear on the Sony UK website - has it been discontinued? from the styling of the casing this certainly seems like an old camera that is due an update. if sony are replacing the TRV950 with the HC1000 then it certainly seems likely. has there been any news?

i do like the fact that the HC1000 has a rotating body. in the absence of a handle at the top this would make handling at low angles much easier.

oh, and yes, a good widescreen mode is very important. a Spanish website was claiming that the PAL version of the HC1000 only had simulation 16:9. is this the same as the TRV950? is the quality bad?

Ignacio Rodriguez · May 18th, 2004, 10:15 AM

At least here the PDX10 (NTSC) is still for sale. Naturally you will need a PAL version. Since you would probably be well off with progressive, the DVX100A might be a good investment but of course it's much more expensive than the PDX10. There are no rumors of a PDX10 replacemnt and even if there were, it seems that the 1000 uses the same CCD array so if there is any update it will probably be a very similar camera, not worth waiting. Of course if Sony were to make a PDX10 with progressive scan that would change everything but I think it is unlikely.

Tom Hardwick · May 19th, 2004, 01:18 PM

None of the DVCAM camcorders are shown on the Sony.co.uk site Manuel, you have to go to sonybiz.co.uk (or something like that). The PDX10 is indeed still a current model, and will remain so for some time to come if the sales success of the PD100 is anything to go by.

The PDX10 does indeed seem to fit all your specifications, though the fact that a lot of capture programs only get the left hand audio channel down the firewire cable is a known problem that Sony remain very quiet about. The camera's fine if you use the stereo in-built mics, but you wouldn't be buying a PDX10 and not use the XLRs, now would you?

I know the VX2100 doesn't fit your 'compact' requirement, but the price is so little different to the PDX that you should go and fondle it at least.

tom.

May 17th, 2004, 01:58 PM	#1
Manuel Sepulveda New Boot Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 5	DCR-TRV950 = broadcast quality? Hello. I'm looking at buying a PAL digital camcorder and have been impressed by the reviews for this camera. I was just wondering if anyone could tell me if the footage from this camera was considered to be "broadcast quality". If not, which camera would you recommend in a similar or slightly higher price range? many thanks for any assistance :)

May 17th, 2004, 07:37 PM	#3
Ignacio Rodriguez Contributor Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Santiago, Chile Posts: 932	Hi Manuel, 'Broadcast quality' is a very unspecific term. Can you produce video that will have acceptable quality to air on TV? Yes. Will it be better with the PDX10 than with the TRV950? No, unless it's 16:9. The sound is more versatile with the PDX10 though. To me the PDX10 seems a very high quality piece of equipment, costing enough less than the PD150 or DVX100 to get you a portable illumination kit AND a cheap MiniDV camera for the tear and wear of NLE. This, and the 16:9 native performance, is why I preferred the PDX10 over the PD150 or DVX100, even before I had compared their images side by side. The DVX100A has progressive mode which seems to make a big difference, so much difference that in certain conditions it might even be as good as the PDX10 in 16:9 mode without an anamorphic lens. My advice as of May 2004: if you need a versatile, professional quality camera now and don't need to do night-time exteriors, go for the PDX10. If you can hold off buying a camera for some time, wait and see what will come of HDV, the high-definition prosumer format using DV-like media in a similar price range. After JVC shook the industry with the MPEG2 "HD on DV" tape trick, there will be similar offerings which will become the next step of the DV revolution, and perhaps drive HDTV with some much needed independent and local content. Also, I hope Sony responds to the Panasonic AG-DVX100A camera with at least a 30p camera in this price range. It's about time Sony gave us something better than the line doubling slow shutter thing at 30 fps. Please tell us more about what your specific needs are and we might be able to give you more specific advice. __________________ Ignacio Rodríguez in the third world. @micronauta on Twitter. Main hardware: brain, eyes, hands.

May 18th, 2004, 10:15 AM	#7
Ignacio Rodriguez Contributor Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Santiago, Chile Posts: 932	At least here the PDX10 (NTSC) is still for sale. Naturally you will need a PAL version. Since you would probably be well off with progressive, the DVX100A might be a good investment but of course it's much more expensive than the PDX10. There are no rumors of a PDX10 replacemnt and even if there were, it seems that the 1000 uses the same CCD array so if there is any update it will probably be a very similar camera, not worth waiting. Of course if Sony were to make a PDX10 with progressive scan that would change everything but I think it is unlikely. __________________ Ignacio Rodríguez in the third world. @micronauta on Twitter. Main hardware: brain, eyes, hands.

May 17th, 2004, 05:24 PM	#2
Love Mov Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 97	PDX10 != broadcast quality PDX10 >= TRV950 So: TRV950 != broadcast quality But what I want to say is TRV950/PDX10 are quite good in most of the time. (not good in low light, not good under strong sunlight(need good ND)). Maybe a Panasonic DVX100 is what you want in term of close to broadcast quality, but the price is about double, and, no 16x9..

May 18th, 2004, 04:29 AM	#4
Manuel Sepulveda New Boot Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 5	thanks for your reply :) just to answer your question - i will be mostly using it to make short films. i'll be putting them up on internet sites like triggerstreet and also sending them to tv channels for consideration (there are a number of programmes dedicated to showing short films). they would only accept films in 16:9 as that is the UK broadcasting standard. i want something that is portable, so even though i'd love to have something like the Canon XL1, a small camera is best for me. being able to take good footage in low light would be a plus but it's not essential as i'm happy to use lighting. however, picture noise in dark areas would be bad. budget-wise, i don't really want to spend more than £1500 sterling. however, even though i want the best possible image quality it should be pointed out that when i used to make short films at college i used a small sony Video8 camera and the footage was good enough for it get shown at the Milan Film Festival in 1998 (my film got an honourable mention) so i realise that the story is the most important thing. -- incidentally Ignacio, my family live in Santiago, but i've not been back since 1976 (i live in London now). it would be good to see them again, armed with a quality camera! :)

May 18th, 2004, 05:06 AM	#6
Manuel Sepulveda New Boot Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 5	the PDX10 does indeed seem pretty good, but i notice that it doesn't appear on the Sony UK website - has it been discontinued? from the styling of the casing this certainly seems like an old camera that is due an update. if sony are replacing the TRV950 with the HC1000 then it certainly seems likely. has there been any news? i do like the fact that the HC1000 has a rotating body. in the absence of a handle at the top this would make handling at low angles much easier. oh, and yes, a good widescreen mode is very important. a Spanish website was claiming that the PAL version of the HC1000 only had simulation 16:9. is this the same as the TRV950? is the quality bad?

May 19th, 2004, 01:18 PM	#8
Tom Hardwick Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Billericay, England UK Posts: 4,711	None of the DVCAM camcorders are shown on the Sony.co.uk site Manuel, you have to go to sonybiz.co.uk (or something like that). The PDX10 is indeed still a current model, and will remain so for some time to come if the sales success of the PD100 is anything to go by. The PDX10 does indeed seem to fit all your specifications, though the fact that a lot of capture programs only get the left hand audio channel down the firewire cable is a known problem that Sony remain very quiet about. The camera's fine if you use the stereo in-built mics, but you wouldn't be buying a PDX10 and not use the XLRs, now would you? I know the VX2100 doesn't fit your 'compact' requirement, but the price is so little different to the PDX that you should go and fondle it at least. tom.