PDX10 -- various questions

Neboysha Nenadich · March 5th, 2006, 03:33 PM

here I am, yet another fresh Pdx-10 noob... :)

well, I posted my question on the vegas forum, but with no luck...
maybe someone from here can help me. here is my dilemma:
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=61710
thanx

Claudio Fernandez · April 1st, 2006, 08:39 AM

Hello to all, I am to the search of some school of scuba diving and camera, video class under water, did you know if exists?

Perhaps somebody knows wish is the best underwater housings for the pdx 10

Boyd Ostroff · April 1st, 2006, 01:19 PM

Welcome to DVinfo Claudio. A search on "underwater" in the PDX-10 forum turns up a few threads:

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...ght=underwater
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...ght=underwater
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...ght=underwater

Dennis Liu · April 7th, 2006, 07:48 PM

Hi guys,

Recently I found a deal on a PDX10 - Pal version. The price is NZD $1600, which is just under USD $1000. The camera has had 140 tape hours and 400 hours operation time. This includes a NP-QM91D battery and a metal case.

What's you guys take on this? Is this a good deal these days, with HDV etc.

I recently sold an XL1 and am in search of something a bit smaller and lighter on the wallet but with native 16:9.

Thanks for the advice,
Dennis

Ian Thomas · April 8th, 2006, 12:20 PM

Hi everybody

Does anybody out there know if there is any add on lens so i can film small insects, i know that you can move the camera close to your subject but this cuts out the light, I need to fill the screen with a insect

your help would be great

Thanks
Ian

Boyd Ostroff · April 9th, 2006, 09:41 AM

Until I lost it, I used to have a cheap wide angle adapter that doubled as a macro lens. You unscrewed the front element to shoot macro. I think several companies make these, although mine came from "Digital Optics" IIRC. Caveat: I never used the macro function so I can't vouch for the quality....

Boyd Ostroff · April 9th, 2006, 10:06 AM

I still think the PDX-10 holds its own very respectably in widescreen DV. The small chips have some limitations, but that sounds like a good price. Of course the FX1 is much better but will cost a lot more. The A1 might be another option, but again, more expensive.

Paul Jefferies · April 9th, 2006, 05:39 PM

Hi,
I have a PDX-10 as a second camera. It's good points are a great 16:9 image when well lit, surprisingly useful touch screen focus, good audio options, compact size. Its bad points are extremely bad low-light capability (including serious vertical streaking), unwieldy shape, I also find it hard to focus accurately with (unless you use touch screen). If you're going to be doing well lit tripod shots I would say its still a good camera for the money, if you want lots of handheld night shots its a bad choice.

Boyd Ostroff · April 9th, 2006, 07:08 PM

I have a Z1, a VX-2000 and a PDX-10. I find the PDX-10 be be 2.5 f-stops slower than the VX-2000, but the gain is much cleaner on the PDX-10 so you can definitely gain a stop there, maybe 1.5 stops. Now the Z1 is not really a "prince of darkness either" - I'd guess it's only 1 f-stop faster than the PDX-10. But it's gain boost is probably even cleaner - I use 12dB often and it looks pretty good.

The LCD screen on the PDX-10 is a big improvement over the PD-150 and VX-2000, but not nearly as nice as the Z1. I have shot lots of our opera performance archive videos and the PDX-10 and have been very happy with the results. Again, the Z1 is a very nice upgrade, but dollar for dollar the PDX-10 is an excellent value. At $1,000 I think you'd be getting a good deal, assuming the camera is in decent condition. I think you'd pay more than twice that much to get a significant improvement in quality. If you could afford an FX1 then I'm sure you'd be even happier, but that isn't really what you were asking... :-)

John C. Chu · April 9th, 2006, 08:08 PM

After fitting a wide angle on the PDX10 [and the larger hood] and finally testing and fitting the XLR microphone, I decided I needed a new bag to fit to the whole thing.

So going to B&H Photo yielded this:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...ughType=search

The Sony LC-PDX10BP for $129.95.[made by Petrol]

Which I thought was a bit expensive, so I went down to B&H today to check it out first hand.

Lo and behold, there is the exact same bag by Petrol, PMUP-1 for $84.95!

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...ughType=search

The only difference is the Sony logo. Now is that worth an extra $45 to you?

It wasn't to me.... too funny. Glad I saved the extra bills.

Dennis Liu · April 10th, 2006, 02:54 AM

Thanks guys for the advice. Sounds like the PDX10 is a pretty good bet then, esp. for outdoor shooting in widescreen.

:o)

Dennis

Jennifer Green · April 14th, 2006, 05:47 PM

I have a new PDX10 and I would like to use it with and without the XLR adapter. However, since it takes so much force to get the adapter connected, I am worried that if I constantly remove/reattach the mechanism it will eventually break. Does anyone have any experience with this? Should I just leave the XLR adapter attached? Thanks!

Boyd Ostroff · April 14th, 2006, 05:52 PM

Hi Jennifer, and welcome to DVinfo!

Well as they say, "your mileage may vary".... but I always store my PDX-10 with the XLR removed in order to fit in a small bag. I haven't hardly used the camera since I got my Z1 last summer, but before that I constantly took the XLR on and off for over 2 years with no problems whatsoever.

Once you get accustomed to the needed force and the tactile feedback when the XLR block is seated, I think you'll be fine. But if you're not comfortable with the whole process then only remove it when needed.

Adam Grunseth · April 14th, 2006, 06:27 PM

I haven't had my PDX10 as long as Boyd, but I constantly will remove and reattatch my xlr adapter as well and have never had a problem.

Ian Thomas · April 15th, 2006, 01:51 PM

Yes i know its not as good as the vx2000/2100 and pd 150/170 but does anybody out there use it for weddings, I had one last year got a offer that i could not refuse and parted with it,

But looking back at some footage i shot of some deer, and after using the FX1 and still owning the XL2, and portability of the little cam i have realized that although it has some short cummings it holds its own in the 16:9 mode and i
plan to try some weddings this year (Ive always got the XL2 for backup) and i just wondered if anybody has and what results they have got

Thanks
Ian

March 5th, 2006, 03:33 PM	#241
Neboysha Nenadich Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: serbia Posts: 50	PDX10 and Sony Vegas... here I am, yet another fresh Pdx-10 noob... :) well, I posted my question on the vegas forum, but with no luck... maybe someone from here can help me. here is my dilemma: http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=61710 thanx

April 1st, 2006, 08:39 AM	#242
Claudio Fernandez New Boot Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Ancud Chiloe Chile Posts: 8	pdx 10 underwater Hello to all, I am to the search of some school of scuba diving and camera, video class under water, did you know if exists? Perhaps somebody knows wish is the best underwater housings for the pdx 10

April 7th, 2006, 07:48 PM	#244
Dennis Liu Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Auckland, New Zealand Posts: 136	PDX10 Purchase - Is this worth it? Hi guys, Recently I found a deal on a PDX10 - Pal version. The price is NZD $1600, which is just under USD $1000. The camera has had 140 tape hours and 400 hours operation time. This includes a NP-QM91D battery and a metal case. What's you guys take on this? Is this a good deal these days, with HDV etc. I recently sold an XL1 and am in search of something a bit smaller and lighter on the wallet but with native 16:9. Thanks for the advice, Dennis

April 8th, 2006, 12:20 PM	#245
Ian Thomas Major Player Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: York, North Yorkshire, England. Posts: 472	Pdx10 + Hc1000 Hi everybody Does anybody out there know if there is any add on lens so i can film small insects, i know that you can move the camera close to your subject but this cuts out the light, I need to fill the screen with a insect your help would be great Thanks Ian __________________ Ian Thomas. Thomas Video Productions

April 9th, 2006, 08:08 PM	#250
John C. Chu Major Player Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Rego Park , NYC Posts: 665	Bag for PDX10 After fitting a wide angle on the PDX10 [and the larger hood] and finally testing and fitting the XLR microphone, I decided I needed a new bag to fit to the whole thing. So going to B&H Photo yielded this: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...ughType=search The Sony LC-PDX10BP for $129.95.[made by Petrol] Which I thought was a bit expensive, so I went down to B&H today to check it out first hand. Lo and behold, there is the exact same bag by Petrol, PMUP-1 for $84.95! http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...ughType=search The only difference is the Sony logo. Now is that worth an extra $45 to you? It wasn't to me.... too funny. Glad I saved the extra bills.

April 1st, 2006, 01:19 PM	#243
Boyd Ostroff Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 11,787	Welcome to DVinfo Claudio. A search on "underwater" in the PDX-10 forum turns up a few threads: http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...ght=underwater http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...ght=underwater http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...ght=underwater

April 9th, 2006, 09:41 AM	#246
Boyd Ostroff Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 11,787	Until I lost it, I used to have a cheap wide angle adapter that doubled as a macro lens. You unscrewed the front element to shoot macro. I think several companies make these, although mine came from "Digital Optics" IIRC. Caveat: I never used the macro function so I can't vouch for the quality....

April 9th, 2006, 10:06 AM	#247
Boyd Ostroff Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 11,787	I still think the PDX-10 holds its own very respectably in widescreen DV. The small chips have some limitations, but that sounds like a good price. Of course the FX1 is much better but will cost a lot more. The A1 might be another option, but again, more expensive.

April 9th, 2006, 05:39 PM	#248
Paul Jefferies Major Player Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Croydon, England Posts: 277	Hi, I have a PDX-10 as a second camera. It's good points are a great 16:9 image when well lit, surprisingly useful touch screen focus, good audio options, compact size. Its bad points are extremely bad low-light capability (including serious vertical streaking), unwieldy shape, I also find it hard to focus accurately with (unless you use touch screen). If you're going to be doing well lit tripod shots I would say its still a good camera for the money, if you want lots of handheld night shots its a bad choice.

April 9th, 2006, 07:08 PM	#249
Boyd Ostroff Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 11,787	I have a Z1, a VX-2000 and a PDX-10. I find the PDX-10 be be 2.5 f-stops slower than the VX-2000, but the gain is much cleaner on the PDX-10 so you can definitely gain a stop there, maybe 1.5 stops. Now the Z1 is not really a "prince of darkness either" - I'd guess it's only 1 f-stop faster than the PDX-10. But it's gain boost is probably even cleaner - I use 12dB often and it looks pretty good. The LCD screen on the PDX-10 is a big improvement over the PD-150 and VX-2000, but not nearly as nice as the Z1. I have shot lots of our opera performance archive videos and the PDX-10 and have been very happy with the results. Again, the Z1 is a very nice upgrade, but dollar for dollar the PDX-10 is an excellent value. At $1,000 I think you'd be getting a good deal, assuming the camera is in decent condition. I think you'd pay more than twice that much to get a significant improvement in quality. If you could afford an FX1 then I'm sure you'd be even happier, but that isn't really what you were asking... :-)

April 10th, 2006, 02:54 AM	#251
Dennis Liu Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Auckland, New Zealand Posts: 136	Thanks guys for the advice. Sounds like the PDX10 is a pretty good bet then, esp. for outdoor shooting in widescreen. :o) Dennis

April 14th, 2006, 05:47 PM	#252
Jennifer Green Tourist Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Clearwater, Florida Posts: 1	Removing XLR Adapter PDX10 I have a new PDX10 and I would like to use it with and without the XLR adapter. However, since it takes so much force to get the adapter connected, I am worried that if I constantly remove/reattach the mechanism it will eventually break. Does anyone have any experience with this? Should I just leave the XLR adapter attached? Thanks!

April 14th, 2006, 05:52 PM	#253
Boyd Ostroff Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 11,787	Hi Jennifer, and welcome to DVinfo! Well as they say, "your mileage may vary".... but I always store my PDX-10 with the XLR removed in order to fit in a small bag. I haven't hardly used the camera since I got my Z1 last summer, but before that I constantly took the XLR on and off for over 2 years with no problems whatsoever. Once you get accustomed to the needed force and the tactile feedback when the XLR block is seated, I think you'll be fine. But if you're not comfortable with the whole process then only remove it when needed.

April 14th, 2006, 06:27 PM	#254
Adam Grunseth Major Player Join Date: May 2005 Location: Eugene Oregon Posts: 393	I haven't had my PDX10 as long as Boyd, but I constantly will remove and reattatch my xlr adapter as well and have never had a problem.

April 15th, 2006, 01:51 PM	#255
Ian Thomas Major Player Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: York, North Yorkshire, England. Posts: 472	PDX10 for weddings Yes i know its not as good as the vx2000/2100 and pd 150/170 but does anybody out there use it for weddings, I had one last year got a offer that i could not refuse and parted with it, But looking back at some footage i shot of some deer, and after using the FX1 and still owning the XL2, and portability of the little cam i have realized that although it has some short cummings it holds its own in the 16:9 mode and i plan to try some weddings this year (Ive always got the XL2 for backup) and i just wondered if anybody has and what results they have got Thanks Ian __________________ Ian Thomas. Thomas Video Productions