More for Less

More for Less
Page 2 of 4

The AG-DVX100 menus are divided up into seven main areas. The scene file section is where you setup and adjust image controls for each of the six image presets.

In the Field
The AG-DVX100 is a very squat camera, with a wide, solid metal body. At 3.7 pounds, the camera is light and well balanced, and you can hold it either by its hand strap or by its built-in handle. A cameraman to whom I showed the AG-DVX100 noted that having many of the controls up and to the left side of the camera (such as the menu joystick) made it a bit awkward to work with.

The Leica DICOMAR wide-angle lens sports a manual or motorized zoom, as well as a focus ring. You can set the zoom control on the handle to a fast, medium or slow speed, while the main zoom control is very responsive. Basically, the faster you press, the faster the zoom control will respond. [an error occurred while processing this directive]

Technicolor in a box: When shooting in either of the 24 frame progressive scan modes, the AG-DVX 100 definitely gives each image a “film-like” look. Here the Cinema gamma setting was used to lower the contrast while the image controls increased saturation and warmed up the color temperature.

During my testing, I found the AG-DVX100 very easy to work with, although some features took some time to learn. For example, all the menu functions are navigated by using a small four-point joystick. To access a menu feature, you push the joystick, and then to adjust a feature you move the joystick left or right. Like most camera-menu navigation tools, you’ll find the joystick on the AG-DVX100 will take some time getting used to. Ultimately, I found it was easier to just bring along the wireless remote control and use it to adjust the menu functions in the field. Still, there are two User buttons (User 1 and User 2) on the side of the camera that you can preset with nine different functions, any of which you preset to come up instantly when either button is pushed.

A live-event dreamcam: The flexibility and low-light capabilities of the AG-DVX100 is ideal for shooting live events. In this scene from the opera Smoke X 7, the iris on the AG-DVX100 is at f2.0, yet the scene still has great color depth and contrast.

On the audio side, the AG-DVX100 provides the same range of features found in other cameras in this class, including XLR inputs, phantom power and auto limiting controls. I did find two quirks with the audio system. The first is that the audio meters on the VU screen are not numbered, so it’s nearly impossible to set a baseline level—especially among different tapes. The second was that, like those too many other DV camcorders, the color bars don’t contain tone. This is a moot point when transferring files via FireWire, but when using an analog audio-capture device, the lack of tone makes audio transfer problematic.

One Camera Does Not Fit All
Would I use the AG-DVX100 as my main camera for everything? Absolutely not. While I think that it is great for live events such as weddings and theatrical productions, the AG-DVX100 can’t compare to the look you can get with more expensive 24P video cameras. For example, the small CCD of the AG-DVX100 is just not capable of getting the same rack-focus look that you get with a 2/3-inch CCD camera with a decent lens.

Audio I/O: The AG-DVX100 sports two balanced XLR mic inputs, as well as a unbalanced RCA audio, S-Video and IEE-1394 ports. Each of these output ports can be used as an input when the AG-DVX100 is in VCR mode.

Another major difference: The Sony CineAlta camera has CCDs that are 30 percent larger, and it captures video at nearly five times the image resolution of the AG-DVX100, which records only about 410 pixels (versus the 2,200 pixels of the Sony CineAlta). Also, with systems such as the Sony HDW-F900 or Panasonic’s AJ-HDC27F 24P Varicam, you can sculpt your video image with even greater control using external paint boxes. Ultimately it’s a matter of cost versus production quality; if my production can afford to rent the more expensive 24P system, I’d use that first.

Also, while you can letterbox the 4:3 image with the AG-DVX100, to get a true 16:9 image you have to shoot with a 720P or 1,080P camera. According to Panasonic, a 16:9 anamorphic lens will be available soon. Yet this will still not equal the resolution and flexibility that you get when renting a professional 24P system.

Source: AVVMMP

Prev 1 2 3 4 Next

Related sites: • AV Video
Related forums: •
[an error occurred while processing this directive]

top home search user forum subscribe media kit contact webmaster@digitalmedianet.com