To Buy or Not To Buy a SONY EVW-300 HI-8?
Thumbs Up Video Production
1. We are considering... can you give us your opinion?
2. Thanks for the assist.
vty KEN & MEG
Bill Davis
Dear Ken & Meg,
I shoot about 25 semi-major projects a year (budget from $5,000 to
$17,000) on my trusty EVW-300. Other than one temporary head clog back
about 18 months ago - that fortunately resolved itself and allowed me to
get back to shooting - it's been rock solid. For me, It's paid for itself
dozens of times in just two years.
Superb PCM audio with balanced inputs - ability to choose your favorite
lens (I have a Fujinon "Eagle" on mine) and a wonderful picture make it my
Favorite Camera! Particularly for ENG style shooting since mine has the
optional "Chest Pad" shoulder support.
All that and I picked it up from another shooter for under $5000!!!
I'd say GO FOR IT - you won't be sorry - particularly since any comparable
DVC model is, so far, just VAPORWARE.
Bill Davis
NewVideo
lbar...@aol.com
I've decided to sell my Hi8 Sony VX3 camcorder. Low useage, 2 batteries,
remote, charger, separate AC unit, and more. I'm asking $2000. I'm in the
San Francisco area. Always ran great, no problems, used rarely, like new
condition. Can guarantee condition.
Bar...@aol.com
415-485-1375
Richard New
Thumbs Up Video Production <tuv...@kear.tds.net> wrote in article
<328604...@kear.tds.net>...
> 1. We are considering... can you give us your opinion?
>
> 2. Thanks for the assist.
>
> vty KEN & MEG
It depends on what your future plans are. If you are (and you should be)
considering the new DV format, then calculate your cost of the camera for
the timeframe when you will move to DV. If you can make your money back
and make bucks in this time, great. If not, Hi8 is going to experience a
HUGE price drop once DV comes out with solid decks and cameras.
Good luck,
Rick
BAYCITVIDGRP
In <19961111054...@ladder01.news.aol.com> lbar...@aol.com
writes:
how's the apples?
was told that plenty of "wanted" on Compuserve for the vx3? try it.
By the way...that fire in the East Bay you may have seen on KTVU
Sat Night was mine shot on the L1 dubbed to Beta Cam....used on
the 10'o news cast.
bill
Martin Hodge
In article <328604...@kear.tds.net>, tuv...@kear.tds.net writes...
> 1. We are considering... can you give us your opinion?
>
> 2. Thanks for the assist.
>
> vty KEN & MEG
>
with it! Great picture!
BAYCITVIDGRP
>
>
>
>Thumbs Up Video Production <tuv...@kear.tds.net> wrote in article
><328604...@kear.tds.net>...
>> 1. We are considering... can you give us your opinion?
>>
>> 2. Thanks for the assist.
>>
>> vty KEN & MEG
>
> Mr.KENzMEG
What are you going to use it for? Are you going to spend
about $6500 new vs. $5000 or so used to pursue what?
Be candid. Why?
M I C
K E Y.....M O U S E
serious: for the money spent on hi-8 above you can get into
dvc...but the only problem is right now the LUX on dvc is
not great. The Pan AG is nice, but I take it you are looking
for shoulder mounted ENG look camera.....
Sony is coming out with the next step ??9000 which will be
based on the 5000 hi-8...which is the best low light HI-8
ever...a bit better than the 300 even...and a bit more light
then my L1....L2 was better...but then too the 300 had more
newer chips.....better grade.
If sony makes the 9000 based on the 5000's low lux...then
if Low Light is available, It may be best to wait for the
dvc 9000 if the lux is at 1 which the 5000 was at...plus
Sony had some kind of enhancer to boost gain...much like
the Canon did with the L1.
The 300 is a fantastic unit. It has a very clean picture
with no drop-outs. Just clean video. Handles contrast
well, but during the day the focus is not as sharp as the
5000 or even the L2. don't know why, just facts.
Night video is where it really shines. My L1 is great and
the L2 even better in low light with the digital enhancement
feature. But the 300 just looks so smooth due to it being
able to record more detail well. I don't remember if it has
automatic black balance...that usually is reserved for the
pro cameras beta cam or high-end SVHS.
The video is pastellish. Not as contrasty as my L1. It's
seen every time I see a videographer who has one with the
tv stations airing his video...the colors are "funny"....
Also, it has trouble i've seen with keeping contrast held
when the subject is mroe than ten feet or so from film
plane...just softens up. Maybe the video guy who uses it
that i see all the time does not understand depth of field
over ten feet distances....he probably opens the lens wider
and this causes near objects to be soft.
Again....the sony dvc 9000 sounds like it's a "wait for"...
but with their wimpy lens it's not too exciting an idea for
those with "longer" needs......
Plus, the 300 has greast audio. And it is great for making
dubs to Beta Cam or Umat or svhs....if you so choose to do so.
over all, Sony discontinued making it in FEb of this year.
This means that for the next ten years there will be a supply
of parts in stock at the Kansas facility.
Remember: dvc is moah bettah than Hi-8. No comparison.
Digital is the next NOW! DIgital is the next WOW!
I still think Canon will come out with their digital L3.
That compuserve post mentioned was a conversation only.
It was not official in any way. May 1997 is when I was told
to expect the DIG 3 chip DVC to be here....maybe?
bill conduit
etc.
Iain West
In article <328604...@kear.tds.net>,
Thumbs Up Video Production <tuv...@kear.tds.net> wrote:
>1. We are considering... can you give us your opinion?
>
>2. Thanks for the assist.
>
>vty KEN & MEG
The EVW-300 is indeed a good camera but I would suggest that you think
towards the future. At some point I think you would end up upgrading
from Hi8 to a better format. As the 300 is an all-in-one camcorder it
means when you upgrade you have to start all over again. I would
suggest that you go for a docked combo so that you can keep the camera
and just replace the recorder (cheaper than a whole new camera).
Sony's DXC-327 + EVV-9000 are very similar to the 300 or you could go
for the better DXC-537.
***********************************
Iain West
I.J....@media-perf.salford.ac.uk
***********************************
Larry Jandro
MPL...@news.salford.ac.uk (Iain West) wrote:
>In article <328604...@kear.tds.net>,
> Thumbs Up Video Production <tuv...@kear.tds.net> wrote:
>>1. We are considering... can you give us your opinion?
>>
>>2. Thanks for the assist.
>>
>>vty KEN & MEG
>
>
>The EVW-300 is indeed a good camera but I would suggest that you think
>towards the future. At some point I think you would end up upgrading
>from Hi8 to a better format. As the 300 is an all-in-one camcorder it
>means when you upgrade you have to start all over again. I would
>suggest that you go for a docked combo so that you can keep the camera
>and just replace the recorder (cheaper than a whole new camera).
>Sony's DXC-327 + EVV-9000 are very similar to the 300 or you could go
>for the better DXC-537.
The 537 has been discontinued for some time now. As a matter of fact, Sony
has even expressed their intention to discontinue the 637 which as been the
537's replacement for more than a year.
Larry Jandro, [On the office Gateway]
* LJ Video Engineering * Mountain home for sale *
* near San Francisco * near San Diego, CA *
* www.ljvideo.com/larryj * www.ljvideo.com/larryj/julian.html *
Martin Hodge
>
> The 537 has been discontinued for some time now. As a matter of fact, Sony
> has even expressed their intention to discontinue the 637 which as been the
> 537's replacement for more than a year.
>
> Larry Jandro, [On the office Gateway]
> * LJ Video Engineering * Mountain home for sale *
> * near San Francisco * near San Diego, CA *
> * www.ljvideo.com/larryj * www.ljvideo.com/larryj/julian.html *
>
the specs on this? Wow!
Steven Bradford
Martin Hodge wrote:
> I think they're trying to push their new DXC-D1 DSP head. Have you seen
> the specs on this? Wow!
Yeah it has the specs other cameras have had for a couple years now!
Everyone better get rid of all those now ugly 537's and every other
camera more than 6 mos old! Obviously junk now, incapable of making
great pictures. The new cars ... I mean cameras, are out! Buy Buy Buy!
--
Steven Bradford
Film / Video cameraman
Seattle
http://www.seanet.com/~bradford/
smwv...@aol.com
My experience has been that the EVW-300 does not react well to changes in
lighting conditions. I've been to the Sony repair facility in Teaneck
with my EVW-300, and was told that this was a "feature" of the camera.
What happens is when the light grows brighter, the chip block iris and
the lens iris both close down, then slowly open again, kind of a bounce
effect. My old DXC-325 reacted far better to changes in lighting.
Steve Wernick
Videoccasion, Inc.
Bensalem, PA