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--=====================_17419219==_.ALT Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 08:54 PM 22/08/2001 , Joel Markwell wrote: >On 8/22/01 11:05 AM, "Christian Gerzner" <christiang@cc*.co*.au*> >wrote: > > > If you reply, I suggest that you do so to me rather than this list > > which does NOT have "photography" as part of its name. > >Christian, > >Actually I'd like to hear a discussion of what divers are using for video >UW. I've been looking at DV cameras lately and I've looked at couple of >sub-$1000 cameras and another pair right at the $1k price-point. > >The Sony DCR-TRV900 is a 3 CCD megapixel camera that is very highly rated >and it can be had for about $1100.00 online. The Sony DCR-TRV30 is another >$1000.00 megapixel camcorder, but with a single CCD. Joel, we tried single chip cameras for the greater light sensitivity of the single (800,000 pixel) CCD, they were OK but not as good as they should have been. There isn't as wide an exposure range between absolute black and absolute white as with three chip cameras. We went back to the VX1000 and TRV900's. Maybe, theoretically, the three smaller CCDs in these cameras need more light, but the cameras have a greater exposure range and the better glass and electronics conspire to produce a better picture out of what the CCDs see. A handy trick we've found is to underexpose slightly rather than let the camera add gain - which degrades the image. Then we grade the footage afterwards to lift the brightness and increase the contrast - the DV format captures a lot more detail in the blacks than can be seen in the viewfinder or on an LCD monitor - it can be brought out in post production. >The Panasonic PC-DV600 and the Sony DCR-TRV720 are both about $700 and are >comparable in quality and resolution. Not 3 CCDs like the TRV-900 or >megapixel like the TRV30, but when output to VHS one very subjective >reviewer said they rivaled the Canon XL-1 in quality. VHS is shit. Like looking at the image thru a sock. forgetting the disgusting things it does to colour, the format delivers at best 240 lines of resolution (that means you can distinguish a maximum of 240 parallel vertical lines across the screen before they merge together into a continuous grey tone). As opposed to DV which, in the three chip cameras at least, delivers over 500 lines of vertical resolution. You just can't compare 500+ line cameras by looking at VHS. There's lots of comparisons and other information at: http://www.bealecorner.com/trv900/index.html rgds billyw >The Sony DCR-TRV900 has a housing available for about $1200, but my guess is >that for a good housing, lights and camera you're looking at about >$3000-5000 for an entry-level system. You can probably find cheaper, but >would you want it? > >JoeL > >-- >Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. >Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'. --=====================_17419219==_.ALT Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" <html> At 08:54 PM 22/08/2001 , Joel Markwell wrote:<br> <blockquote type=cite cite>On 8/22/01 11:05 AM, "Christian Gerzner" <christiang@cc*.co*.au*><br> wrote:<br> <br> > If you reply, I suggest that you do so to me rather than this list<br> > which does NOT have "photography" as part of its name.<br> <br> Christian,<br> <br> Actually I'd like to hear a discussion of what divers are using for video<br> UW. I've been looking at DV cameras lately and I've looked at couple of<br> sub-$1000 cameras and another pair right at the $1k price-point.<br> <br> The Sony DCR-TRV900 is a 3 CCD megapixel camera that is very highly rated<br> and it can be had for about $1100.00 online. The Sony DCR-TRV30 is another<br> $1000.00 megapixel camcorder, but with a single CCD.</blockquote><br> Joel, we tried single chip cameras for the greater light sensitivity<br> of the single (800,000 pixel) CCD, they were OK but not as good as they <br> should have been. There isn't as wide an exposure range between absolute <br> black and absolute white as with three chip cameras.<br> <br> We went back to the VX1000 and TRV900's. Maybe, theoretically, the three<br> smaller CCDs in these cameras need more light, but the cameras have a <br> greater exposure range and the better glass and electronics conspire to <br> produce a better picture out of what the CCDs see.<br> <br> A handy trick we've found is to underexpose slightly rather than let the <br> camera add gain - which degrades the image. Then we grade the footage <br> afterwards to lift the brightness and increase the contrast - the DV <br> format captures a lot more detail in the blacks than can be seen in the <br> viewfinder or on an LCD monitor - it can be brought out in post production.<br> <br> <blockquote type=cite cite>The Panasonic PC-DV600 and the Sony DCR-TRV720 are both about $700 and are<br> comparable in quality and resolution. Not 3 CCDs like the TRV-900 or<br> megapixel like the TRV30, but when output to VHS one very subjective<br> reviewer said they rivaled the Canon XL-1 in quality.</blockquote><br> VHS is shit. Like looking at the image thru a sock. forgetting the disgusting<br> things it does to colour, the format delivers at best 240 lines of resolution <br> (that means you can distinguish a maximum of 240 parallel vertical lines across<br> the screen before they merge together into a continuous grey tone). As opposed to <br> DV which, in the three chip cameras at least, delivers over 500 lines of <br> vertical resolution. <br> <br> You just can't compare 500+ line cameras by looking at VHS.<br> <br> There's lots of comparisons and other information at: <br> <a href="http://www.bealecorner.com/trv900/index.html" eudora="autourl">http://www.bealecorner.com/trv900/index.html</a><br> <br> rgds billyw<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <blockquote type=cite cite>The Sony DCR-TRV900 has a housing available for about $1200, but my guess is<br> that for a good housing, lights and camera you're looking at about<br> $3000-5000 for an entry-level system. You can probably find cheaper, but<br> would you want it?<br> <br> JoeL<br> <br> --<br> Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'.<br> Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.</blockquote></html> --=====================_17419219==_.ALT-- -- Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.
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