Value for Money 3ccd cameras

[kropotkin]

Hi!
I was thinking to go digital, and i was evaluating the 3ccd cameras market, but i really have no clue how to evaluate those cameras.
Any recomandations? I'm hoping to go to something cheaper, around 1000 USD.

Cheers,

Adrian

[fberger]

Personnally I found too many reviews complaining about the low light performance problems with 3CCD cameras. I just bought a Sony PC105 for $995 instead and could not be happier. The LCD is just fantastic even in sunlight. I actually bought a TRV70 as well, but it was not worth the price difference (about $250 more). The quality of stills even with a 1 mega pixel resolution is very nice.

Fred

[Brian Ellis]

Fred

I have an antediluvian Panasonic 3-CCD (their first mini-DV). It has excellent low-light performance. I have compared it with a more modern Panasonic and found that the latter was 2-3 full stops less sensitive than mine, which may confirm your hypothesis.

However, how many people need near-zero lux performance? Unless you really need it, I wouldn't put it high on the priority list of criteria for choosing a camera. I agree that one-CCD cameras are good, but the 3-CCD ones really do have better colour rendering and, IMHO, are worth the extra.

However, the cheapest 3-CCD machines are all much more than $1k. I think the Panasonic NV-MX500 is the cheapest, but it has tiddly little CCDs and, overall, is not the most brilliant performer. The one I would really like is the Panasonic AG-DVC15, which is a pro cam with excellent performance, but costs ~GBP 2500 in the UK. Canon, JVC and Sony are also contenders in the 3-CCD race.

[kropotkin]

Well, i know but i can not spend that much money on a hobby after all. So probably i'll stick with a performat 1 cdd .. at least for the time being. After all i'm from a "second world" country .

[kropotkin]

Anyway, what about this camera : Panasonic PV-GS70

http://catalog2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ModelDetail?storeId=11251&catalogId=11005&itemId=63188&catGroupId=11303&modelNo=PV-GS70&surfModel=PV-GS70

it suppose to be 3ccd

[wkulecz]

I've been looking at "Prosumer" camcorders in the under $3000 price range and have come to the conclusion that the Sony VX-2000 is the best in low light by about a full stop or more.

I'm trying to wait for news of its "replacement" the rumored VX-3000 (or whatever) but no real news yet. I can probably wait until next spring before the need really forces my hand. If the new Sony has better low light I'll get it, if not I'll jump on a VX-2000 before they are all gone.

In bright light I've been happy with a pair of Sony TRV-320's now that I've done the firmware hack to enable white balance lock -- without this, color match between cameras was poor and would often change with field of view during zooms.

When I don't need multi cameras, I use my old Canon ZR-10 for its small size. Its low light is very poor so I use a Sima 20W battery powered light when necessary.

Its been clear that I need better camcorders for quite some time, but I'm not fully satisified with the direction new models are going, so I make do with what I have for the time being.

--wally.