Western Railroad Discussion > 3 CCD camcorners

I am considering moving up to a digital 3 CCD camcorder for railfan outings and wonder if anyone has any suggestions about brands and models. Is Canon any better than Sony?
Is one camera best for editing programs? I appreciate any helpful info.

Sounds like you are ready to take the leap. I'm contemplating moving up from a 1MP D8 unit to a 3 CCD MiniDV unit too. Let me share my reasearch.
Here are your choices on the market as I see it right now.
Sony DCR VX 2000
Absoulute best picture avalible in all conditions. Low light capability is amazing. Really big in size. Market price about 2500

Sony DCR TRV 950
Nice compact unit with 1 MP digital still capability and flash built in. Has lots of new technology like Bluetooth that doesn't do anything for picuture quality. Has been reported to have one of the sharpest pictures avalible under good light. Market price of 1900 can be found.

Canon XL1S
Serious weapon, big and complicated and costs 3500 dollars.

Canon GL2
Sports almost all the features of the XL1S in a one pice unit. Has the longest lense 20x optical. Great picture and good manual audio control. Larger in size but not nearly as big as a Sony 2k. Street price of 2300 will drop some more this is a really new unit.

Panasonic PV 952
Not seen many reviews on unit, has small CCD's and has drawn little excitement and Panasonics don't play well with computer software somtimes. Least expensive of the class. You get what you pay for.

JVC Streamcaster
Overpriced toy that falls on its face when it comes to delivering good video.

Cut to the chase.
My current analysis.
Best all around for shooting trains mostly would be the Canon GL2. That lens is so nice.
Most useful for most situations if you want to drag it with you everywhere your family goes. Sony 950.
Like to shoot in any lighting condition an be proud of your work go for the VX2000.

Happy shopping.
Paul

VX-2000 Hands down is the best for the price. In bright light it may not see much better than the GL-2 or TRV-950, but when the lights go down, the VX-2000 puts them to shame.

I have both the TRV900 and the PD150 (the professional version of the VX2000.)

First the TRV900.
Of course the TRV900 is now replaced by the TRV950 so you will have to take my comments about the TRV900 with a gain of salt. The TRV900 has excellent picture quality (Many say slightly higher than the cannons) in good light. The quality is acceptable up to about 9db gain and marginal for broadcast at 18db gain. The unit is small, lightweight and fairly solid, and an excellent price point.
The unit has three drawbacks in my humble option.
1. Poor lens shield (espically with a UV protective lens attached) that can cause sun flair and any spots on the lens to show up easily.
2. Auto white balance is too blue. Manual or outdoor white balance must be used.
3. Audio (mic) is not broadcast quality. Many locations will require an external mic attached.

Now the VX2000/PD150.
This is generally considered the sharpest and best picture of any of the DV (and mini-DVCAM) camcoders. Though what is "best picture" is somewhat supjective, and many would fight to the death to protect "their" brand name. I do like the picture quality of this camera. OK actually I like just about everything about the PD150. One big plus of this camera is the new HAD chips that are the best bar none in the DV field when it comes to low light. 18db gain? Now problem, it is still sharp and quite clean.

The VX2000 and PD150 are basically the same, except for two big diffs: The PD150 can record in the DVCAM format (I have not yet had a single drop-out in this format, even onboard on rough track). Also the PD150 has built in XLR adapters. A big plus if you are serious about sound. Even the XL1S and GL2 require an adapter at extra charge for XLR. As to be expected, the PD150 does cost more (expect to shell out about 3500 to 3700).

FWIW, I think the PD150 was used for the documentary "9/11" that is showing on CBS Wed night.

The profesional version of the TRV900 (The PD100) has been a common camera used in the battle fronts of Afganistan. You might also want to look at the pro version of the TRV950.

Search the web for advice. There are folks out there with DV on the brain big time. Here is a site with some basic info and some good links to get you started:


http://www.adamwilt.com/DV-FAQ-tech.html

For in-depth, try www.luminous-landscape.com or post a querry on www.popphoto.com on the digital forum.

The Canon GL-2 gets my vote

I have had a GL-1 for almost 2 years and as a railfan camera it is great. No, it won't do +18db, but it will do +12db. I love being able to set-up so close to the tracks that the cam+tripod "bounce" with each wheel across a rail joint; the anti-shake feature cancels out all the movement.

DaveL

I got a Sony VX1000 shortly after they came out a few years ago and have never been disappointed. The pictures are sharp and the low light level capability is outstanding. The VX2000 is the successor to this. The form factor takes a bit of getting used to, but after a while it seems second nature. Some people don't like large cameras, but you need all the mass you can get to avoid jiggles when you are not using a tripod. The image stabilization works so well you might not realize it was operating, but it's not magic - it won't completely compensate for poor handheld technique. Get a video tripod - the common lightweight tripods may be fine for still cameras, but don't hack it for video. I have a Bogen 3036 tripod and 3063 head and although it is rather heavy, especially when scrambling up a hillside, I've used it in 40 mph winds with nary a shake.

The best thing you can do with whatever you get is go out there and practice - practice pans, close-ups, whatever... Turn off the autofocus and practice manual focus until it becomes second nature. Practice shooting without the autoexposure - pay attention in the viewfinder and notice whether you can see detail in the shade and whether you are overexposed. Practice using all the normal features until your fingers automatically know what to do before you even think about it - you don't want to ruin a perfect shot by hitting the wrong button. Critically review your practice tapes, look for what works and what needs more practice. Then when the once-in-a-lifetime shot presents itself, you will get it and be happy with the results.

The hardest thing to do is to be a videographer when you are looking through the viewfinder - save the railfan persona until you are looking at your tapes, you'll get much better pictures. Look at things like where the edge of the frame lines up with something on the train so your pan speed matches the train motion - that way you avoid that awful back and forth effect seen in so many amateur pan shots. Notice where the horizon line is in relation to your frame, is it level? Where is the light coming from? Are you going to pan across the sun direction? Many times you will want to turn off the autoexposure so the details in the shade don't get lost. Pay attention to the technicalities of shooting video; that sort of thing... Practice until thinking like a videographer becomes second nature. You are starting to move up to serious video hardware, get the most out of it! And have fun - make good tapes you are proud of and you can enjoy them for years!

Thanks to every one of you for sharing your experience and knowledge!