(OT) Stupid question about a camcorder I just bought

Sticky Fingaz wrote on 11/2/2004, 4:54 PM

I just bought a Sony Digital 8 camcorder. I also have a Sony VX2000.

Both have the feature where I can plug S Video items into it, and DV out to my PC, so I can let's say take my SuperVHS VCR and put the S Video inputs in, and capture it to a DV file in Vegas.

Stupid question: Will my VX2000 have a better "quality" or anything over my much less expensive Sony digital 8 camera?

Not so stupid question: I know the VX2000 is a WAY better camcorder, but ignoring that, since Digital8 is in DV format, is a Digital8 tape and MiniDV tape going to have the same quality? Does anything weird like the pixel raito differ between the two?

Thanks so much in advance guys.

Comments

johnmeyer wrote on 11/2/2004, 5:08 PM

Actually, both are really good questions.

"Will my VX2000 have a better 'quality' or anything over my much less expensive Sony digital 8 camera?"

I actually don't know the answer to this. There can be a difference in A/D conversions, and therefore there could be a substantial difference between how different camcorders encode analog signals into DV. In addition, some devices, like some of the external Canopus encoders, include TBC circuitry. I would be interested to know if the VX2000 has better A/D circuitry than the "garden variety" consumer camcorder.

"Since Digital8 is in DV format, is a Digital8 tape and MiniDV tape going to have the same quality?"

The bits are identical, and so the quality will be identical. There might be a difference in longevity, susceptibility to stretching and other wear-and-tear factors, but I am not sure which format would be better. I doubt there would be any significant difference for most people. For a new tape, just recorded, the bits are identical.

PeterWright wrote on 11/2/2004, 5:54 PM

Best to do tests, but I believe the D8 may be slightly better for this function.

Because of D8's ability to accept Hi8, there is some sort of time base correction or similar circuitry built in, which MiniDv doesn't have.

I'm not sure whether this operates during pass through, though.

GaryKleiner wrote on 11/2/2004, 6:01 PM

>>Because of D8's ability to accept Hi8, there is some sort of time base correction or similar circuitry built in, which MiniDv doesn't have.<<

Time base correction in such devices:
a) is limited, at best
b) Works only on analog playback from the unit.

Gary

PeterWright wrote on 11/2/2004, 6:06 PM

Thanks for clarifying Gary.

Stonefield wrote on 11/2/2004, 8:38 PM

This is a very good question.....is the digital pass-thru of a $3500 camcorder better than the digital pass thru of a $400 camcorder....hmmm...never thought of that.....anyone have some findings ?

As the price of low end consumer models keep dropping, I'm really tempted to buy one just for the capture/passthru function and save the wear and tear of my shooting camera.

farss wrote on 11/2/2004, 9:18 PM

Let me assure you the TBC and DNR does work VERY nicely doing A->D conversion through a D8 camcorder. I shouldn't mention this but it'll even remove some of those sync problems that certain people would like you not to be able to remove. I guess I can mention it now that even Canopus will let you do that on the ADVC-300.

The data written to both D8 and MiniDV tape is in exactly the same format, DV25. However the D8 writes a wider track and is a more robust format. Despite my best efforts at killing my D8 camcorder I've never seen a dropout which is more than I can say for most MiniDV gear.

Of course the quality of the CCDs and optics is what lets down the D8 format, sadly it's been relegated to the low end consummer segment although the latest offering from Sony turns in some amazing pictures for the price and it has an obscenely long zoom lens!

Bob.

Sticky Fingaz wrote on 11/3/2004, 2:40 AM

Thanks a million for the help guys!