THE BEST Video Camera in Price Range

Author's Rating:

Pros: Broadcast Quality, Progressive modes, Easy to use, Many features

Cons: Microphone pick-up is not great

The Bottom Line: 
The AG-DVX100 is a great buy, for both experienced and inexperienced videographers and filmmakers. This is the pinnacle 3CCD pro-sumer camera and will never let you down.

Author's Review
Let me start off by getting something off my chest: This camera blows all competitors away. That includes (but is not limited to) Canon's flashy XL1S and Sony's proven classic the PD150. The AG-DVX100 is, without a doubt, the best camera you can buy without going pro. The incredible features, great picture quality, and ease of use make this video camera THE camera to buy.

Features:

The one feature that’s responsible almost entirely for this camera’s hype is its ability to tape in 24 frames/second. For all you people out there who don’t know what to make of this, that mean’s that instead of only being able to tape in the traditional video format of 30P, videographers have the ability to also tape in 24P. 24P is the format of film, so hypothetically, the 24P and 24P advanced modes are supposed to give it that beautiful film look. What some might be wondering is if this really works as it is intended. From my experience with the camera, I can honestly say ‘yes. It looks beautiful and has a film-like quality.’

The AG-DVX100 also comes with the ability to change between manual and servo (automatic) zoom. In anything, its good to always have options, even if you only end up using one, and in this case which one you use is purely preference.

Like the zoom options, with the DVX100, you also have the ability to change between manual and auto focus. Some of the less experienced videographers reading this might not think that manual zoom is important to have. I ALMOST ALWAYS use manual because it guarantees that the focus is exactly where I want it to be, and also gives videographers the ability to rack focus. However much I may use the manual focus, there might always be some reason to switch to auto focus and it is invaluable to have both.

One of my favorite features is the white-balance. This allows you to set something as white, thereby affecting all the other colors because their relationship to ‘white’ stays the same. If this sounds confusing, just imagine getting a close up of something completely red and pressing the white-balance button. The red object will then look white through the eye of your camera, and everything else will have a bluer tint to it. Through this function, you can correct an overly red picture that you might get shooting indoors because of florescent light. Likewise you can also set it to give a redder tint for shooting on gloomy bluish-looking days.

It’s easy to just pick up the camera and hit record, but for the smarter and more serious, the AG-DVX100 offers multiple image enhancers. For example, it comes built in with 2 neutral density filters, which make the picture darker and not washed-out. Also, there’s the aperture, or iris. This limits the light intake much like the ND filters only with greater flexibility (it has a wheel, instead of two switches), except if you overuse this, you risk getting an ugly-grainy picture, and I’m not talking film grainy.

The camera also lets you adjust gamma levels, detail level, chroma level, gain levels, and color temperature. Basically you have the ability to make many different looking pictures. The advantage of this is that you can change the mood and correct uncontrollable lighting on your camera that might otherwise make it impossible to shoot.

The last feature I will talk about is the ability to title your shooting, kind of like an in camera slate. I don’t really use this, but I hear from a lot of other people that they’d be lost without it.

Inputs/Outputs:

Besides the superb features, the AG-DVX100 also comes with all the inputs you’ll probably ever want in a video camera. First, my favorite; the 2 XLR inputs. These connect to many types of sound devices, so you can record quality sound. Plugging directly into the camera through the XLR’s also eliminates the need for a mixer of any kind. In addition, the Panasonic-made uni-directional microphone (if you don’t feel like using a boom-mic) plugs into this, and then sits on top of your camera in an easily connected holder. This flexibility in sound inputs make-up for the mediocre microphone that is connected to the camera. Also, you can output with an XLR to a separate Mini-DV recorder, if you feel like making two tapes or some can even be programmed to start recording when the tape inside the camera runs out.

Secondly, is the DV input/output, which you can attach a DV cable and connect to most computers. This is invaluable if you have any type of editing program and wish to edit movies. Also, there is an RCA input/output, which can connect you to television if you want to see and hear how your recording came out. These can also connect you to a VCR and many other kinds of recording devices, so you can put your recordings on another form of tape. The camera also has S-Video input/output, which does pretty much the same thing that RCA’s do. For listening to sound pick-up on the AG-DVX100 there is a headphone-jack. Also, there is a DV input for plugging in a power source (if you don’t use the rechargeable battery). And lastly, is a camera remote jack.

Other:

Another thing I like about this camera is the balance. It’s very easy to hold steady and very light in comparison to other cameras. Also, there are two handles; one is an adjustable hand-strap on the side, and the other is on top. Both make it easy to record and zoom in and out just with one hand.

Also, there is a 3.5 inch LCD screen that isn’t really necessary, but I kind of like it and have found myself using it much more often than I had expected. This also allows you to record without a cameraman and still see that it is recording and what the picture looks like. For instance, in shooting a short movie, I put the camera inside a refrigerator for one shot, and was able to see that it was recording and framed correctly. Both the LCD screen and viewfinder are excellent quality. The AG-DVX100 also has a beautiful Leica Dicomar lens.

My Experience With the DVX100:

I have been using the AG-DVX100 since March 2003 and have not once been disappointed with it. The manual is not long at all, and is an easy 15-minute read. I’m not joking when I say that if you fool around with the camera and manual for an hour or two, you’ll probably learn all of the functions and safeguards.

I have made two short movies with the AG-DVX100 and have been ecstatic with the improvement of quality from my last camera. I have also filmed three live-events, which include a theater play with movie screening, a sports game, and a bat mitzvah. There were all very easy to tape and I got a bundle of cash from all of them.

Closing Remarks:

In conclusion, the AG-DVX100 is a great buy, and I recommend it to both experienced and inexperienced videographers and filmmakers. This is the pinnacle 3CCD pro-sumer camera and will never let you down. I recommend buying filters and sound equipment also, and then you can make movies that look a lot better than Soderburg’s Full Frontal and movies than are just as good looking as Tadpole (Shot with the PD150, I believe). Great features and ease of use make this product one that won’t be outdone by other cameras. At least not for a few years, but even then it will still be great to use and will last forever.