UPDATE! My (old, scuffed up) camcorder came in

[Moogyboy]

hey all

Panasonic PV-DV100...

At long last! Peal the bells in every hamlet in the land! Or maybe not. Regardless, I finally have my own camcorder, and a miniDV one at that. Granted it's roughly 4 years old or so, and from what I've read it was even then Panasonic's low-end miniDV cam (at a mere $899 list!), and it looks like it's been used--or abused--heavily. But for $81 plus s&h and $45 for a battery charger I can't complain a bit. Seems to work perfectly.

SO

Next step is a housing. Probably gonna look for one of those tube-shaped thingies with one mechanical control--no LANC jack. Doh! (Incidentally, I intend to use the thing eventually for microbudget filmmaking as well...I've got Sundance in my eyes hehe)

It may be a stretch since the board seems to be dominated by Sony and Canon owners, but if any of you nice people have used a PV-DV100 I'd appreciate any comments you might have about it, whether for underwater or general use.

cheers

Billy S.

 

[Moogyboy]

Actually...step 2 should be to find a newer computer that I can actually use for video editing and stuff. With FireWire. And an up to date OS. If I can find a decent Mac G4 cheap...

cheers

Billy S.

 

[drbill]

My first mini-DV was the same model. I couldn't find a housing for it, and it failed after 9 months anyway so I went with a Sony TRV-17 for which a housing is available and it has performed wonderfully for nearly three years.

Don't mean to burst your bubble. Your experience (hopefully) will be quite different and there are probably more housings available now than "back then."

Dr. Bill

 

[Moogyboy]

My first mini-DV was the same model. I couldn't find a housing for it, and it failed after 9 months anyway so I went with a Sony TRV-17 for which a housing is available and it has performed wonderfully for nearly three years.

Don't mean to burst your bubble. Your experience (hopefully) will be quite different and there are probably more housings available now than "back then."

Dr. Bill

Yeah, those universal-type tube housings are a godsend, aren't they? They're not Ikelite or Gates, but they keep the water out, let the light in, and I'd get lots of latitude with the kind of camera that will fit. Say, like if this one goes kaplooey like yours did. Which I hope it doesn't. I'm just surprised that you couldn't find a universal housing just a few years ago...did they just not make them yet?

Maybe the fact that pricey housings all rotate around Sony & Canon cams says something about those brands' reliability. Or it could just be a marketing thing. Anyway, if I'm paying a premium for a desirable brand of camera and big bucks for a model-specific housing, the thing had better not break down in 9 months!

I dunno, I think there's something to be said for an inexpensive universal housing and a inexpensive camera. If it brings back decent images from Down There and doesn't self-destruct on me, I'm in heaven.

cheers

Billy S.

 

[howard4113]

Moogyboy,
You're doing it backwards. You're supposed to scout out the housing first.
;-)

Mark