Will a miniDV camera read a miniDV DVCAM?

Chanimal wrote on 12/1/2005, 8:10 PM

I was loaned a Sony DSR-300 camera for a two camera event. My other camera will be a Canon GL2. If I use one of my miniDV tapes in the DSR-300 (which will use either a miniDV or DVCAM tape) I understand that I will only get 40 minutes from the 60 minute miniDV tape.

However, will I be able to use the miniDV tape recorded on the Sony and play it back on the Canon GL2 to drop to the computer? (the Sony does not have a firewire connection).

This event is tommorrow so I need to know fairly quickly.

Thanks

Comments

Spot|DSE wrote on 12/1/2005, 8:20 PM

No.
Only if the camera says it will read DVCAM, and the Canon is not a DVCAM-capable camera.

PeterWright wrote on 12/1/2005, 8:35 PM

DV Cam cameras can usually be set to record standard DV so that may be a better way to go. (Strange to have a DVCam camera without firewire!)

GlennChan wrote on 12/1/2005, 10:23 PM

My Panasonic GS70 (japanese, low low end consumer cam) does read DVCAM. There might be glitchiness on the head and tail as the tape transport changes speed. I think some consumer miniDV cameras will read DVCAM?

Also see if you can get the manual to figure out if theres a miniDV mode. The manual might be online.

2- The DSR300 doesn't shoot medium size tapes right?

Grazie wrote on 12/1/2005, 10:45 PM

Can you re-loan the Sony? You could then dub from the Sony TO the GL2 - and then use the miniDV tape from the GL2? Is this possible? No firewire . . weird?

Grazie

TorS wrote on 12/1/2005, 11:07 PM

Are you sure the DSR-300 does not have Firewire? Sony calls it I-link, but it is the same thing.
Tor

farss wrote on 12/2/2005, 1:08 AM

I have a horrible suspicion it doesn't, a lot of high end cameras are not configured to work as decks, no one uses them that way anyway.
Still the 300 is a very good camera, I edit a lot of footage from DSR 300s and they sure capture excellent footage, great for low light stage shoots, if you've got the chance to use them go for it, I don't think you'll be sorry even if you have to hire a DSR-11 to capture the footage.
Also though from memory no autofocus on the 300.
Bob.

Grazie wrote on 12/2/2005, 2:05 AM

Ah yes Bob - I went and boned up on the beastie and filled-in some major chasms in my "pro-camera" knowledge:

http://www.saferseas.com/vsd/eye/eye8.html

. . eh, yes .. got what you mean now.

Friday is NOT a good day for me!

Grazie

Chanimal wrote on 12/2/2005, 6:27 AM

Does anyone have direct experience with the DSR-300?

A review I found (don't have the manual) says it does not have firewire. I'm only hoping I can pull it over with the Canon GL2 since it has the dual tape option (minDV and DVCam). Anyone used a setting to make the miniDV tape compatible?

By the way, I will be filming a large Christmas event with over 100 people in the choir and thousands of folks attending. I will have one week to edit before it is broadcast on a local access channel. The low light capabilities on this camera are incredible. Testing in the house at night it captured great footage--and it still had two default (a nice switch on the side) to increase gain. But when I used it the Zebra showed overexposure. The Canon is a great camera, but doesn't do well in low light.

Thanks so far - any more suggestions, tips?

TorS wrote on 12/2/2005, 8:52 AM

It seems the more recent DSR-300AP feature firewire (IEEE-1394).

You should be able to capture DVCAM tapes with the Canon. The cassettes are the same, only the speed is different. I have done that with my Sony TRV 950. There were no settings to set; the camera played the DVCAM tapes just like that. It can not record to that format, though.
Tor

Spot|DSE wrote on 12/2/2005, 8:54 AM

I need to retract my original comment, I just put a DVCAM miniDV tape in my GL2, and it plays back correctly. The XL1 plays it, but it has consistent "blocks" in the image.

Chanimal wrote on 12/4/2005, 3:59 PM

I recorded the session on miniDV with a DVCam camera. I "can" read the video from the minDV tape on my GL2. However, the video and audio are now slow. The DV records and plays at 18.81 mm/sec. The DVCam (and hence my miniDV tape) records at 28.215.

Is there an easy way within Vegas to use the captured output via an automatic conversion between speeds?

Thanks

Chanimal wrote on 12/4/2005, 4:17 PM

Small snag - I recorded the session from the minDV (recorded on the DVCam) to the harddrive and I thought everything was fine. However, it divided it into 132 different segments! I suspect that the different speed triggered the automatic scene detection which broke everything up. I can try it without scene detection but it is beginning to be a real hassle.

I think it might be time to borrow the miniDV (DVCam) deck with firewire) which is made to work. Any workarounds?

farss wrote on 12/4/2005, 11:33 PM

Beg / borrow / hire a DSR 11. Great work horse VCR, one of the few that handles NTSC and PAL.
Bob.

Chanimal wrote on 12/14/2005, 10:12 AM

For anyone else, I was never able to read the DVCam with a MiniDV recorder. I had to bring my laptop and external drive to a local public broadcasting studio and borrow their Sony miniDV/DVCam drive.

Worked fine. This is heads up for anyone using this camcorder. Nice picture though.

MUTTLEY wrote on 12/14/2005, 2:41 PM

Sorry I'm late on this one but I had a project that was DVCAM and didn't know till I tried that my Sony GVD900 played em back perfect and I was able to capture to Vegas just fine.

Nice ta know.

- Ray

www.undergroundplanet.com

Peter Burn wrote on 1/3/2006, 8:55 PM

Sony PCR(?) miniDV camcorders playback DVCAM fine. My Canon XL1 does not, neither does a GL1. I am sure the DSR 300 has a 1394 OUT on the back, lower right corner. My DSR 500 & 570 both have the 6 pin port.