I'm fully DV equipped!

[WarlocK]

Thanks to the Hanshin Tigers winning the Central Division championship for the first time in what, 18 years or something, I was able to get a great deal at an Osaka store having a Tigers-Finally-Won-It (otherwise know as a Hell-Has-Frozen-Over) sale.

I picked up a brand new Sony DCR-TRV22 in white. It's a really nice cam. I've been playing around with it the past few days, learning how to use the touch-screen LCD view panel (a very cool feature). I paid 67,800 yen for it, at a 20,000 yen discount. Very nice price, I thought.

I was going to go to the Tokyo Video Game show next weekend, but I spent my trip money on the camera, and I don't really have much money to buy accessories and stuff, although I might go tomorrow and pick up some more DV cassettes, another battery and seperate charger, a tripod (they're cheap) and possibly a bag for all this stuff.

Anybody have camera bag suggestions? I found one at Yodobashi Camera, a Sony one that was really big with lots of pockets and even a place to hold a laptop, but it was a bit expensive, I thought. I'd like to get a big bag for under 5 grand.

Anyway, I'm slowly learning the ways of the DV equipped, and might have some stuff to start posting on the web in a few months (give or take).

[Caustic Saint]

By making this purchase I think it's safe to say that you're an ad-hoc member of the Pongi Army now.

Go forth and film.

(Actual army membership may have other requirements, I'm not sure about all the details.)

[Big Booger]

Congrats. Now break out the Adobe Premiere video editing software and "lights, camera, action!"

[WarlocK]

Congrats. Now break out the Adobe Premiere video editing software and "lights, camera, action!"

Already taken care of.

As for bags, go for a lightweight waterproof (i.e. not leather) bag that will hold the camera and all your other pieces of equipment.

Yeah, the Sony one I was looking at wasn't leather, it looked and felt waterproof, except for the top double-zipper. There was no cover over this zipper assembly, and it looked like it might invite water to drip into the bag. I saw some other bags a few weeks ago that I liked better, all of which had an extra flap that covered the top entry into the bag.

What brand add-on lenses should I go with? Should I stick with Sony products, or is there a better maker out there? I'm looking to pick up a wide angle lens, and the "3-pack" lens set (I think it comes with a polarized lens, a lens for flourescent light, and some other lens). I don't think I need a telefoto lens right now.

Also, I've found out that my cam has more features when used with tapes that have CM (cassette memory). The Sony tapes I got with my camera don't have CM. Are these types of tapes more expensive, and if they are, are they worth the extra money?

That's all the questions I have right now. So until next time (tomorrow probably, lol) here's to the Pongi DV Army!

Kampai!

[Caustic Saint]

I'm looking to pick up a wide angle lens, and the "3-pack" lens set (I think it comes with a polarized lens, a lens for flourescent light, and some other lens). I don't think I need a telefoto lens right now.

The 3-pack is of filters, not lenses. Most likely the 3rd one in the set is a UV filter. It serves to cut down on haziness in long shots, and also to protect the built-in lens on you camera. I picked up a UV filter for mine and never take it off. (Make sure any filters are threaded on both sides, so you can use more than one if you need to, and use them with any lenses you buy as well.) It's much easier (and a hell of a lot cheaper) to replace an $8 filter than the internal lens.

[WarlocK]

The 3-pack is of filters, not lenses.

Errr... yeah, I meant filters.

I'm tellin ya, before I got my DV cam, my camera equipment experience consisted of a few 110 film cameras, a few point and shoot 35mm cams and recently my point and shoot digicam (which is really nice, btw). Pardon me if I haven't nailed down the lingo yet.

With that said, would it be better for meto go with the Sony filters and lenses, or go with a cheaper brand? Is it worth it to pay for the Sony name in this case?

[Caustic Saint]

With that said, would it be better for meto go with the Sony filters and lenses, or go with a cheaper brand? Is it worth it to pay for the Sony name in this case?

I'd go with the off-brand ones. My UV filter was $8 at Best Buy, and the camera shop wanted about $30 for the "fancy" one. I think filters are a pretty standard thing, and that there's not much variation among the price ranges you'll find. Save on the filters and put that money into tapes and other gear.