Sony PC 9 vs PC 1000

[4chewnate 0]

OK, so I have a chance to buy a used camera and I would like some help.

I am looking at a PC 9 and a PC 1000.

They both look well taken care of and both seem to work well. I have not seen any footage from either of these cameras.

Could someone (or everyone) please tell me what your thoughts are on these cameras. Any thing would help as I'm new to this. I'm especially interested in knowing if the image is any better on one than the other.

I've done some searches but I didn't really find what I'm looking for.

I know that many of you would say not to strap on a camera but I am already jumping a used FF2 helmet with no camera in it.
All I'm going to do is put the camera in and then turn it on in the plane and forget about it until after I land. The helmet does not have a sight and I don't plan on adding one any time soon.

I also can not afford any of the new really cool stuff. I want to use the helmet I already have.

So I would be grateful for any help.

Thanks

[PharmerPhil 0]

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All I'm going to do is put the camera in and then turn it on in the plane and forget about it until after I land.

Yeah,... right!!! This has been said dozens of times before. Read the sticky at the top of this forum.

[LIEBRICH401 0]

PC 1000 is the money. yeahhhhhh

[Liemberg 0]

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This has been said dozens of times before. Read the sticky at the top of this forum.

That's why it is much better to recommend the PC1000.

Then, if and when he screws up while "ignoring the running camera" at least we'll have a better chance of quality footage on skydiving movies dot com.

"Whoever in discussion adduces authority uses not intellect but memory." - Leonardo da Vinci
A thousand words...

[mr2mk1g 10]

The 1000 is a technically superior camera to the 9. I'd get the 1000 so long as it fits in your camera housing (it's slightly bigger than the 9).

[4chewnate 0]

Do you mind explaining the differences? And what makes the 1000 better?

Thanks

[Fast 0]

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Do you mind explaining the differences? And what makes the 1000 better?

Thanks

Eh, there are a lot of reasons really. I don't recall all of them off the top of my head, but the bottom line is that the PC1000 takes video that just plain looks better. It's a newer design and honestly, I think its one of the best made cameras for skydiving in existence. There are quite a few of them at my dz.

~D
Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me.
Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

[mr2mk1g 10]

IIRC (and I'm sure I'll have a dozen posts telling me I'm wrong if I screw this up)... so, off the top of my head: It's got 3 chips instead of one. In this respect it's the ONLY PC style camera with this feature. High-end prosumer cameras have been using 3 chips for a while, but this is the only vertical form-factor camera with the feature.

Three chips are better than one because with a three chip camera a prism breaks light down into its constituent RGB colours after it comes through the lens and each is recorded separately on a dedicated chip. The camera therefore has a lot more data to work with and you tend to get much more vivid colours and better low light capabilities than with a single chip camera.

It also uses CMOS chips instead of CCD chips which most other mini-DV cameras use. CMOS chips are what you get in DSLR cameras and have slightly different (read arguably better) technical capabilities than the CCD chips you get in most other camcorders.

Bear in mind this is just stuff I've picked up and I don't work with cameras professionally - if you want the full low down on the whys and wherefores you'll have to beg DSE nicely for further technical specs or google is a great resource.

[DSE 5]

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Three chips are better than one because with a three chip camera a prism breaks light down into its constituent RGB colours after it comes through the lens and each is recorded separately on a dedicated chip. The camera therefore has a lot more data to work with and you tend to get much more vivid colours and better low light capabilities than with a single chip camera.

It also uses CMOS chips instead of CCD chips which most other mini-DV cameras use. CMOS chips are what you get in DSLR cameras and have slightly different (read arguably better) technical capabilities than the CCD chips you get in most other camcorders.
.

First part of your post is historically accurate, but no longer true, although in this particular camera series, three is better than one.
The other half is spot-on. CMOS is far more technically able than CCD, CCD is just about dead.

[4chewnate 0]

So DSE, since I cannot afford to get a different helmet for a while, which means I have to side mount my camera. Is there any other side mount you would recommend over the PC 1000?

Any help you are willing to give is very appreciated.

Thanks to all who have contributed.

[beowulf 1]

The PC1000 should fit fine in the FF2 I know one guy that is using both the FF2 and a PC1000.

[mr2mk1g 10]

Come to think about it - I've had a PC1000 in my FF2 once. It just fitted but was very tight. It could easily have been accomodated however if I just moved the mounting plate (there was no point on that occasion as it was a one-off).

My FF2's set up for a PC350 which is another camera at the "top" of the PC style range. If you don't go for a PC1000, look to the PC330/350 cameras but anything above a PC9 should do fine for personal use and ought to fit.

As I said though - I don't see any reason why a PC1000 shouldn't fit, so my earlier warning may be redundant unless your box size is different to mine, (the box shape does change slightly depending on the age of the helmet).

[4chewnate 0]

Is the PC 1000 better image quality than the PC330 or PC350?

[4chewnate 0]

OK. I asked DSE a couple of questions in the PMs. He said it would be best for him to answer them in the forum. So I'll wait.

Right now I'm just curious about my post above.

[DSE 5]

As mentioned in PM, the TG1 is HD, so it's a higher quality by far, than a PC1000. IMO, buying a camera that is already discontinued because it fits your helmet isn't the smartest move, I'd probably be taking a hacksaw to the helmet. either that, or looking for cheap used vs "best discontinued." Or, looking for the cheapest thing that will get you by. Even the best DV cam can't touch the newer HD cams overall, so why spend a bunch of money when you'll be replacing soon anyway?
For example...our DZ is all wide-screen in 2009, no more 4:3 media. So....you probably wouldn't jump the PC1000 at our DZ as a tandem vidiot.
You might wanna find out what your DZ is expecting, if you're wanting to shoot tandems.

[4chewnate 0]

I thought 16:9 is considered wide-screen.

What am I missing here.

[DSE 5]

the wide screen mode of a PC1000 is a stretched mode, so it's not a quality image, based on the standards we strive for. However....various DZ's will have different requirements.