IAC DISCUSSION FORUMS

Hi again, this forum has been a great big help to me recently and here I am
again.This time I have a more than "Slight" problem with a Sony CCD-VX1E
Hi 8 Handycam pro; "pro being the key word here", problem is , I am use to
more amateur cams ie , JVC 20 gig hard drive cam, my sony with its lcd color
screen , simple yet full of effects like fade , night vision etc etc. I paid
£400 for the Sony CCD-VX1E Hi 8 Handycam pro, and Im finding it really hard
to understand.The camcorder certainly workd,but the playback Image Is very
dissapointing In that the lighting Is crazy.I shoot lets say In my back garden,
and its overexposed and the Image is very poor, some parts in the shot are
exposed perfectly; Ive never really messed or rather had to mess with (light
balance).
I sat In my swivel chair and mic attatched done a test but to cam, It was
fine yet if im holding the cam and panning outdoors or even In the exposure
goes mad! can anyone help ; Ive listed the specs below. I thank you In anicipation.Am
I doing something wrong ?

SPECIFICATIONS

Make/model SONY CCD-VX1E

Recording format Hi8/8mm



OPTICS

Lens f1.6-1.8, 40-480mm

Zoom 12x, two-speed

Filter diameter 52mm

Pick-up device 3 x 0.3in CCD (410k pixels each)

Min. illum. (lux) 4



VIDEO DECK

Tape speed (mm/sec) 20.051(SP), 10.026(LP)

Max. rec. time 240 ins (LP mode)

Remote control full-function infra-red and Control L (LANC)

Main facilities auto/manual focus, auto/manual/programmed
exposure, auto/manual white balance, fader, high-speed shutter, time/date
recording, gain-up, record search, RC-time code read and write, 2-page/8-colour
title superimposer, index marker/intro scan, jitter-free still frame and
variable slomo, zebra marking, manual/auto neutral density filter, wind noise
filter, data code recording, interval recording, colour noise reduction,
high-speed shutter (16 speeds up to 1/10,000th sec), frame recording (animation),
custom presets, insert edit



VIEWFINDER

Viewfinder 0.6in monochrome

Viewfinder info. deck mode and status, low battery, tape count,
shutter speed, fader, focus mode, tape end, time/date, title, exposure value,
RC time code, data code, index mark, program AE mode



AUDIO

System FM stereo hi-fi

Microphone single-point stereo



GENERAL

Sockets S-Video out (mini DIN), video out, stereo
audio out (phono), headphones, external mic, mic DC out, Control L (minijacks)

Size (mm) 116 x 148 x 352

Weight 2.0 kg (inc tape and battery)

I'm not really quite sure why you're putting so much effort into trying to
squeeze more out of what is a very old camcorder, Kevin. The analogue Hi-8
days are well and truely over, and however well the VX1 worked (and however
many 'Pro' labels it had on the side) the MiniDV VX1000 that replaced it
blew it into the weeds in every single department except perhaps bulk.

If you lock down the exposure and do the same panning tests do you get the
same unreliable results? It may well be that the auto-exposure mechanism
(a combination of aperture, gain and shutter speed) is faulty, and with a
camera that's nearing 10 years old that's often a problem.

tom.

Hi again, this forum has been a great big help to me recently and here I
am
again.This time I have a more than "Slight" problem with a Sony CCD-VX1E
Hi 8 Handycam pro; "pro being the key word here", problem is , I am use
to
more amateur cams ie , JVC 20 gig hard drive cam, my sony with its lcd color
screen , simple yet full of effects like fade , night vision etc etc. I
paid
£400 for the Sony CCD-VX1E Hi 8 Handycam pro, and Im finding it really hard
to understand.The camcorder certainly workd,but the playback Image Is very
dissapointing In that the lighting Is crazy.I shoot lets say In my back
garden,
and its overexposed and the Image is very poor, some parts in the shot are
exposed perfectly; Ive never really messed or rather had to mess with (light
balance).
I sat In my swivel chair and mic attatched done a test but to cam, It was
fine yet if im holding the cam and panning outdoors or even In the exposure
goes mad! can anyone help ; Ive listed the specs below. I thank you In anicipation.Am
I doing something wrong ?