ENG cameras

[G4GUO]

I notice you can pickup 1st generation 3 CCD ENG cameras
for around £300 - £500. Is the picture quality likely to be
any better than a consumer camcorder of a similar price?

- Charles

[G4DVG]

I would have thought so - better colorimetry and larger sensors. But if you're going for recordings, domestic camcorder is digital of course so better rec/replay results.

[G4GUO]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply.

As I don't have any experience of them I thought I would ask.
I am looking just for something with a bit better picture quality
than the one I already have, no need for recording portability etc.
I guess the thing to do is buy one try it and if it is no better sell it.
Technology moves on so fast these days that you would think a
modern cheap consumer camera might be better than a low end
professional one from the 90s.

- Charles

[Aittch]

Any of Sony (or Ampex badged) range of Broadcast ENG of 3CCD cameras will give you an extremely high quality picture.

The dockable models (BVP5, BVP7 and BVP50) will require a studio or Betacam SP recorder back in order to apply power and provide composite and component outputs. Undockable models with integral recorder are BVW 200, BVW300 and BVW400

These are typical prices for the basic bits you need.

BVP5/7/50 Dockable Camera £100 - £200
CA3 Studio Back £50 - £75
BC4 2/3" 12 pin connector Lens £200 - £1000
VCT 14 Tripod Mounting Plate £50 - £90
12v Power Supply and cable £30 - £50

[G8GQS]

I think a lot depends on what you want to do with it?

Broadcast cameras were (are) very expensive and offered good picture quality in a robust package. You do need to find all the bits needed as mentioned in the last email. The other problem is as they are pushing 20+ years old, they could well be broken in one or more aspects. They are to some extent mendable and apart from the lens and viewfinder, easy to get a second one for spares.

Brian

[G4GUO]

Thanks everyone for your replies.

In the end I decided to buy a refurbished JVC HD consumer
camcorder with 3 CCDS albeit only 1/5 in sensors.
Thankfully it is possible to switch off the OSD
so it behaves like a regular camera, my old
camcorder wouldn't do that. The colour depth
on the new camera is much better and is adequate
for what I want. For information, the ENG camera
JVC GY-DV500E I was looking at sold for £340.

- Charles