Sony DVD camcorder problem

**moses** · 01-24-2006, 08:55 AM

Hi there

My folks bought one of those Sony camcorders that write to mini dvds just before Christmas. Not sure about the model but it was about £500 from Jessops. Anyway, problem is I don't rate the picture quality. Seems like everything is very grey and washed out. Contrast is awful and only occasionally does the video look good. They are happy with it but I'm wondering if they bought a dud!

Comparing it to my 8 year old panasonic which cost about the same back then, it's not as good!

It's like it takes too much time to analyse the scene and give the right exposure.

Anyone else had problems with this? I just wanted to know if it is a well known Sony trait and they should take it back. When you spend 500 quid on a sony you expect good pictures!

Thanks

**Mark W** · 01-24-2006, 10:48 AM

Sounds very poor to me. I have not used a dvd camera but people dont usually rate them highly. The recording quality will never be as good as a dv camera as they use much more compression than dv cameras.

I would change it for a dv camera if i were you.

**Nikosony** · 01-29-2006, 10:42 PM

Are both the indoor and outdoor scenes the same? Where the scenes shot in low light? Is the picture bad when played back on the LCD screen, on the computer or if the camera is connected up to the TV?

**moses** · 01-30-2006, 09:09 AM

The indoor scenes, while shot in the day, were fairly low light, but appear really yellow/grey hues and grainy. Outside the greens of trees appear black, unless the camcorder is close enough and has long enough to decide on the exposure. Perhaps i can change the spot metering, like on digital cameras? Maybe multi-point rather than single?

**Nikosony** · 02-01-2006, 10:09 PM

Have you checked the white balance settings? With all those weird colours your getting it might have something to do with that. I don't think it's an exposure problem.

**Nikosony** · 02-01-2006, 10:12 PM

Another thought, connect your camera up to a television and get a 'live feed' from it and point it at various objects in whatever room you are in. Point it at a white coloured object to see if it appears white on the television screen and if the other objects are correctly exposed.