Misventures with Still video (Mavica MVC-5000)

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Camnut
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Misventures with Still video (Mavica MVC-5000)

Post by Camnut »

LAST EDIT: May, The 09 of 2006 (Year 14 A.D.S.V.)

After that first help, i want to make with this topic a quind of log about using the old SV tec (Absolutely dated by now)

Hi, a month ago i found some nice SV cameras at ebay, i bought 4 of them looking interesant enought.

3 of them are simple P&S, out of the SLR topic of forum (2 ion 1 Q-pic)

The 4th Is a real SLR nade by Sony in the late 80's, the model is Mavica MVC-5000. It got a superb 9.5 123mm zoom (made by canon) ISO 100 ISO 200 Rating, 2 CCD tubes, The batts are death, but luckily it uses the Sony's standard camera batteries. Well, the camera works OK.

I need to know a thing:

I can play images taken with any of the ion cameras in the RC-260 (ion with play func) But i cannot see the images of the Mavica.

After i known, i need a specific SV player to see the images, but i cannot guess if my UK bought Mavica is PAL SECAM or NTSC or simply lack of those formats (because in the camera nothing is indicated about) I can get at bargain price a SV player of the right model in USA (NTSC country) But i don't know if it can play my images (My TV set can handle NTSC with no problem)
Last edited by Camnut on Tue May 09, 2006 5:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.
NikonWeb
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Re: Off topic: Still video Help (Sony Mavica MVC-5000)

Post by NikonWeb »

Congratulations with your Mavica MVC-5000. With a few exceptions I only collect Nikon cameras myself, but if I should get a vintage Sony this would be the one.

First: Have you tried to switch between "frame" and "field" mode on your Mavica? I'm not familiar enough with the still video technology to say if it will make any difference, but it's worth a try.

I believe the Mavica had a higher resolution than most other cameras at the time, so that could explain why your Canon can't display these images. I thought that the "Still Video" standard was supposed to be just that - a standard - but there may be different variants. I really don't know.

I'm not sure, but I think that (all?) the early SV cameras were NTSC. If you get a NTSC SV player it will probably work (if your TV can handle NTSC), but you never know with these things.

Good luck!

Jarle
Camnut
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Post by Camnut »

Hi, sorry for forgoting the OT prefix, i considered it not too OT because is a SLR...

Well, i tried all of this, also played with a switch in the bottomplate that switches between normal and Hi Band modes with no luck.

Also the very today i found in a NewsGroup a comment saying this camera is digital...

Well, a SV camera is like an analog video camera taking stills. Right? Then this camera is like a DV Video camera taking stills. (Odd but plausible, that may justify the lack of TV standard and the need of using a specific player, also explains why the camera is so grumpy with the disks, or may be the heads are dirty....)


Jarle, a last question. Your QV-1000 is also a Still Video Camera Right? (I say it about the 2" Disk media) In that case both cameras, as high end SVC'S with hi Resolution, good optics, and ruggedness can be considered almost brothers? (my Sony also accepts Nikkor lens)

As soon as i can i will photography it and post the best web images of a MVC-5000...
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Digital vs. Still Video

Post by NikonWeb »

Many, if not most, people will consider any filmless camera "digital", even if it isn't. The MVC-5000 is indeed a still video camera, using standard 2-inch "Video Floppy" disks.

The Nikon QV-1000C, Canon RC-701 and RC-760 are all still video cameras, similar to your Mavica. They all use the same 2" video floppy diskettes (which you can easily find on eBay, by the way).

Have fun!

Jarle
Camnut
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Location: European Onion

Re: Digital vs. Still Video

Post by Camnut »

Webmaster wrote:Many, if not most, people will consider any filmless camera "digital", even if it isn't. The MVC-5000 is indeed a still video camera, using standard 2-inch "Video Floppy" disks.

The Nikon QV-1000C, Canon RC-701 and RC-760 are all still video cameras, similar to your Mavica. They all use the same 2" video floppy diskettes (which you can easily find on eBay, by the way).

Have fun!

Jarle
I'll try to explain myself better, you know the existence since last 80's of Digital video cameras recording on tape? Well, the actual wave of DV Video Cameras got an origin, that origin is the PRO level Digital videocameras of the late 80's, well, the 5000 is a still video camera based on those early digital videocameras. In simply way, is but not is but is a Digicam :shock: (My brain is frying with that)

Anyway i found at ebay a MVR-5300, a Still recorded theorically capable of handle the MVC-5000 pics. (I confirmed the camera is NTSC using a TV capture card) As soon i solve the 110V issue i supose that recorder may got i'l post some pics taken with the beast.
Camnut
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Joined: Wed Nov 30, 2005 5:28 pm
Location: European Onion

Post by Camnut »

Well, today i received my precious Sony 5300 Still Video Recorder.

Sadly it only works on 120V. The internal PSU is so twisted i discouraged to modify it. I will to use a external 220v to 120v transformer. If required i will oversize the PSU conderser to carry on the higher 50hz wave leap, but the existant is so large i think i may not need to do it.

The 2 Batteries for the 5000 are still on transit.

I everyday learn more from the mvc-5000 working, the camera lacked any instructions. I found the way of control anything, pretty creepy controls anyway. :? I found the superb quality of the camera as a videocamera with the help of a cable plus a multisystem monitor. This little fella defeats in quality a TV broadcast camera :P.

The fails:

Lack battery life (maybe the 2 3000mah batts i bought help on this...)
Heavy!!
A error message i associated to the dying battery plus an also dying disk (C err)
Don't sounds 'dangerous'. Being honest, with the size of the thing you expected it to sound like a bazooca :wink: At least looks dangerous.

Cheers.
Camnut
Posts: 39
Joined: Wed Nov 30, 2005 5:28 pm
Location: European Onion

Post by Camnut »

Hi, i get from ebay both, batteries, some disks and a Professional video floppy player. This means i can at least test the camera...

Image

The image got a surprising good quality for the camera age. It was taken up-down from a 4th floor to a car at 40 Meters i used the max zoom in the Big Mama lenses bundled (9.5 124.5 MM F 1.8 in whole range). In 2006 this camera got a lot to say...
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