The Sony PD170 is a public access favorite because it is easy to handle, sturdy and only as complicated as it really needs to be to give you the control you need. I took footage from a public access camera to a local tv station and the engineer checked it and said the quality was good enough for their broadcast, so I bought the camera. It has good manual focus which I really like, being able to manually zoom in quick, as well as creatively zoom in at the speed you like. And I like that the lens can be grabbed and zoomed by one ring and focused by an adjacent ring just like my film and old fashioned video cameras were before everything got automatic. The audio setting and microphone plug ins and settings are not for the stupid; you should have someone explain it to you. I haven't seen the manual so I have no idea how clear it explains things. It has two audio inputs with good sturdy XLR jacks, and you can set Input one to record to one or both tracks. You can set the audio sensitivity. But if you set your mics or audio wrong you won't have sound. It does have its own speaker so you can play it back after a test recording. If your local public access channel uses these cameras you can take their training course on how to use them and then do some volunteer work for them. It has three, count 'em, three record buttons, conveniently placed for the different ways you might hand hold a camera. The viewfinder and fold out view screen are clear. What I don't like is the tiny finger switch to turn it on to VCR/Camera/Memory. It is hard to press a finger to compress the little center button and twist it to just the right position. If I had a man's large fingers or were in dim light and could not see the tiny lettering it would be easy to mis-position it or not be able to move it at all. It does have a nice little, though unmarked, blocking lever to prevent yourself from going to memory instead of camera. And the power jack it hidden at the lower rear of the camera behind a smooth rubber flap just the same color as the camera body. I searched for 10 minutes before I found it even though I knew it was at the back rear. I'm not too familiar with the menu so I can't talk on that or its special effects. I am a simple operator, interested more in good signal and camerawork. But I recommend it.Read full review
I chose the Sony PD 170 because we used them at public access TV so I knew they were rugged. They have a very good lens, and manual and automatic focus and exposure. Professional quality work is possible, at least before HD became the norm. But this lens gives good crisp images that some cheap HD cameras can't match even tho they record in high resolution because of their small lenses. You have to set the audio switches correctly, but once set, you never need to change them. I like the medium weight for steady handheld recording. There is a menu system that is not complex, but PD170s often get glitchy in scrolling down the menu and it is a pain but you can still make it work. That is a repairable problem. The only other complaint I have is having to use mini-DV tape which starts to get glitchy after a few uses. That is an ongoing expense. Where these are useful is not recording in the camera but outputting through a switcher to an HD recorder. You can create a cheap studio with these, even with "broken" cameras that don't record anymore but still output an image. You can buy these used for $200-$350, or the "broken" ones for $50. I like the wide angle lens attachment for documentary or film style shooting and mount shotgun microphones. I created a studio with 4 PD170s thru a Videonics switcher, viewing camera sources on a 24 inch flat screen TV, thru a Vidbox and into a laptop computer. It was very complicated to read all those instructions and get it all set and working, but now it does work, and I have a portable studio. Read full review
Verified purchase: No
All that I expected and a little more. Works good and has a couple features I had not expected such as ability to shoot still pictures during shooting video, and also low light capability with time lapse filming. I am very pleased. Now the negative. One of the batteries was defective and could not be repaired, but I don't mind that because overall the price was a real bargain and I am not going to Kick ! Still pleased with this purchase !
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Probably still one of the best all around, SD professional video camcorders ever produced. Nice vivid colour reproduction and clarity. The Sony DSR-PD170 has been the champion in low light performance (1 lux). The construction and build quality is top notch and can be used with MRC-1 recorder for tapeless recording via the DV link port. Still useful, even today, especially if producing standard DVD productions.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Camera arrived as promised early with some extra accessories and was in the advertised condition. The Camera was a missing the eyepiece but worked fine with the LED screen. I tested it and then used it on a 3 Camera shoot and it performed like new. I know most people have switched to tapeless cameras but the image quality is very good for the low budget work that I do. I now have 3 matching Cameras in my set up. I feel it was a good deal for me.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Sony DSR-PD170 is an ideal professional camcorder for those who demand great color tones and the flexibility of videotaping in places where lighting would be a challenge. Dimly lit meetings or interviews where supplemental light setup would be a hassle is remarkably adequate for the PD170 delivering broadcast quality color saturation and tones that should please any field footage producer. Any professional would find this camcorder to be quick to setup, easy to integrate in a multi-camera shoot, and auditorium sound system connection friendly right out of the box. If portability and quality are the need, you will be very pleased with this camera’s value. The PD170 is the evolution of Sony’s previous run-and-gun favorite of news professionals the DSR-PD150. Optically, these two cameras produce a resulting picture that is almost identical and could mix well in a multi-camera shoot, both do very well in low light, although the PD170 can work with slightly less. A comfortable new feature that the PD170 has over the 150 is a thumb-rocker zoom control on the carry handle in addition to the one on the side of the body shared by both cameras’ similar design.Read full review
This is a somewhat large camera, but which films easily from tripod. The manual control is excellent. This camera can operate in low light settings; and as I am filming dance performances, that is a help. The spotlight feature turns out to be very useful for a stage performance so highlights are not bleached out. With colored lights changing the white balance works best on auto. If lighting stays consistent you can get a good reading focussing on a page of white paper. The batteries last a long time; but the cassettes are relatively short, so you need to be prepared to switch cassettes. Sound is excellent. The paricular auction had a relatively new camera, a wide angle lens, a tripod and a solid carrying case which were the accessories I wanted. As mentioned I needed the low light capability and manual control.Read full review
A Great camera for low light videoing to MiniDV tapes. A private investigators favorite it can permanently burn in the date and time stamp onto the tape so transfers can be done in any format and keep the stamp. It has a 1 LUX rating and has lived up to it with me. If you are under dim street lighting I can video you @ 30fps. It's not wide screen but who cares in court. Cinimatographers can crop it to 16:9 but........ If your a PI get one while you can!
Well... Outside of not being HD.. This is just about the best professional DVcam ever produced. I chose to track down the Sony PD 170 cam because this is the exact model we used to use at out old Public Access TV station in Asheville,NC. Produces great sound, great video footage and has to XLR inputs for pro sound. When not on tripod .. on the go... using the handle on top of cam you have total control of the W/T switch. It is a little heavy but well built. I waited years for people to start unloading these for HD equipment. The Sony PD 170 is a workhorse. If you ever are one of the lucky people to obtain one - take good care of it..It will outlive us all.
I purchased this camera and I am amazed at it low-light capabilities. I currently shoot with a Canon XH-A1 and I have found the PD-170 to be more useful because of it's ability to turn a low light environment into a useful video. The PD 170 is standard definition and has an amazing picture. I am very happy with this camera. I should have bought two of these for the price of one XH-A1. Most people I work with just want a standard definition DVD anyway! I also really like my Canon, it's an amazing camera too, but when the light is low and I can't use it, the PD 170 saves the day. If I use the Canon XH A1 in low light at 6DB I have to be at 1/30 of a second. The PD 170 can be at 9DB and 1/100 of a second, this produces similar video results in both cameras.
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