Can you feel it? (Head vibration, that is.)

[Courtaj]

Good morning all,

I may just be a perfectionist, but . . .

Having recently bought an inexpensive (and therefore far from perfect) miniDV camera for dogs-body duties, I'm wondering whether the vibration I can feel in the palm of my hand when cradling the machine is normal.

Because it is only noticeable when a tape is loaded and the machine is either in record mode or in playback pause, I suspect it's coming from the video head. I've not felt this before when using other (admittedly more expensive) cameras.

I don't really want the head to self-destruct any time too soon (and especially within a few days of the warranty expiring) so . . . what do you think?

Cheers,
Andrew.

P.S. Obviously the issue only applies to miniDV / HDV format cameras. It's a Panasonic GS330, by the way.

 

[firewerk]

I haven't personally had experience with that camera but how sturdy does it feel? As in could it just be normal mechanical movement?

Also how strong is the vibration? Like abnormally that the mic on the camera could pick it up?

 

[Courtaj]

I haven't personally had experience with that camera but how sturdy does it feel? As in could it just be normal mechanical movement?

Also how strong is the vibration? Like abnormally that the mic on the camera could pick it up?

It's a fine, consistent vibration which can be felt through the transport side of the camera when my hand is in the strap as well as through the base when steadying the shot with my other hand. A bit like a dragonfly hovering in a box - suspended in the middle of the box, wings thrumming, not once coming into contact with the box itself. The sort of thing only sensitive types like me are likely to notice, perhaps, but once noticed it's hard to ignore! (I'm always looking for what's been compromised in terms of build quality whenever I get my hands on budget electronics.)

Here's some history for you: I bought my first GS330 online at the beginning of the month from UK Digital Cameras and returned it for a different reason. I bought a replacement from Amazon and returned that one because of vibration. At the time (about 2 days ago) I had both GS330s in the house, and the first one (the one from UKDC) didn't vibrate noticeably under identical conditions (tape loaded and parked in record mode). This is now the second unit ex Amazon (the original Amazon-supplied one was picked up by DHL about 30 minutes before the latest arrived). Obviously the issue has nothing to do with the supplier, but it could be a bad batch of heads or bearings or something: the serial number on this one and the last one are within 50 numbers of each other.

I'll run a test to see if the onboard mic picks it up. My money is on it picking it up, since it hums noticeably.

Has anyone with a DV / HDV machine felt something similar? Thought I'd better check before I go ahead and return this one as well.

 

[FF_productions]

I have a Digital 8 Camcorder, and since the Mic is built-in, it will hear every noise thats going on in the camcorder. Whenever it's in record or the mechanisms are in motion, it is picked up by the Mics.

With post-production work, it can be eliminated...

 

[Courtaj]

That's all well and good - I can live with operational noise that isn't to do with a fault. What I'm wondering is if anyone else can feel the video head whizzing around just by holding the camera in record pause or play pause. When the tape isn't actually moving, the only movement in the camera is the head. I would have thought that if it causes vibration then it's not far off destroying itself.

 

[firewerk]

From the sounds of it there's a problem, I mean if you had one that didn't hum/vibrate and now one that does. I'd return it. Maybe not for a while but usually something like that turns out to be a bigger problem in the long run. Besides if you can pick it up on mic, it's pointless to use.

My last tape consumer camera was hi8 and I don't remember hearing anything even slightly mechanical on the built-in mic so I personally wouldn't accept it.

 

[Courtaj]

Thanks for reassuring me that I'm not going mental.

It's going back. I've convinced the wife that the only way to avoid such annoying to-and-fro is to get an HV30.

Result.