Enabling LANC on new Sony camcorders

[mofo22]

Hi all,
Thought I'd share with you something I only found out recently. I had
been using my old Sony DCR-PC5 camcorder for years, in a helmet camera
setup to film my ATV rides. Recently I had an "incident" in which the
PC5 did not survive... So I went shopping for a new camcorder to use
with my bullet camera, but it appears that many camcorders nowadays do
not have support for a LANC remote control or even A/V IN connections.
That really blows because I need both and so do a lot of people who
use their camcorders for helmet cams. After much surfing and reading a
lot of forum posts, I found out that the new Sony camcorder actually
pretty much all have native support for LANC and A/V IN but just don't
have the required jacks installed on them for some reaso (probably to
save a couple bucks manufacturing!)...
But then I found a company who makes an adapter cable which connects
to the new Sony camcorders via the weird D-shaped connector, and lets
you hook up a LANC remote AND gives you RCA jacks to hook up the
external camera and mic. It's not cheap $50 but works like a charm
http://www.prolanc.com I found mine on eBay and saved a few bucks. I
use it with my brand new HDRCX12 and it works as advertized. I already
owned the LANC remote but otherwise you have to get one of these too
but they're fairly cheap. If you don't want to use it with a helmet
cam, the cable will also control the camcorder directly in camera
mode, pretty neat!

[David Ruether]

Post by mofo22
Thought I'd share with you something I only found out recently. I had
been using my old Sony DCR-PC5 camcorder for years, in a helmet camera
setup to film my ATV rides. Recently I had an "incident" in which the
PC5 did not survive... So I went shopping for a new camcorder to use
with my bullet camera, but it appears that many camcorders nowadays do
not have support for a LANC remote control or even A/V IN connections.
That really blows because I need both and so do a lot of people who
use their camcorders for helmet cams. After much surfing and reading a
lot of forum posts, I found out that the new Sony camcorder actually
pretty much all have native support for LANC and A/V IN but just don't
have the required jacks installed on them for some reaso (probably to
save a couple bucks manufacturing!)...
But then I found a company who makes an adapter cable which connects
to the new Sony camcorders via the weird D-shaped connector, and lets
you hook up a LANC remote AND gives you RCA jacks to hook up the
external camera and mic. It's not cheap $50 but works like a charm
http://www.prolanc.com I found mine on eBay and saved a few bucks. I
use it with my brand new HDRCX12 and it works as advertized. I already
owned the LANC remote but otherwise you have to get one of these too
but they're fairly cheap. If you don't want to use it with a helmet
cam, the cable will also control the camcorder directly in camera
mode, pretty neat!

I inquired about the possibility of a Canon HV20/30/40 Lanc adapter
(it REALLY needs one!), but alas, none is anticipated....
--DR

[Frank]

On Fri, 31 Jul 2009 23:32:58 -0400, in 'rec.video',
in article <Re: Enabling LANC on new Sony camcorders>,

Post by David Ruether

Post by mofo22
Thought I'd share with you something I only found out recently. I had
been using my old Sony DCR-PC5 camcorder for years, in a helmet camera
setup to film my ATV rides. Recently I had an "incident" in which the
PC5 did not survive... So I went shopping for a new camcorder to use
with my bullet camera, but it appears that many camcorders nowadays do
not have support for a LANC remote control or even A/V IN connections.
That really blows because I need both and so do a lot of people who
use their camcorders for helmet cams. After much surfing and reading a
lot of forum posts, I found out that the new Sony camcorder actually
pretty much all have native support for LANC and A/V IN but just don't
have the required jacks installed on them for some reaso (probably to
save a couple bucks manufacturing!)...
But then I found a company who makes an adapter cable which connects
to the new Sony camcorders via the weird D-shaped connector, and lets
you hook up a LANC remote AND gives you RCA jacks to hook up the
external camera and mic. It's not cheap $50 but works like a charm
http://www.prolanc.com I found mine on eBay and saved a few bucks. I
use it with my brand new HDRCX12 and it works as advertized. I already
owned the LANC remote but otherwise you have to get one of these too
but they're fairly cheap. If you don't want to use it with a helmet
cam, the cable will also control the camcorder directly in camera
mode, pretty neat!

I inquired about the possibility of a Canon HV20/30/40 Lanc adapter
(it REALLY needs one!), but alas, none is anticipated....
--DR

I'm not sure how someone could design a LANC adapter for a camcorder,
such as the Canon HV20/30/40 series, that doesn't support LANC
protocol.

Sony does offer a very inexpensive wired remote controller for use
with select models of its consumer camcorders including the HDR-CX12.
It's called the RM-AV2, has a 59-inch-long cord, and sells for just
$38.95 at B&H.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/540091-REG/

It can also be found via a search on the Sony Style Web site.

http://www.sonystyle.com/

Probably the most complete list of camcorder models compatible with
the RM-AV2 controller can be found on the Sony U.K. Web site at the
following URL.

http://www.sony.co.uk/product/cac-other-accessories/rm-av2#pageType=Compatibles

There are a few exceptions, but generally speaking, to convert to the
equivalent U.S./Canada model, just drop the "E" at the end of the
European model numbers listed.

Sony also offers a regular LANC controller, which many people seem not
to know about, that works with most of their prosumer HDV camcorders,
known as the RM-1BP. It's $219.95 at B&H and works with the HVR-A1x,
HVR-HD1000x, HVR-S270x, HVR-V1x, HVR-Z1x, HVR-Z5x, and HVR-Z7x (where
"x" is either C, E, J, N, P, or U depending upon which part of the
world you're in), and perhaps some other models as well.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/474695-REG/

The RM-1BP can be found on the Sony Pro Web site at the following URL.

http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/product-RM1BP/

Of course, the most elaborate LANC controller that Sony makes is the
RM-1000BP. One person that I know remarked that they thought that it
had fallen off of a space ship. It sells for $1199.95 at B&H.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/598524-REG/

The RM-1000BP works with the HVR-S270x, HVR-Z5x, and HVR-Z7x
camcorders and can be found on the Sony Pro Web site at the following
URL.

http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/product-RM1000BP/

Note that certain early-production HVR-S270x and HVR-Z7x camcorders
(based upon serial number) will require a firmware upgrade before the
RM-1000BP will function with it.

[David Ruether]

Post by Frank
On Fri, 31 Jul 2009 23:32:58 -0400, in 'rec.video',
in article <Re: Enabling LANC on new Sony camcorders>,

Post by mofo22
Thought I'd share with you something I only found out recently. I had
been using my old Sony DCR-PC5 camcorder for years, in a helmet camera
setup to film my ATV rides. Recently I had an "incident" in which the
PC5 did not survive... So I went shopping for a new camcorder to use
with my bullet camera, but it appears that many camcorders nowadays do
not have support for a LANC remote control or even A/V IN connections.

[...]

Post by Frank

Post by mofo22
But then I found a company who makes an adapter cable which connects
to the new Sony camcorders via the weird D-shaped connector, and lets
you hook up a LANC remote AND gives you RCA jacks to hook up the
external camera and mic. It's not cheap $50 but works like a charm
http://www.prolanc.com

[...]

Post by Frank

I inquired there about the possibility of a Canon HV20/30/40 Lanc
adapter (it REALLY needs one!), but alas, none is anticipated....
--DR

I'm not sure how someone could design a LANC adapter for a camcorder,
such as the Canon HV20/30/40 series, that doesn't support LANC
protocol.

Apparently, it is not possible, darn (but the Sony story above was promising
and worth pursuing, since I think earlier Canon camcorders also supported
Lanc.

Post by Frank
Sony does offer a very inexpensive wired remote controller for use
with select models of its consumer camcorders including the HDR-CX12.
It's called the RM-AV2, has a 59-inch-long cord, and sells for just
$38.95 at B&H.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/540091-REG/

I have this one, but with the "mini-mini" plug on the cord. It works well.
Canon also makes the fancy ZR-1000 with the same cord end ($175 at
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?ci=0&shs=canon+lanc&sb=ps&pn=1&sq=desc&InitialSearch=yes&O=jsp%2FRootPage.jsp&A=search&Q=*&bhs=t&Go.x=17&Go.y=11)
with five fixed zoom rates plus variable rate. I may sell mne, since I no
longer have a camera it fits that I use.
--DR