Advice Needed: PIX 220 or Tascam Dr100 Mark II

[Samir Patel]

Hi All,

I am just getting back into video production after a long hiatus and putting together a package that I can use for myself and not for loan out to others. I currently have a package consisting of the following:

RED Scarlet
Nikon D800
Canon 5d Mark III
RODE NTG-3
Canon Lenses primarily

While I am set on the video acquisition front. I need some help on the audio acquisition. I recently ordered the RODE NTG-3 but I need a system for recording the audio professionally. I was considering purchasing the Tascam DR100 Mk 2 ($330 approx) but since I want to be able to have all of my equipment work with each other and I have a budget I was wondering if I should purchase a PIX 220 (approx $1750) instead since it can be used to capture the uncompressed feed from my D800 and offer a backup proxy feed to any video I capture on the RED scarlet. Any advice? The PIX 240 would be out of my budget so I am only considering between the ZOOM H4N, TASCAM and PIX 220. I have read that the TASCAM is prefered over the ZOOM. With the PIX 220 I would be able to avoid buying a Atomos Ninja 2 as a future purchase. Considering the PIX 220 is a sound devices device is the audio captured from that device the cleanest out of all of the options?

Thanks.

-Samir

 

[stu aull]

Samir-
I have a 240 PIX so my biases will show. I initially considered the 220 but since the majority of my client-shooting is direct-to-HD-ProRes, the additional $$ for the features made sense to me, esp in light of RED SSD costs.
That said, and since both the 220 and 240 are the same alloy chassis, the construction quality is spectacular! These are rugged, well built units, with wonderful controls and features. Constant firmware upgrades make them better-and-better (like our Scarlets). The audio record capability is superb, as one expects from a company (Sound Devices) that is, essentially, an audio company. They note, if I recall, that the circuitry in the PIX is the same as their advanced sound mixers.
If audio is primary and you want to future-proof your $$ for a good video recorder, you can't go wrong with PIX...

Stu Aull
SX 199
PIX240
Alaska

 

[Samir Patel]

Thanks Stu,

I went ahead and ordered the Tascam just to get my audio captured for now. I am going to save up and go for the PIX240 as my next purchase. I have yet to find a single negative review about the PIX240.

Samir

 

[Shiblon Wixom]

The Tascam has a few quirks, but I like it better than the Zoom. You cannot use the onboard speaker if on screen audio levels are visible, you have to hold enter while powering up the unit in order to use the advanced mode and options, the internal power supply is nice so you don't have to power down while swapping batteries or moving the unit to a different power outlet. I also put together a 5v 2a regulator to P-Tap adapter in order to power the Tascam unit off the Red Camera's power supply, otherwise you'll swap out AA batteries x2 or x3 times a day. It would have been nice to power the unit off the USB connection, but it only works for recharging the internal battery pack or for file transfers from the unit.