$370 for a cable? Why do you punish me Panasonic?

[walnutcrunch]

I love the 500. Really awesome camera but the hidden costs of buying into a professional system are sometimes crazy. I can deal with the BTLH-80. Expensive add on but worth it, but why if I want to drive it with AC from the camera is it going to cost me $370 dollars for two cables, one an AC and one being the packaged EVF cable.

Craziness. I know there are Engineers for broadcasters that love their leather armed swag jackets from a tradeshow who will fill out a PO on whatever cost as long as they get their jacket, but how how how can two short cables be worth $375 dollars?

Are they torsionally strengthened by the joyous tears of angels?

[mcgeedigital]

I give your rant a 8/10.

Extra points for using "torsionally".

[mikkowilson]

Sounds about right for professional cables with professional connectors.


- Mikko

[Postmaster]

It´s not rocket science. A cable shop can probably make them for less than $25.

Frank

[mikkowilson]

If you can find the Lemo or Hirose connectors (alone) for that price, let me know.

- Mikko

[EditingFX]

yeah, i found Hirose for $18, so bought two!

[Capt Quirk]

I don't know exactly what a Hirose connector is, but I found this (http://www.digikey.com/scripts/dksearch/dksus.dll?KeywordSearch?Vendor=26&Keywords=Hirose+connector&site=us&gclid=CKvEhZb8jJECFRptkgodVR6NOw) place selling them for just under $19. I would say the rest of that $370 was mostly bloated profit?

[MikeWilkinson]

bloated profit?


http://www.intentblog.com/archives/eceo.jpg

[Ed Waters]

Some pictures really are worth a thousand words!

[Brad Neal]

If your able to pull of an effective DIY, please post your results.

-Brad

[Noel Evans]

Are they torsionally strengthened by the joyous tears of angels?

You sir, are an artist in the world of rating. I congratulate you. Then the rest of the thread turned out rather enjoyable to read. That pic is great.

A word about the EVF cable - total waste of money, the HPX EVF is monochrome anyway ad the signal it puts out is horrible when viewed on an external monitor.

IF theres any way you can just get the cable to power the monitor directly from the cam though that is incredibly useful. and there has to be cheaper versions around. I wonder if another monitor manufacturer makes them. I have seen different monitors on different HPXs that were not carrying a battery, but cant remember the output on the monitor. Pretty easy to check though.

[jcoxshooter]

don't know about the vf cable but got my anton bauer D-Tap to 4-Pin XLR Cable for like 50 bucks.

[PhantomVideo]

Yeah we got the anton Baur promo pack it came with Charger 2x D90's the AC Cable and an Ultralight but just make one you could steal the connecters of any lighting DMX lead :)

[mikkowilson]

DMX cables use 5-pin XLRs. Power is 4-pin.

A 4-pin XLR you can get from any decent electronics retailer for about $5 each.

Hirose however is a Brand .. it's a company that makes a LOT of connectors. That small "12v out" is a Hirose connector, as as all the lens connectors (on the lens itself and the main "lens" connector on the camera too.). Hirose connectors are very high quality, and not super cheap.

And then there's the quality of the cables use. Ok, not *that* expensive.

But then you've got to have someone put it all together. And soldering & constructing those small multi-pin connectors (like the 4-pin hirose power connector) is no walk in the park. It takes a skilled person a bit of time to do properly. And that time & skill costs money.

So after all that, no the cables aren't cheap. And *then* you have the sales markup to actually turn a profit for everyone evolved.


Parts for that cable for me, to make would probably cost close to $100 once I'd got them all shipped to me. Then it would cost me about 2 hours of my time to make it (plus time ordering & obtaining the parts). My hourly rate is sometimes as much as about $100/hr .. so that $370 doesn't sound too bad for a cable that I know has been made properly and will work.



And in the professional field, you'd better have a backup too; because if that one cables goes down, you MUST be able to keep working.

- Mikko

[PhantomVideo]

DMX cables use 5-pin XLRs. Power is 4-pin.



my mistake sori

[EditingFX]

I must be masochistic.... still solder those tiny Hirose 4-pin myself.... I draw the line at repairing iPod headphone cables though....

[Capt Quirk]

Mikko- I can agree that IF you buy the parts to build your cable by the onesies, you'll spend a bit of change. However, when buying them by the truckload, the price per unit has got to be quite a bit lower. I also doubt that Panasonic is paying a person to hand solder them one at a time. Instead, it would either be automated, or they most likely have it done by sweatshop labor in China, again spending pennies instead of dollars.

I am not just slamming Panasonic, or saying they are the only company guilty of gouging prices. It is just a sad standard in todays market.

[Moz]

Expensive digital cables are a scam. SCAM SCAM SCAM. Either they work 100% or they don't work at all. It's binary.

Analogue cables are a little different as the quality of the construction can effect things. 370 dollars is ridiculous though.

I know panasonic wants me to pay 25 dollars for two 6mm screws.

[Capt Quirk]

I know panasonic wants me to pay 25 dollars for two 6mm screws.

That sounds like a major screw alright. Are you able to sit down yet?

[alexdias]

That sounds like a major screw alright. Are you able to sit down yet?

Dude!

[Capt Quirk]

I calls 'em like I sees 'em...:kali:

[mikkowilson]

or they most likely have it done by sweatshop labor in China, again spending pennies instead of dollars.

Personally I'd rather pay a little more for quality work done under fair conditions than something turned out by some underpaid worker who isn't getting what their work is worth.

To me a product is worth exacly what it would take me to make or obtain it with fair honest work. Anything less, and someone must be getting cheated.

- Mikko

[SPZ]

Personally I'd rather pay a little more for quality work done under fair conditions than something turned out by some underpaid worker who isn't getting what their work is worth.

- Mikko

In a country of billions of people, those workers do think they are paid what their work is worth.