What's Panasonic's Answer to the XL2

[Young-H._Lee]

What do you guys speculate how Panny will respond to the release of the XL2? Are they working on a brandnew camera or are they upgrading the DVX100A? If so, when do you think the new upgrade will be out?

Any thoughts on how badly the DVX100 sales will be hurt by the XL2?

[NoahK]

That's kind of a chicken before the egg question isn't it? The XL2 is Canon's (rather late) answer to the DVX. Panasonic has already sold many, many cameras. It will take a long time for the XL2 to catch up to where the DVX is right now and I'd wager if it ever does Panasonic will no doubt have something new in store by then.

[Aejaz]

Yeah. that is true.

What is common between these two cameras...mainly the 24P/25P mode. Right?

Otherwise, to my mind they are quite different cameras in essence...specially in terms of the price brackets. So it would be hard to peg either one of these to the other....specially in terms of sales and marketing.

I am not a marketing expert. just an opinion

[Antoine_Fabi]

I think everybody is dancing on their big toes at present time...

DV 25 ? DVC Pro ? HDV ? *DVC Pro HD ? *whatever HD ?

99% of the broadcasters are still 4:3 SD, and i think it will not change anytime soon because of the big investments involved in equipments and HD air time...

Panasonic has the highest and most compatible technology to take about the whole market right now, IF THEY WANT TO...

some of their decks can play DV, DVCAM, DVCPro, DVCPro50,DVCProHD...

they already have very high level technology in the SDX900 and the Varicam.
They just have to put it in small and reasonably priced camcorder and decks AND...bye bye Sony, bye bye Canon, bye bye everyone...

they would sign most of the bradcasters and small procucers.

...but do they want to ?...

They could do it right now with DVCProHD, and have most of the HD market, but if they wait too long, then HDV will be there. HDV might be inferior, but it will be there.

Apple did it with Final Cut Pro and all their integrated satellite products
(DVD Studio Pro,Compressor, Cinema Tools, Motion etc...etc...)

[Neil Rowe]

..wink wink.. JAN! wink wink.. ;) :P ;D

[ddh]

the removable lense factor is a big plus for the XL2 and is something I sorely hope will happen to any upgrade to the DVX.

[Neil Rowe]

..nah its semi rediculous cause if you can actually afford the other lenses, then youd have abetter camera.

[David Jimerson]

You can rent other lenses.

Not that many do, but you're not locked into buying them.

[theos]

I totaly agree with Noah . . . if Panasonic were to get into trying to out do the XL2 its would be looking backwards at bettering technology which it has already mastered and sold extensivley in the open market.

[nullphonic]

(Just being totally sarcastic here ;D)....

Panasonics answer to Canon....

(1) "Hmm, neat."

(2) "Nice shot....to bad the games over."

(3) "Where've you been? We left the light on for ya and everything."

(4) "oooooohhhhhhhh……aaahhhhhhhhh……….pffft."

(5) "Yeah whatever…… Anyway, about this HD thing…….."

I’m positive I’ll own an XL2 at some point, just having fun with the whole timing thing ;D

[David Jimerson]

(6) "That’s using your noodle!" (Pat on top of the head.)

I don’t know what would make me buy an XL2 – not because I’m loyal to Panasonic, but it just doesn’t offer a significant enough upgrade. Not with the rumblings of 24p HDV coming up for late next year, which would be the earliest at which I’d consider a new camcorder purchase. I’ve got my DVXs, so there’s no reason not to wait and see what comes down the pike.

[nullphonic]

LOL on (6), good one ;D

Just from the info I’ve gathered regarding the potential for the Mini35/XL2 combination I’m already (possibly and obviously extremely prematurely, wouldn’t be the first mistake I’ve made) counting on picking one up. On paper anyway and based on the very small amounts of preliminary reports of using that combination it looks hopeful (back focus, body only purchase option, etc). I’m still going to let a LOT more people shoot with it first but I’m optimistic about that combination.

[verde]

Do you think Panasonic will be lowering the DVX100A's price tag in response?

[Gary_McClurg]

They're giving you Magic Bullet. I know its suppose to be how you can tell its a US camera. But my feeling two days before the Xl2 comes out, nah. Its a selling tool. A good selling tool.

I would just like to know how Panasonic starts their rumor mill about a new camera. Since I'm new to the DVX world just purchased it. You guys who have been around longer might know.

What I would love to see.

Interchange lens, but probably not because what would happen to the SDX900 (not sure if that's the right model number)? Who would buy that camera if you could get it for $5,000.

Mutil-frame rates. but then who would buy the varicam?

HD, but again they'd lose sells on the 900 again. Maybe that's what has people so upset about the Canon. That was my hope also. Since they don't make 900 and Varicams. The XL1s was thery're top of the line camera I was hoping it'd be HDV and even dreaming bigger muti frame rates.

Maybe they'll wait until JVC's patent runs out on the one chip camera and make it a 3 chip that would be nice. And the varicam frame rate patent has to be up by now. But then it'll be three years because that's how long its seems for Canon to make an update.

In the meantime I'll make movies with the DVX.

[NoahK]

Why would Panasonic need to lower their price- it's already $1,500 lower than the XL2. If anyone needs to offer a sweetheart deal right now- it would be Canon.

Noah

[verde]

Because people always want the newest. It's basic marketing to drop a price after an amount of time especially when new products are surfacing.

[NoahK]

Not unless the new item is better and comparably priced. Canon will need to sell for the DVX100's current price if they truly wish to compete.

[Guest]

Trust me kids. ;D Sony will be having the next shot in this little war ;-)

[Contact_Therapy]

Sony, Schmony.

Come on, spill it, Cam.

Or someone might cast level 10 focus challenge and dirty tape heads on you! :o

[Flintstone]

Its too bad SD is almost on its last leg. *I would have like to see a DV50 version of the DVX, with 16x9 native chips of course. *30 minutes on a MiniDV tape. *Not bad, don’t you think? (May be crappy for certain events, but it would be switchable). * But I guess that would "jeopardize" their mighty SDX900 (Panasonic's last line of defense to the broadcast 24p world). *;D *But anyway, here's to dreaming.

In any event, HDV is down to road, but not soon enough for many of us, and the wait is really killing me (more then a year until good cams come out with their appropriate supporting gear). *But I console myself in the fact that when DV first came out, the codec wasn't that great compared to today’s codecs, so I assume HDV might suffer the same drawbacks, as every new emerging technologies often do.

So take heart, the DVX is still king, the XL2, although very nice, probably even better then the DVX in some respect; is unfortunately way to late in the game, not to mention late... no, I said that already, I meant expensive. *;)

Anyway; in response to the original post, I believe Panasonic's best answer to Canon is not to answer at all. *Not acknowledging Canon would simply say... "Hey you! Your to late! Why should I bother.". *Well maybe Panasonic could respond in the form of a superior firmware upgrade for the DVX100A. *But I fell it would be corporate suicide to come out with a new DVX100B at this stage of the game.

As for Sony's response, don't count on it. *There will be no PD180 24P. *Sony is occupied to develop their HDV "DVCAM" or whatever they will call their new line. *Be prepared to see an HDV PD170-sized consumer/prosumer cam, and a line of shoulder-mount cams... *but not before NAB2005.

I am curious to see JVC's shoulder-mount HDV cam though. *Because technically, this would be their second generation HDV; so to speak. *And all others will be on their first iteration.

Anyway, just my usual 2 cents. *(it’s been a long time, but better late then never).

Oh, and by the way, it's better to have great SD then crappy HD. *Just a thought. *;)

[Mike_Donis]

JVC's proven that one ::)

[MovieSwede]

Yepp was thinking im was the only one that wasnt so impressed with the new HDV standard. I want a camera with less compression than DV not more (in the 5000$ market)

[Gary_McClurg]

Here's what my producing partner a director/dp who loves 35mm says about the camera after he did a test at an amusement park yesterday....UNBELIEVABLE!!!! love this format and camera. does have its drawback on horizontal lines in the progressive modes. have to have a serious monitor. really need a waveform and scope too. any news on scripts. Gary, we should do the gathering...this camera is perfect for it...

Where hoping to do a horror film before the year ends and we're talking to a major company about doing it. But we're both thinking why wait for studio approval. That's what he means about the gathering, a script we have. Instead of getting the okay we can shoot this with the DVX and using are own money and some acting connections we have so that the film has a marketable name in it.

So gee finally my question. Any clues or rumors about an update?

I love to see it have some type of HDV, (fix the problems that I keep hearing about or make it DVC50HD), record to something other than tape, innerchangeable lens, true 16x9. We have 35mm primes so it'd be nice to use those. But that would cut into the SDX 900 sales so they won't do that for a cheaper price.

So Jan, us little guys are still a market that really hasn't been fully tapped. Panasonic would make a kiling and I'm not sure it'd really take that much away from the big boys market share.

[Antoine_Fabi]

...yep ! ... :)

Pany would sell much much (and again much) more of these than the (killer image but too pricey and too big) SDX900 or Varicam.
Keep the price of the varicam and SDX about the same if it is a "professional must", and leave the "luxury" features for these big cams to justify the price difference, and make something killer, lighweight, 16:9, interchangeable lenses and affordable for the small producers like us.

overall, Pany would make much more money. (much much more...)

there is a BIG market just waiting...

yoo ooo ???
yooooo *oooo ???

...i hope to hear an echo...

[J.R. Hudson]

With built in Follow Focus and interchaneable lenses!

[eat@me]

if dvx100a had native 16:9 or versitile ccd like xl2 to do either 16:9/4:3 to avoid using the ana adaptor or digital squeeze, that would be very very nice.

[eat@me]

Drop Magic Bullet and Add FREE SEX, then DVX or DVSEX will sell like hotcakes

[Phil]

Drop Magic Bullet and Add FREE SEX, then DVX or DVSEX will sell like hotcakes

I have a feeling if you wanted a sancwich, you'd talk about food. ;)

fuck fuck fuck another joke unlaughed at.