What are the chances of a DVX100B with 16x9 at NAB

[reservoir]

Rumors, Rumors, and more rumors. I've read a few posts *elsewhere* that there *may* be a DVX100 with native 16x9 coming as well as the new HDX100. I'm assuming that if it "is" true than the camera would be announced at NAB alongside the HDX. To me it makes sense I guess. If Panasonic is already engineering one without any lead parts in, why not go ahead and throw in 16x9 CCD's and maybe a couple of other features "While they have it open". Anyone have any opinions, guesses, questions, comments, rants, raves etc. on this? I personally think it sounds reasonable and logical. If the new HDX100 will be in the 5k-10k range why NOT put in 16x9 CCDs on the DVX and have it ride off nicely into the sunset? I know Jan can't comment either way on this but it is food for thought. ~reservoir~

[Zim]

I would buy one if they do,,,,the new HDP2 is probably going to be out of my little budget. But a DVX100 with native 16:9 is what I would like to have. Myself I don't care much about HD. I can't afford it and like Barry and Jarred said in their now famous report,,,HD is years away from being standard.

Jan will only say the new DVX lead free.

[Flintstone]

WISHFUL THINKING!

But you're right! *It would be fantastic to have native 16x9. *I'd buy one in a heartbeat too. *Heck, maybe even two. *It would tiddy things a bit until HD in general becomes more entrenched in consumer households (or at least until BlueRay or HD-DVD players, as well as recording devices of us videographers, become available).

[geffy]

new camera can be used as dv in 16 by 9, so means no dvx in 16 by 9!

[boo]

I would buy one if they do,,,,the new HDP2 is probably going to be out of my little budget. But a DVX100 with native 16:9 is what I would like to have. Myself I don't care much about HD. I can't afford it *and like Barry and Jarred said in their now famous report,,,HD is years away from being standard.

Jan will only say *the new DVX lead free.

hd is nice, but i'm looking forward more to 4:2:2 sd! imagine, not taking the extra time of workarounds dealing w/ dv 4:1:1 and greenscreening, etc...

[Flintstone]

hd is nice, but i'm looking forward more to 4:2:2 sd! *imagine, not taking the extra time of workarounds dealing w/ dv 4:1:1 and greenscreening, etc...
True, but in the unlikely event that they could produce a 16x9 DVX100B, I would highly doubt that it will be able to do 4:2:2. *And in that regard, the HDX will be the number one choice.

In my statement, I was assuming that if a DVX100B is to come out, it would be very shortly after NAB. *Plus, I personally *believe that the HDX won't be due until late Q3 or Q4 of 2005. *I have short term needs that I have to attend to... hence my joy at the thought of a possible 16x9 native DVX.

But in all honesty, I won't hold my breath.

[David Jimerson]

Just "throw in 16x9"? Like a Happy Meal toy?

Not quite that simple.

[reservoir]

Of course it's not that simple...but it would definately keep sales of DVX100's lively for those who can't ($$$) or won't upgrade to the new HDX anytime soon. And since SD is still going to be around for some time...WHY THE HELL not have a 16x9 DVX. Panasonic KNOWS we all want one!! It probably won't happen....but all I'm saying is that it would be nice. NICE to have 2 awesome options by the end of 05'. A 16x9 DVX100 or a 16x9 HDX100 for a little more. What more could we want!! ~reservoir~

"A CineAlta / VariCam in a dvx form factor for under 10k"

[David Jimerson]

There may be a 16x9 DVX some time; who knows? Maybe even this time around. But it would require new optics, new prisms, etc.. It's a lot of engineering. My point is that you made it sound like just sliding in new CCDs.

[Shaw]

Yep and you would need all new internal processing as well.

[xander76]

I say the chances are less than 1 percent. A few reasons:

1) It's a lot of work to re-engineer.
2) Jan has said the DVX100B will not come out until fall (I think she estimated September). It would be extremely counterproductive to DVX100A sales to announce an improvement that won't be available for a few months; most people would wait for the DVX100B rather than buy the 100A. This is why the DVX100A was only announced when it was ready to ship.
3) If speculation holds and the DV-capable HDX100 comes in at $5K or so, a DVX100B with 16x9 sensors could cut significantly into the new camera's market.

I would be delighted to be proved wrong, but I don't think it'll happen.

[reservoir]

Understood. Makes sense I guess. ~reservoir~

[Zig_Zigman]

Marketing vs Engineering here. If they think dvx sales will not drop off the table between April (when JVC and who knows else announces new cams) and say Oct when the Mother Of All Camera's comes out, then they might try to slide without 16x9. I suspect Jan has asked for for 16x9 and a few other things in revisionB, and engineering had to decide whether to put new chips in or not.

[Flintstone]

Not that I have any real hopes of a 16x9 DVX ever coming up (although it would be great), hypothetically speaking, would it be that difficult to reengineer the CCD block? I mean, of course it's not just a matter of slapping chips on a new prism, but, it is something that they do often... cameras I mean. And how much of the other components really need major overhaul? Not much I'd say, except maybe for some software updates.

Anyway, it's just a passing thought.

[Barry_Green]

Just to put it in context... there has never been a 16:9-shaped CCD in the 1/3" form factor, up until the FX1. *Not even the XL2 has a 16:9-shaped chip. *So seeing as it had never been done (and, if you count that the FX1 is actually an HD chip, you could say that it's *still* never been done for SD 1/3") I think it very unlikely that they would just "slip it in" the revised DVX100B.

[Flintstone]

I suspected as much.

[Robert_Niemann]

I do not really know, why there should be a so called DVX100B with "native" 16:9. The DVX100A is a great camera, that gives You 16:9 in three different ways: letter boxed, squeezed and with the anamorphic adapter as an option - is that not enough? As Barry has already said, that the DVX100A (and all other DV cameras) record their picture in 720 x 480/576 (NTSC/PAL), there seems to be no real need for a 960 x 480/576 shaped CCD, with the exception, that Panasonic will do a real re-ingeneering of the DVX, but is that not just much too expensive? Just my opinion. And I am sure, not the majority of the owners of a DVX100A will switch to a DVX100B by selling their "old" camera incl. the anamorphic adapter for, let us say, 2.000,- dollars and buying the new one for 3.500,-.

[Flintstone]

??? That wasn't the point! *If 16x9 CCDs were a possibility in 1/3" format, the sensors would still be 720x480 (or 576), but the aspect ratio of each pixel would be wider. *In letterbox and squeeze mode, you loose resolution. *And the anamorphic adapter's usability is limited in it's zoom range, and autofocus does not really work with it. Exception to the anamorphic adapter, every pixel of information is true optical information, not electronically manipulated or cropped; hence the beauty of native 16x9 chips. *Also, I wasn't suggesting that people sell their current 100A either.

Some of us were simply dreaming in technicolor at the prospect of having a native 16x9 low-cost DVX, that's all. *Regardless, the HDX prospect is much more appealing anyway.

[reservoir]

And back to what I was saying earlier. If indeed the DVX100A is going to remain a current product for the next few *years* it would be great to have the 16x9 option. So go ahead and release a DVX100B that is lead free. Maybe we could get a DVX100C later on down the line. IF IN FACT the HDX is NOT a replacement and a true step-up model. In my opinion whether the DVX has 16x9 or not it still *ain't* going anywhere anytime soon. If it's a pipe dream...then so be it!! ~reservoir~