dvx100 not on aus website? + a few questions

[themagickite]

is this still available?

it's not on the Australian website, but i have seen it on a couple of AU store site but that could be old stock.

anyway...

i really like the non-electronic lens controls but does that apply to the focus ring as well? or just the zoom?

if a cheaper alternative to the hvx is ever released (based on avc-hd, or not) do you think it's possible that it would have the same cam driven lens controls? (or is that reserved for the flagship handheld model?)

cheers

[Evro]

The focus ring is not mechanically linked to the lens - servo ctrld.

[themagickite]

does that also apply to the hvx?

[Barry_Green]

Well, yes, but not like you'd think. It's true that the ring is not mechanically linked, but it's also true to say that it acts as if it was. It doesn't act like the servos on the Canon or Sony products at all. Other than the lack of hard stops, you'd never know that the HVX/DVX focus ring wasn't a true mechanical ring -- you can execute precise repeatable predictable focus moves with it, you can use a manual follow focus and set marks and hit them every time, etc.

It's a servo ring that absolutely precisely mimics the behavior of a mechanical ring (except it doesn't have hard stops at infinity and MOD).

[themagickite]

cool!

that's what i like to hear

so any chance of that same kind of control being in an avc-hd based baby hvx?

[Evro]

Well, yes, but not like you'd think. It's true that the ring is not mechanically linked, but it's also true to say that it acts as if it was. It doesn't act like the servos on the Canon or Sony products at all.

What the man says is true; I have an XL2 as backup and the responsiveness of the focus controll is not only sloppy but you can also hear the servo motor whirring when you use it.

I'll never stop singing the praises of my DVX :) you just don't know how good it is untill you start to use other cams.

[themagickite]

i would have thought the xl2 lens would be good, but i guess that's what the manual lens is for

i don't know why anyone would want a camera with interchangeable lenses that comes with a sloppy lens

[Barry_Green]

so any chance of that same kind of control being in an avc-hd based baby hvx?
No way to know, but if they have any sense of how much we appreciate that feature, they'd make sure to put it in!

[themagickite]

i hope so

panasonic do seem to be the brand that tries to focus on manual control, more than any of the others

when you look at thier DSLR you can see that too, i mean what other dslr comes with a lens that has a proper aperture dial?

i wonder how long it will take for panasonic to let the variable framerates trickle down to the consumer line?

afterall sony has that high speed sensor (up to 300fps) that they're working on intended for their consumer line (for getting your son kicking that goal in slo-mo and such)

[Evro]

i would have thought the xl2 lens would be good, but i guess that's what the manual lens is for

i don't know why anyone would want a camera with interchangeable lenses that comes with a sloppy lens


The stock XL2 lens is actually quite good and combined with the camera has a higher resolution than the DVX - the actual problem with the lens is a lack of professional controls, which makes the cam harder to use for weddings & events (my line of work).

I looked at buying the 16x manual lens to overcome this problem however I was quoted over $3,000AUD for it so I decided to buy another DVX instead and rendered the XL2 as backup.