Buy now or wait.

[I_am_metolius]

Hello everyone:

I just moved to Los Angeles and I'm looking at buying a camera. I was looking at cameras in Seattle and I was told that I should wait till NAB to buy one. I'm currently looking at the HMC-150 because it is some what affordable. However, I was told that Canon may be coming out with their own tapeless camera causing to HVX to drop in price. What should I do? Buy the HMC now or wait till NAB to see if a canon tapeless camera comes out causing the HVX to drop in price?

Please help me. Thanks.

[Barry_Green]

No new camera announcement or introduction ever causes any other camera to drop in price. The only things that cause a drop in price are a sustained decrease in sales, or maybe when they're clearing out old stock to make room for a new unit.

If you can afford to wait, you should always afford to wait, as new stuff comes out all the time. If you cannot afford to wait, buy the product that best suits your needs and get to work.

[egproductions]

Barry, I agree with you in terms of retailers. There will be some good deals to be had on the used market due to the people trying to upgrade. The best time to buy a new camera is when it's new...otherwise buy used.

[shijin]

Metolius, I 'm thinking to buy hmc150 too but maybe in NAB2010 will come a new model.... The question is, if Pana presents new hmc150 model in NAB, when will be in the stores to buy ? Somebody remember how many weeks or months people had to wait to buy HMC150 since the announcement in NAB08 ?

[Barry_Green]

The HMC150 was announced in April, but it delivered to stores in I think September. When the HVX200 was announced in April, it delivered December 29th. The HPX170 was announced in April and I think it delivered in October.

However, for a revision, the wait is usually much less. I think the HVX200A was announced in April and delivered in June? The DVX100A was pretty much available within a few weeks of its announcement. The DVX100B was announced months before it actually came out.

So -- frankly, there's no real way to tell. And even if a new model comes out, it doesn't mean that your current model stops working! So buy what you need when you need it. If you don't need it, don't buy it, but when you need it, step up to the plate, get what you need, and don't look back.

[Jason Adams]

If you don't need it, don't buy it, but when you need it, step up to the plate, get what you need, and don't look back.

Just bought a 7D when it looks like preliminary specs on the unreleased 550D are going to put the 550D on par with 7D as a video camera. 550 is 1000 bucks less But I have 7d gigs booking now. Barry is right on.
If you wait to have the coolest newest you will never buy. If you do get the baddest cam in town just wait 90 days and the next press release will drop for the next cam that will make yours less sexy. These are not status symbols their tools for artists. Get what you need when you need it and be more proud of your work than your gear.

[Indywannabe]

Is there any reason to expect the price of the 64gb P2 card to drop from it's $899 going rate?

[Jodysmith]

Is there any reason to expect the price of the 64gb P2 card to drop from it's $899 going rate?

i wish :-)

[Jodysmith]

looks like Panny did drop the prices of P2.....great news! Also sounds as though they will have some sort of announcement at NAB2011

[Barry_Green]

Yep, they already substantially dropped the price of the 64GB card, it's (I think) $695 MSRP now.