DVX 100 B "Pict enhancements + lower cost" ?

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Kelly Olsen

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https://eww.pavc.panasonic.co.jp/pro-av/sales_o/news_info/ibc/132.html

Below is an excerpt from a Panasonic European website (URL above) which has the following information about the new DVX 100 B.

"Improved colour reproduction with advanced image adjustments have enhanced this already high quality unit allowing productions to cut material shot on this Camcorder into other formats with even more ease.

With the release of the P2miniCam, prices for all Panasonics SD mini DVs has been brought down making production on these high quality units much more cost effective."

Jan, or anybody who can answer:

1. What might the 'Improved colour reproduction with advanced image adjustments" be for the
DVX 100 B?

2. How will the statement, "Prices for all Panasonics SD mini DVs has been brought down" be reflected in the price of the new camera?

Thanks.
 
1.The picture quality surpasses the SDX900. In fact, they are discontinuing the 900 because of this.
2.The new distribution plan calls for housewives across America to carry them at their garage sales.

Just kidding :)
 
holly smokes
that all black body looks BADASS!!!!!!
even more imgae enhancements????? damn!!!!
16x9 LCD that's cool

overall great flippin' camera

the price is still the same $4000 MSRP


thanx Panasonic you guys ROCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
rebate maybe?????
 
letterboxing in the lcd when using strech 16x9 mode , one of the biggest problems for me with the dvx100a
Iris and Focus remote controls is also a great feature
however, both of these features are also available on the hvx200 and 3990 euros is too close to 5995$, so even for SD shooting I would probably prefer the hvx (making the upgrade to HD only a media purchase issue)

still, it's nice to see (again) that panasonic really listents to their customers, these changes were asked for by alot of DVX users.
 
EShy said:
...still, it's nice to see (again) that panasonic really listents to their customers, these changes were asked for by alot of DVX users.
Click to expand...

Well, my personal feedback as one little consumer is if they had been listening to me they would have included a 16x9 chip and caught up with Canon on this issue.

For the loyalists here, I know that I have sinned, and I promise to go to confession, so no need to read me the riot act here for being a trouble maker and questioning Panasonic.

I'm still going to happily give them my money instead of Canon and get a DVX 100 once they tell us in the United States what the features really are on the 100 B and what the cost of it is going to be.

Just standing by with money in hand waiting to transfer it to Rush at EVS.
 
I too find it perpetually odd how quiet--nearly mute--Panasonic becomes after introducing a new product. No price. No release date. Obfuscatious "wait and see" details, feature/designs. The 100B was sitting on a table at IBC with printed literature. But we only get "Maybe this, maybe that leaks" of details, release dates. At this stage what's the big secret? Why not just come out and say it!? All this mysterioso borders the absurd. Especially with the 100/B/A etc. lineage and history. It's like Panasonic is trying to find a way to trip over itself whilst measuring the impact of an idea before or while in the midst of producing it.

Meanwhile Canon offers up an HD camera that is slated available--nearly immediately--in November...realistically two months before HVX (unless--wink, wink--HVX ships December 31st following an April announcement). Looks more like February before a substantial release of product.

I'm a 100A, maybe B guy. Unless the mysterioso drags on forever. HD?SD? If SD can get up on the big screen with taped off lcd, 16:9 in post, I say that's the way for me.

Just be nice to get straight answers--rather than obfuscations and curve balls.
 
turk said:
....No price. No release date. Obfuscatious "wait and see" details, feature/designs. The 100B was sitting on a table at IBC with printed literature. But we only get "Maybe this, maybe that leaks" of details, release dates. At this stage what's the big secret? Why not just come out and say it!? All this mysterioso borders the absurd....Just be nice to get straight answers--rather than obfuscations and curve balls.
Click to expand...

Very, very well said.
 
A projected release of October and no price point yet? The HVX is projected at Nov/Dec and it has had it's price listed for a while. The HVX isn't even finished yet. You know the DVX100B is ready to go. If the 100B is the same price as the 100A without rebate or freebies, why would releasing the pricing info matter? Lots of people, possibly including me, would still be tempted to get the 100A with all the goodies. A lot of us are just waiting, money in hand, for this info. Come on Panny, throw us a bone.
 
Well, to a degree one has to compliment Panasonic for keeping its ear to the rail on upgrades--though the 16:9 lcd is pretty much it as far as truly useful features are concerned. If wim wenders/nancy schrieber can tape off lcd of a basic 100, do 16:9 in post...well c'mon--seems to me someone has figured it out. The 100 series can be very useful for quite some time.

I too had hoped for 16:9 and/or little more focal length on lens. I think 16:9 on SD 100B would have been worth stabilizing the list price at 4bills. I'm sure Panasonic didn't want any competition with the HVX so they left it off. Perhaps we'll see it 100C after the HVX establishes its market--which appears to be "highest quality for the buck" purchases. As it is P2 will have its hands full with new Canon(s), JVC, Sony, etc. Wouldn't be surprised if Canon replaced the GL2 with upgraded audio, 16:9 SD, magnesium case--now that they've waited and seen the cards being played and how Panasonic will play out the 100 series.

For my needs, it's 100A/B or Canon upgrade to GL2 (24f, 20xflourite zoom, 16:9 SD).

The 100 series could always go 16:9 SD, add P2 (IF the media establishes itself), longer lens, etc., and never affect HVX/XLHD market--even compliment and strengthen P2. I think Panasonic got it right with the 100 series--hate to see them shoot themselves in the foot. The notion of skipping 16:9 SD for HD is IMHO vastly premature--unless the goal is to shove it down our throats with Sony consumer HD.

If Panasonic has a problem it's in how/when it releases projected products, details. As a journalist I'm not much on teases, winks or, yes, obfuscations designed to stoke rather than inform.

It's not so good to be "too far ahead of one's time." Better it is to inform, follow thru quickly, decisively.

Let's hope Jan and Panasonic are still learning how this brave new (marketing) world works--especially as it relates to us. :undecided

The 100B--though not much of an upgrade--still has my interest. Maybe if they tie it in with modified 100A offer it would help keep the momentum during important fall 4th quarter (dividend/retail) season.

I'm all for keeping the momentum!
 
turk said:
...The notion of skipping 16:9 SD for HD is IMHO vastly premature--unless the goal is to shove it down our throats with Sony consumer HD...
Click to expand...

They didn't. The HVX shoots MiniDV native 16:9 recorded to cheap tape, for a total of $6000 or less. It then gives you the option of moving up to HD. I see little point in releasing a DVX with native 16:9. That's the HVX in MiniDV mode.
 
The problem is it's still a $6000 box. It's a point we're too willing to gloss over. SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS. The point is HVX and HD are more toward a professional standard indie/broadcast shooter niche that has more bread to spend--considering the extras needed to play out the system, do it justice. (Light control/dof, etc.; HD not for the faint of heart.)

I keep thinking of all those film schools--any school/college/high shcool)--plus independent shooters who don't and won't need HD in its immediate various and evolving incarnations. SD can still be a very useful 3-5 year HD bridge. It was only a few years ago that "prosumer" market evolved as 2-4K market. If anything that market has now split into two distinctive niches: prosumer and indie. A lot of people on this site are already making money and can justify and rationalize anywhere from 6-10K for their purchase. (I try to do that too!)

HD is a bandwagon for indie and broadcast--but that leaves out a sizeable and viable audience--which is how the prosumer audience eventually evolved, grew, split. I think HD is great but SD is already up on the big screen at nominal cost.

Key on this: Panasonic AY-DVM63MQ at about $5.50ea; Panasonic AY-DVM63AMQ, $12. (So if Panny dumps former for the latter (no) upgrade...tape made for the 100/HVX camera might not be so cheap.) Download the Panny pdf specs from each tape. Sure looks the same to me. Don't kid yourself. By being in an established INDIE/broadcast niche get ready to find and morph into more broadcast-like costs/solutions. Cheaper than ever? Yep. But at 6-10K box, not exactly where part timer guy wants to be--especially after solutions were found near 3-4K range. See my point?

I would think 16:9 SD bridge to be a nobrainer. There's nothing to develop, no special "reinvent the wheel" R&D. The 100 series is a perfect example of modularity--just as the Canon GL/XL series.

There's no guarantee P2 as a dedicated format will succeed. Panasonic will, IMO, have to undedicate it. Tying a specific media to a product line (in this day and age) is a real dice roll. Sony, Canon, JVC, etc., can always do an undedicated P2 solution at a fraction of the card cost. Then what?

100B good. 100C 16:9, P2 only enhances the bridge and P2 (un)dedicated solution. That's my take on it. I'm one of those guys who is looking for the 3-4K solution. I don't need HD, don't shoot everyday for a living--like creative solutions. I'll do the AorB. Not hold my breath for C...for reasons jvr states.

In meantime, be nice to know B details...

I'm ready...at plus/minus $3000. Any yes, black body definately got my attention. But at $500 off...I'm imagining a can of shoe polish might do the trick!

Hey Jubal--thanks for the links, especially since I'm a Mac guy. Looks like you're way ahead of the curve...about what I expect on dvxuser. I still like 100C "in the box" solution but what the hades--I'm willing to go with creative solutions for A/B!
 
16x9 would be great, but I don't believe it is a simple no-brainer as there would be an increase in cost. You can say they have already developed it for the HVX, but these are HD CCDs, they would also need to develop all new 16x9 SD CCDs. Cannon needed to do this for the XL2 and you can see the price difference. If it were 1 or 2 years ago, it might be worth it, but now that they have announced the release of the HVX (and many other HD cams), you can see how many people are making the switch. It doesn't make sense to put more money into a market that will only diminish over time.

That said, sure I wish it had 16x9 too, but I also wish it had a longer focal length, anamorphic lens, better mic, gold plated body, etc... just would all cost more.

Has the US model even been announced yet? Can't expect a price if they haven't even done that yet. I would bet that the B is going to be much more than the A minus rebates and goodies, so it comes down to if you need those features. I had no use for them and just purchased an A... and am glad to have spare change for other things.
 
I figure they just leap frogged 16:9, get right at the heart of their Rdevelopment issue: HD chips. So you're probably right about not wanting to put another nickle into 3 chip 16:9. Might as well just leap frog it. But I think the HD glam is premature. We might have HD tv--but it'll take years for HD content to supplant vaults of piled up "I Love Lucy" SD/film/whatever content.

As to not yet introducing the ntsc 100B model...we can't be implying it isn't "finished" or ready? I'll guarantee you it was finished long before or concurrently with the Pal model. It's solely a question of Panasonic gauging its 100A sales, dumps the 100A body while measuring 100B interest and production. The 100B could very well be the last of the 100 series--for all practical purposes--unless they simply decide to make it an introductory P2 camera. Whatever.

But this is my point: There's no reason why they couldn't or shouldn't have announced both the pal/ntsc models at IBC--details, prices, availability, all of it. That's the way to do it. They know to the last peso the cost of both versions; they knew it when each was on the drawing board. Methinks it's more ramping down 100A, ramping up 100B at same production locations--dumping as much A as possible, THEN determining B's list/seller price point. The good news (for Panny) is that it's the 3rd iteration of the same camera coming off same production lines. With modularity and nearly identical part quantity, costs can only go down, profits up. I'd like to think the B will be 3k street. The bad news is we get jerked around right up to the last "Doh" minute. Or as Wall Street likes to put it: Right up to the last quarter sales quotas/dividend season. Does Oct/Nov/Dec sound familiar?

If anything Panasonic ought to give their authorized dealers a break on unit cost--give them a bit more latitude to be a street competitive authorized dealer. I have no qualms over 3K street for a 100B, deal or no deal, shortcomings or no. But if one announces a product and cannot give its price or defined availability (month!?) then I figure we're getting jerked around by bean counters.

Still, I keep the faith...but never forever...

...and still there is--amidst cacophonous rumbling of HD ramblings--various illuminata conspiracy, muted silence surrounding the "Saphire Black Box" 100B. MuuuuHahahaha ...or will it be a gimp Edsel stuttering and stumbling beneath the feet of exiting 100A's...
 
Oh, I didn't think about that. The HVX200 IS the 16:9 DVX, duh on me!:laugh:

That's why they didn't make the 100B 16:9. OF COURSE!!! KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!!!
 
Richie White said:
$6000 or less. Enough said.
Click to expand...

How much does an XL2 cost?

And does it let you move up to HD?

$6000 is a fair price for 16:9 SD with DVX useability, and the option of full-out HD down the road.
 
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