A plea to Panasonic....Please read and add your name if you agree.

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pulpfiction007

Veteran
As NAB comes to a close, many of us are disappointed that an AF100 replacement was not announced and does not seem to be on the horizon. Still, I feel compelled to at least see if we can compile a list of DVX members who would pay for an "AF200". To let them know just how many of us there are...

I did a little mock up based on Barry Green's suggestion that the most desirable (yet realistic) potential AF200 would be the PX270 body with the M 4/3 mount and sensor. Please add your name to this thread if you would welcome such a camera (or of course similar) with an open wallet, lol.

I'll add mine -
Dale D Schweitz. Yes, I want such a camera.

AF200 COMPLETE.jpg
 
The best I can say is that if there was a camera that met the specs I posted elsewhere, which agree with the gist of "a large sensor in a handicam body," then that is the camera I would most likely buy (pending personal finances on my part and quality of execution on their part).

Such a camera is for the small business owner. Although they have less money than a Hollywood producer and can't afford a Varicam, there are 10,000 times as many of them. So even if an AF200 made only one tenth or even one hundredth as much profit per sale, it could still make the company more money than the Varicam. The small business owners are not a market segment to ignore, they're what statisticians call the long tail. Panasonic may in fact think they're targeting this market with the AJ-PX270. But I think that 1/3" chips are a holdover from when this body style first came out (anyone remember the VX1000?) and a single large sensor wasn't technologically possible back then. Maybe Panasonic thinks that if they make the chip too big, the small business owners won't buy it, that it will turn into a cinema camera that only hobbyists, students, etc., would want.

But I don't think that's the case. I think many shooting situations of the small biz would benefit from shallower depth of field: interviews, weddings, corporate promos. In fact, small business owners are often buying C100s. Some require deeper focus and really don't want to mess with S35. But I don't think it needs to go all the way down to 1/3". Is a 2/3" or S16 sensor too big for anyone? Not that I'm saying Panny should make that instead. With sensors so sensitive these days, getting down to deep enough focus is just a few f-stops away. With an S35 camera, you can stop down to get deep focus, but with a 1/3" camera, even wide open its depth of field is pretty dull.
 
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I think Panasonic knows we're out here!...
But without any question ... And could easily buy 2 or 3....

Cheers,

Tye
 
Love the mockup- though I doubt Panasonic would have used a tamron lens in the press release. Would have been on of their lenses. Love the specs- but I would like the non PX version to skip the SDI, VFR (but still have 60p), and have 8bit enhanced if it could bring the price down to $3500 msrp. And include Barry's AF200 book with!

Basically I want an AC90 GH4 hybrid. But they want ice water in hell and that ain't gonna happen either....
 
I've been wanting to purchase a new cam, preferably Panasonic, for a couple of years. I really like the idea of the Af100, but have sat on the sidelines for it to mature, and maybe be rejuvenated into a 200 model. But Panny just seems to be letting this model and and form die on the vine. I sure would be interested in an update, especially if it had EF lens support.

Grant
 
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