AC90: Barry's book?

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Why do you say Amazon is an authorized dealer? I don't know if they are or not, but I'd think it'd be odd if they were; anyway, I just looked up the AC90 on Amazon and no, Amazon themselves isn't selling it. They have four vendors that are selling it, and one of them, Willoughby's, says clearly in their description "PANASONIC PRO USA AUTHORIZED DEALER. "

Of course, they're also more expensive than the other three, who have unlikely-authorized-sounding names such as "Big Value Inc", "J&D Service", and "Crawford's Superstore".

Also, if you're curious if a retailer is authorized or not, you can always just input their zipcode here and Panasonic will report the closest authorized dealers to the zipcode you input. If the store in question doesn't show up, there's a pretty good chance they're not authorized.
 
Barry_Green said:
If you buy from an authorized dealer, you certainly do, and you have the might of the manufacturer to back you up if, for some reason, the authorized dealer did somehow get you an illegitimate version.

If you buy from Jim Bob's Camcorder Emporium And Tackle Shop, then -- no, you're on your own.

There's that whole "caveat emptor" thing, y'know?

Because that would mean the death of the professional video dealer network. And they (and Sony and JVC and every other manufacturer that uses professional dealers) are in none too big of a hurry to do that. Like I said before, it may come to that, but I don't think the world will be better off for it.


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I couldn't agree more. As many of you know I recently had a lens/servo assembly replaced on my 160A. This was done under warranty and I had the camera back within 5 days. Had I , and every other purchaser bought their equipment as imports it would had to have been shipped back to the supplier as there would have not been a service agent left down here in NZ to send it to!

True, I paid more for my camera but boy, did it pay off! So that is a valid reason for supporting your local dealers/service centres. ( unless you are prepared to wait weeks for an overseas supplier to answer your emails,phone calls etc, not to mention the hassle of shipping overseas and back again with all the fun that customs officers can add on the way!
 
Barry_Green said:
Why do you say Amazon is an authorized dealer? I don't know if they are or not, but I'd think it'd be odd if they were; anyway, I just looked up the AC90 on Amazon and no, Amazon themselves isn't selling it. They have four vendors that are selling it, and one of them, Willoughby's, says clearly in their description "PANASONIC PRO USA AUTHORIZED DEALER. "

Of course, they're also more expensive than the other three, who have unlikely-authorized-sounding names such as "Big Value Inc", "J&D Service", and "Crawford's Superstore".

Also, if you're curious if a retailer is authorized or not, you can always just input their zipcode here and Panasonic will report the closest authorized dealers to the zipcode you input. If the store in question doesn't show up, there's a pretty good chance they're not authorized.
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The zipcode thing doesn't help with online purchases. Here is the same link I purchased from. Pretty sure It used to say the reverse though, "sold by Amazon fulfilled by Electronics Basket". These products listed as Amazon Prime items first appear as if from Amazon directly. But of course when you get into the details you see they are working with these other companies. Many other vendors also sell on Amazon where only their vendor name is listed.
http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-AG-...e=UTF8&qid=1364262980&sr=1-2&keywords=ag-ac90
 
fastfinger said:
Pretty sure It used to say the reverse though, "sold by Amazon fulfilled by Electronics Basket".
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I would suspect that you are mistaken in how you're remembering it. I am an Amazon seller and they don't have a program where they sell and an outside vendor fulfills. Amazon sells three ways: they sell stuff from their inventory directly to you, or they allow other vendors to sell directly to you (amazon's order processing is used, but they aren't involved in shipping the goods, that's done by the vendor themselves), or they do what's called "fulfilled by Amazon" where the vendor sends a bunch of product to Amazon's warehouse, and Amazon sells the product, ships it out, handles any returns or complaints, and takes a huge commission and sends the vendor the remainder.

This link you supplied is a "fulfilled by Amazon" link, on behalf of what i would suspect is a gray market dealer.
 
An excellent resource for AG-AC90 Users...

An excellent resource for AG-AC90 Users...

Hey Barry, I'm into my fourth re-reading of your AC90 book...camera is to arrive early next week...and I look forward to finally being able to start using it! Was moved by your excellent work to give a review of your book on Amazon.com, along with a five star rating which says:

Some people wouldn't touch their camera's user guide to save their lives. Others step their way page by page through the user guide absorbing all the information they can; in anticipation of all the features on their new camera that they are going to learn to use. But the user guide typically is a straight-forward reference guide to features---strong on facts and weak on how to pull all the features of their camera together while shooting video.

Barry's book should appeal to both learning styles. Reading his book is not an academic exercise in learning---its more like sitting around enjoying a coffee (what I was doing while first reading "The AG-AC90 Book") and listening to an expert talk about your new camera. He expands on a number of topics where the user guide leaves you wanting more. He provides examples of workflow and professional practice, all linked to the capabilities of the AC90, and effectively uses colour photos (with accompanying digital files on a disc) to show the result of changing settings. Lots of practical advice and highly recommended.

And he is an active participant at dvxuser.com so you have a chance to pose some questions and fine tune your knowledge. Hmmm, maybe its time to put a second pot of coffee on. Thanks Barry..!
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I'm in Canada, and had to route the book through a relative in the United States to get it to me...wish this was available from a shipper who could do international shipping...maybe the European distributor does this (?) but they didn't have any stock. Anyway, I jumped through some hoops and am very happy to have this in my possession.

As per a previous post/request, shame that there isn't a kindle version, as that would be even easier to carry around and consult on my smartphone...but the book is very compact and will fit in my camera case ... no problem.

Cheers, Michael
 
Hey Michael, thanks for the review and glad you find it helpful!

B&H now offers The AC90 Book, and they can ship to Canada, so between them and Amazon we can now get it to most countries. I don't know when the European distributor will have it stocked in their channel though.
 
mrveronn said:
Hey Barry, I'm into my fourth re-reading of your AC90 book...camera is to arrive early next week...and I look forward to finally being able to start using it! Was moved by your excellent work to give a review of your book on Amazon.com. I'm in Canada, and had to route the book through a relative in the United States to get it to me...wish this was available from a shipper who could do international shipping...maybe the European distributor does this (?) but they didn't have any stock. Anyway, I jumped through some hoops and am very happy to have this in my possession.

As per a previous post/request, shame that there isn't a kindle version, as that would be even easier to carry around and consult on my smartphone...but the book is very compact and will fit in my camera case ... no problem. Cheers, Michael
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Wow, mrveronn, I hate to say this, but did you ever considered that you might have gotten yourself a GRAY MARKET XC90 BOOK????? That is sure what it seems like to me, at least. Ouch.....

Okay, so this is the very small form factor printed book with the very thin paper pages, correct? That is great, now for the next question: does the actual Panasonic AG-AC90 camcorder come with a PRINTED USER'S MANUAL -- or only an optical disc of the manual? I'd be most curious to find out just how "green" of a company Panasonic USA really is. Thanks in advance!
 
Re. coloring the markets.... wow, I assume now we all have to have M.B.A. degrees from NYU or Stamford to figure out the intricate nuance differences between a "white market" product versus a "gray market" product versus a "black market" product. And then there are the forged and counterfeited products as well, and how about stolen merchandise, and stuff that had just conveniently "fell of the truck" or "seeped out of the container" in the harbor, eh?

Why do we, users, have to be bothered with this nonsense, anyhow? Because apparently Panasonic and the other mfrs are not willing or not able to put an end to the practice, that is likely why. And why does the practice of "gray market" products flooding the world continue in the first place? Because gray market products can be had for much less money than non-gray market products, that is probably why. So, the mark-ups on the non-gray type of stuff must still be way to high, right?

Re. Barry's comments about the "authorized dealers" and how useful they are -- well, respectfully I do not agree. There is no Panasonic dealer in my state, authorized or not. So, I would have to go out of state to find a Panasonic dealer -- that is not all that convenient for folks who have got better things to do, is it now? Sure, I called a few of the nearby out-of-state dealers -- not one of them had the camcorder I was inquiring about in-stock. Certainly not for showing one to me that was already taken out of the box and being demoed. They told me instead that they can get it in a few days. Well, if I put something in my basket online, I can also get it in a few days. So, that basically wraps-up the "added value theory" of using these so-called authorized Panasonic dealers for anything, sorry to have to be so blunt about it.

Most people buying a camera would not even care all that much if they found out that the warranty was not a domestic warranty but an international warranty valid in some other country. My previous question related to this was, say someone ends up purchasing a brand new, non-stolen AG-AC90 that Panasonic USA considers a "gray market" product most likely sold by an "unauthorized dealer" -- okay, so in this case, when you try to register it for the 2 extra years of USA warranty online, will the registration process will at least TELL YOU INSTANTLY the country of valid warranty for your camera, based on its serial number? And provide a helpful link how to contact that country's Panasonic Service Center? Or maybe not?

Meanwhile, I would love to come across some recent press release from Panasonic USA and the others like it, telling us how they are battling the widespread gray market disease, what they are doing exactly to protect ALL NORTH-AMERICAN CONSUMERS from gray market related fraud and loss of warranty coverage for their purchased products, and when will they finally get the upper hand in this whole gray market mess, after all?
 
Frank clearly does not understand how business works. Not just Panasonic or videocameras but everything uses the same system. Also he does not appear to understand the difference between margins and markups.
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In short if you buy a "thing" (camera, computer, skate board etc) you will have to take it back to the (Panasonic) office you indirectly bought it from. The Official distributor will have got it from the local National Office. The Gray market would have got it from an office in another country.

In a Totalitarian Communist state it would make no difference the Local office would have to handle it. In a Capitalist free enterprise system only the distributor and national office who sold it and made the profit on the sale has to deal with the problem.

The reason why distributors have a MARGIN (not a mark up) is they have to maintain premisses, staff, advertising, service work shops etc. Costs differ in other parts of the world. Box shifters who have a warehouse with a minimum number of (untrained) staff, no service workshop etc have lower overheads and sell boxes. They don't give a service. SO they can DISCOUNT their margin and sell for less. In a capitalist world you only get what you pay for. If it is discounted usually you are not paying for support.

If you want the same prices in the USA as in some Asian countries it will mean that the US offices will need to have the same overheads as the asian office. Frank do you fancy getting paid at the Asian rate of pay?

So when you buy an official item you get support, warrantee and staff who will help you with all manner of advice. When you get a gray import you save money and don't get the help and support you also have to send it back the office that made the money on the sale (in another country) to get service and warranty. That is the way of capitalism. What you want is a socialist system where people help for free.
 
Sending the grey market import back to the in/out shop you bought it from is problematic as they probably got the unit from some other place. So jagraphics is right, no service, no support and probably no warranty.

Who wants to buy a high tech product that costs $5,000 and is sold 'as-is'?
 
kwkeirstead said:
Who wants to buy a high tech product that costs $5,000 and is sold 'as-is'?
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Well, probably everyone in the world who buys a Panasonic product these days. "Buyer beware" and "law of the jungle" seem to be the operative words on that these days.

Other than cracking the whip on the backs of their hapless customers, I wonder what is all that Panasonic is actually DOING about this "problem" that they themselves created, and nobody else did it for them? Maybe they should stamp the cameras "GRAY MARKET" and "WHITE MARKET," then we would know for sure. Not that I really care one way of the other, if I buy something that appears to be brand spanking new and unless the police or the FBI or the Mounties can prove it to me that it is stolen merchandise -- then I full well expect the company whose names is printed on the product to come forward and provide me with the promised warranty coverage.

I do not wish to make Panasonic's problems my own problems, in other words.
 
jagraphics said:
if you buy a "thing" you will have to take it back to the (Panasonic) office you indirectly bought it from.

The Official distributor will have got it from the local National Office.

The Gray market would have got it from an office in another country.

In a Capitalist free enterprise system only the distributor and national office who sold it and made the profit on the sale has to deal with the problem.

In a capitalist world you only get what you pay for.

If you want the same prices in the USA as in some Asian countries it will mean that the US offices will need to have the same overheads as the asian office.

So when you buy an official item you get support, warrantee and staff who will help you with all manner of advice. When you get a gray import you save money and don't get the help and support you also have to send it back the office that made the money on the sale (in another country) to get service and warranty. That is the way of capitalism. What you want is a socialist system where people help for free.
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A whole lot of assorted nonsense here in defense of the "law of the jungle" type of capitalism that fortunately is no longer with us, for the most part. I guess anyone and everyone who does not want to be ripped off by a manufacturer's empty promises of a "warrantee" must be either a Socialist or worse, a Commie. Or what?

If Panasonic has to deal with "gray market" products polluting their "legitimate" artificial distribution chain that they themselves have set up and nobody ahd forced it upon them -- well, then that is THEIR BUSINESS entirely, and I am totally not interested in their problems (I have my own, like how to pay for their products in the first place). Camera looks new, it is black in color -- I see nothing gray in the box, and thus damn right I expect that the product will be warranted. This attempt by Panasonic (and the others like it) to try to chop off the world into tiny little segments and set one against the other for their own profit maximization drive is rather unethical and repulsive for many of us. I guess we must be the Commie types. Anyhow, if Panasonic would not be using totally ludicrous USA list prices for their products, like US$60,000 for a video camcorder, then there would likely not be a need for the so-called "gray market" to exist and in fact thrive alongside that other type of "legitimate" market that apparently meets with Panasonic's approval.
 
I'd like to point out I put in a request for a description correction of the camera, adding the p to the model "ag-ac90p" ag-ac90pj is US. and company name "Panasonic Canada" . Amazon ignored my request.
 
frankoferko said:
A whole lot of assorted nonsense here in defense of the "law of the jungle" type of capitalism that fortunately is no longer with us, for the most part. I guess anyone and everyone who does not want to be ripped off by a manufacturer's empty promises of a "warrantee" must be either a Socialist or worse, a Commie. Or what?
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I own a distribution company (not in the video or photo market) and we deal with suppliers across the USA, Canada and Europe. I can tell you that is EXACTLY how it works in all markets. Fank you are not living in the real world.


frankoferko said:
This attempt by Panasonic (and the others like it) to try to chop off the world into tiny little segments and set one against the other for their own profit maximization drive is rather unethical and repulsive for many of us.
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It is called the free market and is capitalism. The only places where this does (did) not happen used to be totalitarian communist states. However even there it has now changed and the whole world works the same way Panasonic does. That is in all industries not just video cameras.
frankoferko said:
I guess we must be the Commie types. Anyhow, if Panasonic would not be using totally ludicrous USA list prices for their products, like US$60,000 for a video camcorder, then there would likely not be a need for the so-called "gray market" to exist and in fact thrive alongside that other type of "legitimate" market that apparently meets with Panasonic's approval.
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The list price includes support etc. If you want to buy a discounted gray market camera you get the "support" and warrantee through the discounted supply chain you bought it from. Where that supply chain is from outside the USA that is where you have to go. Either you pay the correct price or you take a discount and live with the fact you don't get what you have not paid for.


Lets put it another way

Say I am in the USA and I get a video company using an illegal Mexican crew to shoot my film. Then when it is not right I find the mexicans have all gone home ad I get told I have to go to mexico for help..... So I come to you and say you must edit it for free to correct the errors because you use the same cameras. What would you say? Now you know what Panasonic USA (and their legitimate distributors) will say:-)

I can't believe Frank has been in business as long as he claims without understanding the basics if business.
 
jagraphics said:

I can't believe Frank has been in business as long as he claims without understanding the basics if business.
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I agree here. If you live in India, China, Singapore, Taiwan etc then you pay those rates and the busiinesses are happy to make their respective margins, and will offer lifetime support and make a living. If you live in New Zealand, or some other far flung nation (as I do ) it is unreasonable to expect the agents here to charge the same rates. It just cannot work, and a business just could not exist on third world rates. Economies are very different across the world, sadly many manufacturesrs choose to go to the chaepest source and I personally think this is a great shame.

This mentality lead to the death of the Detroit Motor industry and the UK Industrial manufacturing base. Let us not make it worse by not supporting the satellite industries that still endevour to scratch a living by giving us dedicated support for our purchases from the nouveau manufacturers. Your nation still needs you , wherever you are!
Cheers!
Rod
 
jagraphics said:
Say I am in the USA and I get a video company using an illegal Mexican crew to shoot my film. Then when it is not right I find the mexicans have all gone home ad I get told I have to go to mexico for help..... So I come to you and say you must edit it for free to correct the errors because you use the same cameras. What would you say? Now you know what Panasonic USA (and their legitimate distributors) will say.
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Wow, Man, your racism and prejudices come shining through. Just because a camera crew is composed Mexican nationals, it has gotta be an "illegal Mexican crew," huh?

Man, I am so glad I do not live in your myopic world, really.

Meanwhile, there seems to be a lot of unhappiness lately amongst Panasonic product purchasers -- heck, the company was only able to muster a pathetic 1.3-star rating out of a possible rating of 5.0-stars. Wow.... and not in a particularly good way, either.

http://www.resellerratings.com/store/Panasonic

 
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Rod Pike said:
If you live in India, China, Singapore, Taiwan etc then you pay those rates and the businesses are happy to make their respective margins, and will offer lifetime support and make a living. If you live in New Zealand, or some other far flung nation (as I do ) it is unreasonable to expect the agents here to charge the same rates. It just cannot work, and a business just could not exist on third world rates. Economies are very different across the world, sadly many manufacturers choose to go to the cheepest source and I personally think this is a great shame.
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Hey, Rod, ease off on the violins. Now, let's get a few facts straight. Some of the Asiatic countries you had just mentioned have far more robust domestic economies than we we have got stuck with in the so-called West. Moving on, most of these pro-line Panasonic products are being made in Japan or elsewhere in Asia, agreed? Chances are you will not even know where the Panasonic product you are ordering is being made at UNTIL you receive the merchandise and unbox it and see what it says on the box or inside the box for where it was made.

So, let's say it was "MADE IN JAPAN" or "MADE IN MALAYSIA." What difference would that make to anyone -- it is a fricking Panasonic product, after all, ain't it? Japan is "First World" and "Malaysia" is perhaps "Third World" -- so what? And anyhow, whatever has happened to the "SECOND WORLD" nations?

Regarding classifying various Panasonic (and other brand electronic products) arbitrarily as "WHITE MARKET product and "GRAY MARKET" product and "BLACK MARKET" product, and maybe even "YELLOW MARKET" product -- how about just using that color box for the items, then the purchaser would know right away and w/o opening the actual box and breaking the seal what color market stuff he/she had gotten?

Now, if something is considered "GRAY MARKET" -- how about at least these manufacturers making it crystal clear and readily available the NAME OF THE COUNTRY where the "gray market" warranty is in fact being honored by the product's manufacturer. Assuming there is such a country, that is.
 
Came home to a surprise, THE AG-AC90 BOOK BY BARRY GREEN! (and companion disk with sample scene file images).
Thank you Barry for resending this!!!

Tom
 
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