dvx100 failure or success rate

S

svilay

Active member
It would be nice to know roughly what percentage of dxv100's both 100 and 100a have had to be sent in for repair. If you've owned either a 100 or 100a, reply to this post saying what model you have, how many, and if you've never needed repair, say "no problem" or if you've needed repair say what the problem was. Please don't include accidental problems like dropping your camera. As replies are posted, we can add up the numbers. The more replies, the better idea we'll get. We need to get a good representation of the cameras that are out there, so let's hear from all the good as well as bad.

Thanks all.
 
I've got to assume that most of you who have viewed this thread and didn't reply have had no problems. So let's make it easy. Reply only if you had problems.

Thanks.
 
I bought my dvx100 with 492 hours on it. I used it for maybe 20 hours, and started getting the dirty cylinder message. I sent it to the panasonic authorized shop in Houston. They "replaced parts, re-aligned, adjusted tape tension, cleaned tape path, performed functional check" for a total of $988.32. The parts replaced were the cylinder unit, the p/r (?), and the c/r (?). Parts = $613.00, labor = $375.00, diagnostic fee = $81.19, sales tax = $81.51.
 
OK, now I follow.

With 512 hours, it shouldn't have needed that kind of repairs.

Sounds like whoever you bought it from wasn't taking care of it.

Re-aligned, adjusted tape tension, cleaned tape path, performed functional check, sure, not out of line.

The cylinder, p/r, c/r replaced, no, not from normal useage.
 
The reason I'm asking people for their responses is because I've had a new dvx100a with firewire problems. I'm thinking of getting another dvx100a and I want to know what my chances of getting a problem free camera are. And I think people would want to know what the defect rate of this camera is. Panasonic would probably not want this info to get out, but as a community of DVX users we have this info if a lot of us would just voice our issues in an organized way. Now maybe this thread didn't get off to a good start, and any info might be skewed, but if enough people want this info and are willing to participate, maybe we can still get some meaning info. (Maybe in a new thread explaining the goal better)

But, if this is a democracy where no one wants to vote and everyone prefers to bury their heads in the sand, then we've got a problem. If there's other reasons for not wanting to get this info out like you're afraid of what this might do to the resale value of your camera, then let me remind you, we are filmmakers, video artists, etc, and the most important thing we have is our tool which we need to be able to count on.
 
Maybe no one’s having problems -- or maybe they just don't feel like bringing it up. Just because no one replies to your query doesn’t mean anyone’s burying their heads in the sand and it certainly doesn’t mean there’s some sinister cover-up going on.

You proceed from a faulty assumption, and in a lot of ways, it’s insulting.
 
Hi,

Actually I think the camera is pretty trouble free. The firewire port is a sensitive input especially when working with computers that have 6 pin 1394 ports. A slightly misaligned connection from a live computer can send voltage right into the Video board and fry it. This is why in the ops manual it says to please have the power off when making connection to a computer. And frankly this has been the only thing that really takes it out.

Occasionally I think I have heard of a bent pin, but over all the camera is pretty rugged.

Hope that helps,

Jan
 
Hi,

You may think it is not accurate and if and when it happens that it fries the firewire board you can think back to this. It is true and it is accurate. Any you should power down before making the connection with the computer that has a 6 pin.

Best regards,

Jan
 
If my statements came across as insulting, then, I apologize. I didn't intend for them to be. The only assumption I asserted was in my second post to this thread.

I think yellowdog is refering to the accuracy of defect rate which we might gather, not about the firewire statement. No, it doesn't look like it will be remotely accurate. But it could be.
 
yes, sorry Jan, I was referring to the scientific method of the poll.Not your response about the firewire.Sorry for the confusion.
 
If I take out of the discussion the cameras damaged by users (water damage, "unsuccessful" head cleaning resulting in missing chips, dropped or runned over cameras, firewire ports etc), we actually had problems with maybe 6 units out of more than 200. All fixed under warranty with no cost incurred by the customer.
p/r and c/r stand for pinch roller and cleaning roller respectivelly. Changing the pinch roller and the heads at 500 hours is unusual and translates in a very neglected and abused camera (wet/dusty filming conditions, no cleaning schedule, mixed tape stock etc). Hope this helps
 
Don't bother getting a new camera or whatever for the firewire port, you shouldn't be using the DVX to capture clips anyways as it's sort of hard on the camera heads, rather buy a cheap low end camera (canon zr line of camcorders work well) and use them to capture your footage.
 
Frizzle Fry said:
to clarify, the camera should be powered down when connecting the 1394, but the computer can be powered up?
Click to expand...

If you are going to use the DVX as a capture deck, then the safest bet would be to connect the camera to the computer while BOTH of them are off.

However, I hear connecting the DVX when it's off is fine.
 
slight static noise

slight static noise

Jan...Have you ever come across a static sound on channel 2. No mics attached...may come and go with volume adjust. Clears up on it's own. Seems to happen in 95+ ambient temp, high humididty. Florida Keys location. Not quite worth sending in for repair just yet as intensity has diminised in recent shoots. Thoughts? thanks Craig Hollenback. BTW..own 2 Dvx100a's very pleased.
 
Recently purchased DVX 100a (last year) for my school. Kept in the box and broke it out in May of this year. Camera stopped recording-black screen as if iris is closed-after 7 hours of use. Have checked every menu/switch, etc. Nothing. VCR mode works-getting ready to take it back to Panasonic unless someone has a better idea.

Kevin O'Brien
Dept of Film/Video
El Camino College
 
I have lots of issues with a dirty potentiometer in the iris wheel. Many others have had the same issue.
 
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