Hello Panasonic, selling my FX1

P

princigalli

Well-known member
Good thing I kept the original box, manual, and cables. I have a few months to make sure all the bits and pieces are in one place. The FX1 is going on Ebay soon. It was a nice camera despite its compression problems, autofocus problems, interlacing, resolution and latitude problems.

Really, it is still a great camera and in the right conditions can produce great footage, but obviously it is no match to the new Panasonic.

The only thing that I'm curious about is, will anyone still buy a new FX1 or Z1? I got mine despite Barry Green's posts about future Panasonic cameras, only because there's Ebay. I wanted to play with the HDV, I had fun, despite the fact I find it mostly useless in many cases.

So, funally the camera I always wanted to have!
 
I bought a MicroMV "super8" style cam because it was so cool. And, it was.

I eventually sold it, but it was by far the funnest camera to shoot with, ever!

Kind of wish I had another one.
 
I think people will definately want a Z1 or FX1; if your client demands a tape and also want's HD. That's one thing the new Panasonic won't have. You'd have to print them a tape from either the P2 or hard drive.

Aaron
 
Bryan, it will but it won't do HD to tape as far as we know at the moment. It is a miniDV deck, and so will be DV25 only if that is the case. Therefore, if a client wanted tapes after a shoot, and wanted you to shoot in HiDef, you might have a problem with the HVX200.

Aaron
 
Correct. So if you shot with an HVX, you'd want to give your client a hard disk, rather than tape. Just be aware that your client will probably smooch you for doing so.
 
I'm selling my FX1 too. Eventually. Propably spring or summer 2006.

The FX1's compression is really bad for colour correcting, although it has almost a perfect form factor, as you can pseudo mount it to your shoulder, because of the placement of the LCD.

The HVX200 is really the most horrible piece of industrial design, with everything in the wrong places. But, I guess if I'm able to shoot 100 Mbit/s 1280X1080 25p 4:2:2 straight to firewire or USB2.0 harddisk, then there really is no comparison. Picture quality before ergonomics and looks.
 
With the HVX200 specs and that kind of compression, I think I would much prefer good 720p than the FX1 1080i. And yes, the compression is horrible. But what's worse, because of autofocus problems, the already not so sharp picture ends up being really blurry sometimes.
 
I am using manual focus now but I want to have the autofocus option. There are some situations where you need to have autofocus. Also, when visibility is bad, you can't always finetune your manual focus while recording. In any case at that prce I expect an autofocus option that works.
 
After speaking to the Panasonic people at NAB, they were very clear that the DV drive is non-HD compatible - it's for people using DVX100 cameras that want to integrate the new 200 camera without being forced to go to P2 - and HD. It is also interesting to note that while the Sony and JVC cameras are functional, the 200 is not. There is apparently no working version of it yet - just the "frankenstein" prototypes in Japan - according to the reps at the show.
 
I like the P2. U think it's a much more civilized way to work than tapes. But I m too worried about the fact that Panasonic is not ready yet. I don't think they will be selling their cameras on time. How could they? You need to design, produce, beta test, write instructions, prepare the packaging, marketing, distribution... There is no way, and frankly, anyone could present a camera looking toy at NAB. I could too come in and announce the next "Princialli" Super HD Cam. It will be 2160 lines progressive, 120 FPS and will have a lossless compression codec that works on regular CF Cards. 1Gb will store 60 minutes of full resolution video. 3 1/2 CCDs, and the camera fits in the pocket :-)

No really, if Panasonic really comes out with such a camera, it will blow the competition, but for now it looks like they are still just brainstorming, so my FX1 will have to wait a while before being sold.
 
JVC reps quietly observed they only had the HD100's for about two weeks prior to NAB...
So, while they have A camera, it isn't finished, either. The 48/24 frame-blending thing wasn't enabled.
 
princigalli said:
But I m too worried about the fact that Panasonic is not ready yet. I don't think they will be selling their cameras on time. How could they? You need to design, produce, beta test, write instructions, prepare the packaging, marketing, distribution... There is no way, and frankly, anyone could present a camera looking toy at NAB.
No really, if Panasonic really comes out with such a camera, it will blow the competition, but for now it looks like they are still just brainstorming, so my FX1 will have to wait a while before being sold.
Click to expand...

May I point to the fact that in 2002 we showed a "toy" DVX100 at NAB and delivered a real camera in October? What you say is impossible, we have already done. And I would suggest that if the FX1 is your only camera that you hold on to it until this camera shows up.

Best regards,

Jan
 
I wasn't there. If that's the case, my apology. Anyway Panasonic camera specs always seem to break the limits of what's possible. The DVX100 was an incredible camera, and still unique with its quality and 25fps progressive scan. The new camera also has dream specs. I have to keep my FX1 until the new Panasonic comes out, but I do it reluctantly. I really NEED a camera with the specs of HDV. No other camera can do it, not even the new JVC.
 
thisiswells said:
JVC reps quietly observed they only had the HD100's for about two weeks prior to NAB...
So, while they have A camera, it isn't finished, either. The 48/24 frame-blending thing wasn't enabled.
Click to expand...

That's right, JVC will not have their production cams until June or July.

I was wondering, if anyone that went to NAB could tell me how the JVC and Sony presented the images of their HDV cams? Did they play from tape, or were they using the HD component out from the cams.

I have heard alot about the Sony giving out a DVD with samples of their HDV, does anyone know how it was posted? Does anyone know how to get a copy of the DVD. Would be interesting to see.
 
JVC had live feed from the cameras, and then they had one station that had a plasma TV hooked up that was playing back ProHD footage that had been recorded onto a D-VHS deck.
 
Funny thing is D-VHS is a consumer friendly replacement for the family room VCR. Even though it was never imagined for professional applications it has a datarate 50% higher than HDV. Now, that just doesn't make any sense.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top