Is Panasonic makin' up the specs as they go?

R

reservoir

Veteran
Seriously though?!?

That is not meant to be a negative question. It just seems like JVC has their specs "set in stone", while Panasonic seems to still be working on theirs.

My theory is this:

Is it possible that Panasonic Announced the HVX @ NAB with a set of bare specs to see what our reaction would be.....then based on our feedback they will continue to add features as they go....say for instance "Streaming to an off-the-shelf" Hard Drive and other such amenities that we all want!!

I'm sure they are really hard at work in the R & D / Engineering Depts. getting the cam to the final stages...but I just have that gut feeling that maybe the NAB announcements were just to say "Hey...here's the new HVX....what do you all think?" Then they could *possibly* sneak in a few more features before the finalized HVX200 spec is turned in the working product?

Is this a fair statement / question to ask?

~reservoir~
 
It was pretty clear that there are some things which are not yet finalized. Same was true of the DVX at this point in 2002.

Jan seemed fairly receptive to suggestions at the DVXuser event.

But this is not a bad thing. Not a bad thing at all.
 
Oh...I agree. I think this is the *BEST* way to release a product. Give us *some* specs.....then hear what we have to ***** about over the next few days / weeks / months....then try to appease us as much as possible given the budget constraints. I really hope we get even *MORE* suprises!!

~reservoir~
 
How about an HVX with a coffee and donut maker, DVD player, and built in 60" Plasma HD screen for $6000! think they'll listen to me?
 
Um, do you think they could fit all that on a handheld cam and keep it under 10k?

Maybe we'll see those features on the next VariCam though.

Back to the thread topic....NO HIJACKING THIS ONE :evil:

~reservoir~
 
First, understand that the JVC was scheduled to be released in June/July, the HVX isn't due to come out until October/Nov/Dec. That puts the JVC at *least* three or four months, and potentially six or seven months further along in its development cycle. Obviously their specs will be locked in stone, they're much, much further along.

Second, in regards to the concept of them announcing it "too early" or whatever -- keep in mind the context of where it was announced. This was the NAB show. This was a convention of 132,000 television station owners, network executives, programming executives, TV network technicians, purchasing departments, etc (or, did you all think that it was just aspiring filmmakers attending the National Association of Broadcasters convention?)

These are people who are going to be buying millions of dollars of equipment this year. Now that they've seen what's coming, they'll go back to their purchasing departments, file purchase request forms, go into budget meetings and justify it, forecast and plan their equipment and personnel needs for the rest of the year, etc. It's very likely that many of them won't even have the ability to make a purchase prior to the Panasonic coming out. So it was vital that Panasonic reveal it to let them know what's coming, so the broadcasters/stations/networks can plan their budget and acquisitions for the rest of the year.

Yes, prices and specifications are subject to change without notice. Hopefully the specs will get even better, but even if not, they had to announce it when they did.
 
Thanx for the clarification. Wowzers....didn't realize NAB was that *BIG* in terms of generating future revenue for companies. No wonder *ANY* camera release is always sooooo hyped and anticipated going into NAB. Cool!!

~reservoir~
 
I think resevoir has a good point. There is a feeling about Panasonic "flying by the seat of their pants" on the specs and other issues.

After the initial shock of the Apple press conference unveiling, a small number of people started asking serious questions at the Panasonic booth. Most of the visitors were willing to take the Panasonic answers as gospel.

In the end, it's still early. Heck the models they have weren't even turned on. There was no working prototype at the show (at least none that I could find at the booth).

I concur that NAB is a big publicity and money magnet. Network and news execs are running around looking for toys to buy. They generally travel in packs of two-three (one producer, one tech that wants to buy everything, and one guy that is skeptical of everything). Just look at Central hall which has the helicopter and news truck companies. Serious money at stake.

As far as Canon... I love their digital cameras and I think in most cases they have kicked Nikon up and down the block. But for camcorders.... I'll pass.
 
It seems a cause-and-effect thing, too. I think it is basically a question of as to what approach a company has towards developing its equipment. If it is 'listen what the users want' thing...than naturally it is the cause-and-effect phenomenon that is set into motion. After including say 70% customer-desirted features, the comapny has to integrate them...and in fact has to keep integrating them till the last minute possible... to achieve the reuslts exactly the way the customers desire and as the company engineers want to deliver techincally.
 
Jan, correct me if i am wrong, but Barry has a good point. although we have great ideas here, the money will be made if networks buy lots of them with lots of 8GB P2cards to be save for a shoot. i am sure the "small market" like us is good pcoket money for Panasonic, but the r&d costs will be paid back when networks dish out their money to substitute their analogue BetaSP euipment with a Panasonic format like DVCProHD instead of HDCam. i don´t think HDV ever was a threat to any format in that region anyway.
if a network buys 10 HVX + 5 P2 for each + a firestore for each + additional mics and lenses from Panasonic...that´s what NAB makes NAB.
in september their is a similar show for the european market in amsterdam...that will be the time when Panasonic will have to prove it all works....
 
i believe that 2 months ago there was a non-tape HVX due to be announced at NAB. as i still think it *should* have been done non-tape as planned, and should have been worked just great as is, the overwhelmed reactions against it, even if they were just a difficulty to straight up to a new workflow, inclined Panasonic towards the more SD-to-HD-transition-friendly.

+

fomoDVXpal said:
Would networks invest heavily in cameras with in non-interchangeable lenses?
Click to expand...

oh yes they would ;)
i mean, it's already done. you get to see so much DV stuff shot on small cameras and broadcasted on TV. now, on the costy transition to HD, i believe some broadcasters would love to save some $$$ and go for something smaller, if it can offer a high end resolution count and a perfect P2 workflow. it will not kill the need for serious 2/3'' cameras, but will surely make it easier to jump on the HD wagon while saving on lenses, VTR's and the cameras themselves.

is the HVX to HD as the DVX is for SD? not completely. and not really possible to compare. we're entering now a new standard. the broadcasters can choose how to step into it. the numbers (i.e. 1080 / 720 etc) are already written down. now only left to choose your tools. nobody standardizes an interchangeable lens as a "must have"... HD is new, and nobody *really* knows yet how it looks like.

hmm.. just thinking out loud.
 
fomoDVXpal said:
Would networks invest heavily in cameras with in non-interchangeable lenses?

*hint* *hint*
Click to expand...
Of course they would. The BBC bought truckloads of VX2000s.

The whole point of considering these small cameras is *low cost*. What good does it do to buy a $6,000 interchangeable-lens camera if the only other lens you can get for it costs $12,000? They're buying these small cameras for portability, and for deployment in areas where they don't want to risk a $50,000 camera: i.e., hurricane coverage, civil unrest/riots, war zones, etc.
 
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