New Guy - Introduction and a Question

x-angel

x-angel

Well-known member
My name is Eric, and I a "rookie" videographer. I love video - always have. I am one of those crazy people that can go down the road listening to a song, and design a video in my head.

This past May, I shot my first wedding, and one of the cameras I used was a DVX-100A. I fell in love with it immediatley, and I am thinking about sticking with it exclusively. (Or atleast the Panasonic line)

I have read the reviews on the upcoming 100B and the "Bad Boy" 200. And it seems I am at at a crossroads.

I am about to deploy to Kosovo for a year, and so my check will be primarilty used to invest into my business. I won't be shooting just weddings either, and it looks like the Panasonic line is the best and most well rounded for most applications.

My conondrum: Do I invest into a DVX-100A? (because more than likely the prices will go through the floor with the release of the 100B) Spend a little extra and get the DVX-100B? Or go full bore and get the HVX-200?

I will be investing into 2 cameras for my business...one for me and one for my wife (she's my partner on this little venture), so whatever I get, I want them to be the same.

I pretty much think that the HVX200 will be out of my range for right now.

So I am stuck between 100A and the 100B. Even though I won't be shooting weddings exclusively, I know that will be the majority of what I do.

So with the 100A probably about to drop through the floor in price (currently at about $3500), I am stuck between going ahead and investing into the 100B, or sticking with the 100A.

My post production software will include Premier, After Effects, DVD Lab Pro, and a fews others. And I will not be making this purchase until mid-2006 (after I pay for the wife to come to europe during my R&R)

I am also thinking about investing into a sub $1000 1 CCD camera just to have, so I am not always having to risk my $3000+ investment.

So I throw this out there and would love any advice on this.
 
from reading the specs, the 100B isnt going to really hold any huge advantage over the 100A. i like what i see, but if the price difference is $200+ (each) i wouldnt bother.

as for the HVX200. thats a different thing altogether. if you can afford it without remortgaging the house, i think you should. i know that if i had the cash id choose it over a 100 model. but its really something you'll have to ask yourself (and your wife!). its a beast and considering the features itll have, a bargain. plus i sincerely believe itll be very current technology for the next 5 or 6 years.
 
yeah depending on when you have to decide, I wouldn't rule out the HVX yet. But if its just too expensive, or if you need to buy right now, personally I say go for the 100A over the 100B. You Get Barry's book, Magic Bullet 2, free tapes, and some other stuff I think. The new features are cool, but the 100A will get the same result and those freebies are sweeeeet :)
 
Welll... the 100B doesnt have the true 16:9 chip yet, and I was way overwhelmed with the quality of the 100A. It was just phenomenal. Ease if use was a good thing too.

I would love to get the 200, but damn...that would be almost half my salary that I make in Kosovo. (after the bundling)

I am not trying to become Lucas of Spielberg overnight.

The added features on the 100B seem nice, but most of my work happens in post production. (As it happens to be with most of us I would imagine.) So I think I will stick with the 100A unless someone here can really sway me towards the 100B.

Which makes me think: Will the 100A be considered obsolete or outdated? I always tend to keep one generation behind the "leading edge" to make sure all the kinks are worked out. Would this be a "bad" philosophy to have? I just can't afford (right now) to drop $10,000 on 2 cameras, when I can get 2 comparable ones or about $6000.

Again, thanks for the advice.
 
If you can't afford to drop $10,000 on 2 cameras then don't do it. Pretty simple.

If your main source of income from these cameras will be from weddings then the 100A will do you great. People won't expect the 24p look. If you are also looking for a good camera to shoot your own _______ (fill in the blank), then as 99% of the people on here would say, including myself, then the 100A will do you great. Then all the money you get from the weddings and saved from getting a cheaper 100A camera could go to either accessories and/or the saving for the HVX200. The next step is now when are you going to get the cameras, because that killer deal for the 100As is going to last forever.

Good luck and be safe over in Kosovo.
 
I have finally made it past similar crossroads. The HVX looks amazing, but for me, it would have taken away my entire budget. I just got a DVX100A and couldn't be happier. No regrets whatsoever. My advice to you, like I gave myself, is get the 100A, make some money with it/increase your skills, and move up to the HVX down the line. Whatever path you choose, it can't be wrong with the Panny line. Good luck.
 
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