Panasonic Layoffs

[Barry_Green]

just show up sometimes? Where not the market, but the maker/designer dictate what they think you'll need?

I am certain that that's exactly how it used to work, yes. Sony in particular would dream up something, and then throw it out in the marketplace, and tell us to buy it. And for decades, we did.

Now, not so much. Now, especially in the days of instant feedback like we have with the internet, you just can't do things like that anymore and expect success. More and more, consumer electronics are starting to resemble feature film launches -- you get one shot at an opening weekend. If you get a hit review (i.e., Vincent Laforet does a short film with your camera and the internet goes ga-ga) then you've got a solid product launch. If you don't, you better regroup quickly and come up with something else.

I know that these companies actively go and ask people what they want. Problem is, while a few people know exactly what they want, large numbers of folks may not have any idea. They may *think* they know what they want, but then Apple comes along with an iPod and turns the world upside down.

Everyone told Panasonic they were nuts to introduce solid-state memory recording, but they ended up becoming the dominant industry player with it. You just never know.

If there was a magic formula, everyone would do it and everyone would be successful...

 

[Barry_Green]

I don't know, life is short, I'd rather do something now with whatever I can get my hands on, who knows I may get hit by a bus or something before the products you speak of come out.

Exactly. And you can always sell the thing you bought today, on ebay.

Writers write. If they don't have a word processor in front of them, they'll find a typewriter. Or a pencil. Or they'll find chalk. Or a nail to scratch their words into wood. Or they'll draw the words in the sand. But they'll write. The idea of saying "forget this, I'm not gonna write anything until someone builds me exactly the type of pen I want, with exactly the right thickness and spacing, and gives me exactly the right kind of paper that's exactly the right shade of off-white"... that'd never occur to 'em.

 

[Jan_Crittenden]

I don't think Panasonic of America (Broadcast or Consumer) has a lot of input into the product development over @ Matsushi*a. Or at least not a whole lot that I know of - They're more oriented towards service and sales, and most importantly importing the goods across our borders. Please correct me If I'm wrong.

Let me just say that you are incorrect in your assumptions here. We have a tremendous input and much of what has shown up in the DVX100B, the HVX200, the HPX170 and the HPX300 has been gleaned from this forum and submitted through Panasonic Broadcast, a division of Panasonic Corporation of North America.

Best regards,

Jan

 

[videomagician]

Maybe this thread should be closed since it has kind of derailed from the original topic - and someone start a "Future of Panasonic" or something thread.

 

[DJDecay]

Let me just say that you are incorrect in your assumptions here. We have a tremendous input and much of what has shown up in the DVX100B, the HVX200, the HPX170 and the HPX300 has been gleaned from this forum and submitted through Panasonic Broadcast, a division of Panasonic Corporation of North America.

Best regards,

Jan

Thanks. It's good to hear. In the back of my head I always saw somewhere in say, Osaka Japan some hard working engineer sitting down with AutoCAD and his SGI/HP workstation - throwing these things up, worrying more about approval from his boss rather than what someone from the states side of the corporation has to say. I guess its a mass media 90's imprint from too many documentaries with Japanese camera assembly lines and all.. .

Sort-of when the US arm of both BMW and Mercedes decided to nix all the 4 cylinder compact vehicles from being imported circa 2003, but they are still designed and made. VS. The SUV craze where those very companies designed an SUV for the US market specifically.

But thanks for being our collective voice to the R&D departments.

 

[averan]

What solution?

Here's my own subjective opinion: A new business model and a complete revamp of Panasonic Broadcast/Professional's camera's lineup. A business model not separated by sensor sizes, but by features and out of the box capabilities. Example:

HPX170/HVX200/HMC150- This is where the big sales numbers are- a fixed lens (with zoom range equivalent to current lineup), P2, S35-micro 4/3rds AVCintra full HD 1080p HVX200 with variable frame rates in 1080 and 720p for bellow 5k. This would be "the" camera for most indies, and wouldn't eat too much on the high end cameras sales. I would be first in line to purchase one of these. Notice that what is written here is, excluding the codecs and variable frame rates, offered by the 7d. In fact, the HPX400 to HPX3000 upgrade path I write here is similar to what RED is trying with the SCarlet/Epic business model. The HPX400 I wrote here, if not upgraded, would be, once again not taking consideration the codec, something very close to a 7D/, at least in its "handheld" configuration

This is, of course, my own, subjective POV and way of thinking.

I believe that now is the time to take risks, to be innovative and to take aim and grab this new market. I know a new business model needs to be written, but now is where most gains can be made. In days of crisis, either one is innovative and proactive, or conservative and defensive, letting newcomers and the ones willing to take (calculated, of course) risks to eat and steal your portion of the pie. Panasonic was always at the front of innovation, at least on this price range, with 24p, 1080p and Variable frame rates, to state a few. Up your game!

i wholeheartedly agree!!!

i've been frustrated for years by the absence of the right combination of features. i think all the recent cams have been good tests of various features and there's now enough experience and feedback and field tests to bring it all together into one super killer camera!

i'd love if Panasonic was the company to do this and warn them that i'll buy from whoever does it first and does it right. at the end of the day, i'm no brand loyalist and i'm willing to bet that most other filmmakers out there are the same......we just want the right tool for our jobs.

 

[GH1User]

Very sad to hear about these lay-offs. But if they are needed to keep Panasonic competitive in the market place, then that's the reality we face.