Price?

[theHeadlessPuppy]

The price difference is not what it seems... If you only spend $6k on the Panny you can't record HD. It will cost at least $7.5k, and maybe that's being optimistic.

I just don't see how the majority of amateur videographers are going to be able to cope with this costs. I think a lot of people will decide to go Sony or JVC because of this factor. Everyone is used to buy GL2s or DVXs for <$3K. It's crazy, saz I.

 

[turk]

Well, count on this: The Canon at 9k will settle in at 7.2-8k (body/20xzoom) when market competition begins to heat up, post intro. Generally most camcorders sold street will settle in at 20 percent off list without rebate incentive. You'll note there is always a deal on XL bodies...rebates even.

Panasonic dvx generally has sold in the 15 percent off MSRP range because it is not a consumer division product and its riding a wave. It's sold thru commercial division via a select coterie of sellers that sell higher end Panasonic industrial/broadcast products. Not a whole lot of competition. Not like consumer street retail. Or prosumer. It's a dedicated market. (Panasonic's motto: Welcome to the club! Get your wallet out! Smile.)

You'd be lucky to get 5 percent on a 200--too many bugeyed prospective purchasers extoling yet to be verified virtues; it hasn't even hit the street. Look for 10 percent real fast post intro if jvc can solve its quality control issue(s) and Canon proves 24f to be effective to 24p. Then it's up for grabs because of market share (basic greed) issues. Panny has the problem due to its fixed lens dedicated storage architecture--options or no. It IS a P2 camera. It's best not to forget that. Welcome to the "other league".

The xlh1 is--in my estimation--an iteration of Canon camera to enhance its reputation as a solid quasi film production alternative system. There are lots of film products that surround a system with interchangeable lenses. Cinematographers like options...especially optics.

The question will be how effective HD24f will play out with HD24p. If Canon can move the pea under the shell more effectively than Panny 24p then it's a no brainer for indies. Cost difference is irrelevant. It's called a IRS Schedule C or whatever one needs to write off the production cost on next year's taxes.

(I learned this from Saul, a still photographer. I kept asking him why he kept a few choice cameras/optics--leica, old Nikon ftn, Hblads, etc., but routinely sold other good hardly used equipment he used daily. It pays to sell--rotate--user stuff. Tax writeoff. Always have new, latest stuff, lowest cost, turn it over at tax time--xmas, get highest resale price. Treat it like a rental...but always have prime optics, proven bodies, stored on the shelf.)

Canon, with no broadcast division, can pretty much play the field. Their problem lies in expanding lens options. That's why I elsewhere suggest the GLHD series with interchangeable lenses now that jvc has (helped) let the cat out of the bag. Canon could put a lot of pressure on Sony and Panasonic by expanding its interchangeable lens body options--literally push this industry into the next generation.

It's leap frog time for the indie industry. It's ready to separate from broadcast. Prosumer is an intro concept. Serious indie and broadcast have different viewpoints. Strangely, as I see it, HD will not bring them together--only morph, then dichotomize. The objectives of film/tv image are not compatible. Film finds image compromise distressing; the latter embraces it. HD is interesting--but no answer. Eventually it will equalize but like CD over analog--there's just something about digital that is...cold. (Ask any cinematographer about this...)

In the meantime...it is what it is. It's good to know we're not kidding ourselves. It's best to remind Panasonic, Sony, Jvc, Canon and whomever we know the scam. The proof is in the pudding, er, image.

In the meantime--show us the goods. Let's see the image. The details I could care less about...