resale value - JVC/Canon vs Panasonic

J

jdv

Well-known member
Hi everyone. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet in terms of which new camera to buy is resale value.

I'm now in the process of selling my XL1 and a 16mm camera... And I expect both to have a decent resale value considering their respective ages/formats.

My concern in buying the HVX is the resale value of the camera, say 3-4 years down the pipe if P2 cards don't catch on, and still remain an expensive choice. While the JVC and Cannon both have removable lens and can 'print' to mini-dv tape, the HVX can do neither (at leats in HD mode).

Whatever the limitations of m-peg2, mini-dv tape, and HDV are, it seems a sure bet that these formats will still to be around, both in the professional and consummer world.

This is important because what is 'professional' or state-of-the-art today becomes the 'still professional, but on it way out' of tomorrow. Meaning, in a real world sense, that whatever camera system I invest in today, I want to be able to sell to a church, or new film-student, or whoever in 3 to 4 years. One of the ways to help do this is to be able to say to someone who is inexperienced, "Sure, you can go down to radio shack and buy tapes for the camera right now for $20. You want a new lens? Go on ebay right now and get one - it'll work."

If p2 does not catch on, either in the pro world or consummer (or worse is abondoned altogether in the future for some as yet to be invented cheaper tech), I am worried that it could potentially really effect the resale value of the camera and any associated gear (like a firestore, etc). Because Panasonic is the only one to use P2, this seems like a greater possibility, whereas mini-dv tape is everywhere...

I am very interested in the HVX - Is my resale concern warrented? Thanks again for the great forum - John
 
The car is no longer "new" the second you drive it off the lot. That said, because so many people like/want the DVX, it has an incredible second hand value. As you're aware, the new DVX100a is sold for $2900, including the $500 rebate. With low hours, they're selling on eBay for around $2600, week after week. Compare that to other cameras on the market.

As for the HVX200 itself, I think it's a pretty safe bet for getting your money out of it down the road. Of course, the P2 cards you buy now won't be worth anything down the road. :undecided
 
Man, I hadn't even thought of that... A good (and unpleasant) consideration...
John
 
I think your concern might be right, we need to wait and see.

On thisiswells post: Over here in Europe: you pay about €4000 (that's almost $5800 I believe) for a new DVX100A (the HD100 is about $10.000) . But you can't seem to get any over €2000 for one with about 30 or 40 hours on the drum and only about a year old. The resalevalue (over here) of a DVX is a total desaster, whereas it is fine for the canon XL-series....
 
I think it's a crap shoot either way.

P2 may not catch on... you're right.
But I think it's a bit daring to say: "Whatever the limitations of m-peg2, mini-dv tape, and HDV are, it seems a sure bet that these formats will still to be around, both in the professional and consummer world. "

Really?
You think it's a 'sure bet' that HDV will still be around for as long as say... the XL1 has been around? I'm not saying it will positively be gone...but I wouldn't be suprised if HDV is a thing of the past in 7-8 years (about as old as your Xl1)

I think either one could still be around, or be gone.
It's anyone's ballgame.
 
I think its a safe bet that HDV will be firmly established in 4-5 years, at least in some (if not a majority of) consummer cameras...

Whether or not HDV will have a presence in the professional world is more of the question.... Perhaps the million dollar question.

That's the real dilemma with these new uber-cameras - they require the buyer not only to invest in the camera itself, but also 'believe' in the format/codec the camera uses, and right now there seems to be a healthy debate as to which format is going to be the big winner.

As I try to explain the plans for the next camera purchase to my production staff (and to myself!) I constantly remind them that the choices we make now in cameras/decks/editing system/etc. will definately effect us 4-5 years down the road, regardless if any of the actual films we make on the camera sell.

Just trying to weigh all the possibilities....Before I spend 10 thousand dollars. John
 
You've got it upside down. P2 availability is no big issue because you'd presumably sell the camera with the cards--as a complete package. It's a question of DVCProHD vs HDV a few years down the road. HDV has a more limited shelf-life because the MPEG format/data rate is backed out of a tape format that's purely transitional. All cameras will be moving to solid state memory or at least a random access high density storage medium. So a few years down the road, HDV is going to look less appealing because the compression scheme is built around a tape standard and because the hassle of digitizing from tape will be taking it's final bow. I'd bet the higher datarate DVCPRO HD is going to hold up longer as a format because of the higher quality and P2 (regardless of whether it's still in production) will still represent the future of in camera data aquisition.
 
Hopefully by the time the HVX or HDV is on its way out people will have used the technology to make a couple good features that necessitate a jump to a higher format. I guess resale value isn't something I consider that important 5 - 10 years down the road. Something better will have come and gone by then. But perhaps minidv/hdv/DVCproHD will be the equivalent of digital Super 8.
 
I wouldn't worry about future compatibility too much, I believe things will get better, not worse.

I am far more worried about the present with these cameras! Does anyone know if FCP will work with 720p25 HDV/ProHD yet??
 
Not Yet

Not Yet

mmm said:
I wouldn't worry about future compatibility too much, I believe things will get better, not worse.

I am far more worried about the present with these cameras! Does anyone know if FCP will work with 720p25 HDV/ProHD yet??
Click to expand...

No, only 720P30 HDV at the moment, but most think 24 and 25 will be added soon. Of course you can do 720P25 or 24 using DVCProHD.
 
Ron R. said:
No, only 720P30 HDV at the moment, but most think 24 and 25 will be added soon. Of course you can do 720P25 or 24 using DVCProHD.
Click to expand...

But I can't afford a Varicam. :cry:

Maybe Panasonic will remember that there is this distant land called Europe and release the HVX200 here one day :)
 
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