Someone knows why the hvx200a went down price

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PERROJO

Member
Helo, some months ago (november ) I bought a hvx200a in B&H, its was about $ 5200, but today the same camara is for $ 3729. I cant understand why the price changed so much. Someone can explain that. If I had waited some months, I would have saved $1500. :S It is injust.
 
Just think- If I hadn't purchased two HVX200's and eight 4GB cards 3-4 years ago, and instead bought them today... I could have saved over 6 Grand, and I'd have 32GB cards instead of 4GB cards!

I was so stupid to buy those cameras then, I should have waited!

Mind you I wouldn't have been able to get 3 or 4 years worth of paying gigs with them, pay my mortgage / car / studio / go on vacation / eat / etc.

Get over it! Time moves forward, things get cheaper - new technology makes your old look like a bad investment. Can you still make money with that camera? Then go out and shoot something. (or are you maybe one of those ppl who own the camera, don't know how to use it; and screw up the rates of 'professionals'?

G.

/end rant/
 
PERROJO said:
Helo, some months ago (november ) I bought a hvx200a in B&H, its was about $ 5200, but today the same camara is for $ 3729. I cant understand why the price changed so much. Someone can explain that. If I had waited some months, I would have saved $1500. :S It is injust.
Click to expand...

You paid $5200 for an HVX200a in November? I'd say you overpaid by a LOT. Clearly, the market agrees.

Explain it? It's basic economics. Lack of demand + adequate supply = lower prices.
 
I was actually looking to sell my hvx 200 and buy the new 200a...I think the comment by Heavy G was a bit harsh...I think it is a fair question and I was going to post it up and I still may.....

Why is there such a price drop from last year to this year? Is there a new camera from panasonic coming out? Like an hvx200B?????

I feel like selling the 200 and upgrading to the "A"? but if there is a "B" coming out in a month or two I would like to wait

Ronster
 
the sales guys at B&H are pretty helpful. You might want to ask them about the price drop...perhaps they have more stock then they thought they would.

could be a simple inventory thing. but you might get the best answer buy just asking the source;)
 
Looks like there's been a big price drop on the Panasonic website. HVX200A is now going for $4295 MSRP. Looks like part of that comes from them not including a free P2 card in the box anymore. Not 110% sure about that, but Abel doesn't list the card in the box.

If the ones at B&H still have a P2 card in the box, that'd be a pretty screaming deal.

As for why the HVX's price has dropped... well, it is coming up on nearly five years old since the original HVX200 was introduced, and the HPX170 is in almost every way a better camera, and DV tape is pretty much obsolete now, so I'm sure they've had to adjust pricing. For a while the HVX200 was like $1,000 more expensive than the HPX170, which just never made any sense to me. With the new pricing it's about $600 less than the HPX170, and that makes a lot more sense.
 
Barry_Green said:
For a while the HVX200 was like $1,000 more expensive than the HPX170, which just never made any sense to me. With the new pricing it's about $600 less than the HPX170, and that makes a lot more sense.
Click to expand...

Mirrors my thoughts exactly. But I'd be willing to bet the premium on price was charged to take advantage of customers who were fearful about the whole "tapeless" deal. There HVX offered a "safety net" and having the system on the camera allowed them to charge more.

The fear of tapeless is going away very quickly, and the HVX is not as fully featured as the HPX, and I think people are understanding that, hence the flip-flop in pricing.
 
Wow, that is a big price drop, Perrojo! I bought my 200a at AVS for $4799 more than a year ago... If it makes you feel any better, I bought a used Fs-100 at B&H for $1050 less than a year ago and now they sell for $550 used there:)
 
Prices are usually pretty arbitrary, for example, lots of time companies will sell something for less than what it cost to make it if they think they can get you to buy accessories which they overprice and have big margins on.

I would actually look to the dollar increasing in value against all the other currencies right now as a factor in pricing. I trade currencies and whenever the dollar goes up the price of panny cameras drop and vice versa. I'm pretty sure they import the cameras, they are made in japan right?

Also, I paid 5300$ for mine 2 years ago with an R series 16gb card. What I've made with the camera has more than covered any prices changes for me.
 
The price on the AG-HVX200A has dropped because they are no longer shipping with a 16GB P2 card. The current US model # is AG-HVX200APS, models ending with "PJ" still have a P2 card in the packaging.

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I bought the HPX 170 in March and I am glad I waited that long. The camera was priced at $4,900 or thereabouts, and in February or so there was a big price drop down to $4200. This means the show price at the Camera Company Show (Boston) went down even more, and I bought the camera at the show for $3700. Saved $1,200 by simply waiting two months. By the way, I got it with the 16GB card.
 
Personally I think heavyg hit the nail on the head. I have a 200 that I bought 3 years ago, as a second camera behind my HPX500... I paid $5,500 for it with the original 16g card.

The camera paid for itself in about 6 months. I still have it, and despite the many slurs I've read about the 200's low light capabilities and the "long in the tooth" codec, I am still more than satisfied with the images. In this economy, it would take more than marketing hype or "informed" forum comments to make me upgrade when few, if any, can see the actual difference on the screen - I have used a friend's 170 BTW, and I do like it, but I'm happy to not feel the need for something newer and better.

I'm not a Panasonic advocate either - I just finished a 40 minute doc that I shot on HDV with a $750 Canon HV40 because it's small and unobtrusive, shoots 24p and uses tape. The film looks great. These are tools, and you use the tool that's right for the job.

If the camera you have does the job, use it, make money with it (I would hope that people don't spring for $3500 + cameras to shoot their baby's first steps) and when you've got extra money burning a hole in your pocket, get something else - But don't beat yourself up worrying about price drops and improved codecs and pixel counts.
 
In Australia I paid around $8000 AUD for my HVX and it didn't come with a P2 card.

You guys in U.SA have it really good when it come to Movie cameras and the equipment that comes with it...

But then I would be concerned and feel a little cheated if I bought a camera and then have it drop in price not too long after.
 
I think the DSLR market has also had an impact on the sales/pricing of the prosumer video cams (HVX/HPX/EX, et al.)...even with their shortcomings, especially for second and B-cam situations. I have several friends that have made the investment...as well have I.

Where three years ago, I would've most likely picked up a 170...these past two years, I've made a sizable investment in Canon gear. Not that my HVX and EX stay home, but as Mac mentioned, the "Right tool for the job" is now much more easily achieved with the choices. Competition is a good thing...and YES!!! There are some new Panny cams coming! Check out the AG-AF100 Micro 4/3 cam forthcoming! That's a VERY exciting development....The DVX truly changed the industry 7 years ago or so....especially for those of us without budgets...today, there are a lot of excellent choices, and the HVX is getting along in years. Doesn't make it less good a camera that it was yesterday, just means the law of economics come in to play.

Don't fret...get out and charge some money! Hell, in my market...we can't even place HD ads yet on our local networks:) Everything is still 480 for broadcast...and of course for the 'net, the HVX is MORE than you'll ever need!

J
 
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