Trade-In Your Old Betacam for an HPX3700!

[Dino]

Panasonic is offering a $30,000 trade-in for any working non-P2 2/3" camcorder towards a $60,000 HPX3700! Yes, you can grab that eBay DXC-537/PVV-1 Betacam and get $30,000 for it!

This tells me two things:

1. These cameras have a very high profit margin.

2. The HPX3700 is not selling well(could be because no 60p and that $60K price)

Still, an HPX3700 for $30K plus viewfinder and P2 cards is interesting. That's about the same price TV stations/networks and large rental houses always pay.

 

[Bassman2003]

Wow, I would have never guess the top end Varicam did not do 720p60 and does not have variable frame rates from 1 to 60 like the next model down.

I would go for the 2700 for this very reason if I had the opportunity although I am sure the 3700's 4:4:4 looks really nice.

 

[Kit Hannah]

Is this a Panasonic thing? I see it posted on some guy's website, but nowhere else. Can you post a link, Jeff?

Thanks
Kit

 

[Dino]

I received an email from Abel Cinetech. It isn't official yet. I also see that an equipment broker has gone public with the offer, McCom Inc. I first heard about if from another rental house, so that's three sources, albeit nothing directly from Panasonic. The conditions are subject to change.

 

[Noel Evans]

Hmm Im sure I saw an old beta cam recently that had been sitting on a shelf for a few years. MIght make a lowball offer on that.

 

[Kit Hannah]

Yeah, I have been looking into getting a 3000 or 3700, this might be my chance if this is real. I'm just wondering though, is it $30k off of the retail price or the selling price? Cause nobody pays retail for anything. Granted you're saving a boatload of money, but it would be even nicer if you could trade in a old camera and get into a 3700 in the mid $20k range.

 

[TimurCivan]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

interesting......

 

[ethansigmanproductions]

There is a limited list of acceptable cameras, i will post the list shortly when i get to my other computer that has the email with details......

 

[Dino]

Here is a list of acceptable trade-in cameras(No P2 cameras accepted for trade-in):
2/3" standard def. Betacam or SX camcorders
brands=Sony, Ikegami, Hitachi, Philips BTS, Thomson
2/3" Sony HDCAM camcorders
F23, F900x, F950, HDW750, HDW730
2/3" DVCPRO & DVCPRO HD camcorders
models=SDX900, HDCxxx, HDXxxx
2/3" & 1/2" Sony XDCam optical disk camcorders
2/3" Ikegami EditCam hard disk camcorders
2/3" Thomson/GVG Infinity digital camcorder
RED cameras=One, Epic, Scarlet

HPX3700 list price is $59,950-$30,000 trade-in=$29,950. No other discounts allowed, no special Panasonic finance rate. All accessories are optional, including viewfinder, P2 Cards, proxy encoder, etc.

All of the above is subject to change, I don't know what the trade-in program time window is. I was at VER in Burbank yesterday, prepping three HPX3000 camera packages and was told that the HPX3700 is noticeably quieter noise wise.

 

[Kit Hannah]

noticeably quiter than a 3000? Geez.

Why would you trade in a HD cam or anything similar? You could buy an old betacam off ebay for cheap if you want to go this route.

 

[Dino]

noticeably quiter than a 3000? Geez.

Why would you trade in a HD cam or anything similar? You could buy an old betacam off ebay for cheap if you want to go this route.

Agreed! I hear that the ASC/PGA Camera Assessment Series test showed the HPX3700 to be very good. Indeed, it out shined a certain camera named after a color in many areas.