pani ag-hpx500 and NAB
 

I am thinking about stepping up to the plate and getting this camera - when it comes out in <cough-yaright-cough> May.
do you think there would be any advantage to purchasing it at NAB?
show deals or anything like that?
anyone have any thoughts?

Ordering at NAB is, IMO, a bit of a crapshoot. Often there's a significant lag between a new product being shown, and it actually being shipped.

And even if I get "hands on" time at an NAB demo - I miss having the informed opinion of actual users like the great DVinfo crowd here - which comes after something's been out a few weeks or months.

"Pioneering" gear has it's risks and rewards.

You get "first informed opinion posting rights" but in exchange you might get stuck owning a model of something where everyone realizes that the manufacturer messed up the placement of the controls, or burried some important setting too deep in the menus, or something similar - and you're stuck because you didn't wait to see what the consensus was about that particular piece of gear.

The obvious benefit of "release ordering" at NAB is you can get your hands on the latest technology early.

But, if your order goes in right at announcement, you'll likely be getting an "early serial number" model. It's not unusual for these to have small unresolved issues that the company addresses in the next run of firmware - but if it's a physical issue with the camera (e.g. this sub-widget was breaking so we changed the material to make it stronger) it can be a minor problem.

Also, while there are a lot of "show specials" on the flyers at the booths, they tend to be on established products, not the "latest and greatest" just released things that everyone's excited about - and in my experience, if you have an established relationship with a dealer at home, you can typically get VERY close to the "NAB special price below retail" by just working with your dealer.

That's my experience. Anyone else?

thanks Bill
 

Hey Bill,
Thanks for the great info, you brought up ideas I hadn't really considered.
I see you're in Scottsdale, we're probably neighbors!
I've only been here a little over 6 months - nice to meet you!
oh..and thanks for your 2 cents!

Hello right back.

I've been in the Valley a bit longer - like since birth.

So as the "native host". Welcome.

I hope I continue to see you around here.