The idea of paying once for the media is a benefit for the manufacturer more than the consumer.

For example, in researching an HPX-500, the camera body body is going for ~$10,200.

The package at B&H with 4 16gb cards is $13,999. That's almost $4,000 for the media.

Large format DV tapes which record for the same length as 4 P2 cards in SD (4 1/2 hours) cost $20.00 each and on advice from a Panasonic tech, can be reused until the tape breaks.

So the consumer is paying up front for roughly 190 tapes worth of storage not counting any re-using.

If anything, I see it as an equal trade, tapes=cheaper P2=convenience

It is too bad that third party is not playing that large of a role like the Hoodman products, but proprietary goods have a higher margin, therfore they will always be setup by producers.

"....on advice from a Panasonic tech, can be reused until the tape breaks."

MUHAHAHAhahahahahaa...... OMG....... lmao....

Excuse me.... I have to wipe the tears out of my eyes.

That is total BS. I've worked with videotape for 25+ years. You **DO NOT REUSE TAPE, EVER**. The oxide flakes and abrades off the backing starting with the 1st pass. Anyone telling you otherwise is uneducated. Always, always, use fresh tape for every shoot. (I'm not saying that there isn't a good chance the tape will be just fine if reused a # of times, but WHY? Fresh tape is the cheapest insurance there is.)

The other issue you're neglecting is that many of us aren't interested in replacing DV tape - we're replacing BetaSP, DigiBeta & HD tape .

Good point on the higher priced tapes.


I always use a fresh tape for important work, but I often use the large format tapes 3 or 4 times and the output is the same. Not until the tape breaks, but enough to save some money.

When shooting a multicam event, I will put old tapes on the second or third camera. over the year, this saves a bit on expenses.

I know where you're coming from on expenses.... sometimes the client's budget only goes so far, and the rest is out of your pocket. That's when my "never, ever recycle tape" isn't set in stone (though I might let the client know they're not paying enough for the job to warrant fresh tape). Or if you're internal production, you do what you have to do! My reply was really aimed at shooting for a paying client. And to diss whatever Pana tech said that comment.

Received this morning from Hoodman USA:

----------------------------------------

Could you please let your P2 forum know the following information:

Hoodman Corporation has cancelled its P2 card project.
Our apologies go out to all who were interested.

Sincerely,
Lou Schmidt
VP Marketing
Hoodman Corporation

Wow. I sold my HVX almost 2 years ago now because the p2 workflow and price didn't work for many of my longform events. Originally I was holding out for the Cineporter and other 3rd party P2 options. I am glad I sold it when I did because I would be really upset at this news and the other products that never made it to market as 3rd party P2 or P2 alternatives. Definitely a huge disapointment. Good luck to those of you who were waiting on these. Hopefully other options will present themselves.

Peace.

Well, since then Panasonic's own P2 cards have gotten much bigger and cheaper, which is probably why Hoodman cancelled their effort. 32GB cards are now available for about what 8GB cards cost two years ago, and 16GB cards are about $850. A pair of 32 GB cards will record for almost 3 hours continuously at 720p (about 168 minutes).

64 GB cards are expected later this year, at which time the prices on 32 GB and smaller cards will in all likelihood drop substantially. 128GB cards shouldn't be too far off either. With a pair of those, the HVX will go 672 minutes at 720p - that's 11 hours and 12 minutes, nonstop.

Fuji is expected to enter the P2 card market soon as well.

Just comparing apples to apples: If you're comparing the price of P2 to tape, you'll have to compare it to DVCPro HD tape and not HDV/MiniDV tape.

DVCPro HD tape, 126 minutes: $80 = 64 cents/minute.

Then add the price of a Varicam deck, $25,000.

Panasonic has a new release that says FujiFilm is going to sell P2 comaptible cards from Spring 2008.