CES: it's 2008 and the FX1 is not discontinued
 

http://gearmedia.ign.com/gear/image/...8025344928.jpg

Yes, according to this, they still make FX1s.

The VX1000 was in production for 5 years, until the arrival of the VX2000 in 2000. the vx2000 was rather more quickly replaced by the very similar VX2100 (more of a minor improvement) but the vx2100 is still in production I believe, or only ceased very recently.

I think the FX1 still has another year in it at least. Sony are probably interested in the FX2/Z2 (or what ever its called being tapeless, and want the tapeless to become more convenient and cost effective for general users before foisting it on the general public.

My comment here would be .... "in production" and "for sale" are not necessarily the same thing.

& VX2100 apparently ceased production some time ago (this from Sony).

Both FX1 & VX2100 are great machines - each I think are iconic milestone cameras in the evolution of Digital Video.

Maybe, but my point is, sony cameras tend to have a half decade life span. they were still MAKING VX2100s six years after the introduction of the VX2000 (it was almost the same camera, as the name implies) and two yeas after the arrival of the FX1 and still selling VX1000s 5 years after it's '95 introduction,

The FX1 has been around a bit more than three years. I give it at least another year.

Some cameras are classic
 

I have not investigated to see whether or not the FX1 is still being made, but I would not be surprised at all if it is. There is nothing new in Sony's line to replace it. The FX7 was probably an attempt, but I do suspect that the FX7 and its professional brother V1 did not do so well in the marketplace.

There have been many classic cams which have had, or continue to have a very long technological life. Anyone remember the Sony TRV900 miniDV? I got mine in 1999. It was introduced in the prior year. I sold mine in 06, and it got snatched up on Ebay within minutes of listing. Many are still in active use despite being nearly 10 years old.

The pro brother of the FX1. the Z1, is one of the most widely used HDV cams. Sony said that over 100,000 are in service worldwide.