It looks like it is working... there does not seem to be the same number of rip off artist and eBay SKIMMERS pushing it but the GS100's are not getting the traffic the MX5000 did. There have been some funny side effects too as the owners have seemingly repeated the name and requests for info are MX7000 and Black Mamba and only a handful of GS units. Frank... remember the good ole days... the first months of the MX3000 and nobody was out there ready to rip off the unsuspecting Giegene (Gringo in Japanese) and if the people in the industry found a new cam we did not have to worry about faceless clowns---ones that jumped on chat rooms or crawled out from beneath a rock to slam our people... good times and good memories. I was surprised, I must say, on the number of people that took advantage of the requested Japan Only accessories and sold them off so that they could get their hands on a great camcorder that up till now had been out of their economic reach. To be honest with you I thought the e-mailers idea of putting extra's in a package was dubious but I certainly was proven wrong... Frank... I simply asked in the waning days of the MX5000 before we saw that PV953 at CES in the beginning of this year and asked what option did they think they needed most and both the extra battery power and the bubble got the most response. The two nice gentlemen near Chicago who bought their MX3000 unfortunately on my recommendation because they went to XXX at about the same time you agonized (if I remember correctly) spending all that personal fortune you had squired away to get the unit from our friends at Camera Action on a PAL---BUT at least in ENGLISH MX3k. Brave soul you... going the PAL route. I have chastised Pana on several occasions because of what you and others were made to do and I did it hopefully where it counts and that is not NYC or even Tokyo but at Osaka. Even if they were to have a quiet release in Manila or Seoul we could have access... but they never got their MX3000 NTSC or their MX5000 NTSC and that is to this very day. You know HK and Singapore have nothing but PAL units and not even gray goods of these top 3CCD's!

Anyway... I am glad a lot of dependents got these units for their troops in the Middle East and they ALL kept the housing. You should hear all the horror stories of destroyed GOOD cams due to that damn dust and heat. No housing and you have no cam... I mean I have heard within 24 hours and it's dead... very fine dust or sand I'm told. And there is NO factory warranty... something about war zone exclusions, abnormal harsh environment different from stateside where it was purchased... all null and void and simply leaves the Sony, Canon, JVC and company... all left without any recourse or so it seems and so I am getting told... each and every day now. The news crews at Fox got it with their Editor Laptops in Long Island along with the Video Phone and tiny portable Satellite dish... now that the even smaller unit but with all the power and quality of the bigger and heavier MX5000 is proving to be a winning combination. Why Sony and even Canon has sat sucking their thumbs ... for how long now? 5 or 7 Years now? Amazing... well Frank, they did it to themselves and they can't blame you or me for their woes and lost market share. Even Pana and the hyped up DVX and the Hitachi HD1... all are getting a pretty bad rap from their owners. I just sit back here reading the e-mail and say to myself... you know I just figured out why these companies just Don't Get It... They are Not Listening to their customers. Or is it me but each time you and me saw the evolution change... first the MX3k and then with the MX5k and now my funny Black Mamba... when you hear others looking at it for the first time... one of the comments (Like Chris Hurd, or Allan and others we know) all say... you know looking at this or that it seems like the Pana engineers heard about previous model owner's complaints or they sure improved the problems we had with that old.... it's amazing. I think. Hell for years back in the dark ages of Analog... it was as if No One EVER listen to what we or other owners said on how to improve this or that.

Look... I don't invent the news... it is much more fun to sit back and soon as these puppies get into owners hands listen to what interests them or what they found. Both you and me knew that three things Sony got right was the #1 Mega Pixel... did wonders for 1 CCD cams. #2 Optical Stabilization and one of the most common LOW LUX or even #3 Night Shot Well we both know that Pana seemingly has chipped away at Every single advantage any (ANY) of it's competitors had... So they knock down the Black Mamba from the old MX5000 15 Lux to now 12 Lux. But listen to the reviewers... listen to Allan... "wow... the low readings on this cam are MUCH better, you should see this Head to head... sure the Sony stays up, but goes yellow in the process but this new Black Mamba stays clearer and now longer """ and so on. Now I ask you... Just 15 Lux to 12 Lux? Well, it could be a... maybe... reason... Maybe it is the screwy numbers and ratings we've been handed by the 'Other Companies' that is at the core of what is going on. 2Lux, 1 Lux... O Lux... give me a break. Noise all over the place, yellow brides dresses... all selling hype. True and some people have mentioned it. why my old 1 Chipper analog Hi8 did this for me or my 5 year old cheapy cam has clean video at darken wedding reception dance floors and on & on... Oh well... life goes on. At least we have Al and the masses have Red Hat, Japan Direct and the new Low Ball Guys on the block PJ... competition is good but there is hand writing on the wall... there is a LOT of money out there and sometimes it brings greed especially if you are big, new, cheapest like PJ and not like an old faithful that does it to just help his fellow video crowd like Al now. But, Al can't handle nor he tells me does even want to... say 500 cams a day, or a week or even a month! Too much problems and banking and yada yada yada... and each time he issuccessful and each time some one passes the word... the bigger the circle and the more head aches... we might loose that valuable resource for the stupid reason of... Success ! My e-mailers tell me you Frank are still out there... fighting the good fight and trying to help each and every lost soul and newbie that comes a callin... don't know how you do it... that computer you are reading these words must know you better than your wife, kids and even mother knows you... heaven knows your computer SURE sees you a lot more frequently...:-))

We have a wedding and event WEVA show in a couple of weeks in Vegas... I will be there for three hours the day of Set-Up and not to be in the public eye. My mission was to get a Dozen Black Mambas in full Snake regalia and Full English in Text, in menu and in Support... you will be happy to know the Good News and the Bad news... Japan said yes and I will have to come a put it all together and take over to Bally's. Pana Paramus... said... virtually... over their dead body. There was no money changing hands and so PJ lost and PUSA well... look at their initials I just wrote... says it all. Too bad... no one but 2 people at WEVA knew about the give-away and I guess it is just as well. So close and yet so far. Frank... it's time we hung up our mouse and key board... this old world is not just the same any more. The young'ns know it all before it happens or without seeing something in their hands are ready to Pontificate on why this sucks and this is just great. Hmmm... Again... Thank You for everything you do and for all those you help and MANY.... Many are from my site where your LINK has been one of the very few all these.... gee... years... it seems like only yesterday you were planning finally to put that site up... my how time has flown. Your number one hit spot is right at the MX Directory and right there proudly with many others that set themselves up to be a voice... a voice in the wind. Take care, Hope springs eternal Frank your chuckmeister finally back in Hawaii for a 9th August Waikiki Wedding with MX5 and MX7 in tow :-)))


Forgot... I believe there are about 100 MX7000's and GS100's in English speaking owners hands... BASED on the traffic of confirmation they want to know about using this feature or why it does this when they do That. I had to provide the plant with info on it's anniversary this past Friday. I know the Black Mamba kit to GI's has past 30 because that is based on FPO's and APO's for theater of operations but that figure changes daily now because it seems to grow exponentially I suppose. I have 12 in Hawaii but then I am here and see so many. We have four going this week to the Air Force for a Thunderbird airshow starting Friday which I have been invited and will help them with first use and handling. NYC has the most of any city with close to twenty Black Mambas, but no one there wants me to send others to them or have them show their units off... very private and reserved kind of people in the Big Apple it seems. Strange... just the opposite here in the islands. Two hotels in Maui are getting them so I will be with them on Monday. Must be the snake eh Frank :-)))) heh heh... cm

http://www.supervideo.com/MXexplained.htm

http://www.supervideo.com/MX7000FirstOwners.htm

I do not know but it sounds like aside from the kudos he gives you frank for your involvement throughout the history and development of different technology and watching as it all unfolds
It seems as though ole chuck might just be bitter that others are importing the camera at or for slim margins..
I do not wish to bash anyone but I feel compelled to speak to the fact that competition is a good thing for everyone and as I said in my last post, I cannot deny that America gets a bummer deal as far as this camera is concerned and chuck is right about a few things
but the overwhelming feeling I get is that cut-throat pricing and a few wise folks who by way of this forum and the likes of chuck even know of such items got it in there hot little hands for the right price rubs him the wrong way furthermore I wish to thank everyone who contributes and makes lots of opinions available so we can decide i gleen from this post doom and gloom but its not the way I feel my feeling is appreciation without frank or chuckmeister i would have never known of this camera

I just wanted to post this because it contains some interesting info; with Charles's permission of course. Yes, I agree with you that it's a good thing when people let other people know what's out there (in Japan). I have to agree with Charles that cam companies seem to be listening a little closer with what their customers want. Example: bigger CCDs, higher resolution, 16:9 and lower LUX requirements.

I agree with Shawn - there does seem to be an undercurrent of sour grapes. Maybe it's just a sense of not being appreciated. Well, the hyperbole (and some wrong info) aside, supervideo provides a real service: one of the other fora I visit is based in Europe. Not one word about the GS100, despite the fact that the person running the forum gets lots of new camcorders to review.

BTW, supervideo has some new (one of them kind of cheesecake - don't everybody log on to the site at the same time, now) photos on the site of the black mamba (okay, Frank, I've decided supervideo does not have to justify this term with a long, lean machine; "black mamba" suggests power, and this camcorder does have that). Plus a jibe at the new Sony. And info about where he'll be for the first part of August.

Some of us would like to see on the chuckmeister's site the results of the head-to-head that was supposedly promised by one of the new GS100k owners. (Frank: hint for your next e-mail exchange with the chuckmeister.)

i see only one gs100 available on ebay and its 1500 bucks below what chuck asks

has mic
waist bat
lenz filters
1600 bucks
is same price as it would cost if you were in japan if i had the option i would have bought american threw pay pal vs sending my cash across seas

I'll remind him about that on Tuesday. He said he was now off-line for a couple of days. I think he's in Hawaii at the moment---his wife works for an airline so he gets a lot of free flights.

There's no PAL version announced. The PAL market is probably smaller than the NTSC market since both the US and Japan markets probably answer for 60% of sales for Pana.

with regard to prices, i can honestly see the gripe however, our buddies overseas dont realise they have it so easy...

put it this way... in australia, prices are so exhuberant, it is literally sickening.
A DVX100, with 2 yr warranty and mic will set you back about $9550 RRP. Overseas the same deal for $5600. Thats almost 4000 dollar difference.

before the items hit the shelves, GST (tax) is thrown on, then import duties, then customs handling fees (crap), then the wholesaler puts on their profit, then the retailer...
And thats just being basic.. there are alot more fees to go with it.
Before gear even hits the shelf, its marked up about 40-50%

Hell if i could get a GS for 3000 with all those accessories, i wouldnt be complaing.
Here in aus, its most likely to hit the $3600-$4000 mark if ever hits these shores...

the MX500 retails for $3800 and there hasnt been a price change since the MX350 came off the market.

They want to stop the grey imports, however theyre going about it the wrong way..
The only way to beat the grey market, is to mark down or at least MATCH the prices of the importers.
Simple.

Beat them at their own game.
But these multinational companies dont see it that way, they want to control the market penetration for each region, but there is NO WAY that will ever happen when people import their own goods which is a free right.

Might cost more to import it here (as they want to "protect" the local market, import costs are exceedingly high) but in the end, i can import 10 DVX's and sell them for $7200 each and still make a $1600 profit AND undercut the "reccomended retail price" and make alot of buyers (and myself) VERY happy with the cost savings.
$16000 profit... its something to think about, especially considering teh demand for this cam in Aus right now

Here in Aus, Pana have a set timetable for their gear, usually between October to January, the DVX was delayed and when it came out, it was OVERPRICED.

Either way, OUR choices as consumers are being dictated by statistics and sales figures, which, in the end, mean nothing to us and are detrimental if the support for the product/manufacturer is to continue.

We open sites, pay for registering URLs, recommend products via word of mouth, write up support sheets and manuals, suggest troubleshooting techniques and dedicate bandwidth etc etc to THEIR product,
This is basically worth THOUSANDS in advertising...
And its all free for THEM

And what do we get?

Overpriced products, substandard support and silence when new gear is released.

Id really like to hear from a Pana Official about this.. it would be interesting to see what their response would be

Actually there is interest in Europe in the GS100K - among those who've heard of it. One of the members of this forum, Marius, who lives in Germany, just bought the Japanese version, despite its being NTSC. The difference in the European-based forum I visit is that none of the moderators seems to have the access of the chuckmeister and therefore none knew anything about the camcorder.

As for those prices in Australia, wow! I can't believe it's that bad. What do you think, Frank, can the chuckmeister make Peter's point to Panasonic and get anywhere? I would add one bit of info that might make that somewhat doubtful. We have a branch of a Japanese department store here that sells mostly Sony items in its electronics department. I stopped in anyway to see if there was any possibility it was carrying the 953. No. Only two Panasonic models in the store, both, I believe, VHS. A week later, lo and behold, another Panasonic, minidv, but not the 953. I finally pressed one of the clerks on why, if they were bothering with three models, they weren't carrying at least one that was higher end. He finally said they couldn't get them. That seems consistent with what people have said about having to be waitlisted for the 953 here in the States. So "supply and demand" is also at play when it comes to pricing - and overpricing.

you have a direct pipeline to the Chuckster! U DA MAN! LOL

It's hurts my eyes to read and follow the chuckmeister's thoughts....but I DO believe panny is listening to the consumers better than sony or canon.....europe will get its pal cam...and usa will prob get usa version of gs100...

I'd REALLY like an english manual, but I'll live for now...

Mikey

well think about it, theyre not saying anythign as they want to create a "wanting" for it...

thing is, they NEED to have a replacement for the MX500 and this is perfect..
I dont see them holding back form a PAL version (they said teh same thing about the DVX) but they will most likely release it late this year... or within the 1st quarter of next... i dont doubt that at all...

The AU Dollar is lower than the US Dollar so it will cost more YEN to make money---this way Pana makes a profit and stays in business. The reason Pana is cheaper in Japan is because they are made there...just like Miller tripods are cheaper in AU (because they're made there). :)


PS: don't forget shipping, customs, insurance, etc, as well as middle men/women fees. :D

On these days, many people seem to buy the imported GS100k and the MX5000 at pricejapan.com. My previous posts really paid off.

--the first guy who bought the MX5000 at pricejapan.com :)

Young lee
when did u buy it, did you change your name,
coz it said, you had only one post!!!

Is it your first post?

I didn't post the info. here but at Yahoo MX5000 Group and DV.com (My nickname is "rainbowzone21," BTW.). I bought it last year.