Just translated from Japanese message board.

Improvement on prgressive mode - Auto Focus, New Cine-like gamma, gain-up (up to -12dB) - color bar
Improved color reproductivity with optimized optical block
Improved image adjustment
added two more cine-like gammas (CINE-LIKE-D, CINE-LIKE-V, B-PRESS)
Improved Zoom and Focus feelings
Improved EVF/LCD monitor (detail enhanced mode, B/W mode, etc.)
Shorter interval for time lapse
Slow shutter speed function (1/3, 1/6, 1/12, 1/25 - PAL50i, 1/3, 1/6, 1/12 (PAL25P)
Digital squeeze mode (16:9)
black and dark silver body color
available Nov/03, 550,000JPY(5,300USD)

Frank:

What's the source of this - any info on Panasonic Japan?

"available Nov/03"

OMG, they got almost all of the items on my suggestion list. I hope it's true, I guess we'll find out pretty soon....

Do we start selling our DVX's???

Ahh, NOW I can finally buy one!

;-)

Stephen, I'll look around tonight to see if I can find a Pana Japan link.

What's that digital squeeze mode exactly? Is the camcorder going to have real 16:9 chips? I would hope so considering that suggested retail price of $5,300.

I'm curious too about how good of a source this info is from - sounds a lot like those XL2 rumors that keep coming up...

It could be just a rumour, don't know. I haven't found a link yet. Marcy posted this at dv.com's camera forum.

Panasonic will really bite themselves in the arse if they come out with the gain and autofocus now in the progressive modes. Considering their excuse for why they didn't implement it in the current DVX100. I hope this is just a rumor.

I see a mention of PAL... is this a PAL model or is it an NTSC model that can do PAL? Or neither?

Auto at slow frame rates is possible... it's just slower. I can set my PDX10 to 1/30 and even 1/15 and use auto focus... as long as there is enough light of course.

...the PAL version would be perf for a low budget feature.

Gimme Gimme Gimme!

I e-mailed Mr. C. at Pana tech about this, but I won't hear back 'til next week because he took a week off. :(

Don't you mean Ms. C - I assume you're talking about Jan.

No, Mr. C., from Down-Under. All he has to do is tap in his Pana info system to see what's up. I'm sure that Jan can do the same thing, but may be reluctant (under orders) in divulging this kind of information.

That first line seems a bit suspicious.

Anyways if it is real, then good. I can get the DVX100 for cheaper.

There's basically no way this can be real. I think it's more likely a "wish list" being compiled from users, not a product announcement..

First of all, major camera manufacturers are not in the habit of making product announcements on fansite BBS's. Secondly, the camera's only been out a year (it just hit its 1-year anniversary about two weeks ago) so it seems extraordinarily unlikely that they would make such major upgrades so soon. But thirdly, when they start talking about adding a "USER3" button, that pretty much destroys any credibility they had. There is NO WAY that Panasonic is going to re-engineer the body, change the casting and molds, redesign the magnesium alloy chassis, etc. to add another button. (heck, one reason they made the DVC80, according to Steve Golub, product manager for the DVX, was that they needed to leverage the existing molds against another product so they could justify the expense of producing them).

If all the upgrades were software-only (such as 16:9 squeeze) then it might carry more credibility. But when they talk about adding new buttons, I feel quite confident in proclaiming "it ain't so." But I guess we'll find out in a month or two...

But thirdly, when they start talking about adding a "USER3" button, that pretty much destroys any credibility they had....

where does it say that...

"But thirdly, when they start talking about adding a "USER3" button"

Barry, they very easily could have turned the "Index" button into a User 3 button, and made Index a user assignable task thus not requiring any modifications to the body.

Who's to say that there isn't already provision for the button in the tooling? All that may be required is to make the knockout, or add an insert, to make the hole through which the button may protrude. It's done quite commonly in the tooling industry to leverage designs and investments.