Panasonic has a new 3CCD camcorder called the AG-DVC30. It has 1/4" CCDs with 410,000 pixels (X 3). 16X optical zoom (f=39.5mm - 632mm ), optical Image Stabilizer (OIS), and the lens is a Leica. The is the first 3CCD camcorder to have an infrared night photography mode. Yes, and slow shutter speeds. The LCD monitor is 3.5" in size. It also comes with an optional XLR (microphone) adapter. Man...! It sure looks like a Sony PDX10. And it comes in professional black (not silver). There you go, Fred.

see here for more info...

http://panasonic.co.jp/bsd/sales_o/02products/products/ag-dvc30/ag-dvc30.html

and

http://www.panasonic.co.jp/bsd/sales_o/news_info/ibc/026.html


Cheers,
Kris

forget the GS, i want THIS!!!!!!

what a perfect companion to the DVX!!!

looks to be a PDX10 killer :)

woo hooo!!!

Nope, I think it's a PD170 killer!!

Infrared Nighttime recording... I wish the GS100 replacement would have that feature.

"infrared night photography mode."

Is that for shooting video or taking stills in the dork? :)

If it's for video, then we will have an answer for those souls with "low light" questions. I wonder if the footage will be green and grainy, or red and grainy?

Great!!! Very good move from Panasonic!

All I've been talking about in a single package! (except the LANC)

I even saw it on a net shop offered for order (due to end of march 2004).

Suggested price was 298000 yen, shop price not announced yet.
That compared to PDX10 - 350000 yen (which is bundled with the XLR adaptor and mic though) puts it in the same price category.

NTSC or PAL models so everybody who wants to go Pro should be happy.

Nothing mentioned about wide mode though and I think that will be the weak point of this cam. But you can't have large CCD with bigger pixels for better low light performance and high pixel count in the same time. That's the trade of - it's solely a cam for 4:3 as the PD150/VX2000 is. Of coarse with anamorphic 16:9 lens adaptor you should be able to make wide mode footage.

hey frank, the infrared is monochrome with zero light which picks up at about 5metres, with an adapter available which can boost pick up to 30meters.

the 2 links supplied by Kris carry some pdf files which go thru the details, but its a bit like the night shots of Big Brother.

its for video and i guess its designed for on the fly newsgatherings and surveliance, either way, it shodl be good :)

i wouldnt mind thermal thou!!!!! now THAT would be fun!!

forgot to mention, progressive mode is actaulyl frame mode like teh MX/GS range, not true progressive.

Either way i still want one!!!

Thanks, Peter. For video, huh. So she's good for shooting cheeks in the dork, spy-like. :)

So..., does anyone have the USA release date, or we going to be pestering Allan Rejoso for the Japanese version? Tim, are you still in the picture? I see you've got a spankin' new MX3000 for sale. Great price, too.

"Low dispersion glass reduces chromatic aberration".

Now that's one line it borrowed from the GS100 specs.

Ah ha. So the black mamba pro Pana GS100 camcorder is a professional cam. ;)"Low dispersion glass reduces chromatic aberration." Now that's one line it borrowed from the GS100 specs.

I wonder: If the cam were used in infrared mode, during the day, with certain filters, and you shot people wearing light-colored clothes, if it would

Anyone pushing it to film wants 16x9. The pdx10 has 16x9, why not this? Hello companies ! NATIVE 16X9 needed by filmmakers!

I'll pass. Canon's due for a shot across the bow ;-)

I agree; I was just thinking the same thing. No real 16:9 will make this new cam a loser, since we all know that 16:9 is what many of us want today. I think from now to NAB will be interesting times for new cams, with good built-in 16:9. Let's see what else the other cam makers deliver. No pulling the wool over us here! :)

Does anyone have the weight and dimensions for this new black beaut? More pics?