I want a crystal engine and a 12X Leica lens and baked with black mamba finish on my MX400, thank you. Oh, and the CCDs have got to be big with lots and lots of video effective pixels. Did I miss anything?

It's Spring and I even saw a robin today. Here I have 2, Pana GS400 1/2 pics---one bigger than the other---so there's got to be specs out there somewhere. Where's the little birdie? Tweet tweet?


----------------------------------------------------------------
Gimme a black mamba and I won't complain; but I'll settle for some GS4 specs.

The possible good news is that I may have them tomorrow night, or at least some of them. If anyone comes across any links, with the beef, post them!!

This is just what I have so far: 4 mega pixel still picture recording (PAL)
mega OIS
pro cinema mode
high picture quality wide mode
multi manual ring
air soft grip
12X optical zoom
USB 2.0 (HS mode)
built-in flash
motion video/still picture (1 meg) simultaneous recording
MPEG 4 internet modeSo, no beef yet.

does the gs100 have the crystal engine?

Yes, the GS100 has the crystal engine. Allan has written about it in some past posts.

i thought so, i just didn't want to try to dig thru a bunch of past posts, thanks Frank.

Go, Frank! (I think that air soft grip is going to be my favorite advertised attribute of this cam. Almost as good as magic strap on the 100k.) So, no "soft skin" function evident yet? No "smoothing" or "night view" mentioned yet? I'm just wondering if this will be stripped in any way (though I love the 12x zoom) vis-a-vis the 100k rather than improved on. I hope not.

Yes indeed, the "air soft grip" sounds comfy. I hate the hard strap on my DVL9500s---hopefully the GS400 will come with a stabilizer too. -))

Just to add, does the 12X optical zoom require a larger lens housing that the 10X GS? Oh, oh. That could mean a slim long body style.

Since the release of the GS100, the Crystal Engine has become a standard feature in Pany's 3CCD consumer cams, but they may call it differently outside Japan.

How do they call the engine of the GS200 and GS120 in the US or Europe (Clear Engine)?

What's multi-manual ring?

The lens housing does appear longer in the picture.

Thanks for the info concerning the "crystal engine." Regarding multi-manual ring, I can only make a guess. I assume this ring has more than one function.

Frank,

You sure "pro cinema mode" is included in GS400 ? That is a flag ship feature Pana usually hide from overseas model.

Pana's history record is not that good, you know.

That's what I got from Pana; it could mean better than GS100 pro cinema mode or worse. I don't have further information yet.Pana usually hide from overseas model. Pana's history record is not that good, you know.I know. :-))

What's multi-manual ring?

I had a Sony DSC-F717 digital still camera that had a multi-function ring. By flicking a switch it could act as either a zoom or focus ring. Maybe the GS400 will allow even more manual options to be controlled by the ring.

Hopefuly one can change also the shutter speed/aperture through that rign or other dial on the outer body (not behind the LCD door)
:))

Darn, still no specs. Pana really wants this to be kept a secret until they get their stock from Japan, I was told. The funny thing is that there's a number of online dealers taking pre-orders, but they don't have any specs or even a picture posted! Just the price. How silly. Do consumers really pre-order a cam without knowing what they're buying? Wait! Don't answer that. :-))

Hmmm. Now this is purely speculation. Could the GS400 be the consumer version of the AG-DVC30U? I should have another look at those DVC30 pics and compare them with the GS400 pic. Maybe I should just e-mail Pana and ask and see what happans.

I think that's wishful thinking Frank. My, albeit rank amateur speculation, is that it's really just mostly a gs100 with a higher zoom, higher still rez maybe...maybe better low-light. And the rest is about the same. just my two tarnished pennies tho.

No e-mail from Pana USA yet, as I expected.

The GS400 picture indicates a different looking cam than the GS100: longer, and the front-end looks different.

> The GS400 picture indicates a different looking cam than the GS100: longer, and the front-end looks different.

Our nightmare would be - increased still pixels, decreased low-light video.

Our nightmare would be - increased still pixels, decreased low-light video.Agreed; and this has been a reoccurring nightmare, year after year with all brands of consumer cams. Less still pixels, bigger CCDs and bigger lenses, please. :-))

The bigger looking lens glass makes me very curious. This move could be similar to that of MX350 (from MX2500). Similar body design but with bigger lens and CCD, and available only in PAL country.

Could be, regarding the pokerish shape. Some North American dealers are already taking orders for the GS400, so it's not a "PAL only" like the MX350.

I realize that the full specs haven't yet been released, but when they are you'll know if it's a good cam or not by seeing if Tommy decides to e-bay his GS100. Tommy is always a good fellow to follow. :-))

I wish Panny would release more specs already... It's kinda hard to decide whether or not to buy the 953 or wait for more info on the GS400. :)

Has anyone heard is they're gonna be showing off the GS400 at NAB or not? If they are, it might be worth me taking a few days off work to pop on down.

The GS400 will most likely be out before NAB, or at least its full specs will be. Is the AG-DVC30 out yet? Pana had said March 4th for the DVC30. Anyone seen one yet?

A swedish site http://www.scandinavianphoto.se/product/item.aspx?itemid=1558407
lists the GS400 with 1/4.7" CCD. That could be the real beef effectively lifting GS400 to prosumer category from other 1/6" CCD toys.

If Pana keeps the $1,500 tag, it could blow away any competitors including Sony 950. It's a sorry for GS100K owners also.

Time to save money ;-)

lists the GS400 with 1/4.7" CCD. That could be the real beef effectively lifting GS400 to prosumer category from other 1/6" CCD toys.

1/4.7" CCDs? Isn't that Sony's CCD size? 1/6" vs. 1/5" CCDs isn't going to make that big of a difference when you add in megapixel CCDs. Low light performance is barely noticeable between my "toy" GS100 versus my past 1/4.7" 3CCD PDX10. Sony has recently increased their CCD size (1/3.6") on cams like the TRV70 and HC85 which have 2 megapixel CCDs but low light performance is still dismal with all those millions of micro pixels.

Hi Frank,

From the Netherlands site:

http://www.koopdigitaal.nl/

specs as translated (babelfish) dutch to english as follows:

==== Translated Specs ======

Panasonic NV-GS400 12 1675,00
Extra product information

- continuator of MX 500
- 3 CCD prerecording system
- 4.0 mega pixel still picture prerecording
- LEICA Dicomar lens with MEGA optical Image Stablisator
- SD memory lock
- USB 2.0
- 12 x optical hem
- 9 cm. wide open LCD baffle
- DV in/ - Analogously in/
- Photograph flitser
- JPEG foto's (2304 x 1728)
- Simultaneous prerecording of foto's 1 megapixel on SD
- Li-ion accumulator
- lens 58 mm

More information: www.panasonic.nl

==== EO Translated Specs ======
I think we've seen most of the specs from the other sites. The only ones which are intriguing are:

- continuator of MX 500
- lens 58 mm

Can anything be inferred from knowing the lens is 58mm?

58mm? The filter threads? From looking at the MX5 and GS400 pic, the front lens element of the GS400 looks wider.More information: www.panasonic.nlIs the CCD size mentioned?

Frank, no CCD size mentioned.

That line about "more information: www. panasonic.nl" was part of the translated specs.

I just went to the site (http://www.koopdigitaal.nl/) then searched (upper right of page) for nv-gs400 and when the result shows, just click on the "i" icon after the price and this will bring up a page with the specs without a picture and in dutch.

Thanks. For some reason the GS400 specs are a big secret. Pana probably feels guilty that there was no GS100 for outside of Japan and that the GS400 may be not as good (as the GS100). That's what I suspect. I also suspect that the GS400 may just be the MX5000/PV-DV953 with an ever so slightly touch-up, to make it appear as Pana's great new consumer top of the line 3-chip for 2004. Pana sure thinks outsiders are sheep. Lead them, they'll follow; feed them, they'll eat. (Not this black sheep.) :-))

58mm. REALLY???

That's as big as the VX2100. That's even bigger than the filter thread of the DVC30.

Seems like the site does refer to the filter threads ( lens 58 mm).

In their description/specifications for the nv-gs200, they also showed the following:

- miniDV
.
.
.
- DV in / uit (IEEE1394),
- Microfoon aansluiting
- S-Video uitgang
- 37 mm lens
.
.
.

If the filter thread of the cam shown on the picture is 58mm, that has got to be one HUGE cam and LCD monitor. 680 grams??? less than $1,500??? 1/4.7"CCD??? These figures don't seem to match.

That is most probably 43mm like most Pannies.

Hi Allan,

Yes, it's hard to speculate on the exact specs based on information from disparate and sometimes conflicting sources. Even on the DVC30, Pana USA brochure says the filter diameter is 72mm while another document from another source says it is 43mm. Good thing the lack of quality assurance is only evident in the product documentation and not in the products themselves. Well at least, i'm hoping that such is the case. :)

Hi Frank,

From Pana Belgium, 2 pdf files below: No mention of CCD size but does say 3 x 1 Megapixels:

http://www.panasonic.be/servlet/PB/show/1050145/nedcat_Personal_audio_video_NL.pdf
http://www.panasonic.be/servlet/PB/show/1050135_l2/Personal_audio_video_FR.pdf

I believe the first one's dutch, the second french. Can't translate though as I don't have adobe.

Thanks! Maybe I can use these 2 PDF links to pressure Pana to give it up. :-))

let's just sum it up....


PV-GS400 3CCD x 1Megapixel, 1/4.7"
MEGA O.I.S.
Pro Cinema Mode
High Picture-Quality Wide Mode
Multi Manual Ring
Air Soft Grip
12xOptical Zoom
Leica Dicomar Lens
USB 2 (HS Mode)
Built-in Flash
Motion Video/Still Picture (1 MEGA) Simultaneous Rec
Crystal Engine
Telemacro Mode
Colour Night View
SD/MMC Card Compatible
Soft Skin Mode
4 MEGA still
True recording 25 images/sec video MPEG4 (PAL version)
3.5" LCD Monitor
Lens 58 mm
webcam Function
4ECM stereo microphone
Wind noise decrease function
Quick start
DV/Analogue In- and OUtput
MX500/DV953 succesorFrank, you can use this PDF too :)
http://support.panasonic.co.uk/catalogues/pdf/Audio%20Visual%20Catalogues/Audio-Visual-2004.pdf

...but I gave up, I did send a few complains to Pana, then to registered dealers, who replyed that they carry only things Pana-Canada has. so... I guess we will have to get them south of the border. =/
is there any info on the Cinema mode? is it 24p or something else?

Do you think this will be HD cam? after all it's processing 1Megapixel frames, so... 1mega= 720p ..?

you know that the most expensive part of the HD cam are the lense, to have affordable HD cam we need to have small CCDs to have the optics small and inexpensive, and this will keep the cam small too... so I think Pana has been going in that direction for some time now. The fact that they did not accept the HD 720i on miniDV mpeg2 as standard, may mean they have some other compression in mind. I just keep my fingers crossed that this will be the cam that does it =) (at least for 720p).

Oh..., it's got a crystal engine as the GS100. That's good news.MX500/DV953 succesorActually, that's a down right lie. The GS100 was the successor.

I have problems with PDF files. I ussually view them/print them out from an Internet cafe.

My fingers are crossed for larger CCDs, manual low shutter speeds, and see-through---I mean, that IR night mode. :-))

don't get your hopes up.. :)
you probably realize that the single photo sensors will be probably the same, and the CCD is larger because they have slapped more sensors on the CCD....
so.. I don't think there will be a change in the lux coming from the new CCD
actually.. there may be improvement from the larger lens and the crystal engine :)

oh.. about the x-ray... IR shooting, It would be nice not to have to remove manually the ICF filter ;)

You're right. I won't get my hopes up---as long as this GS400 will be a better cam than the GS100. This is all that counts. Though I'm wondering what the Japanese will get this summer? A GS500? :-))

...Though I'm wondering what the Japanese will get this summer?

Probably the limited edition BLACK or WHITE version with Magic Strap, Smooth Color Night Mode, Hot Shoe and Crystal Engine SE :-))

Or probably something smaller and lighter than the GS100.

Whatever body color, size, or weight it may be, it's still going to be SD.

Keep us posted when Pana Japan releases new cam info. I can't read Japanese. It should be soon---soon, meaning this month or early May.

Allan... how about if you get the same thing as the rest of the world? ;-) (gs400k)
hey maybe until now pana was working towards the development of gs400 and on the way made a few intermediary releases in Japan =) to "Feed" this line of product, and refine the specs for consumers =) .. you know.. maybe Japan was the testing ground ;-) and now we all get to share the result =)

Thank you for your e-mail. Please be advised that the Canadian mslp pricing for the PVGS400 has not yet been established so we believe that the price you are quoted below may be American.

Sincerely,
Customer Care Centre
Panasonic Canada Inc.

----------------
that was a reply from Pana-Canada after some presure...
=)
was that a sign that we'll have gs400 in Canada?
(keeping fingers crossed)

bad news:
----------
Pana-Canada:
We have not yet finalized our plans on whether or not we will be bringing in the GS400 into Canada. This decision should be made within the next few months.
-----------

so I think that answers the question. while those guys are pondering weather or not to have GS400 in Canada, we have to just get it from US!... grrrr.... stupid Pana-Canada...
=/
Boooyah!
----------
this is getting pathetic... now Pana-US put back PV-DV953 in the product list.
SO... what's the strategy? or it's just all BS and poorly managed subsiduaries?
I was giving a lot of heat on Pana-Canada, giving as example Pana-US taking off dv953 of the product list... One thing is for sure, GS400 IS the replacement model for DV953. So I'll wait and buy it from the first dealer that offers it, no matter canada or us. (tough I think some american dealers are already taking orders...)
can you recomend a dealer that takes internet orders?

Pana may have some serious bugs/flaws with the GS400 and that's probably why they haven't made an "official" world-wide release announcement, in my opinion. Or perhaps they are having problems on the production line---or maybe Leica lenses are in short supply. :-))

It's funny. Spring is here and very few new cams. I would think that this is the time to release new cams, not in the middle of Summer or Fall.

Frank, they have already set a firm date for the release... I really hope they won't start selling the cam with bugs. I'm not sure how many cam's they produce a day, but probably they'll need a pretty large inventory if they want to have a world-wide release.

I agree that they should have had the cams ready for the spring... but then.. again, it's better to have them late summer than next spring =)

Frank, they have already set a firm date for the releaseA Canadian release date? :-))Pana-Canada: We have not yet finalized our plans on whether or not we will be bringing in the GS400 into Canada. This decision should be made within the next few months.Oops. :-))

I don't think Pana Down-Under has set a date either.

My only question is whether this cam will be capable of shooting fine deep shadows and dork blacks in 0 LUX. :-))

The 953 didn't hit shelves here in the US until June of last year. We may have to wait a couple months then for the GS-400.

Waiting to see...

The PV-DV953 came out 1 year after it came out in Japan and a wee stripped down. :-))

GS400 is in the product catalog in EU, and it sets Jul4 as a release date. I've heard the same thing for US (and US dealers give Jul4 as release date), and if it comes out there it must be available in Jap too.
Pana-Canada is anyone's guess. It looked like they had no idea that cam exists... =/
does anyone know if Pana had similar world-wide release?
was the dvx100 world-wide release?

it would be strange if thats the first one =)
it may be just a policy shift of PAna, or this cam is ... "something" :)

July 4th? It must be an American model. :-))Pana-Canada is anyone's guess. It looked like they had no idea that cam exists.I hear ya. Pana Canada is just a small branch office of Pana USA. Same goes with JVC.