I’m surprised to find posts here and on other forums by potential dv cam owners considering top range 1 chip or the consumer range of Panasonic 3 chippers against the PV DV953, when the price difference is so slight

I have absolutely no practical experience but months of net scouring has convinced me the 953 is well ahead of the rest in this class. The ridiculously low US Price of the 953 amazes me. Cheapest MX500A I can find is about AUD$3000 (currently USD$2100!)

In Australia the price differentials are also much greater between the main dv cam contenders. Our MX500A (your 953) compares as follows-

- $750USD dearer than GS200
- $1000USD dearer than GS120

The difference with Sony Trv80 and the Canon OpturaXi is of about the same order.

Perhaps our pricing structure is a truer reflection of the quality of the 953 but it also, unfortunately, makes a serious consideration of these lesser cams very realistic.

i saw the MX500A on ebay australia for about AUD$2100

it was from a reputable dealer in WA, i was going to get one from there but then the GS200 and GS120 came out and that led me to believe that there was a replacement for the MX500A coming out, and i was proven right a few weeks later with the news of the GS400. i'm going to get a GS400 to document my train ride from Tokyo to London(ferry from japan to mainland china)

I have friends in Australia coming over to Singapore to get the MX500EN here. Exactly the same camera, at SGD2000.

The recommended retail price here is currently SGD2300.

Why not just order from a company here and have them ship to Australia?

Maybe because here we use NTSC and there they use PAL? :-))

Even if you bring a cam into Australia, there are the taxes; unless perhaps having the word "gift" written on the package or lowering the "declaration of value" are options.

Thanks to Kamal for putting me onto better source for MX500A.

What I said about the price differentials for buyers in au I just wonder if it’s going to be the same with the GS400 which sounds awesome if the numerous posts about the place are correct – I’ll bet that the Us rrp of $1500 (that’s about AUD$2000) wont apply in Australia – just a feeling I have – if you think about it AUD $2000 for such a camera would blow the Australian market apart!

heh kamhal. i hope ur not buying that camera. if it was i think it is then the guy is not a reputable dealer. i can pretty much guarantee that he will order the cam as soon as you press buy and you will be waiting for it to come from the US. you will get ur gear but lets take a look at things. if it is what i think then the add that he posts will go something like this MX500A/953 or the other way around. he probably has thrown a few things in too so that you can use this cam on an australian TV. "THIS CAM IS NTSC" i think...... just check that because i don't think that you will want this. and if you do bring it in urself. you could buy it and post it back here for cheaper than that.

Justin

Ask "Yow Cheong Hoe" to get you one. He already has done this for some of our members.

you see the biggest problem is that we have pal over here and to get a good deal on a cam from over there most of the time it will have to be ntsc. B&H actually sells some pal cams but i don't think 953 is one of them. you can get the xl1 the xm2 and i think the vx2100 all of which mind you i think have cheaper prices then their us conterparts. by memory after duty's you can get the xl1s into australia for about 4500.

consider that if you want to carry something big around.

Justin