The french equivalent of NAB/IBC, SATIS is currently taking place in Paris. Panasonic is showing a functioning US model of the HVX200. The model is functional in the sense that you are able to record in DVCPRO HD on a P2 card, and then insert the card on a laptop and open the files in an editor. Unfortunately, because the definitive adjustments haven't been made yet, we are not allowed to watch any footage on a screen. So it's not really possible to judge the image quality yet. But the good news is that the camera exists and works (US model).

I'll try and post some pics tomorrow if any of you are interested.

I personnally really like the way the camera handles. It's kind of like a fat DVX100. Completely different handling from the JVC, although a shoulder brace is planned.

I also like the way the P2 system works, and the way you can edit directly on the card from your laptop. No need for any extra speedy hard drive. If you want more storage space, Panasonic is also showing a nifty little hard drive enclosure in which you insert your P2 card and press on a button to transfer it's contents to the 60 GB HDD. The unit is failsafe and can be dropped without the drive being damaged or data lost.

So, the good news is that all of the stuff promised really works !

FYI, the camera is planned for a release in february in Europe and, in France at least, it will only be available with the P2 cards. The price is still "less than 10000 euros".

Thanks for the notice, Steven-Marc... please do take some photos; I have granted you upload privileges to our image gallery if you care to share them with us (see link in nav bar at top) -- thanks in advance!

Have they mentioned the price on the P2 field harddrive?

Hi all (my first time here)
I saw the HVX200 at the Paris Satis show as well and learned some interesting things.
Firstly there is this 60 gb hard drive that Panasonic will be selling with the camera. The rep said it would cost about 1500 euros. The idea is to download from the P2 when the card is full (while continuing to record on the other of course). It's a very simple system, you stick the P2 in and press a big start button. The transfer is then automatic.
The rep also confirmed the firestore drive that was being developed.
I was really surprised when I heard about the cost of the P2 cards. The rep said that the P2 4 gb card would cost 200 euros (240 dollars) and the 8 gb card around 800 euros (1000 dollars). I got him to repeat those figures! That's a huge drop from the 1700 dollars for the 8 gb card just a few weeks ago.
It's also good news because it shows Panasonic are really looking to make this camera as affordable as possible by not keeping P2 prices at the high levels they are now.
Ideally I would like to have 10 64gb P2 cards to go out and shoot for the day. They'd have to cost about 200 euros each. That day will come (2008?).
In the meantime you can get the camera with 2 8gb cards for under 8000 euros and the 60 gb hard drive for 1500.
So right from the start we will have 75 gb, i.e. about 100 minutes of HD.
I'll buy that and rent the other P2 cards on a shoot by shoot basis.

The release is scheduled for February in Europe and December in USA.

Just a last word about the firestore, that seems really expensive to me for just 100 gb. I know it has to be heavy-duty but still...

The Panasonic rep said they were looking at increasing their hard drive capacity from 60 to 80 and they "might" try and have a swappable system which would be really good if the 80 gb disks cost around 400 euros.

That's all for now

Terence

Terence has given a good summary of some of the info to be had. I was told 1600 euors for the P2 HDD, which can seem like a lot of money, but the unit seems to be very well built. Too bad it's only 60 GB for now.

Unfortunately, when I went back to take some pictures, the battery of the HVX200 was empty, so you won't learn anything new from the ones I took. Sorry.

I want to say that, as you can see on the pics, it's really the flash that makes it look "ugly". In normal lighting the camera actually looks quite ok. It's certainly not as flashy as the XL-H1 or even the HD100, but the fact that it looks inconspicuous is a definite plus in my book. It means you'll be able to pass it off more easily as a consumer camcorder (although it is quite big for a consumer cam!) and that take it places where you would otherwise require a permit. This is really a camcorder for the generation that grew up with the PD150 and DVX100 and is used to shooting with the autofocus lens and knows how to take advantage of it by using the "push auto" button for example. It is also a camcorder that is perfect for cradling in your arms like a baby when you shoot. It's really a different shooting philosophy than the HD100 and XL-H1. And that is just to mention ergonomics of the cam. We'll have to wait to judge the image quality. The P2 system works very well and is actually quite convincing, but here again, it is a system for the digital generation, used to handling separate clips for each shot. The Panasonic rep which I know very well assured me that the image doesn't break apart when you do a quick pan, as it does with all the HDV cams. They also developped some basic editing software which enables you to handle the clips from the P2 cards without having to open FCP or Avid, which are the only two pieces of software currently supporting direct Firewire transfer of DVCPRO HD video. Actually, since the P2 system works so well, I wish they hadn't included the DV tape transport which is really completely useless from my point of view. Especially since two 8 GB cards can already handle so much 25Mbps video that tape doesn't really give you longer running times. Doing away with it would make the camera smaller, lighter and cheaper. I'm hoping there will be a HVX200 without tape transport at some point.

I've uploaded the pics to the HVX200 gallery:
http://www.dvinfo.net/gallery/files/3/1/6/0/P2HDD-01.jpg
http://www.dvinfo.net/gallery/files/3/1/6/0/P2HDD-02.jpg
http://www.dvinfo.net/gallery/files/3/1/6/0/HVX200-01.jpg
http://www.dvinfo.net/gallery/files/3/1/6/0/HVX200-02.jpg
http://www.dvinfo.net/gallery/files/3/1/6/0/HVX200-03.jpg

if the cost of the P2 cards are under $1000 I may get this camera!!