I have been a strong supporter and lobbyist for the Panasonic MX8 (DV852), and I believe quite a few out here at DVinfo.net would be pissed with me by now. ;)

A little history, I bought the MX8 after 6 months of saving and searching I bought it on 31 Jan 2002 and I love the results very much. Later, I wanted to 'upgrade' (in some sence) to pro-sumer 3CCD and waited for the MX500 since Aug 2002. When Oct 2002 came, the MX500 came to Singapore and I wasn't too pleased with it. Then I got a very good end-of-stock offer for the 3CCD MX350 and I bought that. So I was with the 1CCD MX8 and the 3CCD MX350 for quite a while. :)

Before Christmas, I lent to my ex-housemate the MX8 to shoot a mission trip to the Philipines. He gave rave comments about the performance of this 1CCD high-consumer camera.

Well, just to make a small announcement: I have SOLD my MX8 to my ex-housemate. He really liked the camera and I believe that he'll appreciate it very much. I am also sure that my beloved MX8 has found a good new master!

Among others, I have shot 5 weddings, 2 births, 4 church events, 2 bridge constructions, 1 church construction and numerous little things on my MX8 over the 10 months I have it.

The last praise I sing of the MX8: I really thank Panasonic and the MX8 for so much quality shots and videos for myself and my audience/friends/clients.

And to DVinfo.net members, thanks for enduring this message.

YowCH from Singapore

So you still have your MX350?

Maybe the MX8 replacement will be better? Who knows.... I heard that the MX5000 (Japanese version) will be replaced this June or July. Maybe bigger CCDs?

If I sold my GR-DVL9500s, I'd probably kill myself shortly there after.

Are you kicking yourself now? +_+

Nope, not at all disappointed at selling the MX8.

Firstly, it's in good hands. It's also well appreciated. I can borrow it from my ex-housemate anytime for anything urgent :). Also, being poor, this is a relieve from holding two expensive toys at home. Now I can afford a digital still camera! Lastly, we have to move on some days, and unlike the mechanical toys of the past, the electronic toys of today hasn't much 'antique' value. I am still playing with my father's medium format Rolleicord Vb TLR camera!

But sometimes, I do miss my MX8 :( When that happens, my MX350 is good enough to cheer me up (similar shape, just as you have pointed out!).

Maybe someday, BB will progress on, too.

This is an interesting post from Allan - known as peping at http://www.dv.com

The Jap manufacturers know how to make camcorders but their priority is to please the Jap's obssession for compact design and better still capability.

Case 1:
MX1000 (MX8/PV852) which everybody seems to adore in this forum. It was a fine cam alright but all it got was dust on the shelf and in warehouses in Japan so it got discontinued only after a few months. It was blown away in the Jap market by the upright Opturas and JVCs and the perennial heavyweight Sony. There are still a few units left at rock bottom price but nobody seems to be bother. Why? The MX1000 body was too big and long for the Jap's taste and its still pixel count is less. So Pany made it very compact and short (with the GX7/352), removed OIS, increased the pixel count and the result, a top selling 1-CCD cam in Japan.

Case 2:
MX5000. Pany upped the ante by releasing what it claimed as the first camcorder capable of 3Mpixel resolution stills, with a very compact body and tons of manual features for around $1,300 at regular stores (now it's even cheaper). The result, the no. 1 selling 3-CCD cam in Japan. There is no official word on this but in my observation, the effect of this cam in the Jap market was so staggering that it encompassed even the top of the line 1-CCDs. It only has 1/6" CCDs.

Frank, which post? The link is to the main page. Thanks.

I had to go copy and paste it!

Thanks Frank,

Yes I agree that the Japanese consumer market is pretty much driven by fashion and hype, sometimes more than true quality. It seems cool to say "My small cam has all these features and more, even 100Megapixel pictures!".

Inconvenience, yes, the poker MX8 is rather long and not easily concealed in a pocket, but qualitywise, it tops! That's why I bouhgt it back then, not for the small size.

I used my boss' Sony DCR PC100 and that's upright and 'smaller' but the quality is nowhere near, although the price is much higher. But the Japanese went gaga over the PC100!

Frankly speaking (no pun intented) I believe that teh craze in Japan over the MX500 is the 3.0MP stills and 3CCD labels, and it sure helps that the pricing is good!