My order from B&H came Thursday as expected.

All I can say is WOW!

I had upgraded from a 2001 model (PV-DV51).

What a difference a year can make in how technology improves. The picture in a normal indoor lit room at night was amazing.

Fit and finish of the PV-DV852 is great ... the machined aluminum focus ring really looks and feels high quality.

I also bought a HD300 Hoodman for it at the same time. Highly recommend this accessory!

Bob

Got mine yesterday, too.

Excellent low-light performance. Focus and controls are quite good. It's pretty funny looking at the 2.5" screen's frame, which covers up the hole that the 3" screen the MX8 and MX1000 gets.

I remember my first camera: a 1992 or so Sony V-801, which at the time I thought to have excellent low-light and color reproduction. My, how times have changed, and at a inflation-adjusted price that's a good 70% less that what I paid then.

Thanks for the tip, all.

I've never understood the difference in LCD screens between these models. Actually the MX1000 has a 3.5" LCD, the MX8 has the 3.0" LCD, and of course the DV852 has the 2.5" LCD.

Do any of you have a widescreen TV to confirm that the DV852 performs an electronic squeeze or just letterboxes in its cinema mode?

Letterbox, pure dark beautifully straight balck bars top and bottom. The MX8 appeared in those days when only the riches even thought of going 16:9 (3 years plus ago).

Yes, very strange indeed, to have 3.5", 3.0" and 2.5" screens. Probably to cut cost. Please note that the MX8 has the widest viewable angle on the LCD for all the MiniDV and digital cams that I have come across. You can see nicely up down left right. In comparison, my current MX350 has 3.5" screen, but only visible correctly in front and about 30° left right and 10° up down. I hope that the 2.5" DV852 is also having good screen.

And you won't regret the wide angle (zoom 1x) at about 35mm equivalent on a 35mm SLR camera. Most prosumer cams start at 40mm and commercial cams (like the Sony cams) start at 50mm. My wife, after using the MX8 and MX350 complained when she was using a friend's upright Sony, needing to back into walls all the time to frame more than 2 people talking!

Regarding the DV852; is there a way to use a mixer and manually ride the audio gain, or does the camera always run the mics in AGC mode? Can the line inputs be used to record live audio from a mic/mixer set-up? Thanks...

<<<-- Originally posted by Dan Brown : Regarding the DV852; is there a way to use a mixer and manually ride the audio gain, or does the camera always run the mics in AGC mode? Can the line inputs be used to record live audio from a mic/mixer set-up? -->>>

The DV852 only seems to allow for AGC mode. Even if what I m saying is just by reading the manual, there are no line inputs to go in with a mixer. You will have to through the mic input.

But there is a trick that I think works on most "reasonable quality" cameras that only have AGC. It worked on my Sony Hi-8 and on the Canon GL1. You should feed in a high mic level.

There seems to be a point where the "pumping" problem every AGC is prone to stops being a problem.

As you probably know this pumping happens because when there is no high level sound the AGC releases the level and the background sound gets higher. When the high level comes back, the background suddenly lowers. The effect is like pumping, that's the reason for the name.

As I have several microphones, I tried plugging them all direct and then using a mixer or preamp. The lower the signal level, like from a dynamic microphone, the higher the pumping problem. And viceversa.

Using a mixer you should have a whole interview and never hear any pumping. That has been my experience.

As all mixers use to have a way to output mic or line level, that should be easy to try. What mixer are you planning to use?


Carlos

Just got an email from B&H and it looks like they have at least one more DV852 in stock as of 5pm EST.

Better hurry!

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh2/con...&is=REG&bi=E15

I received my DV852 today. Rather solid and impressive, but it is too soon to critique its performance. Smaller than I thought too. I really like the manual focus, and the manual iris, shutter and WB are just OK (at least it's an option). The wide end of the zoom is rather wide, so I'm happy with that. Audio sounds fairly good, but the external mic input was obviously never meant to be used. Pretty cheezy. I'm betting the headphone connection is of the same class. But, for $569, it's appears to be a lot of video-bang-for-the-buck :-). Look for my posts in the audio forum as I develop an audio kit to compliment the little Panny.

Thanks for all the good advice.

The MX8/DV852 is pretty "pro-feel" for a consumer model, eh!?

The MX8/DV852 is really one of its kind, Panasonic might have regretted putting too much goodies in one cam!

Too bad, the Japs liked smaller cams (optics, image quality not important, looks of the cam, very important), this little wonder was killed off early.

Look at the new series, GS or GX, all digital stabiliser, lousy placement of buttons and dials, but small and cute. That's responding to the market!

New low price!
 

I just bought the DV852 two weeks ago from B&H Photo for $569 (great price!). Well, I ran pricegrabber today and found the 852 at an even lower price!

- $499 (http://www.digitaletailer.com)
- $510 (http://www.buydigitaldirect.com)
- $511 (http://www.butterflyphoto.com)

Oh boy... Looks like they're trying to get rid of their older models. I doubt these would last much longer, so go and buy! I've only had this camcorder for one week, but I absolutely love it so far! If only B&H Photo would do a price-match for me now... :)

You might want to check out those dealers here:

http://www.resellerratings.com

before thinking you might be getting a better deal.

Wow!!
 

Wow, I just called B&H to tell them that I've found a cheaper price at another web site. They told me they usually don't do price matches, but as a courtecy, they would refund me $19, which would bring the camcorder price down to $550. I'll take what I can get! I'm now even happier than before with B&H! :)

Yes, and those 19 Bucks can go a long way. For example, you can buy one of the following:

1) 3 Fuji mini DV tapes
2) 1 UV filter
3) a head cleaning tape
4) a McMeal for 3 :-))

Hmm
 

Hebron,

did you give them any website names with the cheaper price on the phone?...i'm thinking to call them too to check if i can get the same $19 refund...

eBay alert --Monday, Jan 5, 10:30 pm EST:

some guy in Connecticut has 2 DV852 cams on eBay right now--one floor model, and one new in box. Both for $500 with Buy it Now; but reserve is only $440 (get the new one).



BTW, are Fuji tapes recommended above others (if so, which type)?