Amazing price on PV-DV953 from B & H
 

For anybody interested in buying the PV-DV953,

look here :

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...x=8&image.y=14

or

at the B & H home page enter "SBENY0611" in the search field.

I don't know how long this price is good for.

I think the special price offer expires today. I ordered a DV953 on Tuesday after heaing about this deal on another board. I think it is a DV Show special or something. It does seem to be a great price.

$879.95 US for the PV-DV953 is almost a give-away. I assume they want to move this cam to make room for the new models. But what's coming may not be better or as good as the PV-DV953/MX5, unless it's the GS100---which I doubt is coming. Could it be that the GS400 will be the North American version of the GS100? Maybe, eh? I wonder if she'll be striped down look-alike.

I called one Panasonic dealer today and they said DV953 has been discontinued.

The B&H price was from a DV show like Zac mentioned. Not sure how long the price will last but you do have to use the link as a search for PV-DV953 on B&H still pulls up $979.

The price is good through March 19. They also have a $50 off on the GS70 if anyone is interested.

Thanks guys. This time of year is always a good time to buy a new cam, with cams that are going to be replaced.

Great price on the DV953. I bought mine last July or August. With the new GS400 I might just be tempted to jump on board the gravy train if the reports are good. I got my DV953 at a bargain price but would possibly consider the upgrade if the video and lower light has been improved upon.

It might be that time of year as Frank mentioned!

I knew that this time of the year is when the deals come up, so I was waiting. I didn't expect this drop so soon, but when it came, I jumped at it.

I recieved my camera, and played with it a little bit. Now I just need to figure out what the best wide-angle and hood would be. (raynox 5000?)

Since I bought the camera to record action on my sportbike, I also need to figure out what the best - but not too expensive - mount would be. There are so many options.

Oh yeah, and the whole firewire card/cable/software/pins have my head spinning.

I have never dealt with DV. Heck, the last time I worked with cameras was around 1995-7. My TV station used VHS tapes. :) Things have changed.

The TV used VHS tapes? Maybe BETA?

It seems that the 2 favourites are:

Raynox 5000HD
Panasonic's wide angle

Though some members have bought the Raynox HD6600 and Tiffen's wide'.

Witold,
There are a couple of rather lengthy threads on this forum on wide angles. Do a forum search and you'll have more confusing information to digest :-). One thing to consider is that many wide angles do not have front threads to allow for adding filters/hoods. Also, you will find the DV953's standard lens is quite wide all on its own. When you add a conversion lens, like say a 37mm wide angle, you may get vignetting at full wide on the 953. Some folks do with the Raynox 5000 and some don't. I have yet to see anyone post pictures of a good hood that works effectively with a wide angle. Maybe someone who has found one can comment.

I too, have yet to see a good hood on a RAYNOX HD5000 (which I own).

If anybody can recommend one that has no vignetting, please let us know.

I was contemplating making a hood similar to the Cinetactics Matteblox. Shouldn't be that difficult using some Cordura cut from the side of a junk softside suitcase. It would be much smaller, of course, for the 953. In the suitcase I have, the short sides are reinforced with heavy plastic. Could even use that alone or use it for reinforcing the Cordura...

B+W Wide-angle Rubber Hood. They also make a metal version. Perhaps B+W has the correct size---don't know. What is the front thread size on the HD5000?

Frank,

The Raynox front filter thread size is 62 mm.

I'm just wondering if anybody has any good expeirence with a good filter (with no vignetting).

Get that ultra thin Hoya UV, the one with threads on both sides. However, almost all wide angle adaptors get vignetting when you put a filter on it. That's why many wide angle adaptors don't even come with filter threads.

What is the OD of the prime and the wide angle lens. cavision used to have some fairly small adapter rings for their Wide angle lens shades.

Don't expect the B&W hood, metal or otherwise, to work without vignetting at full wide (even though it's billed as made for WA lenses). I have the metal (with the gs100k and the Raynox) and you definitely get vignetting. The Raynox with the Hoya superthin is okay, but only without the hood. There are some superthin polarizers out that work with the Raynox and will help in bright sunlight. If anyone finds a hood that works, please post it here. I have looked high and low, but maybe not hard enough. (BTW, having purchased the metal hood, I do use it if transporting my cam with the WA attached for protecting the lens from hard knocks, but I usually remove it while shooting.)