Seems like the site does refer to the filter threads ( lens 58 mm).

In their description/specifications for the nv-gs200, they also showed the following:

- miniDV
.
.
.
- DV in / uit (IEEE1394),
- Microfoon aansluiting
- S-Video uitgang
- 37 mm lens
.
.
.

If the filter thread of the cam shown on the picture is 58mm, that has got to be one HUGE cam and LCD monitor. 680 grams??? less than $1,500??? 1/4.7"CCD??? These figures don't seem to match.

That is most probably 43mm like most Pannies.

Hi Allan,

Yes, it's hard to speculate on the exact specs based on information from disparate and sometimes conflicting sources. Even on the DVC30, Pana USA brochure says the filter diameter is 72mm while another document from another source says it is 43mm. Good thing the lack of quality assurance is only evident in the product documentation and not in the products themselves. Well at least, i'm hoping that such is the case. :)

Hi Frank,

From Pana Belgium, 2 pdf files below: No mention of CCD size but does say 3 x 1 Megapixels:

http://www.panasonic.be/servlet/PB/s...o_video_NL.pdf
http://www.panasonic.be/servlet/PB/s...o_video_FR.pdf

I believe the first one's dutch, the second french. Can't translate though as I don't have adobe.

Thanks! Maybe I can use these 2 PDF links to pressure Pana to give it up. :-))

let's just sum it up....


PV-GS400

• 3CCD x 1Megapixel, 1/4.7"
• MEGA O.I.S.
• Pro Cinema Mode
• High Picture-Quality Wide Mode
• Multi Manual Ring
• Air Soft Grip
• 12xOptical Zoom
• Leica Dicomar Lens
• USB 2 (HS Mode)
• Built-in Flash
• Motion Video/Still Picture (1 MEGA) Simultaneous Rec
• Crystal Engine
• Telemacro Mode
• Colour Night View
• SD/MMC Card Compatible
• Soft Skin Mode
• 4 MEGA still
• True recording 25 images/sec video MPEG4 (PAL version)
• 3.5" LCD Monitor
• Lens 58 mm
• webcam Function
• 4ECM stereo microphone
• Wind noise decrease function
• Quick start
• DV/Analogue In- and OUtput
• MX500/DV953 succesor

Frank, you can use this PDF too :)
http://support.panasonic.co.uk/catal...isual-2004.pdf

...but I gave up, I did send a few complains to Pana, then to registered dealers, who replyed that they carry only things Pana-Canada has. so... I guess we will have to get them south of the border. =/
is there any info on the Cinema mode? is it 24p or something else?

Do you think this will be HD cam? after all it's processing 1Megapixel frames, so... 1mega= 720p ..?

you know that the most expensive part of the HD cam are the lense, to have affordable HD cam we need to have small CCDs to have the optics small and inexpensive, and this will keep the cam small too... so I think Pana has been going in that direction for some time now. The fact that they did not accept the HD 720i on miniDV mpeg2 as standard, may mean they have some other compression in mind. I just keep my fingers crossed that this will be the cam that does it =) (at least for 720p).

Oh..., it's got a crystal engine as the GS100. That's good news.Actually, that's a down right lie. The GS100 was the successor.

I have problems with PDF files. I ussually view them/print them out from an Internet cafe.

My fingers are crossed for larger CCDs, manual low shutter speeds, and see-through---I mean, that IR night mode. :-))

don't get your hopes up.. :)
you probably realize that the single photo sensors will be probably the same, and the CCD is larger because they have slapped more sensors on the CCD....
so.. I don't think there will be a change in the lux coming from the new CCD
actually.. there may be improvement from the larger lens and the crystal engine :)

oh.. about the x-ray... IR shooting, It would be nice not to have to remove manually the ICF filter ;)

You're right. I won't get my hopes up---as long as this GS400 will be a better cam than the GS100. This is all that counts. Though I'm wondering what the Japanese will get this summer? A GS500? :-))

...Though I'm wondering what the Japanese will get this summer?

Probably the limited edition BLACK or WHITE version with Magic Strap, Smooth Color Night Mode, Hot Shoe and Crystal Engine SE :-))

Or probably something smaller and lighter than the GS100.

Whatever body color, size, or weight it may be, it's still going to be SD.

Keep us posted when Pana Japan releases new cam info. I can't read Japanese. It should be soon---soon, meaning this month or early May.

Allan... how about if you get the same thing as the rest of the world? ;-) (gs400k)
hey maybe until now pana was working towards the development of gs400 and on the way made a few intermediary releases in Japan =) to "Feed" this line of product, and refine the specs for consumers =) .. you know.. maybe Japan was the testing ground ;-) and now we all get to share the result =)

somewhat good news
 

Thank you for your e-mail. Please be advised that the Canadian mslp pricing for the PVGS400 has not yet been established so we believe that the price you are quoted below may be American.

Sincerely,
Customer Care Centre
Panasonic Canada Inc.

----------------
that was a reply from Pana-Canada after some presure...
=)
was that a sign that we'll have gs400 in Canada?
(keeping fingers crossed)

bad news:
----------
Pana-Canada:
We have not yet finalized our plans on whether or not we will be bringing in the GS400 into Canada. This decision should be made within the next few months.
-----------

so I think that answers the question. while those guys are pondering weather or not to have GS400 in Canada, we have to just get it from US!... grrrr.... stupid Pana-Canada...
=/
Boooyah!
----------
this is getting pathetic... now Pana-US put back PV-DV953 in the product list.
SO... what's the strategy? or it's just all BS and poorly managed subsiduaries?
I was giving a lot of heat on Pana-Canada, giving as example Pana-US taking off dv953 of the product list... One thing is for sure, GS400 IS the replacement model for DV953. So I'll wait and buy it from the first dealer that offers it, no matter canada or us. (tough I think some american dealers are already taking orders...)
can you recomend a dealer that takes internet orders?

Pana may have some serious bugs/flaws with the GS400 and that's probably why they haven't made an "official" world-wide release announcement, in my opinion. Or perhaps they are having problems on the production line---or maybe Leica lenses are in short supply. :-))

It's funny. Spring is here and very few new cams. I would think that this is the time to release new cams, not in the middle of Summer or Fall.

Frank, they have already set a firm date for the release... I really hope they won't start selling the cam with bugs. I'm not sure how many cam's they produce a day, but probably they'll need a pretty large inventory if they want to have a world-wide release.

I agree that they should have had the cams ready for the spring... but then.. again, it's better to have them late summer than next spring =)