FREE Online Training Video - please :)
 

I posted this "request" on another DVX100 forum: http://www.2-pop.com/ubbthreads/postlist.php?Cat=&Board=PanasonicAGDVX100Camera
and thought I'd try to increase the odds - by posting it here as well...
I'm a beginner - and it seems quite a few others posting here are as well... So I was wondering if there are any pros out there who might find it in their hearts to tape a simple - but detailed - instructional ONLINE video, explaining all the finer points of the DVX100: menu options, settings, etc. That person(s) could put a promo on the video to make it worthwhile and maybe get some bu'ness in the process. It'd be a great alternative to having to pay $80 or more for a training video.

Not much chance...
 

Mark,

I can't believe you are willing to wait for some professional to make a free video so you can learn to operate your camera. It must be that you want something to look at to see if this is the right camera for you.

I would suggest you find this camera in-store and see about getting a "hands on" demo there. This would be the better way to make a decision about buying rather then trying to convince someone to go through all the trouble of making something for you to look at.

If that's not an option, spend the 80 bucks. That would be something like 2.5% of the cost of this camera -- Not very much I'd say.

I can't believe a free instruction video would ever happen anyway.

-Rodger

Mark,

That's actually a fairly good sized project that would take a fair bit of time. Probably not all that realistic to ask for it for free. Perhaps if someone is totally bored and needed something to do one day (or for a couple days), it could be done, but not very realistic.

I wouldn't recommend spending $80 to learn how to use the camera - chances are the video will be incomplete in several areas and my not answer all your questions. Your money would be better spent taking a class at a local camera shop. Many big camera shops offer training classes and often will give you a lot of free info right in the store while you probe their brain before buying the camera.

And finally, without trying to sound eliteist or rude, there is a good chance that the DVX100 may not be a good choice for you at this time. If you find most of the controls and operation to be a mystery, then perhaps a more beginner/consumer level camcorder would be a better choice...? I wouldn't recommend a DVX100 or similar unit to anyone who doesn't already understand the technical basics like focus, aperture, exposure.

Provided that you have the fundamentals in place, you should have no trouble figuring it out on your own as you play with the camcorder. Otherwise take a class... No fundamentals? Take a couple classes. ...Or just play with it. You will figure it out, none of it is very difficult. The ability to use a good camcorder does not make a good videographer. That comes with artistic talent and experience. The rest is just buttons and switches and those are covered in the manual (sometimes better than others), but that also leads us to the most straight-forward and simple response to your request: RTFM.

If it's free, then it has absolutely no perceived value. Any self-respecting person should be willing to pony up the change to buy it.

free video
 

To the replies here, I understand the various perspectives... Seems unanimous that it would not be worth anyone's time to make a training video for free online viewing (even with a commercial added - to make it worthwhile). But I actually do own a DVX100 with about $1,000 in accessories. I've had it about two months, and it still feels like I have little control of the more complex settings. I have a website where we encode and stream videos for free online viewing (on many topics in this particular field - religion :) So it seemed like a good idea to make a free online video available to the many people who feel as clueless - or almost as clueless - as I do about the settings on this camera.

I'll probably end up spending more than $80 for training with this thing. Just thought that someone with the expertise might be willing to make a one-shot video (rough cut) talking for an hour or so about it (and then I'd encode and stream it free - Real Player broadband). The online video would probably help hundreds of people and would also give "the trainer" and his company free exposure - and it could even result in sales of the video/DVD for folks who would prefer to watch it on a larger screen. For whatever it's worth, I hope a few pros will at least consider the possibility...