The market place dictates change. Panasonic has proven they can bring a new product to market quicker than their competition. I would think this accomplishment is something to be proud of, not vilified over. It also needs to be noted that this camera is tentatively at a higher price point and no announcement that the DVX100 is being discontinued. Is a manufacture to be faulted for introducing a more advanced model with an improved feature set?

Manufactures walk a double edged sword it seems. If they bring out a model too soon their users want to abandon them. How dare they release a new model on the heals of the one I just purchased. On the other hand if they are late to market with a replacement their users call them behind the times and threaten to leave them for the competition. How dare they be so slow to improve their products. It seems as if the manufacture wants to keep it's customers they need to call each one and find out when they want their new model released. Otherwise they are bound to offend someone.

Good point. When I first purchased the DVX I actually waited for NAB to come and go to see if the XL-2 actually came to be... It didn't so I went with the DVX. I think alot of XL1 owners have jumped ship (actually I know a few) because it's taking Canon so long.

I have a better feeling now that I can get used to the DVX and have confidence that there will be new models when I am ready to upgrade.

Then again, who knows. The DVX100a could be to the DVX100 as the XL1s was to the XL1 and pansonic could wait till 2009 to release a DVX200.

I'm not bitching....
 

I love my DVX and I've had the cam since it first came out. However, I would love to see the guts of the two cams side by side. I'd be surprised if the new cam is much different in lay-out of components, size of components, and basic routing of the elements. I'd even guess the inside design is based on the same system in the present cam albeit with improved components that are based on the present DVX elements. It's not about a new model car. It's about improvements in components and Panasonic must be well aware of the possibilities that can be done with last year's model in an upgraded fashion. So, for fun and in all seriousness - where's the beef?

yes.. its mostly a "software" update.. at least some of the new features are, some of them actually where there in the original demo of the DVX.. so a software upgrade isnt totally out of the question unless there is an entire new processor in the camera.

Cant figure out though if the volume knobs are larger, but That ridge around the scene dial kicks but.

Jarred.....
 

This is where a good tech guy would be helpful. A little sleuthing around Panasonic by some enterprising techie (nothing illegal) would be a nice touch or how about a component comparison by Panasonic?
How much of these improvements are software updates and how different the components are in the two cams would be interesting qualities to have comments on from guys familiar with these things.

The change to 12bit A/D conversion precludes any upgrade. This would require new boards and signal processing requirements throughout. This is not a firmware upgrade. This is a new model, sorry folks. Get your checkbooks, or plastic, ready and stand in line. It looks like Panasonic has another winner on their hands.

nobody knows, everything is speculation now...

Damn, this camera totally rocks even more now. I may be forced to sell my DVX100(o) (the "o" is for outdated). So, any word on how much for this new beast?

Peter

I'm hearing $4000 and Jan 2004. the cam is 550,000 yen in Japan (about 5k) but supposedly the US version will be in line with the current cam prices. I also heard a rumor it may be available as early as december (and the price may be as low as 3800 msrp, which I find hard to believe), and that panasonic is no longer shipping dealers DVX100's at the end of this month (though also just a rumor, and a little specious). Anyway, anybody else have any info?

Peter

Peter: Where'd you get that info? It'd be great if those rumors were true :D

I'm sure he got his info off the "other boards" as I checked them as well but because they allow anon posting and are poorly moderated, unlike the great boards here, info is far less reliable.

Right now, I have not heard from back from Panasonic and have seen no clear info on US availability, price or rebate for existing DVX100 owners.

Stephen is right, I did venture, however momentarily, to "the badlands." But rest assured where my allegiance lies. OK, I'm sounding way too D&D here. Anyway, I'm so pumped about this cam that I'll take any info (though it's probably not too reliable.) But still, I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Peter

What I don't understand is why won't Panasonic just post a message here or something saying these rumors are true? What's the big deal? People are gonna buy the thing anyways.

The new AG-DVX100A (Advanced) announced
 

This is my dream cam:

In short:

- 12-bit A/D
- New RGB color gamma corrector
- New Cine gamma modes
- Max +12 dB for Progressive mode
- Auto focus in Progressive mode
- Dual zebra + light/exposure meter display
- B/W viewfinder with Peak
- LCD with Peak

http://panasonic.biz/sav/camera/ag-d...g-dvx100a.html

Announced. Please look at the new thread I started:
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=17295

I saw on another board $3,800 street. Basically $500 more than the old model. And the 100A was listed on expandore.com (before they pulled the page) for $3,600, which is $500 more than what they were selling the 100 for. Their site also said availability end of January '04.

"why won't Panasonic just post a message here or something saying these rumors are true?"

Now that they've posted actual specs and product sheets for it on the web, I don't think there's any question whether the rumors are true or not.

Another link (in english)
 

http://www.biz-max.net/bizmax/ag-dvX100A.htm

It is anticipated to cost more than the current camera. The current camera has a list price of $3795, with a street price around $3100. The new camera may have a list price of $4995 with a street price of around $4200 or so. The original rumor/announcement that started all this, turned out to be basically spot-on, and that rumor listed a price of US$5000.

But hey, we'll all know soon, the camera may be shown at DV Expo in L.A., and if so, they should have US pricing sorted out by then.

what are cine-like D and V going to do. IS the Image quality on this new cam going to be noticably better or is it just going to be easier to use?

Cine D : emphasizes on Dynamic range
Cine V : more on luminance

I just came back from Panasonic booth at InterBEE 2003.
There were three DVX100A as on-hands demo rigs.
One DVX100A equiped Chrosziel mattbox and focus puller.
I asked Panasonic rep and confirmed these things.

- DVX100A will be available Nov. 20 (yes, it's tommorow!) for Japanese market. The rep guy doesn't know about other countries.
- DVX100 is not upgradable (circuit board nor mechanical part).
- DVX100 is already discontinued.
- Accessories which designed for DVX100 may fits on DVX100A since they has same outer dimensions.

Wow, thats rather soon. I wonder how that translates to American markets. The GS100 isn't avaliable here yet, correct?

What do you guys think? when the DVX100A comes out, sell the DVX100 and upgrade to the A model? Or wait 6 months or so and see if any new stuff comes out of NAB and then sell the DVX? But buy then if something does come out, the value of the DVX might drop. As cool as the A model looks, it just doesn't add enough for an immediate upgrade.

I just bought my dvx like a month ago. GEeZZ. Is there any real large differences in the 100 and the 100a.????

I plan to get one (DVX100) next month, but now, I'll just wait for the "A" model.

However, I need more info on the PAL version, should be DVX100AE. Do you guys know when will Pana ship this model?

Ahh, I just found the English version of the webpage, please ignore :) Thanks all

I was about to buy my DVX100 a couple of weeks ago when I heard the rumors of a possible second gen DVX100A at https://www.dvxuser.com. I'm glad I waited, and I'm glad to hear Masahiro Kikuchi's Interbee brief report that it indeed exists, and that it will be available soon. For once in my life I'm actually going to get the latest and greatest without fear of obsolescence in the next 6 months.

I hope to hear more Interbee reports about the DVX100A in the next couple of days.

If they're discontinuing the DVX100, does that mean that the price of the DVX100A will be the same as the previous model was? It'd be a shame to raise the price of their current model...

YES!!! DVX100A is the ONE! so big different from DVX100. I must buy this camera...

If you look at the pdf diagrams, the new squeeze mode appears to do nothing more than interpolate the usual 16:9 image *before* it is written to tape. It doesn't appear that any resolution advantage is offered by this process, but not much info to run on.

I'd consider the squeeze mode more a poorman's anamorphic adapter.

I may have heard wrong, but from what I've been told, the stretch done on camera is better then when it's done in post. But in no way yeilds the results of a real anamorphic lens.

depends if it samples the image from a 800+ horizontal pixel range then squeezes it. Obviously if it is just samples the 720 pixels and squeezes it then its pretty lame.

But, remember that the CCD has a whole whack of pixels.

geez im amazed how many of you are ready to give up your DVX's. Next DVX upgrade im going to make is when it turns HD and does true 16:9...

yes... indeed. Alot of the new features are really for very very experienced operators and D.P's that have alot of lights and alot of equipment to work with and an equal amount of setup time.

The only think of interest to me is the anamorphic mode.. but when the Century optics ana comes out I am 99% confident it will do a much better job.

Oh.. that little rib around the scene dial is pretty damn cool as well.

Some frame grabs:

http://64.87.34.91/dvx100a/

This is from Saru, the original person who started all the buzz on this new camcorder here in the states and on various DV forums. I believe he's registered here as well under his real name - is that you Masahiro?? Thanks for the great information, good to have someone close to the "source".

In any case, these frame grabs were taken while at Interbee, and I believe he's looking for someone to host more pictures...

Jarred, I agree, I'm really looking forward to Century Optics' 16:9 lens for the AG-DVX100. According to Ken Robings, the lens has a focus ring of its own, which makes it more challenging for focus pulls I imagine - or at least for myself, as inexperienced as I am with high end lenses of this sort - but I think this lens should be a good reason to keep the first gen AG-DVX100.

Then again, if you have all the money in the world, this lens and an AG-DVX100A would be extremely nice.

yes,, remember there are still people out there making great movies with the XL-1...

<<<-- Originally posted by Dan Lahav : geez im amazed how many of you are ready to give up your DVX's. Next DVX upgrade im going to make is when it turns HD and does true 16:9... -->>>

Im with you bro, im willing to stick to the DVX stocky and go for the new DVC30 as a second cam and ditch my MX, THEN upgrade the main cam to some shoulder mounted beast...

for weddings this wont do all that much apart from offer an autofocus in progressive, which is a good thing.... but for what i need, i cant afford to NOT have a camera in the transitional period pbetween selling the DVX, and getting the DVXa....

Can someone list the major changes. And is there goign to be a HUGE differenece.??