Steve:

I'll be very interested in you DVC80, feel free to shoot me an e-mail with a price, and please let me know the condition and hours of usage of the '80.

Thanks...

Dan,-sent ya an e-mail.

Please tell me the DVC 30 has a thread front lens???? Please don't tell me they made the same mistake the JVC designers did when they designed the Streamcorder and put a non-removeable front shade on and no provision for screw-on lenses and filters........just say it aint so!!!!!

Yang,

<< Chris, did you hold the DVC30 in your hands? >>

No, it was tripod-mounted and I wasn't going to ask them to remove it. Their booth was very busy, and as one exhibitor to another, I'm not going to mess up their flow with a request like that. Too bad they only had that one in the booth to show.

<< What material ist he body? >>

Magnesium alloy as is the DVC80, with a tough plastic shell on the outside, just like other cams in this range.

<< Does it feel sturdy and well balanced? would you say it holds similar to a TRV950? >>

Sorry, can't say for sure. Looking forward to actually getting my hands on one, I'm pretty sure they'll show it again at C.E.S. in Vegas in January and also VideoMaker Expo West in L.A. in January.

Chris- did you happen to notice if it had a threaded lens element or provisions for adding on lenses or filters?

I can't see any thread sizes.....was hoping for 58mm or better.

Steve, I didn't see the lens front, but I'd be *very* surprised if it wasn't threaded -- Panasonic doesn't make mistakes like that. It's probably a common size like 58mm.

Thanks Chris- that's reassuring.......I just can't wait til that thing comes out!

Steve, availability is not until late March, don't sell your DVC80 just yet!

Doesn't sound hopeful for a quality 16:9 mode on the DVC30.

Judging by the low pixel count it looks like they are aiming more towards 4:3 with good low light. Most 4:3 consumer/prosumer cams with little to no resolution loss in their 16:9 modes have at least 800k pixels per CCD (and OIS if you're lucky).

Anyone else have any info on the 16:9 mode?

Pretty much the same info thats in the PDF Brochure:

http://www.globalmediapro.com/video/...PAL--1002.html

-Bo

So you can have the look of film but limited to the aspect ratio of a 4:3 TV... ??

Anyone else going to catch Return of the King tonight on their local 4:3 theater?

Maybe Matsushita should include these glasses as a supplied accessory.

http://lonestar.texas.net/~bdub/earl/goggles.htm

LOL

movig back to the topis, just wondering if anyone here knows if this cam wll have a stil shot function.
Reason i ask is that i am looking at one of these as a replacement for the MX500....

i use the MX500 stil shot quite alot... and its actually become part of my product offerings..

any ideas???

i cant find anything on it :(

Seriously. If you want to take still shots, invest in a nice digital camera for $300.

I would never look for a digital still picture option as being a deciding factor in purchasing a camcorder like the AG-DVC30.

I'm much more interested in picture quality, how it handles 16:9, Frame mode, low light ability and how much can be adjusted as far as gamma, white balance, and all those other nice picture tweaks you can do.

Price too, but if it retails for 2600, then street price should be around 2300 or so which puits it square in my range.

I was going to buy a new camcorder in February, but I may just wait until April if this camcorder meets up to our expectations.

Heck, by then the GL3 might be out and blowing away the DVC30!

Megapixel camcorders stills are about worthless but switch them over to 640x480 and I've been fairly impressed on my last few cams.

Here are some VGA 640x480 stills from my Sony PDX10 and Panasonic DV953. Getting macro shots couldn't be easier.

PDX10

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-...5/pdx10(1).jpg

DV953

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-...Picture360.jpg

Of course my Canon 10D can do a lot better but in a pinch the latest cams can pull off some great VGA stills for email or web. I find myself using the still function a lot lately and I like the fact that most cams allow you to save VGA stills to card even while you're recording video to tape.

BTW - any more news on a quality widescreen mode on the DVC30? If not then I'll be keeping my new GS100.

thanks for the response arthur, but im already using a nikon 5700 which is for the more professional looking shots (im a videogrpaher so photogrpahy isnt a priority) however i also use the still shot function of the mx500 as i find even though the images are interlaced, they are perfect for web, multimedia and email purposes (the additional product) i was referring to...

Im actually into what Tommy is describing, being for these online and cdrom formats, and on a television, these still images are more than sufficient quality.

so does anyone have the lowdown??

Id like to replace teh MX and use a DVC30 as a lil bro the DVX, but the still image factor is only goin to assist me n deciding on whether to sell the MX or not :)

Tommy,
I'm not a big Sony fan but that frame grab from the PDX10 was good. Of course with macro focus is critical but the DV953 didn't look quite as sharp as the leaf with dew that the PDX10 showed.

Oh yea, did you help that fly get out of the grips of that killer plant or did the fly become "toast"?

Happy Holidays, Nick