seattledv

I'd like to believe there's a better Panasonic camera or two in the near future. Utilizing their new Micro P2 cards, higher bit rates and at least a 10 bit 422 codec would help Panasonic develop a pro-level market that differentiates itself from the rest of their competition. Onboard ND filters and a newly developed "in house"  M4/3 sensor with 4K potential would go a long way toward attracting new market share as well as giving existing GH 2/3, AF100 owners a path for future upgrades. If Nikon can offer the potential for 4K in the Nikon 1 series, surely Panasonic can develop 4K for M4/3 if they're interested enough in creating a pro-level product line. Whether Panasonic drops further AF-100 development in favor of a DSLR form factor remains to be seen. It might make more sense to follow a single pro-level product strategy rather than offer both a GHx and a AF-Xxx product line. Perhaps GHx could stay M4/3 and Panasonic could try an AF-Xxx with a super-35 sensor. One thing is for sure, if they don't announce something dramatic at NAB, the window of opportunity for grabbing a pro-level market share will slam shut. There are too many offerings from other manufacturers to "wait and see" what else Panasonic might offer for the future.

I ordered a refurbished V1 yesterday to experiment with c-mount lenses in 30P as well as using the cx lenses for 4K capture. I do not have DaVinci software and I am looking for info on a RAW workflow. Perhaps someone can outline their workflow with RAW files from the V1. Perhaps its better to use JPEGS for the burst mode rather than RAW files but details of JPEG workflow are helpful as well. At it's price point the V1 is hard to ignore. The V1 also has a much better battery life than the V2. Thanks to Andrew for breathing some life into the cx format and not dismissing it as so many others have. It's also interesting to note that user Abadona has been using 2 V1's as primary cameras. Even the 30P video looks very good in the samples I've seen. I'll be curious to see the results with 4K and Twixtor. The low-res 400fps in-camera looks marginal at best, but overall the V1 looks to have more going for it than appears at first glance.

Thank you for the best comprehensive preview I've seen so far. I'm looking forward to further details on some of the new features. Will the GH3 still be at 4:2:0 or perhaps 4:2:2? Will the HDMI output finally be clean? Did Vitaly have a hand in the development of the new codec? It's great to hear about having timecode as well as an XLR accessory input. It will be very interesting to see how the new camera performs. It seems like serious upgrade overall and that's all good news. It doesn't appear to be a 3 steps forward 2 steps back upgrade like has happened with many other cameras in the past. It's an exciting time with so many choices for incredible cameras.

I think just about everyone in the DSLR community is feeling frustrated that after 4 years of DSLR development, the Sub- $5K camera category is so full of compromises. There's no perfect camera, but the prosumer cameras in the $1.5K and under range seem to be a much better value. As tempting as it may be for a new camera, I will use my current gear until there are better alternatives for a $3-5K investment. None of the manufacturers have demonstrated a clearly definitive camera at this price point. The AF100/101 could have been updated for NAB 2012 but nothing happened. In addition, there have been no clear signs from Panasonic to indicate the M4/3 format for pro-use will be supported. The X-lenses at f2.8 are a step in the right direction, but those lenses at f2.0 would indicate to me that Panasonic is committed to product development for professional use. Olympus designed and produced f2 zoom lenses YEARS AGO. Why hasn't Panasonic? Perhaps the GH3, the BMD Cinema Camera, the Sony A99 or the Digital Bolex will fulfill the current $3-5K void for filmmakers. But for now, making the most of my GH2 and 60D seems to make the most sense---at least until a manufacturer can offer a product that is clearly worth the significant cost of upgrading.

It makes sense to me to hold off on a purchase until both cameras have really been tested thoroughly. Andrew has pointed out that we haven't seen the best from either of these camera based upon the images and video released so far. I also agree with user Johnnie the Audio edge has to go to Canon for the ability to adjust audio levels WHILE RECORDING. IMO it's a huge shortcoming for the D800.