My open letter to Panasonic. DVX200 will be lonely, needs a brother called AF200!

[j.f.r.]

I'm actually having a great day, my point being many people want this/that lens when in all actuality SO MUCH work is done on Sony EX cameras and the like. If you've worked on a film small/medium/large than you would know it's so much more that goes into it then just a camera, I would even go on record to say that while the camera is important is actually not the #1 or #2 priority of the project.

 

Before anyone judges the images from this camera, just wait till it's in the hands of filmmakers. While it is nice to use your own personal glass how you see fit we may all just be really surprised at what can be done with this camera + also lets not forget the lens from my understanding is made by Leica which is definitely good quality......

[BillPryor]

I agree 100% with the article. I'm sure there's a market for a fixed lens camcorder, like TV news, etc. But nobody will use it for cinema work. All Panasonic needs to do is make the same thing but with an MFT mount. Then the world would love them again.

[tosvus]

I'm actually having a great day, my point being many people want this/that lens when in all actuality SO MUCH work is done on Sony EX cameras and the like. If you've worked on a film small/medium/large than you would know it's so much more that goes into it then just a camera, I would even go on record to say that while the camera is important is actually not the #1 or #2 priority of the project.

 

Before anyone judges the images from this camera, just wait till it's in the hands of filmmakers. While it is nice to use your own personal glass how you see fit we may all just be really surprised at what can be done with this camera + also lets not forget the lens from my understanding is made by Leica which is definitely good quality......

​Good - I think it is nice for Panasonic to make this camera as I'm sure many will find good use for it, and I am equally sure the quality will be very nice. I would just like them to also make a camera with this form factor that has a mft lens mount. It should be natural for them to have a new generation replacing such a model that has been out for a long time. It also would compete nicely with cameras like the Sony FS7.  While a fixed lens camera is great for many situations, some of us like the flexibility of changing lenses. For instance, I have a vintage lens with an anamorphic adapter, that I would like to utilize. There's no way I can do that with this camera.

I don't think Panasonic should receive so much criticism though - after all, while the form factor is a bit off, the GH4 is an amazing camera, and really started the 4K revolution for prosumer/low budget pro's. It would just be nice if they kept innovating more in regards to the mft mount

At this point, the new Blackmagic cameras are starting to look very tempting, especially the 4K version one.

 

[mtheory]

I can't wait for the day when these dinosaur corporations get outcompeted by smart hardware startups and we can just design and 3D print our own custom cameras online and get them shipped...you know...choose a sensor, mount, battery, design...click*click*...ship...SHOOT! 

[Jaime Valles]

I'm beginning to warm up to the DVX200. I just hope it's good in low light. If it's significantly better than the GH4 at ISO 1600 I might just get this for event shooting (which is most of what I normally shoot).

[TheRenaissanceMan]

​They also make sensor for RED too..  http://www.towerjazz.com/jv.html

​Not exactly. They fabricate those sensors on behalf of Tower Jazz, but they do not own the rights to any of the tech.

 

 

[sevenstreets]

I'm glad to see some push-back to Andrew's narrow definition of what makes a good camera. There are many of us out here that need every advantage we can get just to keep up with real life as it unfolds in front of the camera. We're trying to tell stories that require a particular kind of tool. And a camera like this is one of the better options. It's not perfect, but it certainly doesn't need a larger sensor, and it doesn't need its lens lopped off. These 'shortcomings' are some of its primary advantages.

[Policar]

The DVX100 had the impossibly fortuity of being

a) an amazing low end broadcast camera/higher-end b camera with fantastic ergonomics and a standard format (miniDV) magically married to an unprecedented feature-set (24p!! and "looks"!!!!!!) that was scooped up by broadcast shooters and wedding videographers alike

and

b) the best "film look"/hobbyist camera for the money by FAR... with mojo (currently only Arri and to a lesser extent Canon and Dragon have mojo)

In my day we had six stops of DR ISO 320 deep focus fixed lenses and 720X480 at best. And we walked six miles through the snow. Uphill. AND WE LIKED IT.

NOTHING will ever target those two markets like the DVX did. Currently, Canon has corned one the first. Sony/Panasonic/Black Magic/a whole heck of a lot of others are scrambling to tackle the second.

This could do well at making headway into the first, though. Shooters who balk at the awkwardness of a C100 and 24-105mm f4 IS will happily migrate to a more ENG-happy all-in-one package and shooters who balk at $20,000 for a C300 and 4k might happily choose this instead. The added depth of field will be wonderful for those who struggle to focus with a Canon, too.

Ask yourself a question.... does raw appeal to you at all? Does a codec bigger than 50Mbps make you happy for the bits or sad for the disk space...

If your answer is yes... you want the fun of figuring it out and encoding and ingesting and grading and making magic, this is not for you.

If your answer is no... I want to deliver fast and make money.... it might be.

The AF100 is VERY well-respected in pro circles. TONS of high end corporate and lower-end tv etc.... is shot on this workhouse cam that is rock-solid. Does the dvx200 have timecode sync? That is the biggest omission. This is really cool but not for me and not for most of you. 

Curious to see how it does. This (4k low end ENG camera/hobbyist camera for the not-super-techically-obsessed) is new idea. Do not want one, however...

[Matt Kieley]

I'm kind of intrigued by this. I do miss the ergonomics of the DVX. I shot my first feature, and dozens of shorts and music video with the DVX for 5 years, and got pretty good with the camera. A couple of years ago I remastered my feature and some of my shorts/music videos and was surprised by how much the image quality held up (with the exception of the resolution). My only real nitpick is the speed of the lens, which is slower than the DVX100. I love my NX1 and lenses, but I suppose if the image of the DVX200 has that old DVX "mojo" i might have to reconsider.

[Jaime Valles]

The more I think about the DVX200, the more I like it. I shoot live theatrical events (concerts, musicals, plays) and my life would be much easier if my camera had the image quality of the GH4 but with a great servo zoom lens, ND filters and XLR inputs with proper controls. Imagine that, a GH4 with the usability of my old DVX100! Assuming the reviews and footage are good, once it comes out this fall I'm probably going to get one or two of these for my business. I'm tired of dealing with still photo lenses to shoot video. I'm tired of dealing with clunky XLR adapters. I'm tired of dealing with a camera that isn't designed for video first. The DVX200 solves all of my problems in one camera.

I do wish Panasonic had ALSO introduced an AF-200 with the same specs except a m4/3 mount. But for my needs, the DVX200 is exactly what I need. I just didn't know it until they presented it!

[Mattias Burling]

I wanted one the second I saw it. A large sensored camcorder has been a dream for a long time.

Everytime I shoot a project on a simple xf100 or hmc150 it's just such a joy to use. If I could have that plus a large sensor I would be very happy. 

[Russtafa]

Guys...I am in Broadcast and our Flame artists are still outputting SD.

Our people on S6's doing audio have to work fast as rates are under real constant pressure..deals and more deals. 

Most people I know watch NowTV - Prime - Sky - Terrestrial and increasing amounts across the Internet.

Huge admirer of DP's that take time effort and the lighting people who get the scene set and everything right.

Unless you are going to be on super high productions with tons of money behind them the days and rates will spiral downwards, it is the ideas that really count.

Envious of shooters with tons of Zeiss glass, and top end cameras, but again will be for high end stuff only.

Panasonic's idea is very good indeed, Varicam one end then this new beast.  If you can match it in the grade you are DONE!! If Panasonic have managed to get their fixed lens to hit a sweet spot of around 80% success then stats tell you they did it right.

Again a lot of our Sony shooters with 55's have gone out and bought FS7's to bridge the gap. A different deal I know but it is the principle of it that counts.

Guys you have to appreciate future times will be akin to a media whirlpool and we are all getting sucked downwards in to it. Go with the flow.

 

[Don Kotlos]

Lack of detail

Terrible bokeh

Aliasing

WTF Panasonic?