Hello guys.

I am thinking about buying a DVX100E PAL - (although I'm in New York - I'm a film student). We have some PAL decks here so maybe I can get away with the extra steps. Anyway, I was searching for information about the new XL2 on this forum, but there isn't as much as you'd think. The question is:

Should I wait for the new XL2 or just go ahead with buying the DVX? I need a camera pretty much now, but if the rumour that the XL2 will appear BEFORE the end of the year, I can afford to wait. If the XL2 will take more than, lets say 6 months to hit the market, then I'll go with the DVX.

Any ideas when the XL2 will most probably appear? Also (although probably nobody really knows), will the XL2 blow the DVX100 away?

Thanks!

PS Great forum, a classmate told me about it and I like it a lot.

I doubt the XL2 will blow the DVX away. It will basically be playing catch up (IMHO) with the most likely advantage being a removeable lens. It may also have 16:9 chips which would set it apart from all others though. But I haven't heard any reliable rumors about its possible features or possible release date. The only real indication that there will be a XL2 is the current rebate for the XL1s.

You may want to wait a month anyway. There is a rumored update to the current DVX100 that supposedly will be available sometime in November. Also, the new Sonys should be coming available this month so there indeed might be a lot of movement this month in terms of new models.

But if you need a camera NOW, then I would not hesitate to strongly recommend the DVX100.

Update to dvx, any elaboration to that?

zac

Yes, what's this update? I'm poised to buy a DVX this week, what do you know?

There's a thread here from a few days ago that addresses the rumor from a Japanese bulliten board.

There was a Japanese user group that posted a list of updates to a supposed DVX100A, including adding autofocus and gain to the progressive mode, and an internal 16x9 anamorphic squeeze. Some of it seemed believable. But it also included outlandish claims, such as that 60i was being removed and the price was increasing to about $5500.

I say it's a hoax. I firmly do not believe Panasonic will do anything to this camera for a long, long time -- not until they "have to". They're selling every one they can make. Canon just introduced a $500 rebate to the XL1s because they're getting slaughtered in sales. Sony just replaced the PD150 because they're getting slaughtered in sales. Panasonic has no need to make an upgrade, so they won't, and they most definitely will not drop 60i.

I also don't think major international conglomerates go about conducting business by making new product announcements on fansite BBS message boards, but hey, you never know... I instead think that the "announcement" was more likely a "wish list" compiled by the users, a list of features they wish Panasonic would add.


In any case, the rumors call for the camera to be introduced at Interbee 2003, which is less than three weeks away. That'll be quite a trick though, seeing as on the Interbee site Panasonic isn't even listed as one of the exhibitors.

But hey, I may be quite wrong, we'll see three weeks from now.

Back to the original question: DVX now or XL2 in the future? If you need something now, then your decision is already made for you -- buy now, and that means DVX. If you can afford to wait, I'd say wait and see. I personally do not think the XL2 will be 16:9/24p, for two reasons:

1) the XL1 was based on a Panasonic CCD chipset, and it seems reasonable to suspect that the XL2 could use a similar deal, meaning they may license the DVX100 chipset. That'd give 'em 24P, but not 16:9. They would almost definitely add an in-camera 16:9 mode though.

2) I don't think the XL2 will be DV at all. I think it'll be HDV. And if it is, then it'll be 16:9 but it won't be 24P (since 24P isn't in the HDV specifications). If the XL2 IS HDV, especially at 1080/60i, then that could well worth be waiting for, since you could do a reasonable magic-bullet-style conversion of 60i to 24P, and if you lose some resolution along the way, at least you started with a lot so it shouldn't matter so much.

If they announce an XL2 soon, it'll likely be DV, and may feature the same CCD block as the DVX, so go ahead and get the DVX. If the XL2 is HDV, it probably won't be available any time soon, it'll likely be much more expensive than the DVX, and it may very well be worth the wait. But that wait could be three months, it could be six months, it could be a year or two -- who knows?

Here's the dvinfo.net thread on the new DVX100:

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=16278

Here are some on other sites (hope this is ok to link, if not mod feel free to remove):

http://www.uemforums.com/2pop/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=843&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1
http://www.dvxuser.com/cgi-bin/DVX/YaBB.cgi?board=nws;action=display;num=1067267829

Panasonic (Matsushita) will be at InterBEE. They're listed in the "Video and Broadcast Equipment" section, in halls 5, 6 and 7. Here's the URL: http://bee.jesa.or.jp/en/exhibitors/index.html. This doesn't mean that the rumors are true, of course, simply that the new camera (if there is one) could be shown there.

in all honesty, the DVX and its lil bro dont really NEED updating.. i mean it WOULD be nice to have autofocus in progressive mode, however, that would then mean a whole new SW setup/update which the current CPU of the unit may not be able to handle.. but it may, who knows... on top of that, HOW will exisitng DVX users get to install this? It most certainly wont be free...

as for teh XL2, even with an upgrade, you most likely WONT be able to use teh old lenses unless your willing to sacrifice image quality. Check out the XL1s forum for details on lenses and specs on lenses for VTR box of the XL1...

i use a DVX and wont look back, no nees as im am extremely pleased with what i have.

Why wait?

You'll spend your life waiting for something better because there will always be something better!