No more specs are being released because GS400 production is being continually delayed. Pana marketing everywhere has not received any information except the few basics I already posted. Only the factory knows what's up and they want to keep it a secret. The Pana factory is cetrainly up to something big and this something might just be the second coming, the first being the MX3000, or maybe the EZ1. :-))

A vapourcam?

No. They don't want to let the cat out of the bag until the right time or they're having technical difficulties. Bryan, I got this from Pana today.

Maybe they went back to the drawing boards because someone pointed out they were using the number 4. Remember how the mx series skipped 4000 (and 400 in PAL land) because 4 is unlucky? Time to revamp all those brochures, all the stamps for the model numbers to be imprinted on the cams, all printed materials, etc. And ooh, boy, what about that planned July 4 release. Uh, oh, somebody is about to be exiled to a seat by the window...

In Canada it's July 1st. :-))

So why was there a JVC GR-DV4000U? It didn't sell well, by the way.

I guess I'll be stuck with puffed-plastic a little longer. Hopefully, Pana will have fixed the lux while keeping the high resolution. Tommy run n gun's gonna wait. I can too! :-))

"So why was there a JVC GR-DV4000U? It didn't sell well, by the way." There you go, Frank. Matsushita owns both Panasonic and JVC, right? Same thought surfaced at the top when news of the gs400 finally filtered up (we know how long it takes bad news to filter up) and an executive decision was made that no way were they going to go with the number 4 again. Of course, this is all speculation... darn. But ask Allan about the number 4 in Japan. You never buy or give things in 4s (it's very weird for a Westerner, though, for things to come in sets of three or five). -- Actually, in the condo building I lived in previously in Hawaii, there was one apartment on the top floor with a very nice ocean view. It was on the 13th floor, which was a deterrent to purchase by Westerners, so there was no 13th floor in the building officially. Unfortunately, it was then numbered 1404, which meant the person who bought it in the hopes of resale to a wealthy Japanese purchaser just had no takers. Talk about going by the numbers...

Numbers don't mean a think to me except the number, 50.

My guess is a durability test rendered the determination that the camera wasn't suited to the rigors of daily run 'n' gun usage. (Likely, Panasonic recently determined from the volume of calls to a customer service center that this application would constitute the camera's primary market.)

I don't think GS400 is delayed. The speculations and incomplete specs are simply too early :-))

Pany usually releases its top of the line consumer cam in summer (northern hemisphere). So July is just on time.

4 is shi in Japanese which means death (no good da ne). The DV4000 was never released in Japan. We had the DV5000 instead :-)) but it didn't sell that well..probably too big and too pokerish.

What about 3 as in 1/3" or 3 ccds? 0 as in lux? 1mp? 16x9? 43mm? 18db gain? 16-bit recording? Yes, I've just figured out the real problem I have with cams. I am not good with numbers, and cams are all about numbers. -- BTW, as a friend said when asked how it felt to turn 40, "It's better than the alternative." Same holds for 50.-- Maybe Pansonic's reason for delaying info about the gs whatever will all come down to the numbers - dollars and yen. Whatever. Just give us a good product at the end of it all, Panasonic, and all will be forgiven. (Was that stream of conscious enough? Good. Time to go listen to some music.)

<<<-- Originally posted by Patricia Kim : What about 3 as in 1/3" or 3 ccds? 0 as in lux? 1mp? 16x9? 43mm? 18db gain? 16-bit recording?


Nice numbers indeed, but how many percent of the potential market is actually willing to pay 2 as in around 2000 dollars for a consumer cam?

Allan, Panasonic has told me just today that it has been delayed yet once again...perhaps to accomodate a Japanese only Black Mamba II? (Some business for you?)

3 is more than 2, and 4 is more than 3---except with fractions. More is always better.

Robert, you probably hit the nail on the head. :-))

Nice numbers indeed, but how many percent of the potential market is actually willing to pay 2 as in around 2000 dollars for a consumer cam?This would depend on the design and quality of the cam.

Allan - quote
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4 is shi in Japanese which means death
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I don't want to go political on you.. but... you know.. that makes sense.... 4th of July =)
as this may be the american release date too...
and.. again... GS400

no mercy ;-)

you know making a black version isn't that hard, all they do is send the body and panels off to the Anodising ppl b4 it gets built

if your really keen you could take one a part yourself and make yourself a funky Ti or Red coloured one

in a high gloss or matt finish

in Japan they released a pearl white version of one of the cameras i think it was the GS200, they had a black, silver and a pearl white, Allen would probably have to confirm that but i'm pretty sure one of them did, i know the GS55 came out in a quite a few colours

and a white, Ti or Black camera would look very sexy

oooer baby!
hehehe

by the way, it doesn't look to be any delay.
We may end up having the cam almost a month earlier in Canada.

specs- probably in a week
cam- start/middle of June
(info from prof. eqiotpment store in Toronto)

GS200 is available in silver and black

GS120 is available in silver and white

GS55 is available in silver blue and red

My NEC cell phone is pearl white

My wife's Sharp is bloody red.

My daughter's Sanyo is pink.

This is probably the most colorful country in the whole world...electronically that is :-))


There are two Jap words that correspond to the no. 4, SHI and YON. Just use the latter to make it harmless :-))

gs400 is not good because it has 4 in there? That is funny and is not true. Really the gs400 has no delay? Panasonic told me it will be out soon but didn't tell me when soon is.

Clear your mind, breathe deeply and then have a beer.

I have four beer and off to bed.

Perhaps George "HD" Beck called Pana and demanded they put secret Varicam HD in the next consumer cam, so of course Pana scrambled the company to comply....

I've never had such luck with big companies listening to me about the LUX and about the small chips and about the small lenses and about the---.... :-((