Just saw that B&H is out of the NTSC FX1, the PAL version and Z1 are still available. Is this because of their holiday schedule, or can I go ahead and dream about some cool new replacement at NAB this weekend?

Not good news... I was ordering Monday.....

yeah, both the Z1 and FX1 have been removed from my local dealers price list. Not something over the net, but rather an in person place where I asked how much - the answer not avaible any more, sorry -

Wow, the subtle undertones of the subtext here sure makes me think something's afoot.

Well it's been out for 18 months so it's pretty close to being a video antique.

Just after I buy my Z1, it looks like they are going to announce something bigger and better. Oh well....such is life. :)

Hey..if a new replacement model causes the prices of the FX-1/Z1 to fall within reach of mere mortals [or serious enthusiasts], I say--"Bring it on!"

Maybe they are "suspending" sales so as to not tick off buyers that would just return the FX-1 when the new one is announced.

I'm sure the dealers don't want to have to deal with the returns either.

Oh well, maybe we are just reading into it...

Remember--B&H has been closed for almost two weeks for Passover and just returned to work today.

yeah, both the Z1 and FX1 have been removed from my local dealers price list.

However B&H still has the Z1 in stock:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=357486&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

Fascinating, huh? I guess next week might provide an answer to a few questions...

Well it's been out for 18 months so it's pretty close to being a video antique.

I wouldnt go that far.

If you've got either camera, I don't think you'll be hurting too badly if they do actually release a new FX1 and/or Z1. 1080i not enough for you? All those manual controls and comfortable workflow? All they needed to add was a real 24p option like their F900+ cameras have and you'd be all set.

But if you think about it, maybe they're toning down the FX1 like they did the HC1 because sales for the Z1U may not be as strong as they'd like. Who knows? Just have to see on Monday.

.. or just eliminating the fx1 altogether ! Maybe they just want one consumer hdv camera. Who knows what sonys' up to. It's always 2 steps forward and one back ! Kurth

Sony is showing 2 new HDV decks on their business solutions site.

http://bssc.sel.sony.com/BroadcastandBusiness/minisites/HDV/products.shtml

These new VTRs use mini DV tape and the full size DV tape with up to 276 minutes of recording time available and support HDV, DV, and DVCAM.

HVRM25U HDV Videotape Recorder - $3,960.00
HVRM15U HDV Videotape Recorder - $2,640.00

... much better pricing than the HVRM10U.

The HVR-M10U VTR deck appears to be gone although there is still a rebate listed on the main HDV page. In it's place is an error page stating the following: You have requested a page we are unable to serve.


Looks like there will be a replacement for the DSR-250 with support for HDV, the Z1U and possibly the FX1 that use a full size DV tape. Sony indicates that the PDX10 has already been replaced with the AVR-A1U on their site. And the HDR-HC1 is gone too!

The new Sony XDCAM-HD systems are ready now. Looks like Sony is shaking things up to stay ahead of the competition. It will be interesting to see what shows up at this week.

NAB2006 started today April 22 and continues through April 27, 2006 in Las Vegas (exhibits open April 24).

--Dave

its the same over here in Singapore. I asked about the FX1e from the local Sony gallery and the boss told me Sony Singapore has discontinued supply of FX1e and HC1e. While he knows that the latter will be replaced by HC3e the end of Apr, there is no news of wats gonna replace the FX1e.. or will there be? 2 more days to go for me! I cant wait to hear if there is something coming up on NAB..

I wonder now if Apple really had a typo a few weeks ago when the FX1 was $1999 or they just clean out their stock really fast.

I wonder now if Apple really had a typo a few weeks ago when the FX1 was $1999 or they just clean out their stock really fast.

They did sell some at that price. I bought one from a guy on Ebay. He bought 2, and sold one.

I read a few guys got some. Mostly people who ran to a Apple store and bought one in the store. What a deal!!

This thread is a bombshell.

But then again maybe there is no replacement for this camera.

I can't believe I may have saved all this money for nothing....

Dun worry,u can always ship one from Singapore. They r still in stock from expandore.

Hmmmmmmmmmm, interesting... I have one of the last FX1's B&H had in their inventory in transit to my house at this very moment. I hope I didn't make a dumb move in purchasing the FX1 when a new model will be out in a couple of days. Oh well. it should do what I need for now anyway. :)

Shawn

I hope I'm wrong about this, but I think Sony is just trying to force everyone to pay more to get into prosumer HDV. The HC1 was a great camera that should have remained on the market. The FX1 is likewise the other lower cost offering in it's class. If Sony plans to drop the price of the A1U and Z1U to HC1/FX1 prices, I'll be pleasantly shocked. However, I think that Sony is just making bad decisions for consumer. What if Sony intends to make the A1U the low-cost offering and the Z1U their high-end offering for prosumer HDV? None of their competitors have anything to offer in this price range. Honestly, how long were the HC1 and FX1 on the market? The HC1 was less than a year and the FX1 was less than two years I think - why would anyone pull such new camcorders off the market, especially when the were top selling units. Sony didn't do us any favors with the HC3 IMHO (maybe a tad better picture quality in low light, but big losses in camcorder design). Anyway, let's hope I'm wrong -- but if I'm correct, I hope that Sony pays for it with a loss of sales in HDV.

<snip>I hope I didn't make a dumb move in purchasing the FX1 when a new model will be out in a couple of days.<snip>

I wouldn't sweat it. I would actually expect the FX1 replacement to be less competent. Sony will probably want to distance the FXx product from the Zx product. See TRV900 --> HC1000 and HC1 --> HC3 for examples.

Hmmmmmmmmmm, interesting... I have one of the last FX1's B&H had in their inventory in transit to my house at this very moment. I hope I didn't make a dumb move in purchasing the FX1 when a new model will be out in a couple of days. Oh well. it should do what I need for now anyway. :)

Shawn

Sounds like a good movie title: "The Last FX1". Its a story about a nifty consumer camera that competed so well with the pro cameras, that it was eroding the profits of the mega giant Sony......

Just got confirmation from Sony myself, they aren't manufacturing the FX1 anymore.
Something's in the air...
Oh, wait - I just need to take a shower.

Something like a HDV replacement for the TRV900 would be great and go with my FX1. Would be a great replacement for my TRV50 too. SOny'S introductions is usually bring out a consumer model then a Pro model, then cancel the consumer model. This happened with the TRV900 and PD version and has now happened with the HC1 and the A1. I would love the reverse to happen, a 1/3" version of the XDCAM HD F330. 1/3" 3ccd, fixed lens but the same disc technology( or even BluRay!!!) and variable data rates. Can't wait to see what will happen.

Ron Evans

Interesting stuff. I was browsing B&H a few hours ago looking at possibly picking up another camera and it was out of stock. I didn't think anything of it at the time though.

Anyone know if this is specific to the fx1 and not the z1u?

Anyone know if this is specific to the fx1 and not the z1u?

According to Sony -- the Z1 will be around until a version with 1440x1080 comes-out. Perhaps IBC 2006???

There is a new consumer camcorder coming out soon. Supposedly between the FX1 and the HC3. That would be seem like an improved HC1 or a simpler FX1. So according to this person the FX1 should have remained in the line-up.

But, the reaction to the FX1 going away -- if true -- was good news because it would increase sales of the Z1. (Sony could always do a $500 rebate on the Z1 to soften the impact and get FX1 types to move-up. The Z1 does have several very valuable features.

But, I'm really curious if the new camcorder will be CMOS or 3 CCD. I suspect CMOS because Sony invest so much in the DSP chip and advanced processing. So I'm thinking "HC100" with the a better sensor.

Hopefully more the size of the VX1000.

I can't believe I'm reading this........ Saved for nothing. Just my luck.

I was read yesterday that Sony did research that revealed consumers want cams that are very simple to use. That may be the direction they are going.

Consumers that want simple camcorders also freak out when they hear that the Sony HDV camcorders cost $2k, $3k or $5k. Even the HC1's $1400 price tag is sticker shock for many. The main reason I don't think this research is accurate is because: 1) the HC1 and FX1 have been hot selling camcorders and would continue to sell without a doubt.

2) Consumers buy complex Digital Still Cameras -- case in point: the Canon S2 is a very hot seller and this camera has nearly all the complex settings of an SLR, but consumers still want it (and the upcoming S3 - hey SONY, notice how Canon IMPROVES the product line rather than dumbs it down).

Sony just wants to raise the price-tag for HDV acquisition. If Panny or Canon had made something that competes with the FX1 or HC1, those would have stayed on the market. This kind of JUNK is why many have a love/hate relationship with Sony and I'm certainly not feeling any love right now. It is just plain greedy to have a working, hot selling product that you pull just because it's lower cost than anything else.

http://yahoo.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/apr2006/gb20060418_683708.htm

I found this interesting.

omg if sony puts out a sh**ty fx1 replacement I'll be so upset. I'm saving up for an fx1 and want that. If they take it away and try to force me to get a z1 I'll be screwed, I won't be able to afford to go 3ccd hd.

An fx1 is 5000cad and a z1 is 6800-7000cad. That's not small change to me and I have no way to order from the US. Hell even if I did now I can't, they pulled the friggin camera.

All I can say if they better just be adding 24f to it and then putting it back out, comon sony I need this for something I'm working on at the end of the summer.

I'm in the same boat. I have the money and wanted to order from B&H but it looks like I'll have to go to Vann's or somewhere else..

There isnt any news from NAB yet?? No new camera?

Just purchased an FX1 at B&H, they confirmed that they have a number of them in transit. I can confirm when they ship me mine

Regards

GMan

Sheesh.... so this is how wild rumours get started!

Seems that the price is now up to $3049.99 from $2999.99

Camera Arrived

Seems that the price is now up to $3049.99 from $2999.99Price now up to $3,099 !!
so in last 2 weeks, the price for FX1 at B&H has gone from 2,999 to 3,049 to 3,099...
interesting!

I ended up purchasing my FX1 from Amazon.com (B&H didn't have any available at the time) about 3 weeks ago. I had it in my shopping cart for a month before that, and the price had fluctuated from $2,999 to $3,045, then to $3,025, and then suddenly back to $2,999, all within a few weeks. I ended up making a late night purchase as soon as I saw it creep back down to $2,999, because I figured it would go back up if I didn't. My camera was actually shipped by Amazon, though. The current FX1 offering on Amazon.com appears to be from a 3rd party vendor (J&R Music), and it is also $3,099. Very interesting. Hopefully that means my FX1 will retain its value.

Well judging from the reaction to the rumor that the FX1 was discontinued, I'd say there are lots of people that still want them.

Now would also be a good time to remind everyone that discussions of non-sponsor vendors are not allowed at DVinfo. Please support our sponsors; they make this site possible: http://www.dvinfo.net/sponsors/

I bought my FX1 from B&H about a month ago shortly before they went out of stock. I've been looking at this cam for at least a year so I've been investigating every rumour I read (as much as I can on the web).

Things started getting weird one day when I visisted my local Apple store to find their demo FX1 mysteriously disappeared. (The one I'd been fondling for months!) Soon after that first shock came the Apple.com FX1 "sale", then B&H ran out, then the rumours out of Nab, then B&H got more, etc.

Anyway, I have figured out that the FX1 is hugely popular and it makes absolutely no sense that Sony would suddenly stop selling it now. Yes, Sony's made some really stupid mistakes recently, but to stop selling a product this hot is just really hard for me to believe.

The HC1 was a different story; it was too much $ for consumers and not quite good enough for most prosumers. I bought one myself, though. I'm a "lower-end" pro. I'm a "low-pro"! :-)

I just picked up a FX1 at B&H days ago- they're in stock at $3099. May 2006

I am expecting a visit from the manager of the sales department for Sony sometime next week. (Not for global sales, but for Kyushu - Sony have their 2 most modern factories here)

I will ask him what he knows about the FX1.

The Japanese are a little strange compared to westerners when they have interesting information. They don't run around telling everyone about it.....but if given a direct question they will give a straight answer.
I once asked the manager if the Sony Bravia was a completely Sony product made here in Kumamoto. He said, "No, we have many Samsung parts in it....we have a good dialogue with Samsung".

I aslo was told that when Sony make a professional model of a product they calculate a production line for at least 4 years. Granted the FZ1 is maybe more pro-sumer.....and maybe it is getting to the end of the 4 years now...
I'll see what I can find out next week,,,,and post the reply here.

Personally I don't put much stock in rumors like this. For example, see the following report from March 2005 that the VX-2100 was discontinued, and it comes from someone who usually knows what he's talking about ;-)

But the VX-2100 is still selling in May 2006...

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=41279

Price now up to $3,099 !!
so in last 2 weeks, the price for FX1 at B&H has gone from 2,999 to 3,049 to 3,099...
interesting!Price has gone up again for FX1 at B&H.
Now $3,199 !
that makes it $200 more than the PAL version which is highly unusual to say the least.

at least the 3rd price rise in about a month..
To me, that sounds like limited stock (...!) + high demand.

Price has gone up again for FX1 at B&H.
Now $3,199 !
that makes it $200 more than the PAL version which is highly unusual to say the least.

at least the 3rd price rise in about a month..
To me, that sounds like limited stock (...!) + high demand.


Probably due solely to the title of this forum thread. This thread keeps coming up with this title, and someone starts getting excited.........

I just ordered mine and they did a price match with onecall.com @3031.99. Should be here in a few days.

I got a e-mail from B & H today and it says FX1 out of stock, only by special order.

Does that mean they will not stock it again? Maybe they know a new model is coming.

I also noticed that B & H sold an FX1 demo on ebay - just ended & sold for $2,850.

I've been considering purchasing a used FX1, but may wait & get a new HVR-Z1.

Don