- Large sensor with good dynamic range above everything else
- Manual focus ring
- Highest bitrate possible for the standard
- 720 24p to 60p
- Large LCD with focus and exposure assist
- Records to external hard drive module or built in SD card slot
- Under $2000

Am I crazy? How about a Panasonic little brother to the HVX-200?

I'm right there with you...

Maybe the next DVC30? An AVCHD camera with three 1/4" CCDs at $2000 would be very interesting. Steal some thunder away from the new Canons.

Think it will happen? Or will Panny and Sony keep AVCHD in the consumer world only?

Am I crazy? How about a Panasonic little brother to the HVX-200?
That's what I'm hoping for. They could even call it HVX-100... ;)

Panasonic has already indicated that they're working on a more professional AVC camera, but I doubt it will cost only $2000. If I was them I'd take the HVX200 and convert it to record AVCHD on standard CompactFlash memory cards with at least 3-4 slots in the camera, restrict the recording options if necessary to hold cost down, and drop the price to compete with the new Canon HDV cameras. I'd also go find a better sensor, since the one in the HVX200 is barely better than PAL resolution. Bump the AVC bit rate to 50 Mbps like they've already proposed and we'd have a camera which offers a useful alternative to both HDV and DVCProHD without requiring expensive P2 memory cards.

Sooner or later someone will make a camera like this at a reasonable price, but I'm not holding my breath. If Panasonic doesn't do it soon I'd expect a long wait, with Sony trying to push Blu-ray recording and JVC and Canon taking their sweet time getting around to all this.

Three 1/2" progressive CCDs or CMOS chips with 1,440 x 810 pixels (roughly the same pixel density as the HVX's) or even 1,536 x 864 pixels
Removable lens; the default lens should be as good as the HVX's
Support for an AVC Intra data rate of at least 100 Mbps (for 10-bit, 4:4:2 or even 4:4:4 at 1,920 x 1,080)
Variable frame rates for 1080p as well as 720p
On-board hard-disk controller
Support for Compact Flash
Viewfinder at front end of the carry handle à la the JVC HD100
HD-SDI

Since we're wishing...
I wish for:
200Mbps datarate
8 channels uncompressed audio
1 4inch CMOS chip of 1920 x 1080
12 bit, 4:4:4 color sampling
2 TB onboard storage
6 to 2000 fps
24p, 25p, 30p, 50i, 60i, 60p, and 120p
full resolution display, flipout or detachable
Removeable lens
No built in microphone, just breakout fan/box
HD SDI
Firewire 800
HDMI
Uncompressed component output
Svideo downsample
Firewire downsample to 4:4:4 uncompressed SD

All in the consumer price range of 3k or less.

Now you're just getting greedy. ;)

Well, in my fantasies, I'm young, good looking, slender, strong as an ox, taller, thicker hair, smarter than Einstein, athletic as any NBA/NFL/ABA/USPA champion, and able to leap small buildings in a single bound.
Since we're fantasizing in this thread, why can't I be greedy too? ;-)

I can imagine a $4000 high quality AVC camcorder if the quality of the video was at least as good as that of the HDV... which I hope it would be. I would actually hope it to be better.

I'd be willing to buy that new $4000 Canon HDV camcorder if it were only progressive :( I'm using it for personal projects with a lot of special effects. The HVX is just too much money.

Since we're wishing...
I wish for:
200Mbps datarate
8 channels uncompressed audio
1 4inch CMOS chip of 1920 x 1080
12 bit, 4:4:4 color sampling
2 TB onboard storage
6 to 2000 fps
24p, 25p, 30p, 50i, 60i, 60p, and 120p
full resolution display, flipout or detachable
Removeable lens
No built in microphone, just breakout fan/box
HD SDI
Firewire 800
HDMI
Uncompressed component output
Svideo downsample
Firewire downsample to 4:4:4 uncompressed SD

All in the consumer price range of 3k or less.

That would be the Canon XL series + RED.

That would be the Canon XL series + RED.
For 3k or less?