SDX900 price cut -- not a huge amount more than XL H1?? at DVinfo.net

Jeff Nelson · March 28th, 2006, 08:27 PM

List is now $16,500 and it includes a free AG-YA902AG SDI Card ($935.00 value).

See http://catalog2.panasonic.com/webapp...odel=AJ-SDX900

Yeah, you still have to buy a lens in addition, but this seems like a pretty good price for a camera a lot of people have really raved about with 24p, 4-2-2 and color matrix gizmos.

I like the Z1, like what I see and hear about the XL h1 and am planning to rent one soon to see what I think. I also really like the idea of having a smaller form factor camera like these HDV cams, having lugged the JVC GYDV5000 around for years.

But they've knocked 11 grand off the SDX900 price, and it's looking quite tempting. Anyone else thinking there may be a real deal to be had here?

Eric Brown · March 28th, 2006, 08:38 PM

This confirms it. Somewhere in the back of my head I was thinking that this could happen. As good as the SDX is it's still an SD camera not HD, which in my estimation spurred on the price reduction. Unfortunately, this is still slightly out of my range with the lens. Any other thoughts as to why the price reduction?

Daniel Epstein · March 29th, 2006, 09:43 AM

There seems to be several thoughts on this.
1) As pointed out this is a standard def camera and the former price with a lens puts it at 35K while Sony and Grass Valley are coming out with Dual Standard Def/HD models for 20 to 25 K. It still ends up being more than the Sony low end XDCAM HD with viewfinder etc. If you already have a lens then maybe they can get you to stick with SD for a little longer
2) They don't want to get stuck with stock they can't get rid of and the longer the price stayed at the old number the more likely people would look at other models
3) Maybe they come out with a new model to replace this one. Don't buy anything in the weeks before NAB.
4) They are trying to maintain a SD def tape market and figure they can compete very easily with the DSR-400 and DSR-450 if they get the numbers closer to those cameras
5) All of the above

By the way the price compared to an XLH1 is still double for an SDX-900. If Canon comes out with a lens we want and the format issues in post are resolved then it will be hard for Panasonic to maintain even this lower list price.
Also the SDX-900 is a great camera but was a little hobbled in the market by the cost of the edit deck compared to Sony with DVCAM. If they had produced decks with the same price points as Sony but with DVCPRO 50 playback they would have been even more successful than they were.

Jeff Nelson · March 29th, 2006, 12:38 PM

This is what one Panasonic dealer just told me, that he thinks Panasonic is about to introduce an under $30K version of the Varicam at NAB, and in preparation for that they dropped the SDX900 since a $30k Varicam would mean no one would buy a $27,000 SDX900 when they could have a Varicam for the same price.

Ash Greyson · March 29th, 2006, 01:57 PM

Panny has been VERY adamant that they will NOT announce a Vari replacement. They WILL have a new 2/3" CCD P2 camera though, AJ-HPC2000. It is NOT a Vari replacement and I think is slated at under $20K.

As far as the SDX900, it is a FABULOUS camera that looks STUNNING when bumped to film or HD. Search the net you will see an article I have linked before about the doc "Smile" where they cut in SDX into HD footage and even the engineers had trouble seeing the difference.

ash =o)

Daniel Epstein · March 29th, 2006, 05:23 PM

Ash,
Yes the SDX-900 is a great camera as I said in my previous post along with most of the other people in this thread.
. However the $16500 list price doesn't include a viewfinder or camera plate so the real price for a camera without a lens ends up being over 18K. A great deal this time last year but maybe not such a good deal this year.
I agree Panasonic has not promised a cheaper Varicam and I think they are going to stick with it.
As for there announced P2 camera it is going to come out the 4th qtr of this year. Eerily similar announcement to the HVX-200. I don't believe this will slow sales of the competitors too much unless they can't deliver either.
If Panasonic announces some very large P2 cards for delivery before the camera then I may have to rethink my bias in favor of removable recordable media like XDCAM, Editcam, Infinity and yes tape.
If they announce a great harddrive set up that will also get my attention.

Ash Greyson · March 30th, 2006, 01:21 PM

Yep, the list price is deceiving... look at $5k+ to make it a decent rig. The Vari price is rumored to be dropping 30%+ next month...

ash =o)

March 28th, 2006, 08:27 PM	#1
Jeff Nelson Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 194	SDX900 price cut -- not a huge amount more than XL H1?? List is now $16,500 and it includes a free AG-YA902AG SDI Card ($935.00 value). See http://catalog2.panasonic.com/webapp...odel=AJ-SDX900 Yeah, you still have to buy a lens in addition, but this seems like a pretty good price for a camera a lot of people have really raved about with 24p, 4-2-2 and color matrix gizmos. I like the Z1, like what I see and hear about the XL h1 and am planning to rent one soon to see what I think. I also really like the idea of having a smaller form factor camera like these HDV cams, having lugged the JVC GYDV5000 around for years. But they've knocked 11 grand off the SDX900 price, and it's looking quite tempting. Anyone else thinking there may be a real deal to be had here?

March 29th, 2006, 12:38 PM	#4
Jeff Nelson Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 194	Pana is about to introduce an under $30K version of the Varicam at NAB? This is what one Panasonic dealer just told me, that he thinks Panasonic is about to introduce an under $30K version of the Varicam at NAB, and in preparation for that they dropped the SDX900 since a $30k Varicam would mean no one would buy a $27,000 SDX900 when they could have a Varicam for the same price.

March 28th, 2006, 08:38 PM	#2
Eric Brown Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Seattle Posts: 427	This confirms it. Somewhere in the back of my head I was thinking that this could happen. As good as the SDX is it's still an SD camera not HD, which in my estimation spurred on the price reduction. Unfortunately, this is still slightly out of my range with the lens. Any other thoughts as to why the price reduction?

March 29th, 2006, 09:43 AM	#3
Daniel Epstein Trustee Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: New York, NY Posts: 1,267	There seems to be several thoughts on this. 1) As pointed out this is a standard def camera and the former price with a lens puts it at 35K while Sony and Grass Valley are coming out with Dual Standard Def/HD models for 20 to 25 K. It still ends up being more than the Sony low end XDCAM HD with viewfinder etc. If you already have a lens then maybe they can get you to stick with SD for a little longer 2) They don't want to get stuck with stock they can't get rid of and the longer the price stayed at the old number the more likely people would look at other models 3) Maybe they come out with a new model to replace this one. Don't buy anything in the weeks before NAB. 4) They are trying to maintain a SD def tape market and figure they can compete very easily with the DSR-400 and DSR-450 if they get the numbers closer to those cameras 5) All of the above By the way the price compared to an XLH1 is still double for an SDX-900. If Canon comes out with a lens we want and the format issues in post are resolved then it will be hard for Panasonic to maintain even this lower list price. Also the SDX-900 is a great camera but was a little hobbled in the market by the cost of the edit deck compared to Sony with DVCAM. If they had produced decks with the same price points as Sony but with DVCPRO 50 playback they would have been even more successful than they were.

March 29th, 2006, 01:57 PM	#5
Ash Greyson Trustee Join Date: May 2003 Location: Tulsa, OK Posts: 1,689	Panny has been VERY adamant that they will NOT announce a Vari replacement. They WILL have a new 2/3" CCD P2 camera though, AJ-HPC2000. It is NOT a Vari replacement and I think is slated at under $20K. As far as the SDX900, it is a FABULOUS camera that looks STUNNING when bumped to film or HD. Search the net you will see an article I have linked before about the doc "Smile" where they cut in SDX into HD footage and even the engineers had trouble seeing the difference. ash =o)

March 29th, 2006, 05:23 PM	#6
Daniel Epstein Trustee Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: New York, NY Posts: 1,267	Ash, Yes the SDX-900 is a great camera as I said in my previous post along with most of the other people in this thread. . However the $16500 list price doesn't include a viewfinder or camera plate so the real price for a camera without a lens ends up being over 18K. A great deal this time last year but maybe not such a good deal this year. I agree Panasonic has not promised a cheaper Varicam and I think they are going to stick with it. As for there announced P2 camera it is going to come out the 4th qtr of this year. Eerily similar announcement to the HVX-200. I don't believe this will slow sales of the competitors too much unless they can't deliver either. If Panasonic announces some very large P2 cards for delivery before the camera then I may have to rethink my bias in favor of removable recordable media like XDCAM, Editcam, Infinity and yes tape. If they announce a great harddrive set up that will also get my attention.

March 30th, 2006, 01:21 PM	#7
Ash Greyson Trustee Join Date: May 2003 Location: Tulsa, OK Posts: 1,689	Yep, the list price is deceiving... look at $5k+ to make it a decent rig. The Vari price is rumored to be dropping 30%+ next month... ash =o)