GS100K in English on Supervideo.com?

[Stewart Fountain]

"Black Mamba with entire cam In English HERE!" it says at the Supervideo.com site. http://www.supervideo.com/MXExtreme.htm

He's calling it the MXExtreme. The buttons on the lens are marked in English but the LCD is closed and there is no specific mention of the menus being in English. To me, it sort of looks like the English captions are stickers covering the Japanese lettering but it's hard to tell from the picture. What do you think?

Any suggestions on the following would be greatly appreciated:

I am having a tough time deciding on a DV cam. Now that the Xi has been reviewed at http://www.camcorderinfo.com. I can see that the low light ability probably isn't that great even though the color is great for a one-chipper. The PV-DV953 looks good but lacks some of the updated features of the Xi and the GS100k like a dedicated headphone port. If it wasn't for the Japanese menus and warranty issues I would be all over the GS100k. Sony is another option but the TRV38 and TRV70 just didn't impress me colorwise. Also, handling the TRV38 is a pain. Budget is around 1K.

My use for the cam is initially for interviews for a retirement video for my father and then home and family stuff after that.

-Stewart

[Tommy Haupfear]

Looks like Chucky got his hands on some English STICKERS..

I'm sure the in-camera menus are still Japanese. It might have a translated manual in English.

I have several friends who can read Japanese and I'm just a week or two away from ordering the GS100K (black of course). I've also owned the NV-MX1000 which is also a Panasonic MiniDV from Japan. Once you learn the menu system you'd be amazed how easy the cam is to operate. I've included a screenshot of the MX1000's menu viewed from the external LCD.

From this shot you can see that I am in Manual Mode (MNL) for pictures. I have the Mega Opitical Image Stabilizatoin on, Outdoor WB (sun), 1/30 shutter, +15 exposure, Progressive Photoshot (P),Red Eye Reduction and Flash enabled, and still resolution is 1280 with 108 pics remaining on memory card.

How easy is that? :)

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2002-...MX1000Menu.jpg

I have the Optura Xi and if the Japanese menu (and warranty) still bother you then I would suggest either the DV953 or Xi. I feel the DV953 is the better cam even though it lacks the higher widescreen resolution. All three of these cams require good lighting to achieve their best.

[Ali Tan Ucer]

Stewart Fountain, I am sure that guy is a lo_ser. Did you ask the price for the English stickers version? I am sure it is $4000 including with unnecesseary accesories. :)

[Frank Granovski]

Stewart, what I see is the black NV-GS100 with a wide angle adaptor and Hoya rubber lens hood, an XLR adaptor (probably a Beachtek), an external mic---all sitting on a tripod.

Then the pictures below are Pana cams in a rain jacket and all-weather housing.

The easiest way to figure out the menus is to download the PV-DV953 manual or NV-MX500 manual (free).

If you want info on one of these cams with all the extras, e-mail via the link on that super video page. Or, check out price Japan, or, contact Allan. Personally, I'd go with Allan.

Having Japanese menus would make me nervous as well, but I'm sure that I food get over it while learning the ins and outs of the cam.

I still think the PV-DV953 is great bang for the buck. Though the GS100 is the little bit better cam.

Regarding low light. There's a fix for this: be more creative with lighting techniques---such as, replacing a 60 watt bulb with a 100 watt'er, position your dad properly (under a light), etc. John Jackman of http://www.dv.com has an excellent lighting book.

[Fred Garhart]

I should have my professional Panasonic PV-DV953 digital camcorder this week. I ordered it from B+H. The PV-DV953 being a professional camcorder, it will enrich my life as a manager in a Calgary lady's shoe store. I just wish it was black since professional camcorders are black. I figure to keep the cost down, the factory didn't paint it black.

[Frank Granovski]

Fred, not all professional cams are black. (Just the good ones.) :):)

[Patricia Kim]

I own the GS100K and am a fan, but I think you should plod through the various threads in this forum on the camcorder. Everyone has a different level of tolerance for Japanese menus (and manuals). A recent thread mentioned the frustration of not being able to easily discern what feature cancels out another feature, for example. More sophisticated users are frustrated because the cam can't handle the freestyle remote control and a non-Panasonic mike at the same time (and the one person who bought the Panasonic mike and has posted on these boards had problems with it). Someone who just did a few weddings has put his cam up for sale. Balance out your planned usage with the camcorder's shortcomings before jumping, particularly since this is an item you would not be able to return very easily, if at all. Sorry if you had already thought of all of that and this seems gratuitous. Wasn't meant to be.

[Stewart Fountain]

Thank you all for such great responses!

Seeing the LCD view of the menus makes me think I could probably (BIG probably!) get over the Japanese menus but what about the warranty? I keep hearing that the one thing to buy an extended warranty for is a camcorder with all the moving parts and tape transport. Let's say it breaks for whatever reason, where do I send/take it for repair (even for the smallest thing)?

Tommy has an Xi and is still ordering a GS100K. Are they so far apart in quality that you need both for different situations? Plus, he has the Xi and feels the 953 is the better cam. Both are almost the same price and the more peole that review the Xi the more people recommend the 953. This makes me think the Xi isn't as good as all the hype. Maybe I should get a 953 now and sell it for a US release GS100K later this year?

I'm beginning to think the the 953 or the Xi is really the way to go. I want to use external lav mikes for the interviews and I was going to monitor the sound with a headset too. I guess I will have to be creative with the lighting so I ordered the Jackman book (Thank's Frank!). Low light scares me though. I saw someone post that 2 100w lights are considered low light! It's one thing to light an interview properly but how do you shoot around the house with notoriously "low" lighting?

I am truly a video noob here (never used a cam before) so all your info is great! Thank you one and all!

-Stewart

[Frank Granovski]

If you have a 60 watt bulb, and a PV-DV953, you can get good footage. The trick is to have the light from this bulb shinning on the subject, and not shoot the dark side of the subject. A 100 watt bulb would be better, or 2, 60 watt bulbs. But you would have to place the bulbs or subject correctly. It's not difficult.

Maybe I should get a 953 now and sell it for a US release GS100K later this year?

I don't think the GS100 is that much better, a little better in some ways, in other ways, no.

[Tommy Haupfear]

Stewart, I think you would really enjoy the DV953 as I captured a lot of great footage of the one I had earlier this year. The Xi is also a great cam but the DV953 handles contrasts (sky/tree line) a lot better. With the Xi it always seems to blow one out or underexpose. I'm not sure if this is just the Xi's weak point or the benefit of the DV953's three CCDs. Low light autofocus is also a sore point with the Xi.

I'm choosing the GS100k since I could possibly benefit from its marginally better low light performance and improved 16:9 mode. Well that and its BLACK MAMBA. Seriously though, I have upgrade issues (just ask Frank) and I think the DV953 would suit you best. As Frank mentions the GS100k is only slightly better for the added inconvenience of Japanese menus and overseas repair.

A still from my DV953

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-...Picture360.jpg

A few frames from my DV953

http://www.villagephotos.com/pubbrow...elected=339297

[Fred Garhart]

If Panasonic would have brought out a black version of the professional Panasonic PV-DV953 camcorder, Panasonic would have made more money and pushed Sony out of business. I just may paint mine black. I don't know. I have to look into it further.

[Frank Granovski]

You made a good buy, Fred, but don't paint it. You'll ruin it.

[Brian Morlock]

Almost got a pv-dv953,,, then heard about the nv-gs100k,,,, wait a bit.

The supervideo.com says the 100k has zebra stripes for exposure control, color bars for calibration (SMPTE??), skin tone adjustment, internal neutral density filter, audio adjustment for mic input, manual white balance,,,,

Panasonic.com and b&h photo video.com info on 953 mention only the manual white balance.

BUT,, in the current Consumer Review Video Buyers Guide says the 953 has zebra stripes and color bars,,, hopefully they are telling the truth.

PLEASE, what does the 100k have that the 953 does not??
Chuckmeister claims that Panasonic removes such features on the U.S. versions of the MX series,,, comments please.

[Tommy Haupfear]

Brian,

The DV953 has manual audio, zebras, and color bars. The ND filter I'm not so sure on but maybe someone else can chime on which cam has it and whether its defeatble or full auto.

As for the skin tone adjustment.. Do you have Japanese skin tone? :)

PLEASE, what does the 100k have that the 953 does not??

Save your eyesight and avoid Chucky's website. What does the DV953 not do for you? You might want to read several posts up where I mention several differences between the DV953 and GS100k.

Color bars on my past DV953

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-6/74415/DV953.jpg

[Fred Garhart]

Brian, the biggest difference I see between these two professional Panasonic camcorders is that one is professional black and one is not professional black. I went and did some reading on those long threads, and Allan has noted a number of shortcomings with the black professional Panasonic camcorder.