question for gs100 owners outside Japan at DVinfo.net

Robert Sato · November 27th, 2003, 05:38 AM

I`m currently visitng Japan & going home stateside soon. I am wondering what are the cons of getting the GS100 (other than warranty)?

I`m thinking that getting the picture into US WinXPP is not a problem through the firewire, right?

For still shots I`m also assuming a SD card reader will do.

I understand Japanese so the menu & use of the camcorder shouldn`t be a problem.

Am I loosing anything by not being able to use the software that comes with the camcorder?

Thanks,
Robert

Frank Granovski · November 27th, 2003, 06:31 AM

There are no cons besides having to send it back if you need waranty work if you understand Japanese as you mentioned. You are not missing anything with the software, if you have other NLE software etc. On the upside, you get a fantastic little 3-chip at a good price. (Get the black one; it'll probably hold its value better if you ever decide to sell it.)

Robert Sato · November 27th, 2003, 04:45 PM

Thanks Frank! At around 101,000 yen, about $935, I think it`s a great buy (Internet price from kakaku.com site).

Well, the only brush I had with editing was when I used to edit my Hi8 footage using Pinnacle`s consumer editing software like Studio200 & Studio400.

I`m assuming that consumer level editing software is also sufficient?

Thanks,
Robert

Frank Granovski · November 27th, 2003, 05:24 PM

Yes. As long as you have firewire installed on your PC.

Robert Sato · February 26th, 2004, 07:27 PM

When I was in Japan I couldn't get hold of a black GS100k afterall at that price. All the shops on the Kakaku had silvers. So I left Japan empty handed.

Since my return stateside, I asked my family in Japan to keep looking out for the black GS100k to surface at close to the silver GS100k's price but no luck.

I finally gave up & decided to get it through pricejapan tonight ... now the waiting begins.

I need to search for the important GS100k threads ;-)

Robert

Frank Granovski · February 26th, 2004, 11:08 PM

Hope everything works out with getting the cam. :-))

Robert Sato · February 27th, 2004, 12:15 PM

Yes, I'm psyched. Hope they don't tax me @ port of entry sicne it's for personal use :-)

I've searched a lot last night & I think I'll stick to Fuji miniDV tapes per your numerous posts. I remember Fuji MP was what I stuck with when doing Hi8 so I expecting similar. Sounds like they also have only one type in USDM so makes ordering simpler.

Robert

Peter Warren · February 27th, 2004, 04:42 PM

Many of us have had a great experience with Price Japan. I am confident that you will too...

Peter Warren

Frank Granovski · February 27th, 2004, 06:11 PM

Where is Price Japan located? Japan, or somewhere else? I mean, it's just a portal type store front, in which dealers join for a fee as an avenue to market their goods, right? Who owns Price Japan? Just curious.

Robert Sato · February 27th, 2004, 07:26 PM

They're located near Akihabara --- Geek Heaven. I always visit Akihabara when I go home to Japan. From their About Us section: "PriceJapan is business company ("YugenGaisha; PriceJapan" in Japanese words), composed of 4 staffs. We are located in Tokyo, Japan (near Akihabara, the largest electronics town in world)."

I don't think retailers join to sell their item but it's more like Pricejapan call themselves 'shopping agents' ... as soon as we place an order they try to get it from their cheapest supplier.

FWIW, Kakaku.com is like the Japanese version of pricescan.com - that might be a portal where retailers join to post prices.

Back to Pricejapan .... I really was impressed with their service --- definitely a service oriented outfit.

Robert

Patricia Kim · February 27th, 2004, 07:49 PM

Frank, there appear to be a number of sites like pricejapan - some run by non-Japanese - where they make available through the internet some of the latest products on the Japanese market that are not usually available outside of Japan. Dynamism.com is one for laptops, handhelds and similar gadgets. Audiocubes.com is another - for headphones and portable audio equipment. I've shopped at Audio Cubes and pricejapan. Both are very good at responding to inquiries, ensuring that you can track your order, etc. But pricejapan's service in terms of quick delivery can only be compared to B&H - and that's saying a lot.

Frank Granovski · February 27th, 2004, 08:49 PM

Thanks!

Robert Sato · March 2nd, 2004, 08:22 PM

So I Paypal'd Pricejapan on Thursday night.

The camera was in my local DHL hub on Monday morning but the DHL shipping form didn't have the street address on it for some reason & it sat at the hub yesterday. Since I was tracking via web, I called the street address in & they delivered it in one piece this morning.

Haven't had a chance to play other than fire it up throug hthe AC to make sure I don't have any dead pixels <g>. I guess the camera has to wait until the weekend due to business.

Can't actually believe that it came so fast.

Robert

Frank Granovski · March 2nd, 2004, 11:16 PM

Glad to hear it arrived so fast!

Did you get an extra battery with extra juice for it? :-))

Robert Sato · March 4th, 2004, 11:39 AM

No, I'll probably get the large cap waist battery later on.

I just ordered 10 Fuji cassettes & a Panny cleaning cassette. I couldn't find Fuji cleaning @ B&H so I assumed that Panny's cleaning cassette will do since the wrapper seem to say it's 'dry' type.

I'll need to read up more about the wide angle lens (Rayonex) since I want a want a wide angle lens. Oh, yeah, I'll get some filters too.

I started reading the manual in the hopes of trying to understand the different modes: progressive, cinema, pro-cinema, etc ... more than anything I got further confused. I need to re-read the pages <g>.

Robert

November 27th, 2003, 05:38 AM	#1
Robert Sato Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Ohio Posts: 31	question for gs100 owners outside Japan I`m currently visitng Japan & going home stateside soon. I am wondering what are the cons of getting the GS100 (other than warranty)? I`m thinking that getting the picture into US WinXPP is not a problem through the firewire, right? For still shots I`m also assuming a SD card reader will do. I understand Japanese so the menu & use of the camcorder shouldn`t be a problem. Am I loosing anything by not being able to use the software that comes with the camcorder? Thanks, Robert

November 27th, 2003, 06:31 AM	#2
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	There are no cons besides having to send it back if you need waranty work if you understand Japanese as you mentioned. You are not missing anything with the software, if you have other NLE software etc. On the upside, you get a fantastic little 3-chip at a good price. (Get the black one; it'll probably hold its value better if you ever decide to sell it.)

November 27th, 2003, 04:45 PM	#3
Robert Sato Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Ohio Posts: 31	Thanks Frank! At around 101,000 yen, about $935, I think it`s a great buy (Internet price from kakaku.com site). Well, the only brush I had with editing was when I used to edit my Hi8 footage using Pinnacle`s consumer editing software like Studio200 & Studio400. I`m assuming that consumer level editing software is also sufficient? Thanks, Robert

November 27th, 2003, 05:24 PM	#4
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	Yes. As long as you have firewire installed on your PC.

February 26th, 2004, 07:27 PM	#5
Robert Sato Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Ohio Posts: 31	When I was in Japan I couldn't get hold of a black GS100k afterall at that price. All the shops on the Kakaku had silvers. So I left Japan empty handed. Since my return stateside, I asked my family in Japan to keep looking out for the black GS100k to surface at close to the silver GS100k's price but no luck. I finally gave up & decided to get it through pricejapan tonight ... now the waiting begins. I need to search for the important GS100k threads ;-) Robert

February 26th, 2004, 11:08 PM	#6
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	Hope everything works out with getting the cam. :-))

February 27th, 2004, 12:15 PM	#7
Robert Sato Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Ohio Posts: 31	Yes, I'm psyched. Hope they don't tax me @ port of entry sicne it's for personal use :-) I've searched a lot last night & I think I'll stick to Fuji miniDV tapes per your numerous posts. I remember Fuji MP was what I stuck with when doing Hi8 so I expecting similar. Sounds like they also have only one type in USDM so makes ordering simpler. Robert

February 27th, 2004, 04:42 PM	#8
Peter Warren Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: DEnver, Colorado , US Posts: 45	Many of us have had a great experience with Price Japan. I am confident that you will too... Peter Warren

February 27th, 2004, 06:11 PM	#9
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	Where is Price Japan located? Japan, or somewhere else? I mean, it's just a portal type store front, in which dealers join for a fee as an avenue to market their goods, right? Who owns Price Japan? Just curious.

February 27th, 2004, 07:26 PM	#10
Robert Sato Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Ohio Posts: 31	They're located near Akihabara --- Geek Heaven. I always visit Akihabara when I go home to Japan. From their About Us section: "PriceJapan is business company ("YugenGaisha; PriceJapan" in Japanese words), composed of 4 staffs. We are located in Tokyo, Japan (near Akihabara, the largest electronics town in world)." I don't think retailers join to sell their item but it's more like Pricejapan call themselves 'shopping agents' ... as soon as we place an order they try to get it from their cheapest supplier. FWIW, Kakaku.com is like the Japanese version of pricescan.com - that might be a portal where retailers join to post prices. Back to Pricejapan .... I really was impressed with their service --- definitely a service oriented outfit. Robert

February 27th, 2004, 07:49 PM	#11
Patricia Kim Major Player Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Honolulu, Hawaii Posts: 453	Frank, there appear to be a number of sites like pricejapan - some run by non-Japanese - where they make available through the internet some of the latest products on the Japanese market that are not usually available outside of Japan. Dynamism.com is one for laptops, handhelds and similar gadgets. Audiocubes.com is another - for headphones and portable audio equipment. I've shopped at Audio Cubes and pricejapan. Both are very good at responding to inquiries, ensuring that you can track your order, etc. But pricejapan's service in terms of quick delivery can only be compared to B&H - and that's saying a lot.

February 27th, 2004, 08:49 PM	#12
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	Thanks!

March 2nd, 2004, 08:22 PM	#13
Robert Sato Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Ohio Posts: 31	So I Paypal'd Pricejapan on Thursday night. The camera was in my local DHL hub on Monday morning but the DHL shipping form didn't have the street address on it for some reason & it sat at the hub yesterday. Since I was tracking via web, I called the street address in & they delivered it in one piece this morning. Haven't had a chance to play other than fire it up throug hthe AC to make sure I don't have any dead pixels <g>. I guess the camera has to wait until the weekend due to business. Can't actually believe that it came so fast. Robert

March 2nd, 2004, 11:16 PM	#14
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	Glad to hear it arrived so fast! Did you get an extra battery with extra juice for it? :-))

March 4th, 2004, 11:39 AM	#15
Robert Sato Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Ohio Posts: 31	No, I'll probably get the large cap waist battery later on. I just ordered 10 Fuji cassettes & a Panny cleaning cassette. I couldn't find Fuji cleaning @ B&H so I assumed that Panny's cleaning cassette will do since the wrapper seem to say it's 'dry' type. I'll need to read up more about the wide angle lens (Rayonex) since I want a want a wide angle lens. Oh, yeah, I'll get some filters too. I started reading the manual in the hopes of trying to understand the different modes: progressive, cinema, pro-cinema, etc ... more than anything I got further confused. I need to re-read the pages <g>. Robert