Gustavo, not yet. But there are pics. I'll give you the link---let me get it and I'll come back to post it.

http://www.keithloh.com/photos/cstrike/

I was quite impressed with their project.

Is it based on the popular game Counterstrike?

That's what I was told. It was a very professional shoot with some familar faces among the actors. Good stunt work too.

My reaction to GS400
 

http://homepage.mac.com/kakuito/blogstudio/LH20040611105919/2004/7/2/LHA20040702010044/index.html

People probably don't like it because of the size. For me, GS400 is better solution than DVC-AG30 since GS400 takes better wide-screen video and still has multi-function ring. I would order it right away.

Yowch, let me know when the PAL version of the GS400 gets to your neck of the woods. My son has sort of taken ownership of my MX500 and I'm in need of a new one. hehehe.

BTW, I"ve tried several times to email you and got returns. Do you have a new email address? I wanted to fill you in on Sarah.

Hi Joe,

It has been quite some time... I'll initiate with another mail to you.

As for the debate of shooting 'professionally', if making money means professional, then everyone is professional because I have paid $50 to a friend to help me shoot something using a $300 camcorder.

In photography, there is 35mm film and there is large format film. If 35mm can give what large format can give, then the pros are really stupid to walk arround with 20kg large format cameras costing $20,000.

Similarly, why are the TV stations not accepting videos from the PD170 or XL-1s? (Sure, some low budget stations will accept anything).

Let's not kid ourselves, we spend $20,000 on a 50" plasma TV and claim that a $1,000 3 x 1/6" CCD cam with lens of diameter 37mm can do the job! hahaha.

As for movies or hits shot on digital video cams below $5,000, I am pretty sure that the awards went to the story, editing, acting but certainly not any techinical awards. Given better cams and bigger budget, I am sure that the movies may do even better.

Enough my my rants. I am pleased with my cam and the quality that it gives, considering it was only US$1,300 (two years ago). I will not claim that I am professional and I will not send my videos to National Geographic uninvited. If someone gives me $50,000 for new equipment, I will not buy the GS400.

At least some 35mm lenses/cams capture sharp images, as do some consumer camcorders. There's always the poor man's route and the rich man's route. The trick is to choose wisely.

Medium format cameras will give you more resolution/detail than a 35mm camera. However, DV is DV, no matter what the CCD size is. It's all limited to 540 horizontal playback lines.

I talked to the distributor today and tried to place three of GS400K-Ks, but the staff told me the first production will be not enough to cover the hype.

So, Kaku, that means Pana thinks the interest in Japan will be that high? Despite this not being a cutesy pocket/purse size cam? Or does it mean most of the production has been planned for overseas distribution? What's your best guess?

I have been told that the version coming to the US will NOT be black. That should hold down sales here and push them up in Japan when Tommy and everyone else who wants a black 400 buys from Allan.

<<<-- Originally posted by Patricia Kim : So, Kaku, that means Pana thinks the interest in Japan will be that high? Despite this not being a cutesy pocket/purse size cam? Or does it mean most of the production has been planned for overseas distribution? What's your best guess? -->>>

Pat,

My guess is that they are being careful about the number of production to see how the consumer respond. Japanese summer vacation time is starting now and they were successful making the deadline for sure (though I have not received mine yet). One thing is though, Japanese consumer has not realized the bueaty of hi-res 16:9 and prgressive mode, so GS400 being more expensive, I don't know if it is going to be as popular as Sony camcorders. So, Panasonic maybe looking at exports more seriously?

I was informed that I would receive all three GS400s that I ordered from the first bunch.