PV-DV953

Frank Granovski · February 17th, 2003, 06:02 PM

There will be a Panasonic dealer's show next month here in Vancouver. After the show I should have some info about this cam. (No, I'm not a dealer.) I'm almost dying to find out whether this cam is the North American version of the Japanese Domestic NV-MX5000.

That new tiny, tiny 3 chip from Panasonic will probably be a hot seller, since Leo's, a local pro shop in my neck of the woods, have been getting swamped with inquiries. Who knows! Maybe that'll be the new cam I'll get for my wife---she keeps bugging me---she's tired of her JVC GR-DVL300 (I think that's the model). Mind you, that cam and her still cam (Nikon EM) are collecting dust these days. (It's because of the overcast Vancouver winter weather.)

Frank Granovski · February 19th, 2003, 05:03 PM

For what it's worth, Charles Littman wrote that "the PV-DV953 is a stripped down version of the MX5000. Surprised?" He also said that he has the new MX6000 Operating Manual. Here we go again; another new MX cam in Japan. It's hard to keep up...or am I just slowing down? A little of both, I think.

Frank Granovski · February 21st, 2003, 11:58 PM

The PV-DV953 is now posted at http://www.panasonic.com

The picture sure looks like the MX500/0. Maybe someone can compare the specs between the PV-DV953 and MX5000.

Yow Cheong Hoe · February 22nd, 2003, 05:14 AM

The PVDV953 seems to be exactly the same as the MX500, down to the miserable 1/6" CCDs, except for being NTSC instead of PAL. At least, the specifications on Panasonic site says so...

Frank Granovski · February 22nd, 2003, 05:23 AM

Aren't you glad that your MX350 has 1/4" CCDs? But you gotta ask yourself: where's the widescreen? Oops. The smaller chipped MX5's got the higher res 16:9---and the funny thing is that I bought the MX3 for the pro-scan and widescreen. Oops.

Yow Cheong Hoe · February 24th, 2003, 06:05 AM

Yup, no widescreen, and having seen Alaska's (of DV.com) bear wide screens, I'll say they look great!

But I won't be able to afford widescreen for another 5 years at the earliest, being a poor engineer. So I'll stick to 4:3 for now, at least my poorer parents can see thing bigger on their 4:3 TVs without the letterboxing, considering the aging eyes.

But I'll say, "Widescreen is the way to go". Probably in my next video cam, a high-end semipro or a low-end pro camera. Until then, I'll work harder and smarter to be richer.

:)

Joe Carney · February 26th, 2003, 01:00 PM

Frank, according to Panasonics web site, the 953 has all the features of the 5000, including Cinema (16x9) mode and Optical stableizer.
Once again, I'm not not trusting Littman at all. Plus with discounts at places like Best Buy and BrandsMart, it should retail closer to 1200. Maybe the Japanese can buy it from the States? hehehe.

Frank Granovski · February 26th, 2003, 03:02 PM

Maybe the Japanese can buy it from the States?

Sadly, the Japanese would have to deal with the English menus. But the really sad news is that there should be a MX6000 out around June...in Japan (not elsewhere). Hopefully, it'll have 1/8" CCDs.... (Yuk, yuk!)

Yow Cheong Hoe · February 26th, 2003, 07:23 PM

The official retail price in Singapore is SGD3300, while the vendors are selling at SGD2400 (some even below this) currently.

SGD2400 is US$1380 currently.

It is also noted that taxes are different at different countries, and NTSC areas are cheaper than PAL areas.

Steven Khong · February 26th, 2003, 08:58 PM

Hi, Cheng Hoe!

Is that the price of the MX500 (PAL) you are quoting?

By the way, across the causeway / bridge in Malaysia, I can get the MX500 (PAL) for RM 5900 which is / 3.85 = USD $1,532.

That's the list price. You can always bargain the price down to perhaps another 5 or if you're really really persistant, 10 percent.

Yow Cheong Hoe · March 2nd, 2003, 07:10 PM

Just helped a friend get one unit of MX500 last Saturday for (all prices in Singaproe dollars) for $2330, with 1 extra 2.5hr battery (about $80 worth), 3 Panasonic tapes ($18), one cheap UV(0) filter ($5) and a Panasonic bag ($10) all thrown in.

S$2330 is about RM5000 and US$1330.

The prices continues to fall...

Jed Williamson · March 4th, 2003, 12:46 PM

I found a website taking preorders for the 953 !!!!!

Maybe it'll be available soon, still waiting on that email from Panasonic.

Frank Granovski · March 4th, 2003, 02:54 PM

Hi Jed, I gave up with my e-mails too Panasonic USA. They either don't reply, which is most of the time, or don't answer my question/s---and I do keep it very simple for them!

What is that dealer asking for the PV-DV953? What dealer/website?

Jed Williamson · March 4th, 2003, 03:15 PM

I didn't list the website before cause Chris usually admonishes posters to stick with board sponsers, but i don't see any panasonic (or sony) sponsers.

It's listed on onecall.com (authorized dealer) for $1499.00

But they usually have the best "online" prices of anyone so should be at least 7% off (I guess that's their current promo)
And they have a 3 year warranty (with a cool partially refundable feature) for $99.

so far the only website other than panasonic to list the 953. Still says out of stock though : )

Frank Granovski · March 4th, 2003, 05:21 PM

Thanks, Jed. $1499 is Panasonic's list price I think. Street price might be lower. Perhaps after the dealer shows are completed, the new Panasonics will be released. That's usually how it goes. My biggest concern is that the PV-DV953 will be a stripped version of the MX5000. That's what Charles Littman thinks. Well, I guess the count down is on! A few more weeks and it'll be on US shelves. Up here in Canada, I'd say after April 1st, maybe even not until May, is when we'll see these new pups. Onecall is in Washington, right?

February 17th, 2003, 06:02 PM	#1
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	PV-DV953 - no news yet There will be a Panasonic dealer's show next month here in Vancouver. After the show I should have some info about this cam. (No, I'm not a dealer.) I'm almost dying to find out whether this cam is the North American version of the Japanese Domestic NV-MX5000. That new tiny, tiny 3 chip from Panasonic will probably be a hot seller, since Leo's, a local pro shop in my neck of the woods, have been getting swamped with inquiries. Who knows! Maybe that'll be the new cam I'll get for my wife---she keeps bugging me---she's tired of her JVC GR-DVL300 (I think that's the model). Mind you, that cam and her still cam (Nikon EM) are collecting dust these days. (It's because of the overcast Vancouver winter weather.)

February 22nd, 2003, 05:14 AM	#4
Yow Cheong Hoe Major Player Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Singapore, Passport: Malaysia Posts: 407	The PVDV953 seems to be exactly the same as the MX500, down to the miserable 1/6" CCDs, except for being NTSC instead of PAL. At least, the specifications on Panasonic site says so... __________________ Cam: Panasonic MX350EN, SOLD my MX8EN Mac: G3 400MHz PowerBook, 256 MB, OS 9 PC: Pentium 4 2800MHz, 512 MB, WindowsXP SW: iMovie, Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere, Ulead Video Studio, various little utilities

February 26th, 2003, 07:23 PM	#9
Yow Cheong Hoe Major Player Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Singapore, Passport: Malaysia Posts: 407	The official retail price in Singapore is SGD3300, while the vendors are selling at SGD2400 (some even below this) currently. SGD2400 is US$1380 currently. It is also noted that taxes are different at different countries, and NTSC areas are cheaper than PAL areas. __________________ Cam: Panasonic MX350EN, SOLD my MX8EN Mac: G3 400MHz PowerBook, 256 MB, OS 9 PC: Pentium 4 2800MHz, 512 MB, WindowsXP SW: iMovie, Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere, Ulead Video Studio, various little utilities

February 19th, 2003, 05:03 PM	#2
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	For what it's worth, Charles Littman wrote that "the PV-DV953 is a stripped down version of the MX5000. Surprised?" He also said that he has the new MX6000 Operating Manual. Here we go again; another new MX cam in Japan. It's hard to keep up...or am I just slowing down? A little of both, I think.

February 21st, 2003, 11:58 PM	#3
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	The PV-DV953 is now posted at http://www.panasonic.com The picture sure looks like the MX500/0. Maybe someone can compare the specs between the PV-DV953 and MX5000.

February 22nd, 2003, 05:23 AM	#5
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	Aren't you glad that your MX350 has 1/4" CCDs? But you gotta ask yourself: where's the widescreen? Oops. The smaller chipped MX5's got the higher res 16:9---and the funny thing is that I bought the MX3 for the pro-scan and widescreen. Oops.

February 24th, 2003, 06:05 AM	#6
Yow Cheong Hoe Major Player Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Singapore, Passport: Malaysia Posts: 407	Yup, no widescreen, and having seen Alaska's (of DV.com) bear wide screens, I'll say they look great! But I won't be able to afford widescreen for another 5 years at the earliest, being a poor engineer. So I'll stick to 4:3 for now, at least my poorer parents can see thing bigger on their 4:3 TVs without the letterboxing, considering the aging eyes. But I'll say, "Widescreen is the way to go". Probably in my next video cam, a high-end semipro or a low-end pro camera. Until then, I'll work harder and smarter to be richer. :)

February 26th, 2003, 01:00 PM	#7
Joe Carney Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Centreville Va Posts: 1,828	Frank, according to Panasonics web site, the 953 has all the features of the 5000, including Cinema (16x9) mode and Optical stableizer. Once again, I'm not not trusting Littman at all. Plus with discounts at places like Best Buy and BrandsMart, it should retail closer to 1200. Maybe the Japanese can buy it from the States? hehehe.

February 26th, 2003, 03:02 PM	#8
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	Maybe the Japanese can buy it from the States? Sadly, the Japanese would have to deal with the English menus. But the really sad news is that there should be a MX6000 out around June...in Japan (not elsewhere). Hopefully, it'll have 1/8" CCDs.... (Yuk, yuk!)

February 26th, 2003, 08:58 PM	#10
Steven Khong Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia Posts: 112	Hi, Cheng Hoe! Is that the price of the MX500 (PAL) you are quoting? By the way, across the causeway / bridge in Malaysia, I can get the MX500 (PAL) for RM 5900 which is / 3.85 = USD $1,532. That's the list price. You can always bargain the price down to perhaps another 5 or if you're really really persistant, 10 percent.

March 2nd, 2003, 07:10 PM	#11
Yow Cheong Hoe Major Player Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Singapore, Passport: Malaysia Posts: 407	Just helped a friend get one unit of MX500 last Saturday for (all prices in Singaproe dollars) for $2330, with 1 extra 2.5hr battery (about $80 worth), 3 Panasonic tapes ($18), one cheap UV(0) filter ($5) and a Panasonic bag ($10) all thrown in. S$2330 is about RM5000 and US$1330. The prices continues to fall...

March 4th, 2003, 12:46 PM	#12
Jed Williamson Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 175	I found a website taking preorders for the 953 !!!!! Maybe it'll be available soon, still waiting on that email from Panasonic.

March 4th, 2003, 02:54 PM	#13
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	Hi Jed, I gave up with my e-mails too Panasonic USA. They either don't reply, which is most of the time, or don't answer my question/s---and I do keep it very simple for them! What is that dealer asking for the PV-DV953? What dealer/website?

March 4th, 2003, 03:15 PM	#14
Jed Williamson Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 175	I didn't list the website before cause Chris usually admonishes posters to stick with board sponsers, but i don't see any panasonic (or sony) sponsers. It's listed on onecall.com (authorized dealer) for $1499.00 But they usually have the best "online" prices of anyone so should be at least 7% off (I guess that's their current promo) And they have a 3 year warranty (with a cool partially refundable feature) for $99. so far the only website other than panasonic to list the 953. Still says out of stock though : )

March 4th, 2003, 05:21 PM	#15
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	Thanks, Jed. $1499 is Panasonic's list price I think. Street price might be lower. Perhaps after the dealer shows are completed, the new Panasonics will be released. That's usually how it goes. My biggest concern is that the PV-DV953 will be a stripped version of the MX5000. That's what Charles Littman thinks. Well, I guess the count down is on! A few more weeks and it'll be on US shelves. Up here in Canada, I'd say after April 1st, maybe even not until May, is when we'll see these new pups. Onecall is in Washington, right?