Market is heating up again - Trade in your EX for a cheap Varicam at DVinfo.net

Andrew Stone · August 30th, 2010, 09:03 AM

Just got an email about a Panny promotion.

Here's the deal. Trade in your professional camera for a Varicam HPX-2700 for 20 grand. This kind of promotion came about last year but you had to fork over a RED, or a Betacam unit or some other big ENG style monster cam to be considered. This year the EX cameras are eligible for the promotion.

Is anyone tempted?!

Alister Chapman · August 30th, 2010, 10:15 AM

Why would you pay Pana to downgrade from a 1080 camcorder to an out of date 720P one ;-) Especially with IBC just around the corner.

Steve Phillipps · August 30th, 2010, 10:40 AM

Not going to rise to the bait Alister! lol

Steve

Perrone Ford · August 30th, 2010, 10:55 AM

Not that I have the money, but if i did, no I wouldn't be tempted in the least.

Tim Kolb · August 30th, 2010, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alister Chapman

Why would you pay Pana to downgrade from a 1080 camcorder to an out of date 720P one ;-) Especially with IBC just around the corner.

interesting...

If I had the cash and the need (remember the 20,000.00 you save on the camera will need to go to glass if you are using an EX), I'd certainly consider it.

You can say what you want about the sensor resolution, the cameras make really great pictures... (now the HVX200 I would say s a slightly different story as the 2700 has a 2/3 inch CCD...and at some point it's about image target size as much as it's about resolution...and maybe moreso above a certain threshold...

Andrew Stone · August 30th, 2010, 11:55 AM

Good to see the religion runs deep. :) Come on people. Varicam. Ramping slomo, CCDs, 3/4" raster, essentially broadcast approved in almost all outlets. spend a gazillion on P2 cards, Bragging rights.

Now that we have Perrone and Alister out of the way, lets here it!

Perrone Ford · August 30th, 2010, 12:21 PM

LOL!

Not sure what religion you speak of. I own two Panasonics. And now two Canon's as well.

That said, I think the EX1 has shown that you don't need to carry a behemoth around anymore for broadcast quality. An EX1 with a nano-flash costs 1/3 as much, makes nice pictures, and the media is a ton cheaper. Workflow is about the same for both cameras.

Yea 2/3" is nicer in some cases, but not enough nicer to even tempt me into carrying around 15-20 pounds all day.

But if you want one, grab one and enjoy it.

Joe Carney · August 30th, 2010, 12:32 PM

Sell your EX? on Ebay. Use the money towards a pmw-350 and a nanoflash.

Dean Sensui · August 31st, 2010, 01:10 AM

I get a really nice picture out of the EX1.

I think I'll stick to what I got. Except maybe to get an EX1r just because it has a pre-record cache.

Alister Chapman · August 31st, 2010, 03:34 AM

Don't give up your EX, just pick up an old BetaSP on ebay for a couple of hundred and use that to get the discount.

Steve Phillipps · August 31st, 2010, 03:54 AM

It is an insane situation that Panny have got themselves into.
Why not just drop the bloody price in the first place?! They obviously realised they had it all wrong - I suppose they didn't want to annoy all those who had spent $40,000 on the camera just a couple of months previously.
Steve

Bo Skelmose · August 31st, 2010, 04:54 AM

I own a HPX2100 and a EX3 - If you just choose from the final picture quality - Keep the EX camera.

Steve Phillipps · August 31st, 2010, 05:58 AM

That's interesting from someone who uses both side by side Bo - you really do feel that the EX3 has better overall picture quality?

Steve

Glen Vandermolen · August 31st, 2010, 06:39 AM

And here I am thinking of going the opposite way - selling my HPX500 (not a 2700, I know) for an EX3. The EX3 is half the weight and takes great pics. Add a Nano - boom! Full raster 1920x1080, 4:2:2, at least 50mbps. Hmmm......
A production company I freelance with sold their HDX900 for two EX3s. They love their new cams.

Steve Kalle · August 31st, 2010, 10:21 AM

The TV stations here in Chicago are moving from the big ENG to 'handy'cams. Comcast has EX3s, Telemundo and NBC use HPX170 or HVX200 (I am fairly certain they are 170s but I haven't been closer than 2 feet to their cameras). Prior to a press conference a couple months ago, both the FOX and ABC camera guys and tech guys who work in the van were loving my EX1. 2 of them were playing with the zoom rocker and the other 2 were playing with the Varizoom Pro-EX zoom controller. All 4 couldn't believe of the reach from such a small camera and lens.

But....the 2700 really sells for $40k without glass? Wow, Panny screwed up that one. Don't get me wrong, I'd take one and lug it around but all I can afford is a 350 & $8-10k lens.

August 30th, 2010, 09:03 AM	#1
Andrew Stone Major Player Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 975	Market is heating up again - Trade in your EX for a cheap Varicam Just got an email about a Panny promotion. Here's the deal. Trade in your professional camera for a Varicam HPX-2700 for 20 grand. This kind of promotion came about last year but you had to fork over a RED, or a Betacam unit or some other big ENG style monster cam to be considered. This year the EX cameras are eligible for the promotion. Is anyone tempted?!

August 30th, 2010, 10:15 AM	#2
Alister Chapman Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Bracknell, Berkshire, UK Posts: 4,957	Why would you pay Pana to downgrade from a 1080 camcorder to an out of date 720P one ;-) Especially with IBC just around the corner. __________________ Alister Chapman, Film-Maker/Stormchaser http://www.xdcam-user.com/alisters-blog/ My XDCAM site and blog. http://www.hurricane-rig.com

August 30th, 2010, 10:55 AM	#4
Perrone Ford Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Tallahassee, FL Posts: 4,100	Not that I have the money, but if i did, no I wouldn't be tempted in the least. __________________ DVX100, PMW-EX1, Canon 550D, FigRig, Dell Octocore, Avid MC4/5, MB Looks, RedCineX, Matrox MX02 mini, GTech RAID, Edirol R-4, Senn. G2 Evo, Countryman, Moles and Lowels.

August 30th, 2010, 12:21 PM	#7
Perrone Ford Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Tallahassee, FL Posts: 4,100	LOL! Not sure what religion you speak of. I own two Panasonics. And now two Canon's as well. That said, I think the EX1 has shown that you don't need to carry a behemoth around anymore for broadcast quality. An EX1 with a nano-flash costs 1/3 as much, makes nice pictures, and the media is a ton cheaper. Workflow is about the same for both cameras. Yea 2/3" is nicer in some cases, but not enough nicer to even tempt me into carrying around 15-20 pounds all day. But if you want one, grab one and enjoy it. __________________ DVX100, PMW-EX1, Canon 550D, FigRig, Dell Octocore, Avid MC4/5, MB Looks, RedCineX, Matrox MX02 mini, GTech RAID, Edirol R-4, Senn. G2 Evo, Countryman, Moles and Lowels.

August 30th, 2010, 12:32 PM	#8
Joe Carney Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Centreville Va Posts: 1,828	Sell your EX? on Ebay. Use the money towards a pmw-350 and a nanoflash. __________________ Boycott Guinness, bring back the pint!!!

August 30th, 2010, 10:40 AM	#3
Steve Phillipps Inner Circle Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Wales Posts: 2,130	Not going to rise to the bait Alister! lol Steve

August 30th, 2010, 11:55 AM	#6
Andrew Stone Major Player Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 975	Good to see the religion runs deep. :) Come on people. Varicam. Ramping slomo, CCDs, 3/4" raster, essentially broadcast approved in almost all outlets. spend a gazillion on P2 cards, Bragging rights. Now that we have Perrone and Alister out of the way, lets here it!

August 31st, 2010, 01:10 AM	#9
Dean Sensui Inner Circle Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 2,054	I get a really nice picture out of the EX1. I think I'll stick to what I got. Except maybe to get an EX1r just because it has a pre-record cache. __________________ Dean Sensui Exec Producer, Hawaii Goes Fishing

August 31st, 2010, 03:34 AM	#10
Alister Chapman Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Bracknell, Berkshire, UK Posts: 4,957	Don't give up your EX, just pick up an old BetaSP on ebay for a couple of hundred and use that to get the discount. __________________ Alister Chapman, Film-Maker/Stormchaser http://www.xdcam-user.com/alisters-blog/ My XDCAM site and blog. http://www.hurricane-rig.com

August 31st, 2010, 03:54 AM	#11
Steve Phillipps Inner Circle Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Wales Posts: 2,130	It is an insane situation that Panny have got themselves into. Why not just drop the bloody price in the first place?! They obviously realised they had it all wrong - I suppose they didn't want to annoy all those who had spent $40,000 on the camera just a couple of months previously. Steve

August 31st, 2010, 04:54 AM	#12
Bo Skelmose Major Player Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Denmark Posts: 495	I own a HPX2100 and a EX3 - If you just choose from the final picture quality - Keep the EX camera.

August 31st, 2010, 05:58 AM	#13
Steve Phillipps Inner Circle Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Wales Posts: 2,130	That's interesting from someone who uses both side by side Bo - you really do feel that the EX3 has better overall picture quality? Steve

August 31st, 2010, 06:39 AM	#14
Glen Vandermolen Space Hipster Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 1,596	And here I am thinking of going the opposite way - selling my HPX500 (not a 2700, I know) for an EX3. The EX3 is half the weight and takes great pics. Add a Nano - boom! Full raster 1920x1080, 4:2:2, at least 50mbps. Hmmm...... A production company I freelance with sold their HDX900 for two EX3s. They love their new cams.

August 31st, 2010, 10:21 AM	#15
Steve Kalle Trustee Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 1,554	The TV stations here in Chicago are moving from the big ENG to 'handy'cams. Comcast has EX3s, Telemundo and NBC use HPX170 or HVX200 (I am fairly certain they are 170s but I haven't been closer than 2 feet to their cameras). Prior to a press conference a couple months ago, both the FOX and ABC camera guys and tech guys who work in the van were loving my EX1. 2 of them were playing with the zoom rocker and the other 2 were playing with the Varizoom Pro-EX zoom controller. All 4 couldn't believe of the reach from such a small camera and lens. But....the 2700 really sells for $40k without glass? Wow, Panny screwed up that one. Don't get me wrong, I'd take one and lug it around but all I can afford is a 350 & $8-10k lens.