Find the Oxymoron

[Chris Forbes]

An email I received this morning had this title.

"Sony NXCAM... A new choice in professional AVCHD camcorders."

[Johnny Friday]

How about this one from panisonic today in an email i received stating:

TRADE ALL THE WAY UP TO THE VARICAM 3700
For a limited time, buy the top-of-the-line AJ-HPX3700 P2 HD VariCam camera with HD color Viewfinder for $35,950* with trade-in.

Between now and March 31, 2010, Panasonic is offering the AJ-HPX3700 P2 HD VariCam camcorder and AJ-CVF100 Color Viewfinder for the low price of $35,950 (a saving of $32,000 off package list price).

Recognized as one of the industry's premier HD cinematography cameras, the VariCam 3700 is fast and easy to shoot with, offering excellent color reproduction and high dynamic range, including Panasonic’s legendary Film-Rec technology. The Varicam 3700 camcorder offers master-quality 1920x 1080p 10-bit AVC-Intra 100, as well as AVC-Intra 50 and industry-standard DVCPRO HD recording. The HPX3700 offers run-and-gun flexibility, exceptional reliability and compatibility with leading NLE systems. And the camera is equipped with pro HD outputs for live event production, including dual-link RGB 4:4:4 outputs. And it’s backed by an industry-leading 5-year limited warranty (upon registration).

The AJ-CVF100 Color LCOS Viewfinder delivers accurate, high resolution color images combined with the ruggedness and high reliability not found in conventional CRT-based viewfinders. The CVF100 faithfully reproduces the camera's image providing for fast, easy and accurate focus, smooth motion portrayal. The RGB processing and high resolution display assures maximum image quality and provides the camera operator with a window through which to view the world.

Acceptable Trade-in cameras for $35,950 VariCam 3700 and AJ-CVF100 Color VF include:

» 2/3” DVCPRO & DVCPRO HD Camcorders (SDX900, HDCxxx, HDXxxx, etc)
» 2/3” Sony HDCam Camcorders (F900x, F950, HDW750, HDW730, HDW700)
» 2/3” SD Betacam, Digital Betacam or SX Camcorders
(Sony, Ikegami, Hitachi, Philips BTS, Thomson)
» 2/3” & 1/4” Sony XDCam Optical Disk Camcorders
» 2/3” Ikegami EditCam Hard Disk Camcorders
» 2/3” Thomson/GVG Infinity Digital Camcorders
» Red One Cameras
For more information on the VariCam 3700 and this promotion, click here.

**SO I CAN ACTUALLY TRADE-IN MY 4K RED FOR A 1080P CAMERA FROM PANISONIC ?** By the way a great camera w/superb images, but come on?

[Ryan S]

Didn't Panasonic do this last year, too? And it has always struck me as odd that they call a 1-30fps camera a Varicam. I had sort of associated that name with at least a 60fps capability.

NXCAM with AVCHD. Well, Sony's editing tools handle AVCHD pretty well if I recall, but for Mac users, that's a pretty huge turn-off. They also tossed the Zeiss lens in favour of their own. I don't know much about Sony lenses, can anyone comment on that?

[Chris Forbes]

I would never think to attach the professional label to a camera the records in this codex. Maybe I have an outdated view of AVCHD.

[Lancelot Jean Mallia]

I would never think to attach the professional label to a camera the records in this codex. Maybe I have an outdated view of AVCHD.

You dont have an outdated view, THEY do. :)

[Adam Jeal]

There's lots of MORONS in the marketing game!:biggrin5:

[Rick Presas]

This coupled with Canons disspointing tapeless XHA1 really make me wonder.

[Charles Angus]

**SO I CAN ACTUALLY TRADE-IN MY 4K RED FOR A 1080P CAMERA FROM PANISONIC ?** By the way a great camera w/superb images, but come on?

More to the point, you can trade in a $17,500 for something like a $30,000 credit.

[Rick Presas]

More to the point, you can trade in a $17,500 for something like a $30,000 credit.

Very true, but even after that discount, you'd still end up paying more money for a camera that i seriously doubt could outperform an R1.

not that i'd mind one bit having one of those in my equipment room.

[Charles Angus]

Very true, but even after that discount, you'd still end up paying more money for a camera that i seriously doubt could outperform an R1.

not that i'd mind one bit having one of those in my equipment room.

It's not a matter of outperforming, it's just a different tool for a different job. If I was shooting long handheld days on a doc, for instance, I would far prefer a 3700 over a RED One.

But for other projects, I would definitely prefer the RED.

[Jeff Garton]

Comparing the RED One to the 3700 is apple/oranges. I own both and they are both fantastic for the right situation. For most of my commercial/feature work I use the RED. Its just the right tool with the right capability. But it is not right for every project.

The 3700 is a ridiculously capable camera: it doesn't require an AC, or nine cases of gear, is very fast, can switch NDs is half a second, can run two hours on one dionic 90, can roll for hours without switching media if necessary, boots up in 4 seconds, has a 1080 viewfinder with excellent peaking so you can actually see focus, has a terrific menu system that is very operator friendly, is ergonomically great for handheld, has tons of great, lightweight zooms available, etc. etc. And the AVCintra codec is terrific and I would put the 3700 against any other 1080 HD camera out there. It does NOT replace my RED one, but it does a lot of things the RED one can't do (and vice versa, of course!).
As I said, different tools.

It IS completely lame that it can't overcrank. I talked to the Panasonic rep at NAB and he explained that it was a heat issue. Its the only reason I didn't get one sooner. I picked mine up on the last promo for about half list price and its been a great deal.

I doubt Panasonic is expecting anyone to trade a RED in for a 3700. I traded in a HL-55. Paid 300.00 for it. Saved 30,000.