The biggest advantage of this unit, and a positive dream come true to anyone who has to shoot long events and other programming that runs long. It always seems lik you end up having to switch tapes at just the wrong time. Using a full size DV camera, with tapes that run 270 minutes in SP mode, solves almost all of these problems. I am excited about using one of these cameras as a "safety" wide shot and continuing to use my XL-1 for close ups and anything else that requires panning and zooming. When I stop to change tapes on the XL-1, I have a shot running. If I have to change tapes on the Pana, it will not be at the same time as the MiniDV cameras.

The camera is a 1/2" IT unit. It's CCD's have a 410,000 pixel resolution. I saw the unit with a Canon 18x6.7lens mounted. Panasonic claims the camera can reolve over 800 lines at 62dB snr. Since DV formats only resolve about 530 lines, you'd have to hook up a high quality recorder to take advantage. Nonetheless the image was very crisp and clean on the monitor at the Panasonic booth. Having camera resolution that exceeds that of the format you are recording to will have some subtle benefits when examining fine detail.

The Panasonic rep told me that the camera was likley to ship with a Fujinon 14x lens, like the one that comes with the JVC GY-DV500. He expected a price point of about $5,000 US, though that number was not firm.

The camera comes with a useful "full auto" mode, that can get a novice running very quickly. It also has a Quick focus function. Both of these require a lens that is capable of being remotely controlled.

The camera is rated at F11 at 2000lux. It has a maximum of 36dB gain. While this produces a usable image, it certainly is not the type of image you'd want to have on someone's wedding tape or commercial. It might be usable in a ENG type application where simply getting some image is better than missing the shot. Though I was not able to compare them side by side, I believe the JVC can produce better low light images.

I find the viewfinder on the Panasonic to be superior to the stock unit on the JVC. Though both are suited to critical focus, the Pana viewfinder gave a subjectively sharper, clearer image.

Input/Output

IEEE 1394 4-pin x 1

Mic In XLR x 1

Video Out BNC x 1, 1.0 V p-p, 75 ohm

S-Video Out 4-pin x 1, Y:1.0 V p-p, C: 0.3 V p-p

Audio Out RCA x 2 (L\R)

Headphones Stereo 3.5 mm x 1

The i/o on this camera is very similiar to that on the JVC GY-DV500. (The JVC 500 adds an additional XLR audio input and a RS-232c interface.) It is extraordinarily well suited to event videography and ENG applications. Nonetheless if you need audio flexibility or to control the unit via RS232...you may have to go to the JVC.

This camera will change the equation for small producers dramatically. It has excellent image quality, and low light sensitivity comparable to the JVC DV500. In all I find it, at first look, to be a formidable camera.