I have been using this camera since January 2003 to shoot documentary material in Iraq. I have to say, it really is a good camera. For the price, it is even amazing. Even in the hotest weather in August -which gets up to 125 degrees F -the camera continued to function normally. I had to gaffer tape the cassette door closed to prevent dust and smoke from clogging the works, which the owner's manual says you shouldn't do because it causes over-heating, but the camera survived even that. Sometimes in extremely dusty situations you will notice noise on the recorded material, but it clears up quickly due to the self-cleaning heads feature.In terms of picture quality, the thing that really sets it apart from other DV cameras is the 24 fps progressive scan aspect. This means that your video frames wind up looking like photographs or cinema frames because there is no interlaced "comb" pattern on moving objects. The 24p format alone is enough reason to choose this camera over others, I think. The last documentary I shot was with a Sony DSR-500 camera, which cost about $13,000. I think the DVX-100 images hold up well by comparison. The Sony, though recording interlaced images, had better image processing to extend the dynamic range, which I miss, but I guess that's what the extra $10,000 buys you...
That and the ability to shoot anamorphic images, which the Panasonic DVX-100 will only do with an add-on anamorphic converter that, I think, costs about $700 and might prevent you from super-close focusing. Without the converter, the lens on the DVX-100 can focus right up to the glass when it's zoomed wide. However, the smallest area you can focus on is about 4-5 inches across, which makes it a little difficult to do super close-up work. Not a big draw-back.
Now, after about 160 hours of fairly intense recording in the dust and heat of Iraq, the camera has developed a problem with the flip-out LCD display. Everything else continues to work fine, and I can still film using the eye-piece viewfinder (not as sharp as the LCD). I will probably buy a new DVX-100 and use the one I have now as back-up.
If you want to edit 24p material from this camera, the best (and as far as I'm concerned, only) option is Final Cut Pro 4 on a Macintosh computer. This is working well for me in the field using a 17" Apple G4 Powerbook and 500GB Lacie external Firewire800 hard drives, which you can "daisy-chain" together. No hardware / software problems at all so far.
A couple things wrong with the camera design: The sound level dials are positioned on the bottom edge of the camera where they have a tendency to get turned by accident. Solution: tape them down with a piece of gaffer tape on the lower half of the dials that you can peel back to adjust levels. Otherwise, audio recording with this camera is great -the same quality as the Sony DSR-500 camera when using an external XLR mic, though lacking an "auto levels" setting. Other things on the wish list would be some kind of sun-shade for the flip-out LCD -it is really hard to see the images in bright sunlight, and correct exposure is diffcult to judge.
In the future, I hope that there will be a HDV version of this camera that records 24p HD with better dynamic range + an integrated upgrade to Final Cut Pro for editing HDV firewire output. Also, I would like to see this same camera made with a slightly more durable design -even if it cost a bit more. It's absolutely a great buy and a great camera, but for extreme conditions encountered in many film shoots it would be nice to have a truly professional, less plastic model (with a sharper eye-piece viewfinder).
But almost no serious complaints -an amazing camera.
That said, I should mention that Panasonic has just come out with a newer model of this camera, the DVX-100A, that addresses some of my concerns listed here. Costs about $4,000.
Cons: High-contrast artifacting; noisy zoom and autofocus mechanisms; lack of gain adjustment and autofocus in progressive mode; only 10X optical zoom.
Summary: I just got the camera two weeks ago. It is my baby. I have already shot a short film and it looks darn near close to film. There are so many tricks this camera has it is insane. I love it way better than the XL1 or the Xl1s' frame movie mode. This is the ultimate DV camera. It's pixelation is 410,000, the Xl1s only has 210,000. You do the math.
What I didn't like was after using this camera and trying to edit the finished material I found that there were flash frames on edit points. The problem comes from the camera converting 24fps to 60 field which is what your data is when its put to a non linear to edit. Whats wrong with this camera is its trying to ride the 24p/1080 excitement that Sony's created with the HDCam product. This is not at all the same although some advertising is eluding to it.
But other than that, it is a must try!!!
Buy Panasonic AG-DVX100 3CCD Professional Camcorder Now
How do you say "amazing"?Panasonic says it by producing the DVX-100
I'm a filmmaker myself, currently filming my second indie feature on this camera -----lemme tell you what I love about it
1. the 24 fps is for real! No gimmicks at all! Make sure to edit with Final Cut Pro 4 to get the most out of the 24 fps capabilities
2. AMAZING PICTURE --the picture on this thing blows away all other cameras within its price range, and even a lot of those above it!
3. Great professional controls --manuel aperture, audio, etc --and all easy to control!
4. The simple stuff --nice flip out LCD, big buttons, good lense, etc
However, there is no anamorphic..... so I recommend purchasing Panasonic's 16:9 convertor for full capabilities!
In conclusion though ---you won't find a camera with better controls and better picture quality --its easy to use, and looks AWESOME over any TV, or luck pending, movie screen!
Buy it --you will not REGRET it at all!
Read Best Reviews of Panasonic AG-DVX100 3CCD Professional Camcorder Here
Hello..You've heard it all from the other reviews.
The cons:
No autofocus in 24P... and that really sucks.
No remote control for focusing either!!!
Microphones do not sound good.. but that was expected. So get external microphone
Don't expect to shoot during lowlight environment in 24P... it's just not made for it.
Expect to buy a lot more stuff after this.
The manual is really BAD. If you don't know how to use this camera, you have hours/days before understanding it all.
Want Panasonic AG-DVX100 3CCD Professional Camcorder Discount?
The AG-DVX100 has killed 16mm motion picture camera systems and 16mm film stock except for the die-hard motion picture fans. The bottom line is do not shoot 16mm or Super 16mm because this camera produces cine images that are better than 16mm and Super 16mm on DV, which means that it is also cheaper because you do not need to buy and process 16mm film stock. If you blow this video up to 35mm the image quality is still better than 16mm film formats.However 35mm still rules... but the future for digital looks good.
Also the problems with this camera have been corrected in the AG-DVX100a version so you may want to hold back until you see that one on-line here. You would also do well to get the AG-LA7200G anamorphic lens so that you can shoot in scope with a squeezed digital image (Just like a real anamorphic lens!)!
Bottom line. This is a top of the range domestic camcorder with pro qualities. 16mm motion picture camera users should use this in their productions instead. It is a waaaaay cheaper and looks better. The cine-switch technology in this camera is based on the same system that Lucas used to film his New Star Wars movies with. Also the PAL version does not have 24 fps but this does not matter because PAL is 25 fps and the difference can not be noticed with the naked eye alone and transfer to film is easy with 25 fps PAL but not so easy with 30 fps NTSC so the NTSC version of this camera can also shoot 24 fps for that. Also this camera is loaded with functions. There is not a single thing you can do not with it but! and this is a big but! the NEW AG-DVX100a will address the negatives that the AG-DVX100 has (zoom problems and focus problems and other things). Keep an eye out for the AG-DVX100a although it may be $1000 more expensive than this one but should be no concern to those who had to shoot on expensive 16mm film equipment with expensive 16mm film stock and expensive 16mm processing and expensive 16mm to video transfers.
16mm is dead.
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