I have got my own HVX200 kit but have been lucky enough to, recently, discover the HVX171. What a great camera. Panasonic have improved many features that made the 200 clunky and maybe some vary of it's full potential. The HVX171 disposes of the dv tape system that makes the camera alot lighter and therefore more flexible. WIth the new P2 cards being circulated firestores are soon going to be a thing of the past...but just in case the 171 has a firewire port. Also what i found really nifty were the BNC outs and waveform monitors...all at the touch of a button.

The 171 is a great pro-am camera...easily up these with it's competitors and perfect for low-key filming.

I used it on a feature film..."Infliction" as a second camera and the director was so impressed with the results...he wanted to take it off me straight away!! Also I have started a blog with TV presenter Jaspar Corbett. He/I feel totally at ease with the 171 that I am sure it helps us with his on-screen performance. It is a very intimate camera that Panasonic..have come up with here.

Please do one without a fixed lens (which I love) so it gives us....the users...the flexibility of hiring primes to put on it's front end!! Then this would be a home-run. Please Panasonic...Please.



Bob Callway