Good deal for a Panasonic DVX100a?

Usually you want to base your prices by going to google, clicking the shopping tab and then typing in what your buying. There should be various prices from all over the web. Hope that helps.

Cool, thanks L.I.F.E.!

According to the Google shopping search this still seems to be a great price for the camera. I think I might jump on this soon?

From looking around the net for a few minutes it looks to be a great price. I saw one being sold from B and H photo thats also used and its about double the price of the one you found. Just make sure the seller has good ratings before you buy, and hopefully he has like a 15-30 day return policy if you are not happy.


Link to the BH Photo used one. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/800708026-USE/Panasonic_AGDVX100A_AG_DVX100A_3_CCD_24p_Mini_DV.html

The seller is actually local, just a minute or two away from my house.

Anything beyond a thorough visual inspection that you would recommend for me when I take a look at the camera?

Thanks again!

Make sure all the plugs work, nothing bent, turn it on maybe see if you can record and play something back. Make sure the lens is not scratched and make sure it charges. All I can think of off the top of my brain.

No problem!

Other than wat LIFE said, if the seller is so near you, maybe work out a deal with him. perhaps tell him something like you'll pay half now and after 2 weeks of using it and seeing everything is ok, you'll pay the other half.

I'm no expert on cameras, but that seems to be in the "too good to be true" price range.

What accesories does it come with, if any? A charger at least, I hope.

Bring along a blank mini-DV tape of your own so you can test it right there. (Don't assume seller will have one hangin' about - especially if foisting off a bum camera)

Someone posted a check-list for used cameras here a few years back. Maybe see if you can find that? I remember it being quite comprehensive, though I don't recall who wrote it.

I hope it's legit! Nice find, if it is.

I agree with Zen. A DVX for $500? Ask the guy, in a very casual way, why he is selling it. What did he shoot on it? He didn't -- ha-ha -- drop it in the lake or off a building or anything -- hahah.....

Maybe he just needs to get rid of it, but buyer beware...


-- spinner

Yes, a Panasonic Dvx, pretty darn desirable piece of equipment. If one can pay 600 more through a company that thoroughly checks their equipment then I'd say go that route. Ask him if he's ever had the heads alligned, or if he's ever needed to. I also would bring a laptop with you that has firewire on it, along with a fresh DV tape and ask him if its okay to shoot a few minutes and capture it to your laptop. Also check the sound, and especially check the external mic inputs. Its a really slick rig, but as others have said its kind of in the "too good to be true" category. Although sometimes people just get desperate to sell something.

Thank you so much for the input everybody. Honestly, "too good to be true" was going through my head all day. I went to check out the camera yesterday and here's what I found:

-The guy is a film school grad and bought the camera new in 2006 after graduating.
-He used the camera for film projects, electronic press kits and weddings.
-The camera has around 300 hours of use
-There is a small scuff/chip near the perimeter of the lens, it does not appear anywhere in the frame when filming. The scratch is my biggest ? mark/concern.
-We used the camera to film a couple of minutes and everything looked and sounded great as far as I could tell
-Camera doesn't have many accessories other than a couple batteries, charger and the firewire cable

ZenSteve and Spinner, We discussed the fact that his camera is about 500 bucks cheaper than anywhere else I can find one, he feels due to the cosmetic condition (although I guess the lens scratch is more than cosmetic) and the hours of use, he thinks $500 is fair. He told me he is selling the camera because he bought one of the badass Canon DSLRs (7D, 5D?) and he now no longer ever uses the DVX100a.

Z.C., you probably have a good point about spending the extra $ to get one that has been checked out by a pro, but the extra $ is not in my equation at the moment.
I'm going back to look at the camera this afternoon, I'm going to bring a mic and a XLR to check out the audio inputs (thanks for the tip!).

The seller also let me know about a service person here in Nashville where he has taken the camera in the past. If I pick up the camera, I'll probably take it over for a thorough inspection by a pro.

Thank you again for everybody's input. I'll let you know if I buy the camera as I'm sure I'll have a whole slew of questions-haha!

Picked it up for $500. So far so good! Thanks again, everybody.

Congrats! Hope it works well! Show us what you do with it!