It's also easier to throw in an extra cassette and lens adapter.  I keep the wide on all the time but,
funny enough I haven't really needed my Telephoto like I did with my VX2000 or GL-2.  The 
images I can clearly see on my High Res monitor rival that of my JVC GY DV500 .... but for 
'unknown' lighting, serious assignments this Black MAMBA2 is Tops !  I also do not find myself 
worrying about the 100W halogen lamp so the 12 LUX (Pana) must be around 8 or 9 Sony LUX. 

Ease of Use and Handling ! THAT's where the MAMBA2  is great... and my work requires unaided
lighting on a lot of shots;  so hence there is a MX7000 here now .. as the main camera .. with the
old MX500 (lovely little machine) now just being used for brightly lit stuff or for cutaways etc.

 

PLUS, no one does Anamorphic lens adaptors for the BIG cameras at sensible prices; whereas my 
little Mamba adaptor lens is brilliant .. you can see it immediately on playback... much sharper and
truer color rendering and even the shading and texturing rivals the $5000 behemoth Xl-1s of mine.
 

MY training at the BBC in 1968 was along the lines of the 'ideal' camera being one that let you see 
on a monitor what your eyes could see around the corner of it ... as it were. In those days .. there 
was nothing that could do that. NOW it's possible .. so Panasonic, - in order to save money on the 
camcorder;  use a smaller optical block and smaller CCDs ... 1/6" .. but funny enough I do not seem 
to see any of the  drawbacks connected with a 1/4.7" chip even though not as many photons are
getting absorbed as with larger surface area CCD's...  they have some how 'tricked' the optics and electronics to over come this state of affairs; technology apparently moves along. 
                 Now....Get This:    NO such signal / noise adversity;   FACT!

 

As I said .. the VX1000 was good ... the VX2000 got better .. as far as sensitivity goes .. THAT camera
takes a lot of beating for its low light performance .. unfortunately..... . Sony lost the plot .. and made it
difficult to get perfect color balance with it .. something that Panasonic seems to have absolutely
excelled in with the Mamba HD DV.     Progress is in the direction of better sensitivity.
 

On the AG DVX100 ... the further comments that I have are still saying how clever the 'film gamma' 
is .. and THAT alone is the real reason why it looks like film ..  IT IS NOT the frame rate, however.
But one look at this MAMBA2 fresh out of the box and you just KNOW it's a winner. It handles and it 
feels just perfect. The optics are a given with Leica and the new High Definition Technology Pana 
has thrown in here is most evident when compared to all the other cams now on the market but at 
much higher prices. They seem to have used a new filter and what they call a Crystal Engine and 
BOY  Does It Really Show !  It will be interesting to see if Pana elects to strip off these HD features on EXPORT !

 

Hey Chuck .. I still think the MAMBA2 is the best 3CCD mini camera going.... for price, features &
extreme portability... BUT .. remember my background ... I'm TRAINED to be fussy and your now
famous Black Mamba came through with flying colors... stay tuned for a Face Off   ;-)  

Very Best wishes Doctor-T

Hi Chucky,

               Shootout ... WOW! ... this MAMBA2 shows less noise and MUCH MORE resolution than the old Mamba ever did and I LOVED MY Mamba1... why do they do this to me? Just when I get nice and comfy Pana has to bump up the performance, the picture is gorgeous, I just don't how else to describe it for you and I know you said to use technical terms. Tell them I am driving a 50 inch PLASMA monitor in 1080i full throttle and using dark scenes, bright noon sunlight and even drab and dreary wet North East weather and this puppy you call it Black MAMBA2... WHAM... what a cam meister!       Steve NYC

 

I've bought a 800 line resolution Sony Pro Monitor to go with my new Pany Black MAMBA2 just so I can check (average TV screen is only 400 lines - not much good for looking at an EISA resolution (1996) test chart!). Well this MX blows every consumer cam out of the sky and I will tell you one thing... Pana would be jerks if they brought this in to the states IN TACT, it will have to be  dummy-downed... big time. Don't even worry about Canon XL-1s... I would worry about my Six to Ten thousand dollar JVC and Pana shoulder mounts.  Yeah, they have tweaked this with some high end HD extra's somewhere... this kind of picture is so real... you feel you can reach out and shake hands with the on screen talent.  I am taking this up into the hills with some big name Hollywood types that get a kick out of all this new tinker-toys you guys find. They'll love this one and THAT'S for sure.   It is so lightweight, so compact and very sturdy.  Got a winner meister... Tony & co.

 

 

Under the SAME conditions .. MAMBA2 resolves a stunning 600 lines with excellent signal to noise ratio where-as the VX-2000 has trouble holding 460.  Forget about Sony lens quality... Leica says it all here and first look right out of the box and you can just see on a plain ole TV... Good-bye VX
Jeanie in Denver

 

 

These figures tell the real truth .. this is indeed a brilliant improvement over the MAMBA1 ... well done Panasonic! 4 Million 3CCD Mega Pixel & 14 Leica Lens in 10 Lens Groups say it all       Vic  Marin County

 

The shootout last night on the school play showed equally impressive differences ... both in low light noise levels and most stunningly in the fantastic picture quality off of the MX7000 ... WOW --- WOW --- WOW!   Dr Gentle-dental Boca

Here's a Tip from my buddy over next door at Yokota AB who was using his Black MAMBA2 to record some old Hi8 video tapes July 4th last week and said to change the cam from recording via the built in mic and using the lens... To Change to LINE IN go into the menu and select A/V (6th one down) and enter where upon you will have a choice of Three. Change it to the second choice and you're IN !   major-meister  

 

I'll send you the full write-up next week. so we will do First the MAMBA2 shootout with my Sony TRV950 and Canon GL-2 (which I better hurry, Sold it two hours after the MAMBA2 arrived... whew, that was a close one! if he saw my MAMBA2 TV images... well... he didn't  :-)....  OK,  then next week I will do for you my new DVX100 24p shootout with the MX... because the MAMBA2E is sold here in Sapporo as well as the 24p we don't get all the Pana static you guys all get on that side of the puddle and I think your USA Pana people are going to have a tough sale with the 24p based on results and bench tests to say nothing of the damn price difference...   Scott from Las Vegas USA

 

I think I'll order another MAMBA2 ... know anybody who wants to buy an XL-1s NTSC.... cheap! How about DIRT cheap... it won't be long until I will not be able to give this turkey away!... little use .. going, going and going cheap ???   Sean-meister El Sugundo


meister I have some BAD news... tell your people that if they buy the Export or USA versions of these camcorders such as the PV-DV953, the GS-70, GS120 & GS200 that none (NONE!) will adapt or work with the All Weather / Under Water housing or even the Tripod as the basic electronics has been removed, dumb down or prevented purposely.  ONLY the MX5000, MAMBA1 and the new MAMBA2   Japan domestic models WILL WORK ! 
By the way, the latest rumor here (September 2004) is USA will get the GS400 as it has been decided that the consumer division will see first the STRIPPED Down version but it Will NOT be expensive! You should be able to get your first look at NAB in May over in Las Vegas which means late 2004 delivery.     Sorry !