Well well, I'm out of work so what does that mean? Apart from looking for more work that is?

It means days out, in this case to a work related trade show, namely Broadcast Live 2007, and to a work related shop at Panavision. WooHoo, I know how to live it up!

So.. Broadcast was ok, a bit small, but I had a good look around, picked up the usual assortment of shite leaflets and stuff.



(Got some free mints this time!), the obligatory paper bag that you collect at the main entrance split quite badly so that got binned, however, fortunately I had acquired one of those shite little bags like you get from JD Sports from the people on eht TV-Bay stand, this bag was suitably adequate for carrying the show shite to Greenford and back.



I had a butchers at the new Panasonic AG-HPX500 camera, totally P2 and HD at 1080i/p in DVCProHD (100Mbit), had a good chat with the sales guy, explained I wasn't totally sold on P2 yet, and mentioned a couple of things, one being XDCam HD which launched him into his big pitch, but still he was pretty cool and we had a good chat... he quoted me just over £10,000 for the camera body+ viewfinder + 4x 16GB P2 cards, I thanked him and went about my merry way.

Actually that's not a bad price, bear in mind you'd have to stick around another £6,000 on there for the lens and then consider the post side of things, eg how you're gonna transfer your footage from the P2 cards (there are several options for this and could potentially add another few thousand to the bill), plus then you've got to add, Tripod, bag, any extra batteries and charger, camera plate, and probably a couple of other bits. It'd be nice, but I don't think I'll be looking for £20k's worth of financing just yet.

I am more sold on P2 now, he's done his job, and there's some major moves going on with the production on P2, the BBC have invested heavily in it, it's being used more and more in the indie sector, and could actually give Sony a run... of course Sony is releasing it's ExpressCard based cameras soon, so it could go anywhere... probably Sony.

So after Broadcast Live (at Earls Court incidentally) it was off to Greenford and the Panavision Store!!

With my trusty tube map and made my way to the Central line and realised that I'd forgotton to bring the Google Map I'd printed off to tell me where Panavision actually was. Damn.



A little bit of trying to visualise the map from memory and heading in what turned out to be the completly wrong direction, I had a Maccy D's (6 nugget meal, thanks), utilised the power of the internet on my phone and found a map, retracked, orientated and BOSH I was on my way to the store.

A long trek around Greenford, which is a scummy place, I came across my goal. Panavision.

A little faffing about and trying to figure out where to go I decided to go and ask at the main desk, she made me sign in and then directed me through the door, past the coffee bar and it's on the right. Yes it is, past the coffee bar and GOOD GOD it's actually IN Panavision, like in the workshop, COOL!

The shop is actually quite small, much like you'd expect a gift shop to be, but it served my purposes, I managed to purchase the workbelt, belt 'buddies' and lens cloth that I wanted (items that didn't really justify trekking all the way to Greenford in Middlesex for but I wanted to go!!) and made my way out, feeling suitiably cooler for seeing the inside of Panvision UK, the various production slates that adorn the shop's walls and the many large B&W set pictures that adorn reception and the corridors.

(In my slight concern about not being allowed to take pictures, not wanting to look like a cock taking pictures and just my general crapness, I only managed to get a couple of 1200x1600 blurs, which I'm not gonna post.)

Now I have a cool carrier bag and my trousers will not be pulled down by my kit.



So finally to round the day off, I've been playing Dr Cockknockers' Brain Training DS on the train, slipped over on Trafalgar Street in Brighton, yes slipped over, which annoyingly I think that's the 3rd time this year!!! (In various locations), This time resulting in ripped jeans and a bloody knee. I recovered quickly tho, kept it cool.



And now I'm gonna be sad and watch the Panasonic P2 DVD I picked up at the show.

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