Panny HMC150

I've done some research on this camera, and it looks like it might be a good fit for me. The hvx200 and hpx170 are a bit out of my price range, but it looks like the HMC still offers a lot of the features I would like, such as the different frame rates, 60p specifically. There are some who claim the picture it produces is every bit as good as the HPX170, but I'm a bit skeptical of that.

I know AVCHD format isn't the most popular with everyone, but it seems like there is more and more support for it all the time. Can anyone with experience give me some ideas or advice. Rich, I'm hoping you may have some input?
Thanks in advance.

A camera I also thought looked like it could be very good when they first announced it.

Major advantages: uses a cheap and compact form of media (to the point where you could use separate cards each time you record and not have to archive your footage to another medium.)

Uses the same CCD block, lens and electronics as the HVX.

Uses a state of the art, intelligent long GOP codec and allows it to record to it's maximum bit rate of 24 mbs something that I don't believe any other AVCHD camcorders offer at this point (they all max out at 17 mbs)

Disadvantages: No overcrank in cam slomo feature and it may be problematic to edit unless your editing system supports the AVCHD codec.

I was looking at them with great interest after they were announced and figured I give the footage from them a hard look once they got in circulation. Haven't really done much investigation since last year after they came out so it would be best to check out actual owner reports on DVXuser.com.

Until that codec get's worked over by the Pros for a while it's hard to say whether it's comparable with DVCPro HD or HDCam EX.

I've heard good things about the HMC150. I seriously considered it myself until I finally was able to dig deep enough to get the Sony EX1.

From what I read online, I thought the 150 was 21mbs and the new canon s10/s100 is using full 24mbs. But maybe I'm wrong. AVCHD is nice because the affordable media. SD cards are getting so cheap you could use them for archiving which people who swear by tapes complain about when it comes.

Anyways, I think it would definitely be a nice camera. I certainly think I would choose that over the p2 cameras just because the p2 cards are super expensive. My sxs cards are certainly expensive but at least they plug directly into my mac making it certainly worth the cost. But you really can't go wrong with the SD cards with a card reader.

The overcrank and undercrank would be nice. Would I still be able to get good slow motion footage out of it?

I just got my new mac, I'll probably use final cut studio to start. I'm under the impression that it supports AVCHD and should do OK, what do you think?

Transcode to ProRes422 upon ingest and SW based slomo should be fine if the footage is clean.