Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Sony vs. Panasonic?

This is topic Sony vs. Panasonic? in forum Film-Yak at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 04-24-2006, 08:11 AM:

I was talking to a good friend who lives in Japan last night, her sister in law has an opportunity to work at either Sony or Panasonic in Tokyo. She was asking my advice about both companies, anyone have any thoughts? I told her I would ask around and e-mail her tonight. She asked me if I ever heard of either company! Any input as to which company would be better is much appreciated. I only go by the name brand, which means I would recommend Sony to her.

Posted by Richard Fowler (Member # 893) on 04-24-2006, 09:51 AM:

Matsushita Electric ( Panasonic, National, Technics, Quasar )is an $81 billion a year company and been around since the 1920's so her paychecks should not bounce [Smile]

Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 04-24-2006, 12:12 PM:

Since Akio Morita died in 1999, Sony seems to have lost both its way and its vision. I certainly can't recommend any of their consumer products anymore, and I used to be a big Sony fan. Though they still are a major player and are in no immediate danger of going away, they have lost consumer market share and influence. The bloom is definitely off the rose for them. I'd say Sony would be a good place to work if one likes a challenge or wants to be part of the "new blood" that the company now needs. But the existing powers-that-be may not be ready yet for that new blood. I see relative internal turmoil there for a while yet. In Japan these kinds of challenges take a long time to shake out.

Sony professional products outside of cinema are still highly regarded. If an offer is coming from there I certainly wouldn't hesitate at all in accepting it.

Matsushita is a very respected name in Japan, the huge corporate parent of all of the brands Richard mentioned above. If someone is getting an offer to join them I'd say go for it without reservation.

Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 04-24-2006, 12:28 PM:

Thanks Richard,
Sounds like if there is no bad news about Sony, then she should be ok whichever route she takes. She was just asking my take on the companies 6000 miles away.

Thanks again, Rick

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 04-24-2006, 12:37 PM:

At my day job I have sold both Sony and Panasonic consumer products over the years. I was always more impressed with Panasonic over Sony, as far as product quality was concerned. We sold a ton of the Sony Walkmans and used to carry a wide line of Panasonic portable gear. Pana's stuff just seemed better-built. I even sold two friends of mine Panasonic bicycles (12 speeds) in the early 80s and both bikes are still in use today.

Posted by Brad Allen (Member # 470) on 04-24-2006, 03:26 PM:

Panasonic over Sony any day.

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 04-24-2006, 03:32 PM:

In recent years I think Panasonic has been more innovative with their professional video gear. They had the first affordable 24p 3 chip DV camera on the market (the AG-DVX100).

Their new HD level AG-HVX200 model costs $6000 and can shoot in 1080/60i, 1080/30p, 1080/24p, 720/60p, 720/30p and 720/24p. The camera can also shoot variable frame rates in 480 format. The camera can record on DV tapes, DVC-PRO tape and solid state 16GB P2 cards.

The only thing I can find fault with Panasonic is their DVC-PRO format is not as widely supported in lots of editing applications as other formats like DVCAM or even the new HDV format. But that's probably not a big problem since most people working with HD are going to at least use a specialized capture/accelerator card that may support the format in hardware on the card. Lots of professional posting houses will have full turnkey systems where DVC-PRO support is no problem.

Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 04-24-2006, 03:38 PM:

quote: Paul Mayer
Matsushita is a very respected name in Japan, the huge corporate parent of all of the brands Richard mentioned above. If someone is getting an offer to join them I'd say go for it without reservation.

Thanks Paul, This is the kind of info I was looking for.
Rick

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 04-24-2006, 06:12 PM:

I can speak with experience that Matsishuta/Panasonic is a fantastic company. I worked for them in their Chicago Service Center for just over 5 years as a bench tech. I worked on ALL their products except for bikes and referigerators. Have been to the huge facility in Seacacis, N.J. for training twice... once for high end audio.... RS-1500 US tape decks and such, and once for the very forst VHS repair seminar on the old PV-1000 all metal VHS deck. Oddly, a couple of years before Panasonic I also attended the very first Advent Videobeam school in Boston.

They are a company that does demand loyalty(anyone remember what that is?). In Japan that loyalty thing is going to be way more prevelant, I guess they also start the day with an exercise program too.... they(foolishly) didn't do that in the states. The service end of Panasonic always rated each tech every month for efficiency... Number of units repaired vs. hours worked vs. re-do's. Bad techs were quickly weeded out this way and when I left it was 10.4 units a day repaired sitting on the pick up shelves! My later tech job at Canon USA was also great and they used a similar efficiency rating system for their techs as well. Canon however trained their own techs... that was a rare opportunity for me to have the Japanese actually teaching me to repair their cameras and lenses. Matshshita didn't train techs nearly as much... it was up tot he tech to understand what he was working on from what was in the service manuals.

The funny thing about how I was hired at Canon... I went in for the interview with the head of repair in the chicago branch (oddly his last name was Matsushita). After the short interview he asked if I would take a test. I thought for sure this would be a mechanical aptitude test of some sort but it was a math test loaded with what turned out to be questions that were all false and had no true answers at all. I gave the test my best shot as odd as the questions and problem seemed to be.... After completing it he hired me on the spot because I was the first guy that he interviewed that was not scared away by the test..... he saw that I was not a quitter and he liked that!

I've dealt with several facets of Sony both in the consumer and the professional broadcast world. The term "Sony Sucks" holds true 100% in every instance. I had a couple of friends that left Panasonic Service to go work at Sony Service.... they didn't stay there long. While at Panasonic I latched onto the job at Canon USA repairing still cameras and lenses. Had I not had the desire to learn camera repair... and later go into broadcast TV I would probably still be at Panasonic and yous guys wouldn't have to put up with me here!

quote: Mike Blakesley
I even sold two friends of mine Panasonic bicycles (12 speeds) in the early 80s and both bikes are still in use today.

Mike,
We had a guy there in the service center... thats all he did was bikes! He also rode one to and from work every day he could. Panasonic had bikes back then (early 70's) that cost 5K! That was very steep for any bike back in those years.

Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 04-24-2006, 06:56 PM:

quote: Mark Gulbrandsen
They are a company that does demand loyalty(anyone remember what that is?). In Japan that loyalty thing is going to be way more prevelant

Mark, Having done work in both Japan and China, I can say it is amazing to see the "Loyalty" and work ethic. It really is remarkable to see how people " want " to work, instead of demanding 50 bucks an hour.

Rick