Tag Archives: panasonic

Panasonic AG-HPX300

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While the new Panasonic AG-HPX300 might be a bit out of your budget range ($8000 street price), it comes with plenty of bells and whistles.

It shares pedigree with Panasonic HVX200 and it offers much of the same features: a ton of formats and frame rates. It records on P2 cards as well as DV, DVCPRO, DVCPRO50 and DVCPROHD.

In terms of lenses, it comes with a 17x Fujinon lens that’s well above the usual pro-amateur fair. The sensor is big – 1/3″ and incredibly crisp, recording in FULL HD – 1920×1080.

If your budget allows it, I urge you to rent this baby for a test and then include it in your arsenal!

Panasonic AG-HPX300

Sony HDR-FX7

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It’s hard to keep up with SONY’s new cams for one very good reason – they are skipping numbers! I thought the successor to the very successful Sony FX1 will be called FX2. Or, perhaps, FX3.


When it comes to the product name, Sony isn’t content with incremental improvements. We’re now straight to number 7. Not so when it comes to the product itself. Maybe, Sony felt that neither Canon XL H1 nor Panasonic HVX200 changed anything in the market, so why bother.

Many reviewers have likened the FX7 release to the release of the VX2100 model, hot on the steps of VX2000 (I’m a proud owner of the latter). The VX2100 offered some minor improvements in light sensitivity and a variety of interface features that made things a bit easier for the prosumer shooter.

Let’s look at Sony FX7 and see what advantages it offers.

  • Affordable (Canon XL H1’s price is almost 3 times higher)
  • Real HD 1080 support (unlike FX1‘s 1440×1080 chip)
  • Good video with low light capabilities (though admittedly worse than FX1 because of the CMOS)
  • Long battery life
  • Standard HDV (using MiniDV cassettes)

On the negative side we’ve got:

  • Fixed lens (though it has been bumped to 20x zoom)
  • No XLR inputs for audio
  • No true 24p

If you look at Sony FX1′s advantages from last year, you’ll see the camera has the same things going for it with a few notable differences.

To me, the biggest difference is the sensor. In the last year, SONY has introduced a several of his low-end HD cams with CMOS sensors (e.g. Sony HC1 and Sony HC3). Is CMOS good enough for $3,000 cam though?

Harry Haruna, Manager of Camcorder Product Planning for Sony USA, had this to say:

As for resolution, because you have the CMOS technology the FX7, resolution is much higher than the FX1 in decent light conditions. On the contrary, under low light conditions the FX1 is better than the FX7, since the FX1 has a larger CCD sensor.

Sony HDR-FX7Hmm, I thought FX7 was an upgrade. It looks like it’s something of a sidegrade: if you have an FX1, keep it. If you don’t, you can either get the FX1 if you need a cam with a better sensor and bigger lens or go for the new FX7 with its smaller form factor and “full” HD 1080.

Still, if I was into wedding videography or guerrilla filmmaking, the FX7 could be quite tempting.

Then again, Canon has recently introduced more affordable versions of its $9,000 monster, the Canon XL H1. At just $500 more than the FX7, it introduces some much needed competition. If I can get FX1 for less than $2000 (Apple store had an offer like that), I’d be the happiest person … for the next 6 months or so.

I’m considering switching from my web cam to this baby. Here’s a short guide on how to select a web cam.

Panasonic HVX200 gets an award

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Panasonic HVX200Now, we all know HVX200 deserves an award. An award for making dreams come true for a lot of guys in video production and indie filmmaking.

There’s nothing wrong with getting a few “official” awards as well. On July 10, Panasonic got Bronze IDEA awarded to the AG-HVX200 for excellence in design”. Here’s the press release:

SECAUCUS, NJ (July 10, 2006) – Panasonic Broadcast announced that its high definition, solid state memory AG-HVX200 hand-held camcorder has received a bronze in the 2006 Industrial Design Excellence Award (IDEA) competition for the best designed product in business and industry.

Dislaimer: About IDEA
Celebrating its 26th year, the IDEAs are dedicated to fostering business and public understanding of the importance of industrial design excellence to the quality of life and the economy. The IDEAs are co-sponsored by BusinessWeek and the IDSA, a nonprofit association that represents the profession of industrial design to education, business, government and the public and serves the profession’s needs for information and networking.

Panasonic HVX200

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Finally! The specs for the Panasonic HVX200 have been sent to a couple of review sites. If you’re in a video production company or (even better) an aspiring filmmaker, you should start taking notes.

Update: You can already get REAL footage from the HVX200, even footage at 60p (frame rates supported by HVX200). The camera should be available in stores, so you might also want to get my recommendations for accessories for HVX200.

Here’s a summary of the important features introduced with the new Panasonic HVX200. I’ll prioritize them for you.

Panasonic HVX200Variable frame rates
Panasonic HVX200 supports a variety of frame rates just like Panasonic’s Varicam (AJ-HDC27). In 720p, the HVX200 records not only in the most popular 24p, 30p, and 60p, but almost any rate between 4 and 60 as well. One limitation is that his flexibility is reserved for 720p.

When we jump up to 1080p, the camera still delivers TRUE 24p – which is amazing considering none of the HDV cams in the same price range support it. Click here for more on HVX200 frame rates.

Robust format
Panasonic HVX200′s HD format is called DVCPRO-HD. The difference between DVCPRO-HD and HDV is about 4 to 1 in terms of data throughput. DVCPRO-HD supports data rates of up to 100Mbps. This allows the camera to record video without applying as much compression as the HDV cameras do. Another advantage in terms of format is the support of 4:2:2 color space – again linked to the 100Mbps allowance. The DVCPRO-HD has been around for several years and has been used in the Varicam.

In addition to the HD format, Panasonic HVX200 also supports standard DV, as well as DVCPRO50 (Panasonic’s more professional DV format with a much lower compression ratio).

Tapeless recording (P2)
The argument tape vs, memory is still raging on. On the negative side, memory is very expensive compared to tape. An 8GB P2 chip that can hold about 10 minutes of HD (depending on frame rate) is going to cost you $1,700. On the positive, it’s quick, durable, and best of all – bound to become cheaper. SONY has pioneered a disc system – XDCAM – which is similar but naturally, cheaper because it uses Blu-Ray discs (27GB).

Panasonic HVX200 takes advantage of its data recording medium in several ways. First, you start recording immediately after you hit the button. In fact, it’s better than that. P2 allows you to start recording BEFORE you hit the button. The memory will buffer 3-7 seconds of video, so even if you don’t have split-second reactions, you’ll be able to capture action flawlessly.

Another advantage is the ability to transfer files directly to your computer (or you could back them up to Firewire drives). During shooting you can also mark takes which you like so that you can start editing in seconds.

Lens and controls
HVX200′s lens is a 13x Leica which compares favourably to SONY FX1. The zoom ring is full manual which is another big plus. Both JVC GY-HD100U and the upcoming Canon XL H1 have interchangeable lenses although the availability and variety of quality lenses is still in question.

Audio
Panasonic HVX200′s more robust format (DVCPRO-HD) allows four uncompressed channels of 16-bit 48Khz quality audio (or two stereo pairs). This is a BIG change from the HDV format.

Final verdict (based on specs)
Panasonic has created a worthy successor to the DVX100. HVX200 excels in all areas and it could be hard for a HDV camera to compete, especially, when you consider the price. At $5,995, it’s only marginally more expensive than SONY Z1 (50 bucks more) but offers a lot more. It’s much cheaper than the interchangeable lens cameras – Canon XL H1 and JVC GY-HD100U.

That’s until you consider the cost for the media. At $1,700 per a pop, 8GB P2′s are going to be a TOUGH sell. In a year’s time, it’ll probably be 2-4 times cheaper, so don’t start stocking on P2s just now. If $6,000 is too much for you, you could get Sony HC1 for less than $1,500 – it’s a more affordable, entry-level HDV camcorder. The bigger and better Sony FX1 is midway (at $3,000 it’s perfect for wedding videography) between the Hc1 and HVX200.

Update: Check out this USB 1.1 vs USB 2.0 speed comparison.

Email: Is HVX200 enough?

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I get quite a few emails from people interested in becoming indie producers and filmmakers. Here’s one:

Panasonic HVX200 (Front): offers variable framerates at 720p

Thank you for your webpage and all the valuable information it contains. I had a question please: I want to be a totally independent guerrilla filmmaker, and was wondering if
the Pansonic HVX200 would be good enough a camera to start with? Is the true 24P the most important factor here?

I had intended to shoot with an HD camera of some sort, and then use the software that gives video that
“film look”.

I appreciate your time and assistance. Thank you.

My answer:

Thanks for writing. I think independent film making goes beyond the hardware. It’s true that HVX200 will get you closer to getting filmlike video than say … Sony FX1. However, film and video are two very different media and you cannot expect a $20,000 production to look like a $20,000,000. It’s bound to look “different.”

That’s why, I think you should pick a subject matter that will let you “exploit” the advantages of the digital medium and hopefully mask its weaknesses. For example, you might want to try a “reality” format for your feature. Intrusive, in-your-face camerawork with a lot of close-ups will put emphasis on video’s strengths (check out Waterborne at Google Video).

Hint: Get diffusion filters, if you plan close-ups as video is quite unforgiving to ANY skin imperfections. A good make-up artists is a plus!

I encourage you to rent HVX200 for a weekend and plan a shoot around it. There’s no better way of managing your own expectations for the final result. Once you see the results, you can either select another cam or perhaps change your script a bit to accommodate the specific “look” you get from the camera.

Remember that high-end cameras give you flexibility and protect against errors but at the end, all cameras are the same. I’ve seen some amazing photos coming out of Kodak’s single-use cameras. It’s just that a high-end Canon gives you consistency and flexibility. The same thing applies to camcorders as well.

Hope that makes sense :)

SXSW showcases HVX200

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Panasonic HVX200There’s a report at Cinema Minima that while guys from Apple and Panasonic were setting up an Apple G5 / HVX200 combo. The point of the exercise is obviously to showcase how well HVX200 integrates with Apple’s new mac.

If you’re attending SXSW, you might want to check out some of the movie premieres as well. They boast “115 features, 50 of which are World Premieres.” Not exactly equal to Sundance’s selection but nonetheless impressive. Here’s the schedule.

Sony CineAlta Rigs

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Sony CineAlta rig - George LucasIf you’re wondering why I went from writing about Panasonic HVX200 to writing about Sony CineAlta, your budget is probably a couple of million short. Welcome to the club.

I won’t be able to afford a CineAlta-size production any time soon. Yet, when I look at CineAlta rigs, I see some of the same accessories that are needed for low-budget filmmaking.

Recently, I reviewed a number of accessories for HVX200 that could be used to create a “killer rig”. Apart from standard stuff like tripods and monitors, I paid special attention to matte boxes and filters for HVX200 as these are essential to create filmlike video.

Sony CineAlta rig - Lars von TrierFirst, let me go through CineAlta’s specs. Right now, Sony has branded CineAlta to two cameras: F900 and F950. They can shoot at the same 24 frames per second (24p) as film and have a resolution of 1920×1080 pixels (1080p). F900 was notably used to shoot Star Wars, Episode II.

Revenge of the Sith was shot with more advanced HDW950 cameras which can record the full 1920×1080-pixel frame. When shooting in the 2.35:1 widescreen format (often referred to as “Panavision”) only about 800 of the 1080 vertical pixels are actually used.

Look at Lars von Trier’s rig for Dogville. I see a Steadycam of some sort. I see a shotgun mic mounted on the camera. I see a separate recorder tied to the shotgun mic (always a good idea to have backup). I can’t descern what the lens is but it comes with some kind of a matte box.

All of these are pretty standard stuff. Take it from the pros, you need just three things: 1) keep your shots steady; 2) more control over your image; 3) better, cleaner sound. That’s it. When you rent a rig, go for the basics first.

HVX200 at the Olympics

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BBC’s ENG teams will be using Panasonic HVX200 during the Winter Olympics in Torino. The information is based in part on an article that talks about BBC experimenting with Panasonic’s P2 tapeless technology.

Panasonic HVX200 (Front): offers variable framerates at 720pThe major issue with HVX200 at this point is that its PAL version hasn’t been released. BBC definitely shoots PAL. It’s not clear whether Panasonic sent pre-production units to the BBC.

Talking about sports coverage, BBC will probably using the interlaced modes and not the progressive frame rates.

Sony is not left in the dust either. It provides a complete solution to NBC for their coverage of the Olympics. The acquision is handled mostly by Sony HDW-730 HDCAM.

Update: It seems the BBC distances itself from more traditional media. Maybe it’s affecting camera choices as well!

Kevin Smith touts HVX200

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When Steve Jobs endorsed Sony HC1 at the Macworld San Fran 2006, I thought the race for best HDV cam is over. Not so quick, Steve!

Kevin Smith endorses HVX200Kevin Smith went up on the stage too (naturally not at the MacWorld, it’s reserved for Jobs). He’s standing next to Panasonic ‘s Joseph Facchini. If that’s not clue enough, hover above the image…

Yep, Kevin Smith endoresed the HVX200. He apparently went too far, tossing vulgarities left and right. He did end his presentation on a high note though – saying he loves Panasonic HVX200 so much, he’d like to take it to his bedroom and get real down and dirty with the HVX200 and his wife. That’s the indie filmmaker’s threesome…

I have one question though: If he loves it so much, why did he shoot Clerks 2 on film? So between his wife and the HVX200 … he chose film.

Four-camera shootout

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Barry Green (from DVXuser) has been teasing us for some time now about a four-camera shootout. The four cameras in the shootout are:

I expect that by the end of the week, Barry will be done. Disclosure: Barry is one of the people behind DVXuser so he faced some “suspicions” from some of the posters there. They expected his report will be skewed in favor of the HVX200. That’s why he has some “witnesses” to verify his findings.

Update: There’s been a major forum war on the finding of the four-camera shootout. As far as I’m concerned, there’s no winner-loser. If you want the raw 40 pages of posts, I have two links: DVX forum and Dvinfo forum.

Cheerleaders in slomo – courtesy of Panasonic HVX200

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Panasonic HVX200 is all over the site and for a good reason. I finally got to see some of the 60 FPS footage shot by Jarred Land at DVXuser.


He got amazing CHEERLEADERS in real slow motion!

Cheerleaders in slow motion thanks to Panasonic HVX200

You can download the clip directly – click here. Keep in mind the clip has been resized and compressed.

The original was shot at 720p – 60 FPS. HVX200 supports a whole range of frame rates at 720p but I’ve always found that slow motion is much, much more useful. I’m a bit hesitant to check what Jarred’s next test will be. For all I know, he could decide to switch to sexy babysitters!

Panasonic HVX200: Lens Adapters

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I’ve been reviewing HVX200 accessories like tripods, monitors, storage, etc. Once I got to matte boxes and filters for HVX200, I knew I have to include lens adapters.

Panasonic HVX200 is dubbed as the low-budget filmmakers HD camera. Although it has an impressive lens (Leica, 13x zoom lens), the lens is by no means a be-all, end-all lens. You should pay extra attention to makeup donts when using this lens.


If you’re into extreme sports videos, you probably need a wide-angle lens. If you do skateboards, you need a fish-eye. It has become a standard shot although a bit cliche.

The fish-eye lens for Panasonic HVX200 for extreme sportsThe Super Fisheye from Century Optics produces an “extraordinary degree of barrel distortion with a magnification factor of approximately .55x. Adding the Super Fisheye to HVX200′s 13x Zoom Lens, results in a 92° horizontal angle of view.” The fish-eye works wonders whether you’re shooting from below (someone jumping over you), or above (top of half-pipe).

Wide-angle lenses have an incredible depth of field so you might want to go wide for action shots or tracking shots. If the auto-focus is not 100% spot on, you’ll save your shot by going wide. Robert Rodriguez shot some of the action scenes in El Mariachi with a 5.7 Kinoptic wide-angle lens. He didn’t even need to focus, he just pointed the camera in the direction of the action.

Extreme close-ups: if you need those, there are “achromatic diopter” lenses that you attach to the zoom lens. You’ll probably only need them for a few shots, so you could just rent or borrow these. Apart from shooting flowers and bugs, you can find usage for these by shooting dilating pupils (e.g. Requem for a Dream).

Tele converter for Panasonic HVX200Tele lenses are always popular with amateur filmmakers although not always for the right reasons. The “zoom” factor on a lens has become a marketing gimmick. Get this 400x digital zoom now. Using digital zoom however ruins the quality of the footage. There could be a few exceptions where you might need that extra push but you’ll be better off with a tele converter. There are plenty to choose from but not all are created equal. I think a 1.6x tele converter is about the highest you want to go. The ones that come from eBay are 2x and go for 50 bucks should go to the trash.

Talking of adapters and converters, there’s one important distinction to make. Converters will allow you to use the whole zoom range (i.e. go from wide to tele). Adapters usually only extend your range. For example, a .6 wide-angle adapter will give you a 40% wider angle of view. You can usually zoom a bit before you experience vignetting on an adapter.

Some manufacturers also offer (or plan to do so) 35mm lens adapters for HVX200. The discussion about these is still raging on but maybe I could do a review once the dust settles somewhat. Combining film depth of field with HVX200′s frame rates will make this camera a totally different beast. I mean that in the nicest sort of way.

Panasonic HVX200: More Accessories

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When I reviewed accessories for HVX200, I went through tripods and heads. Today we examine matte boxes, filters, lens adapters, and storage. Next, I’ll review lens adapters for HVX200.


Matte Box: HVX200 is a filmmaker’s dream and no dream is complete without a matte box. The matte box is not simply meant to make you look like a filmmaker. It reduces flair and also serves as a way to standardize filters and gels.

For example, Vocas matte boxes accommodate 3X3″ through 4×6″ filters and work with most wide angle lenses in both 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratios. Matte boxes usually start below $1,000 but once you add a few flags and masks and you could be in the $2,000+ range.

Filters for Panasonic HVX200Filters: Your spanking new matte box needs some fancy filters. Tiffen has its series of filter sets that supposedly create a “filmlike” effect. Considering the frame rates supported by HVX200, it will be a shame not to go for the film look.

The 4×4″ Film Look set costs about $700 and you’ll probably need more than these. Keep in mind that heavy use of filters will result in a reduction of the light going to the CCDs. In other words, more filters will require bigger lights. Early footage from the HVX200 is pretty dark so you might need quite a few lights to make anything work.

If you shoot in bright sunshine, you might want to get a bunch of softening and neutral density filters of different grades. ND filters will reduce light, softening filters will soften the harsh quality of the sunlight.

P2 storage for Panasonic HVX200Storage: The HDV cameras that are in HVX200′s class all support recording to MiniDV. In order to utilize fully DVCPRO HD, HVX200 records to P2 memory chips. This means if you plan to record anything longer than an hour, you need additional storage. At the very least it could be a laptop – get one with a big HD and fast USB/Firewire ports (USB 1.1 vs USB 2.0). You could also get an external hard drive but that will only serve as a backup recorder.

OK, I think we just spent another $6,000-8,000 easy. No money for lens adapters. You can borrow these anyway. I’ll review lens adapters for HVX200 in a separate post.

You still got to get lens adapters, capture / real-time cards, editing software, editing workstation/server, etc. Not to mention – a ton of lights. But that’s another post!

Panasonic HVX200 – footage at 60 FPS

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The DVXuser site has been a source for all things HVX200. Jarred Land has posted some more HVX footage, this time he shot cheerleaders (wow!) at 60 FPS.

Panasonic HVX200 (Front): offers variable framerates at 720pRemember that HVX200 specs stated that the camera will support a variety of frame rates at 720p: 12, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 30, 32, 36, 48, and 60 FPS.

The main advantage of shooting at speeds above 30 FPS is that when you play the video at 30 FPS (or 24 for that matter), it will have a slow motion effect similar to what you have when you shoot film at higher speeds.

Without further ado, here’s the forum link to the footage. All in all, I think Panasonic has done an incredible job with the HVX200. I would love to see them follow up with a bit higher-end model that offers what Canon XL H1 does, i.e. interchangeable lenses.

Wedding Videography 2: Dude, where’s my Dad?

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Yesterday I reviewed several HD cameras with a specific regard to shooting wedding videos in HD. Thinking about it again, I’m not sure it’s such a good idea… here’s why:

HDV has native support for 16:9 and naturally wedding videographers would want to utilize that. This might lead to the problem once you transfer to SD for those relatives that still don’t have Blu-Ray. I’ll call it:

Dude-where’s-my-Dad-syndrome

Wedding videos in HDThe syndrom is most pronounced when guests tend to line up in a way that’s very horizontal (see ancient photo on the right).

I’ve put question marks where all the missing relatives will be… once you transfer your work to SD.

There are two “solution” that are equally unacceptable: use a pan-and-scan transfer or put your picture in a letterbox (black bars above and below).

Fortunately, you won’t have to consider these post-production options, if you’ve done some pre-planning. On shots where the guests have lined horizontally, you can do a pan making sure you got everyone (at 4:3). If you’d like to avoid pans (amateur look), you might do two shots: one at 16:9 and one at 4:3. The 4:3 might be a pan. When you later edit the video, you’ll be able to create a 16:9 and a 4:3 version.

Wedding videos in HDJust for the record, the question mark on the left (see arrow) is her Royal Majesty, the Queen (UK!). If you could go back in time, and you were invited to the wedding, and you had an HDV camera, and you’ve read this post, you might have done a shot that includes the Queen. Voila.

Later, when doing the sound track, you might put Sex Pistols singing “… God save the Queen, she ain’t no human being…” Gotta love punk rock.

If you have any questions or comments about wedding videograhy and HD, post them below!

Panasonic HVX200 – Release date

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Panasonic HVX200 (Front): offers variable framerates at 720pFinally. The wait is over. Panasonic has announced the release date for the Panasonic HVX200 – December 29. Ever since they released the final HVX200 specs a month ago, there’s been a lot of talk but most doubted that Panasonic will make their self-imposed deadline – 2005.

Along with the date there’s plenty of HVX200 related news as well.

First of all, actual footage from the HVX200 has been released. You can visit DVXUser or go directly to the download link.

HVX200 frame rates have been confirmed for 720p: 12, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 30, 32, 36, 48, and 60 FPS.

P2 memory has been confirmed as the only format cabable of handling DVCPRO HD and the various frame rates. There’s some hope that as early as Spring 2006, there will be hard drives that will be able to handle it. Right now, an 8GB chip will store about 20 minutes of 720/24p. (USB 1.1 vs USB 2.0 speed comparison).

True 24P: this is the best feature for indie filmmakers. Instead of the 3:2:2:3 pulldown, the HVX200 uses true 24p (or more accurately 23.98 fps).

For additional info, read the FAQ at Panasonic.

I’d say we got a winner!

Panasonic HVX200 wiki

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You’re probably aware I try to contribute to the Wikipedia project. I’ve contributed info about movies as well as video production. Recently, I covered basic lights and lighting setups.

I started putting some info about the upcoming Panasonic HVX200, I wonder if that’s worth anything. A quick inspection revealed that there were no entries for other HD camera models as well. I’m still not sure, if it’s worth proceeding in this direction but I guess it can’t hurt.

So if you’d like to put some info about YOUR favorite HD cam, head straight to Wikipedia. You’ll take some of the burden off!

Sony HDR-FX1: one year later

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Sony HDR FX1Sony’s first HDV cam, the HDR-FX1, stirred the HD video production world with its introduction an year ago. In that time several new HDV camcorders came on the market (Sony Z1 and JVC GY-HD100U). Sony’s main competitors in the DV field both have announced their HD cams: Canon XL H1 and Panasonic HVX200.


So where does the Sony FX1 stand right now? Is it still a good buy or it’s worth to wait a little longer? I’ll answer these below.

Different shooters have different needs. In my recent post about HD cameras for guerilla filmmaking, the FX1 wins fair and square. What about other uses though?

Let’s look at FX1’s advantages:

  • Affordable (Canon XL H1’s price is almost 3 times higher)
  • 1080i support (actual chip is 1440×1080)
  • Vibrant video with some low light capabilities (3 lux)
  • Long battery life
  • Standard HDV (using MiniDV cassettes)

On the negative side we’ve got:

  • Fixed lens (albeit a good Carl Zeiss one)
  • No XLR inputs for audio
  • No true 24p

If your end-product stays on video (DVD) and you don’t need balanced audio, Sony FX1 offers the best value. Wedding and corporate videographers will have an easy time selling their services as well. The FX1 is black and sexy and although it’s not a shoulder cam (like JVC GY-HD100U or Canon XL H1), it does look professional.

On the other hand, if you need balanced audio and you hope to be able to transfer to film, it’s best to wait a bit. Here’s why:

Canon XL H1 has interchangeable lenses and supports Canon XL mount and full range of lenses. This will allow you the flexibility to simulate a “filmlook” more easily. For example, shooting with a tele lens to create a narrow depth of field.

Panasonic HVX200 is the only cam under $10,000 that supports variable speeds (including true 24p). If you’d like to create filmlike video with real slo-mo effects, this is the cam to get.

In short, the FX1 is best suited for videographers who acquire, edit, and distribute on video. Aspiring filmmakers will find the features limiting, but hey, you only pay a fraction of what others are paying so you can’t complain. If $3,000 is still too much for you, you could get Sony HC1 for less than $1,500 – it’s a more affordable, entry-level HDV camcorder.

Update: Sony released Sony FX7, a three-CMOS sensor camcorder that provides a “horizontal” alternative to the Sony FX1.

HD Cameras roundup

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There are at least two new cameras coming out in November, plus plenty more that should be coming out shortly. If you’re in video production, here’s the “most-wanted” list:

  • Canon XL H1: Canon flagship HDV camera, featuring interchangeable lenses – pegged at $8,999
  • JVC GY-HD100U: JVC’s 720p, HDV camera with an interchangeable Fujinon lens, and TRUE 24P. Price: $5,500
  • Panasonic HVX200: Highly anticipated as DVX100 big brother, supports DVCPRO HD (100Mbps), 4:2:2 color space, and hopefully TRUE 24p. Expected price – about $6,000 without the P2 cards.
  • ARRIFLEX D-20: This is by all means the King of the jungle with its 35mm CMOS sensor, support for 3-60FPS, HDCAM SR support, etc. Price: $100,000+

I’m keeping my ear close to the ground for what SONY has to offer as well. You gottta admit it’s tough to keep up with SONY. They’ve introduced not one, not two, but FOUR HDV cameras. In addition they have probably 5 more HD cams between $5,000 and $100,000.

In other words, SONY gets its own round up of HD cams :)

Coming soon: Panasonic HVX200

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If you’ve into HD video production and have been hanging at DVX forums, you’re probably sick of all the speculation about Panasonic new HD cam, the HVX200. Btw, I finally got the specs – check out this review of Panasonic HVX200.

Panasonic HVX200Back to the forum wars… Panasonic got sick too (I guess) as there are even formal protest issued from posters about the lack of information about the new camera. So they launched a new blog site: defperception.com.

A bit of background: the camera sports a new standard, DVCPRO HD, which is NOT compatible with HDV. So you’ll need not only a camera but also a deck and most probably an add-on for your favorite editing program (Avid, right!). Unlike HDV, DVCPRO HD is frame independent (i.e. no interframe compression) and it also supports a 4:2:2 color space. HDV is 25Mbps while DVCPRO HD’s stream is 100Mbps.

The camera records its signal to tiny P2 cards which only hold about 4-10 minutes of video (4GB and 8GB versions will be available). The plan is to add support for Firewire drives but Panasonic insists P2 cards are superior. If one shoots 10-second takes and money is no object, I guess they are right.

The small capacity of the P2 cards undermines one of the advantages of utilizing a video production’s flow: almost limitless running time. If you have to change something every 10 minutes, you’re straight back to a conventional film production. Someone always ends up carrying the reels around.

There’s probably a lot more info coming along so you might want to subscribe to the feed. I did.