Panasonic AG-HVX200, your thoughts?

I've been doing a lot of research into getting a new camera and the frontrunner appears to be the AG-HVX200. It's one of the only HD cameras that doesn't shoot in HDV and gives uncompressed Hi-Def. That's one of the main reasons I like it, but I want to know what you guys think if you've used the camera before, particularly on feature and short film shoots. Do the P2 cards give you any hassle? Do you record straight to Hard Drive? What accesories do you have to deal with this? Or alternatively do you use another HD camera that you think is strides better? If so what is it? Well thanks in advance for the help, have a good day y'all.

 

As far as independant films or fan films go, I'd say the HVX200 is the best. It far surpases the Canon XL2 in quality, and it surpases others as well. The only major setback for this camera is the P2 cards. They're so small at this point, and very expensive too. An 8GB card costs around 700 dollars, and only holds between 4-8 minutes of shooting . However, you can buy a 100GB harddrive specifically made for the HVX200 for around 2200 dollars. This you hook up to the camera and you can also hook it up to your mac or PC via firewire.

So as far as cameras go, if you can afford the 4-5 thousand dollar price tag for the camera, and the extra 2200 for the hard drive, then yes, get the HVX200. Even if you can't afford the extra 2200 and you can only get the free P2 card that comes with the camera, I'd still get it. how cares if you have to upload to whatever storage you're using every 4 minutes? It's still the best camera out there in its price range.

By the way, this is the hard drive I was talking about: Panasonic Fs-100

 

The HVX-200 doesn't give uncompressed HD. It uses the DVCPRO-HD codec, and it will only record HD to very expensive P2 cards. The HVX's prime advantage is its variable frame rate function, which, as most people have realized, isn't really that useful.

For similar (body) cost, the Canon XH-G1 has true uncompressed HD-SDI out in a fixed lens. It is also higher resolution than the HVX200. Currently, all uncompressed HD would require a teathered system, so once you've commited to that, it's all about minimizing cost of that tether and recording system. Many of the smaller cameras now feature an HDMI port, which is also uncompressed when shooting live. If the HD-SDI port isn't too useful to you, the Canon XH-A1 has all the same features as the G1, without the HD-SDI output.

-Spiff

 

The panasnic HVX, after lots of testing, isn't as good as people say. The FireStore drive needs to be placed where the tripod needs to go, so you won't have the possibily of adding a Tripod onto it, and fore a non-shoulder camera, it's way too heavy. After just one hour of non stop filming I got a pain in my hands.

I'm gonna buy the JVC ProHD 251e in a week, I went to JVC itself to test it and it is worth the extra money. The quality FAR exceeds the Panasonic and it's a shoulder cam with interchangable lenses, the firestore goes where the battery goes and the battery then goes into the firestore. Great system, works great, is great.

Costs 10.000 euros though.

 

I've been using the HVX for a few weeks now, and compared to my previous Sony FX1, it's leaps and bounds better. I don't know how it compares to the Canon's or the JVC's because I've never used them, but I can tell you that it yields beautiful results and I'm very happy with it. I can post grabs or whatnot if you want me to.

Edit: And the P2 cards really aren't a problem as long as you, or someone you know, has a laptop. They don't slow down shooting all that much, and I've found that actors like the break while I'm dumping footage.

 

So can you get uncompressed HD out of the XHA1 or XHG1 if you have it linked up to your computer? If so, then what are the advantages of having P2 cards if you're going to have to dump them every 5-10 minutes of filming anyway? On-location shooting seems like it would be very difficult to do for uncompressed HD or DVCProHD.

 

With regards to HSJFILM's post about the JVC PROHD...

I've been involved in some pre-production camera-tests for an HD-based feature film using the JVC HD100, which is in a similar line to the JVC PROHD 251e. Despite an obvious color-bias, the camera has produced some very good results, especially with its feature to attach 35mm Prime Lenses.

If anybody is interested, the following music video was shot on the JVC HD100 using the M2 35mm Lense Adaptor:

http://www.katiemalia.com/justinhopkins_undressyoudown.mov

Enjoy.

 

Not every 5-10 minutes of filming. It usually takes me an hour or so to fill up my 4 GB card because of all the planning and blocking that goes into a shot. If you fill up the card in 5-10 minutes, you're being careless.

 

Heheheh certainly would be good training for shooting on filmstock, which usually only comes in 10-minute long reels!

 

True. Not to mention, capturing a P2 card is so much more convenient than capturing a tape. Literally drag and drop. No hassle whatsoever.

 

Great camera line is it not?

 

Not bad at all. Sadly I don't think the same could ever have been said of their SD range Their standard-def camcorders were utter garbage LOL.

 

I own and operate a Panasonic AG-HVX200. First, it's amazing. Secondly, it's amazing.
It has been said earlier in this thread that it surpasses the quality of a Canon XL2... however... this is not true. The Canon XL2 cannot even begin to compare to a Panasonic AG-HVX200. They ain't in the same ballpark - they ain't even in the same game. Sorry Canon lovers, but that's just the case here (though I wont say an XL-HD doesn't come close...). I could talk for hours, and I'd be happy to do so if you want, however... bore you, I shall not.
720p / 1080i in DVCProHD with variable frame rates and roughly 2.967 million other amazing features... cannot be easily matched.
If you don't already know, take note of the requirements for recording in DVCProHD. You'll either need to wait until the CiniPorter comes out, or drop a few grand and get some P2 cards (which are absolutely lovely).

Take note, though, my dear friend... If you have a wee bit of money to spend... The Red One (company being "Red", model being "One") is soon to be released, and I have not a single doubt that it's capabilities will far surpass the Panasonic AG-HVX200.
You can see the Red One at www.red.com

Feel free to drop me a line at adrenalineburn (at) hot mail dot com, and we can talk all geeky and technical.

 

Ah, we don't care as long as the HD line >> all.

let's team up against these HVX200 lovers! JVC all the way!

 

My business partner is buying me an 8 core Mac Pro in the near future. After FC Extreme comes out, I am all over the Red!

 

I've used the HVX200 several times and I'm quite familiar with its workflow. It is a very well-made and intuitive little camcorder, and for shooting documentary or B-cam footage, it's excellent and the DVCProHD format is very robust, stable, and easy to work with. However, I would not use it for a feature or even a short film, because of the lens. The stock lens is good, but doesn't have the range or depth-of-field we'd need for cinematography. Even with an adapter like one from Redrock, aside from having a clunky and somewhat fragile proboscis, you lose some sharpness and focus, and I just haven't been completely happy with its results fro mthe tests we did. You always need good lighting and exposure for anything, but you have to really kick up the lights with the RedRock, and that can often make some of your low-light shots more complicated than need be. Then if you try to compensate with gain, it gets even worse as your'e adding noise and artifacts to the already softened picture. Handheld in tight spaces for a more raw look, the HVX's ergonomics are terrific, but still has that videocam look, which you can help somewhat with some Magic Bullet and other filter tricks here and there, but again, that lens is just not the same as a good 35 or 16 prime. So for a film, I'd go with a different camera, even one of the HDV cams with interchangeable lenses and an SDI out. We're currently looking at models that we can use the SDI out straight to drives, depending on the situation. My DP friend will be making a decision after NAB, but the HVX isn't even a consideration for our needs, regardless of price. What it does, however, it does very well.

 

Uhhh........Spiff....have to totally disagree with you there. Variable Frame rates is VERY useful. undercranking and overcranking are null and void without it. yes, you can do undercranking and overcranking simulations in some post software, but if you put that up to footage undercranked or overcranked in the field, its not as good. Obviously, another way to get that effect, at least of undercranking, is to remove frames instead of undercranking, but that only works in certain situations and doesn't fit every situation that you would want undercranking for.

Unless you're making VERY generic films, Variable frame rates are ALWAYS really useful. Obviously, you aren't going to under/over crank in every single movie you make, but I would much rather overcrank/undercrank than speed up or slow down the footage in post. Also, 30fps doesn't have the same feel/look as 24fps. If you want the film look, you want 24fps. Granted, some cameras now come standard with a switch that you can switch between 24fps, 30fps and 60i, but I would still take a camera with Variable frame rates than none at all. Unless the camera with no variable frame rates was miles ahead of the other in quality.

 

The AG-HVX200 goes for about $3500, whilst RED ONE is $17500. how those two cameras are even comparable eludes me.


To be more on topic: I haven't tried the camera, so I can't speak for myself, but as most of us know, the footage in RvD2 was not really tampered with digitally, so that's basically the footage directly from the HVX we're seeing. I'm impressed by the quality of our web-version. It's not MUCH compressed, but it is. So, if you ask me, you've got the money for a hvx200, go buy it Oh, and be sure to pick up those P2 cards while you're at it, and make sure you've got a PC/MAC that can handle p2 workflow.

 

What does a PC need to work with the P2 cards?

 

I don't remember whether you can hook up the HVX200 directly to your computer or not. If it can't, then you need an interface that can read the P2 and transfer the data to your computer. Also, if you're doing a somewhat long film (30 minutes or more), I would reccomend getting external storage specifically for it, since a 30 minute film with the HVX200 could take up to 30 GB.

 

It would probably be more than 30 GB, depending on your shooting ratio. But yes, the camera can hook up directly to the computer. I just don't know how it works for PC.

 

It'd be nice to know the rough specs of what is required. Like if I clear off most of my HD i should be able to at least put one day of filming on my laptop (60gb) and then take it home and dump it onto a larger HD, but I only have a 1.6Ghz Core Duo Processor and 512MB ram. The nice thing though is that, if I recall from what I was told, the P2 cards fit right into your card slot in your laptop.

 

On PC laptops, yes. But then you run into having to do conversions on the software end. The nice thing about going the Mac route is even though you can't plug the card in, you can hook it up via firewire and you get smooth sailing the whole time. Final Cut Pro automatically knows what to do with the P2 card and will convert and import your footage in the background even while you edit, without requiring you to even think about it. That's a workflow that is easy to fall in love with

Oh yeah, 60GB will give you three hours of DVCPROHD 720p24.

 

but doesnt premiere pro 2 also have integrated software to be compatible with P2?