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Heads – Panasonic HVX200, Tails – Sony HVR Z 1U
I’m to the point of a coin toss. Comments? Advice?
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7 Replies
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Wow- you really think they are even close? I can’t think of two more completely different cameras out there. What’s more important? Cheap tapes and interlaced video look (but with the Sony brand name?) Or awesome progressive variable frame rate 24p/720p 1080i/p 24p footage at full 100Mbit DVCPROHD albeit at a higher premium recording medium(with still pretty impressive Panasonic brand name).
If I were doing a proper comparison I’d be doing it between the HVX200 and the way pricier Sony XDCAM HD PDW-F300. And even then I’d still be turned off by MPEG-2 recording.
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I have done a side by side with 1080i of the same subject, with both cameras.
The image quality is virtually the same. I also own a 25K Ikegama HD monitor, so you can trust me the images side by side are as close as you need to call them
The differences are the flexibility of the two camera’s. There is no question the Panny is more flexible, for reasons already stated above.
The format, DVCPRO HD is easier to edit, while the Long GOP MPEG2 is more time consumer.
The Panny also has digibeta quality SD recording, with DVCPRO 50. This means your SD recording will be better with the Panny over the Sony.
The work flow is different too. While the Sony has a tape backup and it’s cheap to buy tape, you will have to archive your project clips, that’s going to mean a hard drive, or drives. In other words, count on buying a minimum of 1-2 P2 cards. Plan on buying a P2 Store, or FS100, and plan on some other backup drive. In the short run, the Panasonic will be more expensive, while it will be shorter to get your return on the Z1U
So, those are as I see it. I own both a FX1 and a HVX200. I recently sold the Z1U, but I also have the HDV deck.
Good luck with your choices.
DBK
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totally different cameras; both capable of beautiful pictures but for me the hvx is far superior. Rent them and see what works for your needs.
Aloha
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A little backgrounder:
We do a wide variety of projects.
Corporate video which may involve several hours of talking head sources.
High level marketing using lots of graphics, greenscreen etc..
Broadcast commercials incorporating beauty shots, staged scenarios etc..We don’t do docs and don’t do broadcast drama.
We have two Matrox AXIO HD boxes (so far we like ’em as long as development in the PPRO world continues to mature). We’ll probably add a third AXIO soon. In addition we have several design, compositing boxes using a variety of PC hardware and software.
Have used DVCAM for much of our acquisition until recently. Lately we’ve done 3 widescreen jobs: Broadcast 30 using HDCAM 730, Broadcast 30 using HVX200 (greenscreen), and a short drama using Sony HDV.
We can’t justify the cost of a Varicam or s HDCAM so we wnat to have a small form factor camera in house for lower budget jobs and as a second camera when we rent a higher end rig. The camera I want does not exist yet although the impending release of the HVX900 from Panasonic has got my attention.
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Again don’t really see the Z1 as a serious competitor here. The HVX can give you the exact same look as the Z1U in 1080i 60i mode plus a whole bunch of much nicer IMHO modes in 720p and 1080p and with variable frame rates for slow motion and high speed FX and all to a codec with 4x the bandwidth. Only major issue is cost. If you can afford the HVX and understand the P2 workflow it’s a no-brainer over the Sony.
Noah
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Cost is not an issue. Workflow is the major concern.
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Then it comes down to what’s more important: hours and hours of footage on cheap tapes with a major quality hit and only one major HD capture format; or best possible image quality in this price range and many different frame rates and both major HD formats but at a much higher media capture cost.
If you happen to be in the NYC area in a few weeks there’s an HVX bootcamp you can register for and attend at Abel Cine where you can see demos of lots of footage, learn how the camera operates and how the post workflow works(from me personally) :). I can’t give a link here because that would be freebie advertising but if you google for hdbootcamp you’ll find it quickly.
Noah
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