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Opinions on AG-DVX100
Tim Scarpino
I’m planning to start production later this summer on a low-budget, nature-type documentary that will air on a regional network of PBS stations. I’m entertaining the notion of using the Panasonic AG-DVX100A as my principle field aquisition tool and cutting this on a Media 100 system at 3 to 1 compression (150kb).
Will this provide a satifactory image for 30 minutes?
Would I be pushing it if shot in the 24p mode? Should I use 30p instead to get that nice “film look”
Others have suggested using 16:9 aspect ratio.
Any other thoughts based on experience?
I’d greatly appreciate ANY opinions on using this DV format for a broadcast television program.
Thanks for you consideration,
Tim
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16 Replies
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It would look outstanding for broadcasting assuming of course good lighting, production design etc.
Not sure if you are understanding the 30p vs. 24p concept though. 24p is the more film looking format- it closely emulates film which runs at 24 frames per second- hence 24p. The camera then adds a 3:2 pulldown to derive a standard 29.97 NTSC signal that can be played on any TV and edited in any DV-capable NLE such as your M100. This is based on the telecine process used when real 35mm film is transferred to video.
30p is another format altogether which basically shoots at 30 frames progressive frames per second. The result is also a 29.97 video but with a much different aesthetic quality. Personally I dislike it as it looks like high speed shutter video to me rather than nice film. I’d recommend sticking with 24p. Once you have the camera you’ll understand a lot better how it all works.
As for the 16:9, that is definitely an option on the 100A. It really comes down to what suits the story best- a ‘widescreen’ look or the standard, square 4:3 picture. You may also wish to check with the broadcaster for their aspect ratio requirements as this is often an ongoing issue.
-Noah
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[Noah Kadner] “It would look outstanding for broadcasting assuming of course good lighting, production design etc.
Not sure if you are understanding the 30p vs. 24p concept though. 24p is the more film looking format- it closely emulates film which runs at 24 frames per second- hence 24p.
Thanks for your Reply Mr. Kadner. I appreciate it. I asked the questions because in other another forum, a respondent was dissatisfied with the 24p look. and suggested 30p, as he felt 24p was too “strobie”
I’ve got the camera coming for a demo next week and will surely play until my curiousity is satisfied.
Having done this for 20 years, and lived through Panasonic’s flirtation with MII, I’m just trying to put my mind at ease with the purchase (contrary to a promise I made to myself in the early 90’s) of another Panasonic product.
-Noah”
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I hear ya on the M2- even the folks at Panasonic hear ya(or so I like to think). But this is a completely new ballgame. You’ll be impressed I think.
Noah
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You’re in for a treat. This camera and it’s big brother are making the prettiest SD images of any camera package right now. It’s ideal for outdoor shooting. I’ve been working with this camera for over a year now and to this day I still get people asking me how I could afford to shoot on film. I use a little filtration, a ProMist 1/4 Black with regularity, UV occasionally and a Polarizer once in a while. I’m constantly having to ‘dress up’ beta SP footage in post to look as good as the DVX.
-mjd
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Footage from an AG-DVX100a looks pretty good.
But IMHO, the biggest problem you will face with a regional broadcast on PBS
will be the recompression of 5:1 DV material to the Media 100 @ 150kb.
Many a show has been rejected by PBS because of improper blanking width
and compression artifacting from older media 100 systems running @ 150kb.Good Luck with your shoot!
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[David Jones] “Footage from an AG-DVX100a looks pretty good.
But IMHO, the biggest problem you will face with a regional broadcast on PBS
will be the recompression of 5:1 DV material to the Media 100 @ 150kb.
Many a show has been rejected by PBS because of improper blanking width
and compression artifacting from older media 100 systems running @ 150kb.Good Luck with your shoot!”
David, thanks for your note. I’ve had Media 100 (at 150 KB) material reviewed by the technical staff at
one PBS station and they were satisfied. Admittedly, this was acquired on Beta SP and not DV, so I will factor that into my production process.At this point, it looks as though I’ll be bringing this into my “legacy” system from the component out of a DV deck. I’ve got no firewire capability with this system. Keeping my fingers crossed.
Thanks again,
Tim
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Which board are you using in the Media 100,
The 601 @ 640 x 480, or the P6000 @ 720 x 486? -
I’d suggest an SDI option for post. Don’t just record off of firewire, put it in a real bay when you’re ready to conform and capture uncompressed off of SDI. Then you’ll avoid the DV artifacts that come with the compression. Remember, the DV gets re-compressed only when it’s rendered. If you are doing dissolves and cuts only, you’ll never compress the signal. CBS takes our projects all the time with DVX-100a footage included, but we bump it up and record 2:1, again avoiding the 5:1 DV codec. Native DV is pretty clean, though it’s only 720×480. Most broadcasters don’t care, as long as the rest of the signal looks good The horizontal blanking is the PBS no-no. If you’re outside of 12 microseconds, it’s toast. They’ll look the other way on the vertical, so 480 shouldn’t getcha.
I think PBS has loosened up quite a bit with their requirements. In 1994 I got them to take a documentary I’d cut at.. get this.. AVR 26. Talk about your artifacts! Hell, I don’t think AVR 26 was even full frame!
-mjd
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I’d suggest an SDI option for post. Don’t just record off of firewire, put it in a real bay when you’re ready to conform and capture uncompressed off of SDI. Then you’ll avoid the DV artifacts that come with the compression. Remember, the DV gets re-compressed only when it’s rendered. If you are doing dissolves and cuts only, you’ll never compress the signal. CBS takes our projects all the time with DVX-100a footage included, but we bump it up and record 2:1, again avoiding the 5:1 DV codec. Native DV is pretty clean, though it’s only 720×480. Most broadcasters don’t care, as long as the rest of the signal looks good The horizontal blanking is the PBS no-no. If you’re outside of 12 microseconds, it’s toast. They’ll look the other way on the vertical, so 480 shouldn’t getcha.
I think PBS has loosened up quite a bit with their requirements. In 1994 I got them to take a documentary I’d cut at.. get this.. AVR 26. Talk about your artifacts! Hell, I don’t think AVR 26 was even full frame!
-mjd
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Michael,
You’re still recommending SDI after the posts to you about it in the AJA IO forum? 🙂Tim,
Check out the Adam Wilt and Graeme Nattress links about DV and SDI here:
https://www.creativecow.net/forum/read_post.php?postid=111843575073321&forumid=150
Ed[Michael De Lazzer] “I’d suggest an SDI option for post. Don’t just record off of firewire, put it in a real bay when you’re ready to conform and capture uncompressed off of SDI. Then you’ll avoid the DV artifacts that come with the compression”
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