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Panasonic AJ HDX 400
Hi People of the Panasonic COW!
We’re in pre-production for a short here in PAL Euroland and noticed the AJ HDX 400 in our hire company’s lineup. It seems a little cheaper than the VariCam and appears to offer us 25P which is great for broadcast and would make the transition via filmout with few problems.
It seems ideal – progressive scanning, B4 mount, the price is right – but I thought I’d ask if anyone has had any experience with the camera? Noticed any caveats? Is the 25P really P or some strange in camera CineFrame thing?
The VariCam is also on offer but we don’t need the frame rate options and as always the budget is tighter than … well than my producer.
Many thanks for any and all insight.
nic.
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5 Replies
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Hi Nic:
The HDX400E in Europe offers you a chice of acquiring at 1080i 50 or 1080p 25. Rest assured when in 25p, it’s real 25p, not that odd Cineframe “interpolated field” stuff. The HDX400 was designed as an afordable HD news camera / production camera, it has some novel features you may find useful and looks great. However, the 400 is not a VariCam, and thus doesn’t offer variable frame rates or true “Film Rec” Cinegamma features. The Cinegamma modes it does offer look great and are very maleable to ceating some very pleasing filmic “looks”. It’s tape is DVCPRO HD in 1080i 50 / 25p, sampling is 1440 x 1080Y, and 720 x 1080 Cr/Cb.
Good luck and good shooting!
Steve Mahrer (Panasonic Broadcast US)
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That’s great information, Steve, and thanks for the response.
It does seem that Panasonic has the edge at the moment in both the Prosumer and Pro tiers of HD.
Do you happen to know if Panasonic has some datasheets on the Cinegamma the HDX 400 offers, and perhaps those of the VariCam to compare and contrast? Online if possible.
Many thanks.
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Nic:
The HDX400 has Film-like 1 & 2 modes that are really very much like the Video-Rec mode of the VariCam. You have considerable control over the knee onset and slope, master gamma also. These Film-like 1 & 2 modes are almost identical to those in the very popular SDX900 cameras. I’ll try and dig out some gamma curves showing Film Rec vs Video Rec and the variablity they permit, (just not sure how to post it here….). The HDX400 does not support Film-Rec mode.
To be honest the best means is likely to try the camera for an hour or so on some charts to see how much contrast you need, where the knee should be, then start tinkering with Matrix and Colour Correction to get your palatte to where you need it. Detail should be limited to little or none to avoid the electric video look…
Good luck,
Steve Mahrer (Panasonic US)
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Hi Nick,
I shot some comparison footage for Avid using the 400 and was very impressed with it in comaprison to HDW750 for SDTV work.
There is a review of it in HD magazine.
As Steve says it is a different codec to Varicam and it maintains the 720p imager resolution.
Its 12bit AD outperforms the HDW750 10bit AD, so skin looks a little less plastic.Of course it can be sucked into a mac with ease.
Mike Brennan
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All,
I would like to inform you that the BBC has adopted DVCPRO HD as their HD format of choice for acquisition and has purchased a number of AJ-HDX400E for their use.
Regards,
Jeff Merritt
Product Line Business Manager
High Definition Products
Panasonic Broadcast
323-436-3676
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