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Canon XL H1 or panasonic AG-HVX200
Hi guys, I know I’m on a Panasonic forum but I want to know wich one is the best to fit my needs.
First, I’m french so hope my english isn’t so bad.
I’m a producer, and I often produce broadcast video series about (1/3 of the time). We usually rent a Betacam SP camcorder to shoot broadcast. Once we were one cam short so we took our Sony MiniDV camera for some minor shot. Our cameraman calibrate it so good the broadcaster accepted those images. I’m NOT telling you they were equals in quality! But with a good post on it it look “a bit out of focus”.
Now I’m looking to replace my MiniDV cam. I have around 10k budget. I’m wondering if the XL H1 with his broadcast option “Professionnal Jackpack” would really profit me since to get the uncompressed data from SD-SDI output you need a 15k $ deck.
Since I dont have the extra 15k needed and will have the video compressed. Wich of XL H1 or AG-HVX200 will give me the best image to send to a Broadcaster.
I’m telling me, maybe I should take the pan AG-HVX200 and put a lot of accessories and stuff to make it more great.
AH! I know it’s not all about image quality. But in the end, isn’t it what it is shown!
Any help and comments are welcome
Thanks in advance.
Martin
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6 Replies
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I looked at all the HDV cameras long and hard. I went with the HVX-200.
It produces a very pleasing image and after you work with P2 you wonder how
you ever digitized tapes!! Working with a laptop on location is par for the course
these days and NAB looks like it will be P2 city!! -
Bonjour Martin,
Votre Anglais est tres bon. Mais ne devriez-vous pas etre dans les rues s’ameutant au lieu d’etre ici? 🙂
Your English is way better than my French!We’re trying to decide on the best camera for our needs too. My original thought (before the camera was released) that the HVX-200 was the best
camera for my company’s needs has changed somewhat. The positives are still: The DVCPro-HD codec, familiarity
with its smaller cousin, the DVX-100. Now since the camera’s release, and there have been some real-world comparisons,
some of the pre-release hype hasn’t lived up to the expectations. The 960×540 chip with Spatial Offset is a little underwhelming,
(comparing it to other companies solutions) the noise and low-light performance too. Some very respected people in this business have chosen the HVX200, but some have chosen the Canon, as well as the JVC H100. Right at this moment, for me (por moi), I’ll be seeing what happens at NAB.
While I think the P2 route is great, it’s not as convenient as some say, for us anyway. We do a fair amount of run-and-gun shooting, and to
buy enough expensive P2 cards is prohibitive. Maybe the Firestore or CinePorter will make it all OK.
Not meaning to start anything here. I’m just laying out the issues for my company’s specific needs. It comes down to the JVC or Panny
for me right now. And I’m thinking just a little about the new, more expensive SONY XDCams.
Ed -
We just made a test of all four contenders below 10K for our own decisions on investments for this year.
IMHO, if broadcast in SD is still important for you for a while, I’d go with the Canon. It has the highest resolution of the whole bunch and it is giving you genlock and all kinds of output.
Who says you’ll need an extra deck? It’s SDI output (with the possibility of real-time down-conversion) can go right into a pretty cheap Blackmagic card and you’ll get images that are pretty darn close to what we got for years from Digi-Beta.
IF
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They are all very similar in resolution. For me the variable frame rates and the 4:2:2 color space made it an easy decision. Coupled with an M2 adapter and inexpensive but superb nikkor slr lenses and P2 you have an unbeatable package that can do straighrt HD or the filmic equal of S16. It boils down to the features that meet your needs most. For me it is HVX.
Aloha
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A great thanks for all of you!
First, Ed, I know that some of the HVX image isn’t as great as so many people say, but it have so many frame rate and true progressive. And we all know that we’ll finish using all of them depending on what project. And yes the DVCPro-HD codec is great. I think the same with the P2 card. It’s surely great but we rarely shoot less than 6 hours in a row. So the P2 for me is useless… If I would took the HVX I’ll have go with it’s firewire straight import into hard drive. Wich bring me to Uli Plank…
Uli I think you had me there. Why not put a Desktop in a box, a black magic on it and RAID it with a bunch of hard drive!! Plus they have a “console software” to control the camera. “That is just amazing”. I know the XL H1 lens is a really bad choice. But I’m able to buy it without it and get me a good lens. Still, the XL-1 lens don’t convince me either. Isn’t there some where an amazing XL H1 lens for me to buy? Still one question for you Uli… after trying every of them, today if you were a buyer for me witch one would you get me and with what accessories (lens for canon) ?
Alex, your decision seems so easy, I would like to be in your shoes… I know canon does 4:2:0 when compressed on tape, but I won’t use it with tape, same thing with the HVX. But I think you opened my mind here. Well, maybe not like you think. I might coupled the M2 with the XL-1 lens on the XLH1 to get rid of the worst side of canon. Well just a touht, don’t know if it can…
Thx again… Continu to feed me here, I think I’m gonna make my mind soon…
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I was not talking about the big zoom lens from the XL-1 (the mechanical version), which is bad even on SD
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