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Activity Forums Panasonic Cameras Does HVX200 Quality Match HPX500?

  • Does HVX200 Quality Match HPX500?

    Posted by Bill Thomas on September 28, 2007 at 2:42 am

    I did an exhaustive search and couldn’t find anything, so forgive me if this has been asked before;

    We’re considering doing a simple 3 camera show and are considering getting 1 HPX500 and 2 HVX200 cameras.
    My question is: how well will the two (different) cameras match up quality-wise?

    I realize the 500 is better optically and CCD. But for most layman eyes, could I get away with the 500 as the wide, and the 200 as the close-up and over-the-shoulder cameras? (with decent lighting, of course).

    We’re basically a small ENG-based production facility – that’s why we can’t afford 3 HPX500s. (You might say just get 3 HVX200s, but then we’d need to also get a HPX500 for our high-end field shooting, which would total 4 cameras – plus all related equipment – way over our budget!!).

    Also, has anyone had experience with P2 workflow in a studio setting? Once again, we’re small so we can’t afford a full switcher, CCU, HD monitors, etc. I was thinking about recording on all 3 cameras, then syncing them up in FCP and doing the on-the-fly switching feature.

    But THEN my concern is FCP storage if we’re doing 2 or 3 30-minute shows. That’s 90 minutes of footage just for one show!!

    Too many choices!! Anyway, as a P2 newbie, I would appreciate any, and all help and information!

    Thanks,
    Bill

    Peter Sassi replied 18 years, 7 months ago 6 Members · 7 Replies
  • 7 Replies
  • Adam Smith

    September 28, 2007 at 7:34 am

    I don’t have any 200’s to compare, but these guys do:

    https://forums.creativecow.net/thread/193/867091


    Video Photographer / Avid Editor / Final Cut Neophyte

  • Barry Green

    September 28, 2007 at 2:42 pm

    Yes you could definitely intercut them. You have to go through with an a/b monitor and match them up, and the 500 is going to be sharper and have more latitude, but the colorimetry is very close and they match very well when configured for that purpose.

  • Shane Ross

    September 28, 2007 at 2:44 pm

    I intercut footage from the HVX-200 and the Varicam. They match up pretty well. (helps to have great DPs that can set the cameras up to match well).

    Shane

    Littlefrog Post
    http://www.lfhd.net

  • Noah Kadner

    September 28, 2007 at 5:59 pm

    We did exactly this on our last training DVD for Apple’s Color and our upcoming one on FCP with the HVX200. If you’d like to see how it looks for yourself, you could buy a copy. 🙂 Otherwise trust me- it looks great and is a good match- especially if the 500 is the wide to HVX’s doing close-ups.

    -Noah

    Unlock the secrets of the DVX100 and now Apple Color!
    https://www.callboxlive.com

  • Peter Sassi

    September 29, 2007 at 1:49 am

    “Once again, we’re small so we can’t afford a full switcher, CCU, HD monitors, etc”

    From an editor’s pov. a switcher is a cheap rental piece of equipment (clear coms too) and the CCU’s, well, you won’t have them on 3 isos either. A line cut will save you many hours of editing. As always, it’s a trade-off.

    I am glad to hear the 500 cuts well with the 200. We are about to shoot a feature using the PS Technik Pro and primes for the 500 and the PS Mini and primes for the 200.

    Just my 2 centavos,

    Peter Sassi

  • Bill Thomas

    September 29, 2007 at 4:03 pm

    Thanks Peter, but what format do you suggest recording TO? Tape? hard drive?, etc.

    Thanks

  • Peter Sassi

    September 29, 2007 at 7:11 pm

    I am very familiar with the P2 workflow from the HVX200, so that’s the way for me. As far as format, I am meeting the DP tonight for some tests tomorrow. 1080 versus 720PN are our choices. It will, for us, come down to a matter of disc or card space. We are pretty much in the boonies so I have a feeling we are leaning to 720p.

    I have seen and edited both 1080 and 720 from the HVX200 and truthfully it seems like a big trade off in space for the amount of aesthetic you get with 1080. Barry (see further posts) cleared up for me the P and the PN situation. I was mixing my metaphors so to speak.

    Peter Sassi

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