HVX500 4:3?

[Barry Green]

The HPX500 has SD 4:3 capability.

As for downconverted, IIRC you can set the downconversion mode to either be “squeeze”, “letterbox”, or “side cut”.

“squeeze” would be the full 16:9 aspect ratio, and would require you to connect the cable to a 16:9 monitor to view it properly.

“letterbox” would map the 16:9 image onto a 4:3 frame and output a 4:3 signal, with black bars on top and bottom.

“side cut” would take the central 4:3 section of a 16:9 image and output that, sort of like pan ‘n’ scan. Still a 4:3 output, but chopping off the sides.

This is all coming from memory, I don’t have a 500 in front of me so I’m thinking this is accurate but not guaranteeing it.

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[Accountneedsrealnameupdate]

Hi Barry,

I was not quite clear on this at NAB. Does the HPX-500 have the exact same DSP, feature set and menu structure as the HVX-200? Seems like I heard it was the same back-end electronics only on a 2/3″ optical block, but I’m not sure. They are also both 960 X 540 CCD’s right?

[Jan Crittenden livingston]

Hi,

The HPX500 is like a 200, but it does a couple of additional things like it allows you to mark divisions in the clips using the Text memo. But all of the 200 stuff is in there. It uses a larger CCD and it is a 620,000 pixel imager vs. the 520,000 pixel imager in the 200. The pictures are pretty nice.

Best,

Jan

Jan Crittenden Livingston
Product Manager, DVCPRO, DVCPRO50, AG-DVX100
Panasonic Broadcast & TV Systems

[Rainer Wirth]

i think the 2100 is the best solution. Why did Panasonic built a 500 ? Is the chip of the 500 the same than on the 2100 ?

Rainer

[Barry Green]

The 500 is half the price of the 2100. And it does variable frame rates.

The chips are not the same; the 500 is 620k pixels, the 2100 is 1m pixels. The 2100 also has some features that are extraordinarily useful for new shooters, and can take the AVC-Intra option board.

—————–
Get the most from your DVX camera. The DVX Book and DVX DVD are now available on ebay and at Amazon (https://www.fiftv.com/db)

[Rainer Wirth]

Thanks for your input.
I think I’ll go for a test of the variable framerates. I’ve tested already the 2100. I must say, this is the camera for the next 10 years of production. If you stick with p2.
What do you think?

Rainer

[Peter Corbett]

The 2100 can also take my Sennheiser slot-in radio mic which the 500 doesn’t. As Barry and others have mentioned, there are a lot of features under the bonnet that aren’t on the 500.

Peter

Peter Corbett
Powerhouse Productions
http://www.php.com.au

[Chris Baldwin]

wait wait wait.

I’m a day away from ordering the 500…

I mean the argument of saving $20k is pretty amazing and hard to get beyond. But if you’re not doing News and you don’t mind the DVCPROHD format that the 2100 gives you…

Jan, come on, that was a very vague comment. ” the HVX500 makes pretty nice images” ??
I’m sure the extra 400k pixels gets you a nicer image but the 500 has to have its niche. can you elaborate on where see it excelling and finding its place?

Where are some sample images and some side by sides with these two cameras and the HDX900 and the HVX200 would be really really helpful.

Do these samples exist?

Thanks

[Barry Green]

The HPX500 is a 2/3″ HVX200. It has all the same menu settings, gamma controls, etc. If you like the images from the HVX200, imagine if they were cleaner, sharper, with less noise, and two stops more dynamic range. That’s what the HPX500 is.

The HPX2000 is basically the same camera as the HDX900. It’s going to look better, and not just because of some more pixels, but because it’s got more extensive image processing controls in there that allow you to dial in the picture more thoroughly, etc.

—————–
Get the most from your DVX camera. The DVX Book and DVX DVD are now available on ebay and at Amazon (https://www.fiftv.com/db)

[Chris Baldwin]

Thanks Barry,

That does help settle the nerves a bit. I have to admit I’m making this decision based off the price difference. One class of camera I can afford and the other I can’t unfortunately at this point. But I don’t think that’s the end of the world. I love the functionality of the hvx200. I wish it was significantly faster and less noisy and some of my snooty clients(god love them) want the camera to be bigger…Thus the 500.

I wish I could acurately time code sinc the 200 and 500 but that’s ok.

I am torn though still over P2 in the first place. I love it for my work but when clients come in from out of town they still want that tape and I swear I should be on payroll at Panasonic for the number of clients I’ve sold the delivering a hard drive of media to.

There have been two times though that I needed to dump footage to DVCPro50 and DVCPro100 tapes. Bummer! The SD is fine because I have a ajsd93 in house but the DVCProHD100 tape has brutal since renting a 1200a cost between $400-500 a day and the dup houses charge the same amount to master to tape from hard drive.

Old problem, tired argument… I’ll keep pluggin away with P2 and I’m excited to do so, but we are ahead of everyone in the real world and I wish there was a cost effective way of being able to dump media to tapes when necessary.

Thanks!

Are there any sample images and comparison tests out there?

Thanks!

Chris