Need a 2nd camera to “match” HDX900

Field Production

Need a 2nd camera to “match” HDX900

Posted by Daniel Gold on January 13, 2011 at 3:17 am

LOOKING TO “MATCH” MY HDX900 W/A SMALLER FORMAT CAMERA.

Ill be shooting an educational series and need to find a second camera to cut with my Panasonic HDX900 (HIDEF Fujinon broadcast lens). Everything will be shot on location in school classrooms with a mix of natural and added light.

The HDX900 will be the main camera on the teacher and the second camera will be on the students. I use a nanoFlash on my HDX900 which can record in .mov files or mfx files. I will be shooting tape as back up. For budget reasons it cant be a second HDX900.

I am considering three cameras for the best picture match. I need to pick one of these or some other camera soon.

Panasonic HVX200
Sony EX 3
Canon XF300

I will have an engineer work on “matching” the cameras.

Anyone have any experience with this? Any best results to report?

Thanks

Daniel Gold

Daniel Gold replied 15 years, 4 months ago 2 Members · 6 Replies
6 Replies

Thomas Miller
January 13, 2011 at 3:28 am

Hi Daniel,

We also have a Panasonic HDX900, and frequently use our HPX170 alongside and get a pretty close match. The 170 is a newer version of the 200a. The most recent project we shot this way was a 2-camera interview for a CNBC doc on Franchising. We used the 170 for the OTS reporter shot / cutaways, and the HDX900 as the main camera. The chip size difference mainly comes through in the blacks and the depth of field. I just be sure the smaller camera has as much ND as possible in front of the lens so that I can open up the iris enough to create a shallower dof to better match the 2/3″ chip of the HDX900.

Tom Miller
Big Pictures Media
Denver, Colorado

http://www.BigPicturesMedia.com
Daniel Gold
January 13, 2011 at 3:49 am

Thats great info Tom. What was the main improvement from the 200a to the HPX170?
I also have a need for a high end smaller format camera to take on a possible trip to India so Im really trying to satisfy two needs here – one for the 2 camera shoot with the HDX and the other to get the best image i can out of a smaller camera for a short doc in India – im also considering using a 35 adapter with the smaller camera, whatever that may be.

Daniel Gold
Thomas Miller
January 13, 2011 at 3:55 am

We’ve had both cameras, and sold the 200. I think the 170 is a little faster. The lens is slightly wider. It has HD-SDI out – which is huge for me. I also like the menu design of the 170 better. The 200 is stouter, but also heavier. And of course the 170 lacks the miniDV tape drive that the 200 clings onto. I also found the 170 to be more ergonomic. Unless you need mini DV, I would definitely go with the 170. Also, I think of the cameras you mentioned it would be the best match for your HDX900.

By the way, please let me know if you or anyone you know is in the market for a Panasonic HD 1400 deck!

Tom Miller
Big Pictures Media
Denver, Colorado

http://www.BigPicturesMedia.com
Daniel Gold
January 13, 2011 at 4:06 am

Again, great info Tom. Do you know anything about the Panasonic AG-AF100 / AF101?
Its Panasonic’s answer to the Canon 5D/7D craze with a 4/3″ chip and interchangeable lenses
i dont know how it would perform as a handheld camera but it looks pretty intriguing for about $5G

Daniel Gold
Thomas Miller
January 13, 2011 at 4:16 am

I haven’t gotten my hands on the Af-100 yet, but am certainly intrigued. Hope to demo one soon.

Tom Miller
Big Pictures Media
Denver, Colorado

http://www.BigPicturesMedia.com
Daniel Gold
January 13, 2011 at 4:24 am

Im going to try and track one down here and if I do ill let you know! thanks again – its getting late here in the east – all the best Dan

Daniel Gold

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