New 2/3″ 3chip HD P2 Cam

[Häakon]

My prediction is that it will record in 1080 24p using pulldown just like the HVX, as it would be foolish at this point to release a new camera without 24p support. Panasonic should be well aware of this by now.

I’m guessing that 1080p isn’t stated in the specs because the DVCPROHD codec doesn’t support it natively. To be compatible with all of the current DVCPROHD decks and equipment in use, they’re going to have to continue to conform to that. However, there is always a workaround – and the “advanced” pulldown mechanism they’ve used on the DVX (and now the HVX) has served them very well as the solution.

Of course, I could be wrong – I’ve noticed there has been no mention of variable framerates in the press release for this camera (and no mention or comparison to “Varicam” either), so perhaps there’s still another “big brother” camera to this one in the works. I’m really hoping, however, that this press release is just a bit thin on details and simply doesn’t cover all of the features the camera offers. They only wrote two sentences about it in total (and only one of them dealing with the feature spec).

Panasonic is still hungry for P2 adoption, and the way to gain support now is to offer a 2/3″ HVX, basically. With support for 1080/24p and variable framerates, along with removable lenses and a 2/3″ imaging system, there’s no question in my mind that a camera with those specs would be the one to beat – P2 nonwidthstanding. If they skimp out on the 24p and the variable framerates, it’s just going to leave the consumer wanting more and throw a ton of support to XDCAM (which does support 24p, and would be the deciding factor for tons of users regardless of the lower bitrate codec that XDCAM uses).

I think the whole reason that Jim Jannard’s “Red” concept even exists is because people are tired of only getting “some” of the solution in these cameras. At this point in the game, people want (and are expecting) everything. And frankly, we’re at the point that it’s completely possible and feasible to offer 1080p24, variable framerates, solid state recording, and interchangeable lenses in one system. Not just a few of those features, but all of them. I don’t think anyone’s knocking down doors for ridiculous features yet like 4K resolution or 35mm-sized CCDs. All of the features I listed are already available in one camera or another; we’re just simply holding our breath for one camera that finally brings everything together.

I really hope this new camera delivers on all of those fronts; my personal feeling is that it’s the only way they’re going to be able to gain that incredibly sought-after widespread P2 support they need. As it stands, the camera doesn’t even ship for almost 9 months and XDCAM is delivering much sooner.

Do the right thing Panasonic, and don’t let us down!

[Graeme Nattress]

Look at XDCAM HD where the >30fps progressive modes are half rez, so making them quite useless for their intended purpose of generating good slowmo….

Graeme

– http://www.nattress.com – Film Effects and Standards Conversion for FCP

[Toke]

I hope they introduce “native” framerates with 1080 also.
It just sounds a bit silly to mandatory waste 20% of the bandwidth and storagespace just because of legacy compability with tapes that we are trying to get rid of.
With that spared bandwidth they could either increase the resolution or decrease the compression ratio (better if there would be option for user for both).

And 10bit colors, Infinity is coming…

[Toke]

Another thing I’d like to know is that, is the “pal” model going to be out before nab2007?
Seems to be that hvx200 (introduced at nab2005) pal version might not be out before nab2006…

[Graeme Nattress]

Yes, 8bit has it’s day’s numbered. Got to move forwards now.

Graeme

– http://www.nattress.com – Film Effects and Standards Conversion for FCP