User coments on Panasonic AG-HPX500 pls?

[Noah Kadner]

Recommend a Fujinon or Canon HD lens- spend a lot for a good lens and you’ll be rewarded. I’ve shot with this and it’s a really amazing camera at this price or even double this price.

Noah

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[John Fishback]

We’ve had our HPX500 since the middle of June. Since then we’ve shot two projects with it. The quality is amazing. It’s extremely flexible. We use the Panasonic 17″ broadcast monitor (also amazing) and the remote camera control unit. We’ve tested many of the HD options and have shot both 24 and 30p. The dynamic range of the image is breath-taking. It’s very important to plan your workflow before shooting. I have not shot with other HD cameras so I can’t compare it to competing products.

John

Dual 2.5 G5 4 gigs RAM OS 10.4.8 QT7.1.3
Dual Cinema 23 Radeon 9800
FCP Studio 5 (FCP5.1.2, DVDSP4.1.1, Comp2.3, STP1.1, Motion 2.1.2)
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[G.a. Kokes]

Peter,

It is my observation that the HPX500 is at its best when using a “true” HD lens.

Good luck.

G.A.

Aurora Coast Productions

HD and 35mm Cinematography

NJ Tri-State Area

http://www.AuroraCoast.com

[Bob Cole]

[G.A. Kokes] “the HPX500 is at its best when using a “true” HD lens.”

Several of you report that one should get an HD lens. Acc. to Pana’s literature, there are special HD lenses for this camera which compensate for some imaging problems.

Are those the lenses you are referring to? Which exact lens do you folks use and recommend?

— Bob C

[Seth Melnick]

Here is a review I wrote about the hpx500 – https://www.slmproduction.com/mainsite/journals/reviews/

[Matt Gottshalk]

IMO, the CAC lenses are a huge compromise packaged with the camera in order to allow people to buy a complete camera system at a resonable price.

If you are serious about buying this camera, as other have said, do yourself a favor and get a quality lens, which in this case, starts at about twice of the price of the camera head itself.

The difference is easily noticeable.

[G.a. Kokes]

Bob,

A “Tru” HD lens will give you an increase in resolution over any of the packaged lenses. Matt is correct in his statement above.

Depending on what you plan on shooting and delivering on, however the packaged lenses may be just fine.

G.A.

Aurora Coast Productions –
HD and 35mm Cinematography –
Drama, Documentary, Commercials and Events NJ/Tri-State Area
– http://www.AuroraCoast.com

[Bob Cole]

[Noah Kadner] ”
Recommend a Fujinon or Canon HD lens- spend a lot for a good lens”

Very interesting discussion everybody. I was under the wrong impression. I thought that the “cheap” glass, which has CAC, was to correct an imaging weakness in the 500 itself.

I assume that the way to “decode” the lens manufacturers’ websites is to look for an EFP lens?

Has anybody used the Canon HJ11ex4.7B? The wide angle sounds very useful.

— Bob C

[John Fishback]

While I agree completely that better glass is always preferable, I suggest that anyone interested in this camera give it a test drive. While the entire package is a compromise with smaller sensor, reduced feature set, etc. compared to higher-end cameras, the results are terrific. For our level of production the package is an enormous step up from Betacam. The images are sharp! I can see individual hairs on people’s heads (a makeup challenge). Check out the screen shots in the review above. If you really need true HD glass, this might not be the camera for you.

John

Dual 2.5 G5 4 gigs RAM OS 10.4.8 QT7.1.3
Dual Cinema 23 Radeon 9800
FCP Studio 5 (FCP5.1.2, DVDSP4.1.1, Comp2.3, STP1.1, Motion 2.1.2)
Huge U-320R 1TB Raid 3 firmware ENG15.BIN
ATTO UL4D driver 3.50
AJA IO driver 2.1 firmware v23-28
Pro Tools HD w SYNC IO, Yamaha DM1000, Millennia Media HV-3C, Neuman U87s, Genelec Monitors, PrimaLT ISDN

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[John Fishback] “While the entire package is a compromise with smaller sensor, reduced feature set, etc. compared to higher-end cameras, the results are terrific.”

Smaller sensor,reduced feature set??
Are talking about HPX-500??
2/3′ sensor,variable frames,different formats,all the outputs…..
apart from megapixel block it has got more features when cameras 2-3 times its price..