Jeff Regan
Forum Replies Created
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Yes, 10-bit AVC-Intra 100 is I-frame, 4:2:2 at 100Mbps vs. XDCAM EX 8-bit, Long GOP, 4:2:0 at 35Mbps. AVC-Intra 100 is more compressed than ProRes 422, however.
We used to send out an EX1 and Ki Pro for clients who didn’t want pay for a 2/3″ HD camera.
Now we have an HPX250 and recently added an HPX255, which works with the EC4 paint box, like the HPX370. Very powerful codec and controlability for a palmcorder at an affordable price point. No need for the Ki Pro, unless the client demands to walk away with ProRes.
Jeff Regan
Shooting Star Video
http://www.ssv.com -
We’ve had and HPX250 for a year plus and have now added an HPX255 with EC4 paint box. These cameras are great for green screen. Best codec in a palmcorder.
Have not had issues with the 3DNR, although not shooting a lot of action. The PAP1 3DNR improves sensitivity and noise to levels similar to an EX1/EX3, but with a better codec for keying.
Make sure DRS is off, as this can cause a halo effect around the subjects. Best to shoot at an f4.0.
I’m not a fan of using large sensor cameras for green screen–have to shoot at an f5.6 or slower for a sharp key edge. I personally think the 5D is one of the worst cameras to shoot green screen with.
Jeff Regan
Shooting Star Video
http://www.ssv.com -
I agree with Erich. Panasonic was a disappointment at NAB. The P2 version of the AF100 was canceled. No S35 sensor cameras. No large sensor Varicam.
Our HPX2700 and HPX250 are doing well, the latter is always busy and I look forward to the HPX255, which adds paint box control to the 250, but it’s $1000 more plus paint box and doesn’t come out until the fall.
AF100 rentals have slowed down.The AF100 and HPX250 firmware updates are nice, but not a big deal. Things are moving very quickly in the digital cinema area and Panasonic is not keeping up.
Jeff Regan
Shooting Star Video
http://www.ssv.com -
I think what can be projected in a theater is ultimately content driven. Canon 5D’s are projected, HVX200’s are projected and they are both softer than an AF100 and the former has more image artifacts than the Panasonic cameras.
Jeff Regan
Shooting Star Video
http://www.ssv.com -
Omega Broadcast in Austin has B-stock LH80’s at a good price. You might also look at TV Logic and Flanders Scientific as alternatives with much more in the way of scopes, markers, loop thru HD SDI, HDMI to HD SDI transcoding(TV Logic).
The Panasonic 910 is a very nice monitor, as was the 900, but larger for sure than an LH80.
Jeff Regan
Shooting Star Video
http://www.ssv.com -
I think it unlikely to see 1/2″ sensors from Panasonic and am hearing from some sources that S35 sensors are also unlikely in the near term.
Jeff Regan
Shooting Star Video
http://www.ssv.com -
Phil,
No, I meant the 250 is sharper than a 2700(2700 is only a 720 native chip set). What I like about the 250 is that the resolution is real and more subtle than the over enhanced look of a 200/200A/170. I find the image more subtle than an EX1/1R/3, which look more vidoeoish to me.
If you shoot a Chroma Du Monde chart and expand the vectorscope, the color points are very close to REC709 in matrix Norm 1, with Green and Blue deficient in saturation. Of course, with an HPX2700, thanks to Matrix and Color Correction circuits, you can dial every color point in perfectly, as you would expect with a 32-bit DSP in a $40K P2 Varicam. Interestingly, I could not get an EX1, which offers full Matrix controls, to do any better than the 250 with blue and green saturation, using Standard Matrix.
White balance does show color temp. You can shift white balance on A and B, but not expressed in Kelvin, unlike the AF100in variable or 2700.
DRS works in 60i. Problem with DRS, besides frame rate limitations, is that being dynamic for the mid-blacks, you can’t really light for it, due to fill ratios changing shot by shot.
Jeff Regan
Shooting Star Video
http://www.ssv.com -
Phil, we had an HPX170 that often acted as B-camera to our HPX2700. The HPX250 is quieter, sharper than an 2700, without needing much detail enhancement(HPX170 needed plenty of detail circuit and just couldn’t resolve fine detail in wide shots, was noisier).
The 250 is slower than a 2700, about 2-stops in PAP level 2 NR filter, assuming HD gamma for both, but you gain up to 6db without too much noise or go to PAP level 1 filter.
Matching the 250 with the 2700 seems to be easiest with HD gamma vs. film like gammas, Norm 1 matrix on the 250 is close to REC709, except blue and green is a bit deficient. Will need to change chroma and chroma phase a tiny bit. zoom
The 22x lens requires electronics to keep focus tracking during zooms, as it’s not a parfocal lens. It also ramps a fair amount, from f1.7 to f3.4 at 85%-100% zoom. CA is a non-issue.
I like the fact that the 250 allows low, mid, high knee settings in Cine gammas unlike the 200, 200A, 170, AF100. Still won’t do DRS in 24, 30p.
The 250 handles highlights better than any previous Panasonic palmcorder with fine control over settings due to 20-bit DSP. Of course, besides the full raster sensors, it’s the AVC-Intra codec that really makes the 250 special.
Jeff Regan
Shooting Star Video
http://www.ssv.com -
Wide lenses, even very fast wide lenses, won’t have the selective DOF that a 50mm or 85mm or longer lens has, especially with the micro 4/3″ size sensor.
I use Nikon AIS primes and an Arri Alura 18-80 Cine zoom with our AF100’s. Nikon ED zooms are nice, Olympus 4/3″ f2.0 zooms are very fast and sharp. The Tokina 11-16mm F2.8 is also nice, but you must use a Nikon to MFT adapter that allows iris control, such as the Novoflex.
I don’t think an external recorder is necessary unless planning to do a lot of grading/color correction or green screen compositing.
Good luck!
Jeff Regan
Shooting Star Video
http://www.ssv.com -
Does the camera actually shut down at 30 minutes or are you changing when you get the battery warning display?
If the latter, make sure the proper battery type is selected in the menus as well as voltage threshold.
HPX3000/3700 cameras are pretty power intensive, especially when shooting in AVC-Intra 100. If the batteries are a few years old, that might be all you can get on run time.
Jeff Regan
Shooting Star Video
http://www.ssv.com