Matthew Sonnenfeld
Forum Replies Created
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The CalDigit VR and VR mini will offer you great results. I’ve never had a problem with my 2TB VR, which I keep in RAID 1. Price isn’t too bad anymore either at $400 from the CalDigit online store. Could check the B&H prices too. This also offers you FW800/400, USB 2.0 and eSATA. I also like the aluminum enclosed drives like CalDigit and G-Technology. LaCie drives do also have aluminum enclosures but in my experience, the ports on LaCie drives are notorious for burning out and their really isn’t any way of telling when it will happen. Sometimes it may be within months to a year, or sometimes never, but I don’t like taking risks on investments like that. Also the VR/VR mini has hot-swappable drives so when you fill up you don’t need a brand new system, just new drives saving you some coin in the long run.
Panasonic HPX170 P
2008 Unibody Macbook Pro 15 inch, 2.8 Ghz, 4GB RAM
CalDigit VR
Final Cut Pro Studio 3
Avid Media Composer
The College of WIlliam and Mary -
You may be confusing the HPX170 with the EX1. The HPX170 shoots in DVCPRO HD, which is always 4:2:2, to P2 cards in camera. If you are planning on shooting SD, then the HPX170 will also shoot DVCPRO 50 which is also always 4:2:2. The EX1 however is what records 4:2:0 in camera and will only shoot 4:2:2 through SDI out to an external recorder such as the KiPro or KiPro Mini. Yes, the SDI out in the HPX170 will give you higher quality as it can be recorded at higher bit rates and using any compression you choose, but you do not need that to get 4:2:2 and effective chroma keying.
Having said that, I have seen quality keying off of the EX1 from in camera recordings. But I personally trust P2 over SxS, I like the Panasonic look over a Sony, the 5 year warranty on P2 products is excellent, and the ergonomics of the HPX170 destroy the EX1.
Both cameras will give you good results but if your question is simply which camera will give you better green screen results, then at least on paper, the HPX170 is probably the way to go. You will have the greater chroma resolution in both HD and SD, you will be saving money, and have the stability of P2.
Panasonic HPX170 P
2008 Unibody Macbook Pro 15 inch, 2.8 Ghz, 4GB RAM
CalDigit VR
Final Cut Pro Studio 3
Avid Media Composer
The College of WIlliam and Mary -
I would second the HPX170. The chroma resolution of both the HPX170 and the HVX200 is twice that of the EX1 so that will give you greater control green screening and they’re both plenty sharp. But between the two, if you aren’t planning on shooting tape (and with the lowered cost of P2), the HPX170 is a more feature packed camera. Serious bang for your buck.
Panasonic HPX170 P
2008 Unibody Macbook Pro 15 inch, 2.8 Ghz, 4GB RAM
CalDigit VR
Final Cut Pro Studio 3
Avid Media Composer
The College of WIlliam and Mary -
I would expect that the most exciting thing will be what fills the gap left by the discontinued HPX170. I doubt that the AF100 (as great as it is) is going to completely take over that market. There are a lot of cameras coming out right now and to be honest, there are still quality options for 2/3 shoulder mount cameras. Sure they can get better, but I think that the real question is what’s going to be small and powerful? What, if any, will be Panasonic’s answer to the Sony F3? What will replace the HPX170, which had some really ultra professional features (4:2:2 color, P2 recording, high bit-rates) at a great price.
But also, let’s take a step back and recognize that Panasonic hit such a home run with the AF100, that this year when Sony releases the NEX-FS100, it looks like it will still be behind Panasonic in terms of build quality, functionality, and ergonomics. It will have the Super35 sensor, but if the camera is a pain to work with, then why put up with it?
Basically what I’m trying to say is that newer does not always mean better. What’s important is what works best for your work and your style.
Panasonic HPX170 P
2008 Unibody Macbook Pro 15 inch, 2.8 Ghz, 4GB RAM
CalDigit VR
Final Cut Pro Studio 3
Avid Media Composer
The College of WIlliam and Mary -
Thank you Jan for setting us straight. But now I must ask out of curiosity… Any idea what we can expect this year by way of P2 cameras? Also, any way that maybe the SDI on the AF100 could ever see an upgrade to 10bit? The reason I ask is because I love P2 and I’ve invested a lot in it. Too much to abandon it. The HPG20 seems like a great option but how worth it is recording AVC-Intra if the signal is 8bit?
I’ve also read a lot of exciting things about Zeiss joining MFT and announcing HD video lenses for the format. That’s not necessarily a question for Jan, but more a fun fact as a bunch of us were discussing the availability of options on the MFT format. This seems like it will be a great one and the perfect pair with the AF100.
Panasonic HPX170 P
2008 Unibody Macbook Pro 15 inch, 2.8 Ghz, 4GB RAM
CalDigit VR
Final Cut Pro Studio 3
Avid Media Composer
The College of WIlliam and Mary -
The advantages of the EX-3 over the EX-1 are nearly nonexistent but also, EX-3 still only records 4:2:0 in camera, uses mpeg-2 long GOP compression, does not have the big chip that the AF100 does and the lenses available for it can’t be used on enough cameras to call it an investment. These are all things that are still causing problems.
I couldn’t agree more with Noah. The lack of MFT primes is an issue but panasonic has at least confirmed a new 25 1.4 prime available over the summer and there other new and reworked lenses in the works. I’d kill for an MFT cine-zoom but that’s just a dream i suppose. But maybe it wouldn’t be too crazy to have another Leica designed kit zoom specifically for the AF100 or AF series if that ever comes to be.
Panasonic HPX170 P
2008 Unibody Macbook Pro 15 inch, 2.8 Ghz, 4GB RAM
CalDigit VR
Final Cut Pro Studio 3
Avid Media Composer
The College of WIlliam and Mary -
Funny you mention that. USB host mode was another feature found on the HPX170 for $5,000. I agree with you, it’s a great feature to have when you’re in a bind or if you’re not looking to bring you’re computer with you on a shoot.
But a major point that I was trying to hit is that for $30,000 you are getting an upgrade in glass and imagers but the recording technology behind it is actually being sacrificed unfairly. Why would I want to spend more money to go from 100Mbps, 4:2:2, DVCPRO HD to 24Mbps H.264 or to 34Mbps Mpeg-2, both at 4:2:0? I just don’t see the logic. If the technology already exists to have it in the smaller, lower priced cameras, why get rid of it and move backwards?
Panasonic HPX170 P
2008 Unibody Macbook Pro 15 inch, 2.8 Ghz, 4GB RAM
CalDigit VR
Final Cut Pro Studio 3
Avid Media Composer
The College of WIlliam and Mary -
What we really need is an AF100 with HPX170 technology. I’m talking the AF100 with P2 recording, 4:2:2 color, varicam frame rates and straight up reliable.
I love my HPX170 but as far as the quality goes, I am not getting the low light or the DOF that I really want in a camera. As a doc style cam it’s fantastic but I am mainly shooting narrative. I don’t want to shoot a DSLR because it’s simply not a video camera. It doesn’t record quality sound, the ergonomics don’t work and the workflow is a pain.
Above all, I’ve invested in P2 with the HPX170 and I don’t want to have to retire my cards/card reader. It just seems silly to me that the 170 was a well priced camera with a strong codec and now its market replacement has a great imager but is lacking the recording quality to take advantage of it. With AVC-intra and the near mythical AVC-ultra coming down the pipe (sometime soon maybe?), why is this great sensor recording 4:2:0? Even the SDI out is only 8bit.
But realistically, I’m waiting on Panasonic’s answer to the Sony F3. But even the Sony only records 4:2:0 and you’re paying 13K for the body alone. To get 4:2:2 you need to go through SDI into an external recorder. Something about that just doesn’t make sense.
Long story short… at $5,000 the HPX170 offered pro quality recording at an extremely affordable price but it came out when people had just begun to notice DSLR shooting and ditched docu style cameras and 35mm adapters. Now to get that recording quality you need to get the 1/3 HPX370 which still lacks the DOF, the lens options and the low light. Basically, I’m waiting on Panasonic, or even Sony, to fill that void. Full frame sensor or at least 4/3, 4:2:2 color, quality recording media, interchangeable lens system. Looking at the AF100 and the F3, I don’t think it’s too much to ask.
I remember reading that Panasonic was against making a P2 version of the AF100 because it would require the camera to cost about $4,000 more after development/manufacturing costs. But honestly, keep it under 10K, and we’ll be happy to pay for it.
Panasonic HPX170 P
2008 Unibody Macbook Pro 15 inch, 2.8 Ghz, 4GB RAM
CalDigit VR
Final Cut Pro Studio 3
Avid Media Composer
The College of WIlliam and Mary -
That’s excellent! Our deck can take TC through SDI so it sounds like we’re all set. Thank you so much for all of your help!
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Ian,
I’ve done a bit of research and here is my question now… if we have enough SxS cards to last for a day of shooting, and we got the PMWEX30 deck, would we be able to have night editors (who are already here digitizing tape every week night)ingest into Avid through the EX deck and could the same deck dub the original SxS cards to a DVCPRO HD tape deck (via HDSDI) that the company already owns?