[Michael Palmer]

“over on the DVX user forum. There’s been some testing which appears to show significant image breakup (with the 35mbs codec)on moving images and panning across high-detailed areas like grass and trees.”

Peter,

Can you provide the link so I can consider the source?

I have been working with my EX1 nearly 7 months now and I understand the limits of my gear, I understand the rolling shutter, and I understand Long GOP. You have mentioned the 35Mbps codec, and I believe this is the limit of any XD Cam cameras at this point in time. I’m speaking of going beyond these factory limits using a secondary record unit that allows you to control the compression. I’m sure John and Ron and you will agree that the most important part of any camera happens at the front end with the lens and the sensors making the primary image, it is the back end that seems to create issues for many people. There is no mystery to marketing, Sony didn’t put the 24p feature on the 700 because they forgot, just like Panasonic used the same CCD’s from the 500 in the 2000. These concerns about the 35Mbps codec will end with the Convergent Design Flash XDR HD-SDI recorder. If Sony or Panasonic made washers and dryers there wouldn’t be much to introduce vary often. I believe I have found an affordable creative solution to produce high quality HD video until these guys decide to settle in on some standards. Its a big game figuring out how to use what they do give us and its up to us to make the most with it,…………………………one big marketing game.

Good Luck
Michael Palmer

[Michael Palmer]

Ok Randy my turn.
“I am currently shooting on DVCam. I want to upgrade to an HD Format.”

How are you delivering now and what format do you think you will be delivering with HD ?

The new Sony 700 is the next level of XD Cam upping the bite rate to 50Mbps along with the color space to 4:2:2 with an all new full raster 3-ccd 2/3 imager, unlike the HPX-2000 that still most likely has ccd’s from earlier units that are perceived as 720 native. These features between these two camera IMO make huge differences as to overall image quality. There will always be compression debates but I look to what the camera can produce without compression.

You are inquiring about two completely different record formats so given you understand the intangible solid state workflow I would say you should be looking at the Sony XD Cam EX series instead of the new 700 for a comparison. AVC-I is an up and coming codec that maybe the future for both companies, however the Sony camp still believes the MPEG-4 compression works best recording at lower bit rates and as the rates climb higher (as with what the HPX-2000 can record) they aren’t as dominate as some people are lead to believe. There are affordable solutions to record beyond these factory compression limits that include 4:2:2 color and Intra frame recording, with the Convergent Design Flash XDR HD-SDI recorder.

I believe I have found an affordable solution for my next production series for Animal Planet. We are planning to use the Sony EX3 together with the XDR recorder using the 100Mbps I -frame setting. The EX3 was an amazing new CMOS sensor that IMO is way better than the HPX-500 that I shot with last season. Another time saving benefit from this new Flash XDR HD-SDI recorder is it will produce QuickTime .mov files right to the card helping us with our Final Cut workflow. Both P2 and XD Cam solid state recorded files must be converted into Quick Time files to be edited with Final Cut and we won’t be spending any of that time converting. This market is ever changing and I would bet my affordable EX3 to XDR will provide near uncompressed quality without braking the bank.

Good Luck
Michael Palmer

[Michael Palmer]

Here is what I found on the top of page three.
https://www.serv.com.ua/img/zstored/File/AVC_Intra_White_Paper_Ver_1_3.pdf

Table 1: Summary of the AVC-I features and Modes
Demands AVC-I Features
IT affinity / Tapeless International Standard / P2 file recording
Highly Efficient Compression MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 @ High10 / High 4:2:2 Profile standard
Editing / Operation Intra-Frame compression method （I-only compression）
Full Resolution HD mode 100Mb/s mode （1920 x 1080 / 4:2:2 @ 10bit）
ENG / Economy HD Mode 50Mb/s mode（1440 x 1080 / 4:2:0 @ 10bit）

The AVC-I 100 above is a full raster, but the HPX-2000 is the 1280×1080
And it looks like the AVC-I 50 take a page from the XD Cam with the 1440×1080 4:2:0

I’m still not sure what basis you find this AVC-I camera to be four times better at this point in time.
What would your workflow be with AVC-I files?

Good Luck
Michael Palmer

[Michael Palmer]

So what you are saying is that DCV pro HD is twice as good as XD Cam 50 Mbps, and that this new AVC-I is twice as good as DCV pro HD. I would assume this HPX-2000 now has full raster 1920×1080 CCD’s and not the CCD’s from the HPX-500 or do you know? The HPX-500 can only provide 1280×1080 with DVC pro HD.

Good Luck
Michael Palmer

[Michael Palmer]

Woooww ……….I don’t understand “The Panasonic AVC-I is really four times as good as that on the XDCAM.” how you can make this statement John……… Please enlighten us.

Good Luck
Michael Palmer

[Michael Palmer]

Lite Panel makes an really nice ring light.
https://www.s131567196.onlinehome.us/products/ringlite.asp

If you just need a small LED on board lamp check this out, I love mine.
https://www.prompterpeople.com/mic_light.php

Good Luck
Michael Palmer

[Michael Palmer]

Bill,
Wouldn’t it be great if you could decrease factory compression, have 4:2:2 color space and have an ALL I-Frame file to take advantage of this amazing imager?

Well now you can. Convergent Design is just a few days away from releasing the new XDR Compact Flash HD-SDI recorder That will allow the operator to reset the compression to allow for these panning shoots you have trouble with from the factory compressions. You can set the XDR in intervals from Blue Ray encoding levels (eliminating long software encode times) , all the way up to 160 Mbps 4:2:2 All I-frame recording with inexpensive solid state compact flash cards. Check it out.
https://www.convergent-design.com/downloads/Flash%20XDR%20Brochure.pdf

Good Luck
Michael Palmer

[Michael Palmer]

Perhaps they can sell you the plug, they must have what it takes to power this camera.

Good Luck
Michael Palmer

[Michael Palmer]

Anton Bauer has something here on page 7
https://www.antonbauer.com/pdf-files/2008%20Anton_Bauer%20Catalog.pdf

Is this what you’re looking for?

Good Luck
Michael Palmer

[Michael Palmer]

depending on the reflective value of the reflector it would seem that we may be able to find a lens set to concentrait the beam just like the real professional HMI PAR units do.

Good Luck
Michael Palmer