Ronald Wilk
Forum Replies Created
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Hi:
I have been using the 300 with the low gain set at -3 and have not experienced any grain, noise or any of the issues that you have described … of course, boosting the gain will tend to induce varying degrees of noise. In addition, some of the scene files have a tendency to produce more noise.
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According to the specs, the “E” series should faster than the original series as far as write time is concerned but transfer time should not be any slower. Although I haven’t put a stopwatch to it, I have found the transfer time of the 64GB “E” series, using the Panasonic PCD 35, to be extremely fast.
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Couldn’t agree more in regards to your EX sentiments. Most of the derogatory comments that I have read in re the HPX300 have been from people repeating third party opinions rather than actual owner/users. After all, there are some intensely obvious biases put forth by Sony owners, some of whom actually admit to their bias, so, a grain of salt is required in those instances. In my case, I have had ample time to compare the two, having owned both at the same time (EX3 and 300) and having discarded the Ex3. That’s not to say that the EX3 did not produce wonderful images but for my purposes its negatives more than outweighed its positives.
But I have another pet peeve, and that refers to the phrase, “low light.” How does one determine where low light begins and ends? IMO it’s a meaningless attempt to describe a lighting environment and probably should be supplanted with something more quantifiable. From my perspective it’s almost like trying to describe the intensity of a specific hue without using actual, reproducible values but enough of my rant.
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Hi Jeff:
First off, allow me to address your lament, in re gain. The HPX 300 does indeed have a -3db gain setting and I keep the “low” gain set to that position 90% of the time.
As for the sensitivity difference between EX3 and the 300, in my comparison, the difference is no more than 1/2 to barely a whole stop in favor of the EX, hardly enough to quibble over in most situations and not enough to promote a noise differential. Frankly, I am not a fan of the Sony Ex “look” and when you couple that with the terrible ergonomics of the Ex series, the value of the 1/2″ chip fades quickly, IMO. And that, coupled with the bevy of accessories required to make the camera just barely ergonomically acceptable and or the costly external device required to improve upon its data rate, are what prompted me to sell the Ex3 in favor of the 300, a decision that established its righteousness from the moment that I opened the box.
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Just happened across your post and was a tad confused by your mention of the HPX 300 being noisy… did you mean to imply in low light situations, whatever that means? Given that “low Light” can be defined differently by different people. Just as an aside, I own an HPX 300 (and an HPX 170) and with the next to most recent firmware(9.30) I do not find it noisy at all. Further more, I do not find it to be any noisier in poorly lit situations than my recently sold EX3. That said, the EX3 was 1/2 to 1 stop more sensitive than the 300 likely attributable to the 1/2″ chips. I wonder, do you own an HPX300?
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You are very welcome. And good luck with the replacement HPX 170, it’s a great camera that you are sure to enjoy.
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One other thing to consider; If the Amazon purchase was negotiated via a second party supplier, it is possible that Amazon may not have been aware of either the camera’s origin or its intended destination, for example, Panama. In that case, they may be more than agreeable to assist you in your claim/
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I would call Panasonic’s customer service and verify that the serial number corresponds with those cameras destined for an offshore, outside U.S.A. location. If that turns out to be the case and the Amazon web site either implied that the camera was destined for US import or, in the alternative, did not post a disclaimer to the contrary, I would return the camera to them for a full refund. If they refuse, you may have legal recourse and I would contact an attorney.
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Hello:
Import? Well, it is made in Japan but if what you mean is, produced for another market, I doubt it. I too purchased a new HPX170 from a reputable US dealer within the past few months and it has the same “P” designation. I have already received the extended warranty from Panasonic USA, etc.
Enjoy your new camera… it’s great! -
I hate to add fuel to the fire, but I have had my HPX 300 for approximately one month and have not encountered a single disappointing moment that wasn’t self inflicted. The images, with the stock lens, are extremely sharp and depending upon which of the stock scene files are chosen, they generally stand out in terms of punchy color and “crispness,” whatever that is. I actually sold an Ex3 and replaced it with this camera and I can truthfully say, that IMO and to my eyes and 24″ HD monitor, that the images are much more pleasing and striking than the apparent hyper-sharpened files produced by the EX3. With this in mind, I would have to assume that the original poster’s camera was defective, given his stated credentials, or…