Steve Mahrer
Forum Replies Created
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Hello Folks; I haven’t posted for a while, but I do still “lurk”..
I just wanted to clear up a bit of confusion about the HPX2700, the brand new AJ-HPX2700 P2 VariCam will record in all three HD formats, namely 1080i, 1080p and 720p, AND it will do this in both DVCPRO HD and the new AVC-Intra CODEC. The P2 based 2700 VariCam takes off from where the older (but still venerable) tape based VariCams left off. Both cameras share the same imagers, same powerful gamma curves (including the VariCam’s signature FilmRec modes), we’ve added more frame rates (1-60), the same filmic shutter modes etc etc. But it has added the full raster 10 bit 4:2:2 AVC-Intra CODEC along side the usual DVCPRO HD CODEC. This is a bit like putting a 27H VariCam on your shoulder but recording to D-5!
Also, the HPX2700 is a Worldwide product, it’s the same as the 27H VariCam in that there are no PAL / NTSC variants, it’s the same camera with options for working at 24, 25, 30, 50 and 60Hz. If Matthew wants to shoot 60, 59 or whateevr frame overcranks, he can, but now he can choose to just record the active frames only (using AVC-Intra Native mode) then drop that clip onto a 25fps timeline and achieve whatever over crank or undercrank you wish.
I shot some test footage in Jackson Wyomong a few weeks ago with the 2700, the AVC-Intra CODEC makes a HUGE difference, clean, full resolution and 10 bit, nice for colour corection! We shot over / undercrank, time lapse, 6 for 6 ands 12 for 12 effects, and yes, if you need it shoot 24 over 60 just like the older 27H. Shooting AVC-Intar on the 270 in 1080i or 1080P, the camera also makes VERY nice pictures!
I hope it helps!
Cheers!
Steve Mahrer – Panasonic Broadcast US
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Noah et al:
The AJ-HDC27A (NASA test camera (720p 29.97 / 59.94 only) camera was 2001, that evolved into the 27V (most frame rates available) in 2002, I was part of a documentary shoot called El Sueno in Cuba in 2002 and we used 27V cameras. The 27F all frame rates 1-60p and Film Rec gamma came in 2003?… That then became the 27H about three years ago.
The FCP / IEEE1394 came later, we used to have hardware based frame rate converters before the FRC module in FCP.
At NAB 2008, we announed our P2 VariCams, so the VariCam family lives on an grows!
Cheers!
Steve Mahrer – Panasonic
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Scott:
Not sure what you have on order, but I just go to Staples and buy whatever they have on sale that week. I like the Western Digital Passport pocket drives, 160GB for about $100…. Not bad for three hours of 1080p 24 “D-5” quality HD field archive eh?
Cheers!
Steve Mahrer (Panasonic)
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Hi Scott:
The HPX2000 and 3000 both have the ability to transfer P2 content directly to any USB2.0 HDD. This USB2.0 Host mode completely controls the HDD, it formats the drive, and then does volume copies of the P2 card content to like sized partitions on the HDD. It’s pretty fast, >1GB/Min (faster than realtime for 1080i 59.94 AVC-I 100 / DVCPRO HD, double that speed for AVC-I 50). A useful feature if you don’t have power, a PC or much else in the field. Faster HDDs help speed up transfer speeds, but the cameras cannot bus power large platter / sized 7200rpm HDDs.
Hope it helps,
Steve Mahrer (Panasonic)
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Hi;
The AJ-HPX2000 (US) and AJ-HPX2100 (Europe)cameras DO NOT support the CAC lens correction function. That feature is only available on the HPX500 and HPX3000 cameras. Just FYI the 2100 for Europe is the same as the US 2000 except for the dual filterwheel.
Hope it helps clear up the confusion.
Cheers!
Steve Mahrer (Panasonic)
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It maybe the chopper’s radar transponder, (not radar), this device emitts a coded signal to ID the aircraft to ground control every time it gets hit with the ground radar sweep.
Transponder OP is usually modulated L band RF at quite a few watts! See if you can test with the transpoder off (unlikely due to FAA regs.)
Steve Mahrer – Panasonic
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Re: “ok thanks.But what is that in fractions of a second?”
144 deg shutter in 23.976p equals 1/60th second (AC power freq)
Cheers!
Steve Mahrer – Panasonic Broadcast
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Red Flag;
No, not if you’re worried about 60Hz lighting flicker. If you’re shooting 23.98 in the US and want to elimitate 60Hz lighting flicker you shoudl use a 144 degree shutter. The math is easy 60 / 24 = 2.5 So 360 degrees with 2.5 = 144 degrees, the correct shutter angle to freeze lighting modulation.
Cheers!
Steve Mahrer – Panasonic Broadcast
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Hi Seetoh;
Neither ruumour is correct:
1/ The 1400 can and does downconvert over 1394, so you can play an HD tape and output DV25. A menu change is required. Many use this every day, it’s great for offline / SD dalies use.
2/. Playing over IEE1394 does not distort the audio. IEE1394 playback just buffers the off tape data, there is no processing that’s why it’s transparent and used to cloine tapes etc.
Cheers!
Steve Mahrer – Panasonic Broadcast
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Hi – High! (Hi-Squared?)
Yes, the HDX900 uses the same CCDs as the VariCam, also much of the same DSP processing. You can shoot at 720p 24 or 1080p 24, the latter will give a slight increase in horizontal resolution due to the differences in CODEC sampling structure (960 vs 1280)
As for 1080p 24 or 24PA, that’s a choice you have to make when choosing your edit workflow. If you intend to edit 24p native, 24PA is usually a better choice, you can extract the 2:3 tape pulldown whilst ingesting over 1394, it’s fast and lossless. If you use 1080p 24,(non PA) you have to ingest the clip and then remove the 2:3 pulldown, this is CPU intensive and it does processes the video as it has to merge fields, not lossless, but not bad.
Alternatively, shoot either and use the AJ-HD1200 / 1400 / 1700 DVCPRO HD decks to play the tape and remove the 2:3 pulldown for you. In the special 23HD mode, the deck will spit out 1080 23.976PsF with correct TC / Audio etc via HD-SDI. Obviously the latter will require LARGE storage as its uncompressed.
WRT Gamma, knee, black levels etc, Those are aesthetic choices that you need to make AFTER testing, to determine the look(S) you like best for the project. Many of the experts on this forum can help you with setups / looks, but it comes down to you choosing a couple that are appropriate.
Many choices, all vaid, just depends upon you post workflow. With regards the 1080p 24 vs 720p 24, test it and decide for yourself. Questions to my e-mail if required.
Good luck!
Steve Mahrer – Panasonic.