Ag-hvx200

[SigLife]

So we just got a few of this in. So far a pretty good camera. A mix of P2 and mini-DV. I haven't been able to push the camera super hard, but it looks like it could perform pretty well..

Only question. What kind of on-camera light would be best for this cam?

I thought I'd ask the masses...

[SandRat]

I don't have any feedback about that specific cam, but similar Panasonic models are (IMHO) the only small platform mini-DV to go with.

As for the light, the Frezzolini Micro Sun Gun Kit is perfect. It seems a little more solid than Frezzi's Mini-Fill even and the NP-1A that powers the light will add weight to the cam, making for steadier handheld work. It's almost $1k, but it's worth it.

[Bismarck]

After messing around with ours a bit, I have to say that in the HD modes the pictures this camera takes look stunning.

It's amazing that it's only $6000.

[SigLife]

yeah. unfortunately we're not doing any local hd programming.

i like that you can use it for P2 or minidv if need be.

[Bismarck]

That is indeed handy.

I'm going to take one home this weekend and see how well it shoots in low light.

I'll let you know next week.

[SigLife]

yeah. the first night i played around with it. i didn't realize to control just about anything on it, you had to switch the auto--manual switch on the left side, towards the back.

DUH!

once i figured that out it was smooth sailing, but still haven't tried it at night.

[The Daywood]

A professor who gets a cinematography magazine handed me a booklet that came in the mag this month...It was a 12 page full color brochure on the 200. It didn't do much more than outline the possible uses and broadly touched on the tech specs for the 200

In it, there was a two page spread on how the 200 is the perfect camera for news. Any one else seen it?

(I apologize if this is a hijack)

[Bismarck]

Well, it remains to be seen how responsive it'll be for something like breaking news.

Having the iris controls on a scrollwheel that's not on the lens is hard to get used to, and the lens isn't really a full ENG zoom lens (but it is nice that the front end is 82mm)

But it is a hell of a camera, especially considering the price.

[BluesDaddy]

...it remains to be seen how responsive it'll be for something like breaking news.
I was recently DP on a no-budget short written by a friend of mine. We scored a loaner Sony HDR-FX1 which is similar to the Panny mentioned in this thread. After trying to shoot in full manual mode for several hours on the first day, I got so sick of the fiddly controls buried in menus that I gave up and shot in auto. It was taking way too long to get the iris set among other things. We had one weekend to shoot for 10 minutes of finished product, with about 10 locations.

[Baltimore Shooter]

But I thought I was told it's PERFECT for indy films, docs, corporate, etc. where you'd have LOTS of time (note the scarcasm).

Please...:rolleyes: Doc, corp and indy films and ALL the rest don't want to have to wait around while you have to press this, hold that, scroll something else, etc to get ready for the shot. Just use an XDCam HD instead of that little Fisher Price crap.

Warren

[pre-set]

Agreed. Useful back up camera or toy, but no sustitute for a full size eng. outfit with all the bells and whistles right where they oughta be.

[Bismarck]

Comparing an HD XDcam and the 200 is like comparing apples and toe jam.

They're not designed for the same market, user, or purpose, so it's a useless comparison.

I'd say it's undeniable that the 200 is probably the best camera on the planet in terms of performance : price.

No other camera will do what it does for $6000. Yes, for $70,000+ you can get a better camera, but that's a non-starter, and there's no consumer that will be looking at both.

[Baltimore Shooter]

Comparing an HD XDcam and the 200 is like comparing apples and toe jam.

They're not designed for the same market, user, or purpose, so it's a useless comparison.

Yes, it IS fair to compare those two. After all, in the late 90's, the handycam kids kept trying to say an XL1 and any other dv format camera was automatically better than a BetacamSP camera simply because it was digital. They lost that arguement.

Now, they're trying to say the latest handycams are better than an XDCam and that the XL2, DVX, FX1, P2 handycam or whatever is going to take over instead of XDCam and XDCam HD.

So YES, it is fair to compare the two.

Warren

[freedom]

Not knowing how to use a camera is a poor excuse for anything. You need to spend time getting to know any new piece of equipment. The menu routine on the Panasonic 27F Varicam HD camera is more complex than most so by that standard, the Varicam is a crappy camera. I have the DVX 100. It took some time to get used to it but I do not find it difficult to use.
Having said that, the lenses and viewfinders of these small cameras are the real achilles heels. Very difficult to see correct focus and a very limiting range of focal lengths.

[SimonW]

The HVX200 is a big pile'o'****e and I wish people would stop making excuses for it. Viewfinder is the worst. Like taking a Reliant Robin to a track day.

[Baltimore Shooter]

The HVX200 is a big pile'o'****e and I wish people would stop making excuses for it. Viewfinder is the worst. Like taking a Reliant Robin to a track day.

You mean one of these:
http://www.3wheelers.com/archives/archive2/dwoolsey2.jpg

HAHAHA!!

Warren

[Baltimore Shooter]

Having said that, the lenses and viewfinders of these small cameras are the real achilles heels.

Along with 4:1:1 color reproduction, verticle smear, 5:1 compression, small chips with fewer that produce low resolution and more...

Warren

[SandRat]

Wow...aren't we a bit sensitive about our full size ENG cams (are we going to need a tape measure later?).

I don't think anyone here was professing that the HVX200 would replace our full-size cameras, only that for $6000 it takes some nice pictures. The best thing about this line of Panny's is many of the manual controls are on dedicated switches and knobs that are in "familiar" locations for those used to ENG cams.

The two CAN be compared, but at this point it's just an excercise in futility.

[SigLife]

My *original* question was...what type of light would be good to go with this unit?

[Spacey]

SigLife, thanks for bringing us back before another full-blown war starts out...

Ok, the Frezzi seems best, but you will be carrying around the Panny batts, and then a few NP1's (assuming that is what you go with. Youcan choose from NP1, V-Mount, Gold Mount, Pag mount, cigg connector or 4pin). The Frezzi is the only one I think that lets you mount the battery holder to the camera itself, or a belt-puch option. If you dont mind belt-pouches or battery belts, you can probably go with the UltraLight (antonBauer).

Bebob Engineering came up with something (the "Coco") that attatches to a Sony battery plate (for the FX1 I think) and provides a 4-pin hirose 7.2v and "D-Tap (never heard of it)12w@15v" power output, effectively splitting the battery to power both the camera and whatever it is you plug into that output. But I dont think it's available for the 200. (See link at end)

I bought a few charger "adaptor plates" that would be used on some off brand universal charger for a DVX100 battery. I had a friend rewire it so there was an Anton Bauer PowerTap output running out of it. Unless you are using an A/B, I dont recommend this, the damned connector cost me $40, just the connector alone. Ok, the battery attatches to a plate (the one the actual batter attatches to), the back of the plate provides a pos and neg output, which is split into another plate, and the PowerTap, and a 4pin connector for plugged-in powering. I found a blank DVX battery back, which is for another universal adaptor, and had it wired to the other plate, which holds the battery. The two plates are glued together, and for the heck of it, I put a hotshoe and mic mount on there. Alltogether, it cost me a little under $150, and adds 3 inches to the entire thing, and kinda gets in the way during VF shooting, usually I use the LCD when I have it in use. Would I do it again? No. It tends to get a little loose, and the plates are prone to snapping. I've gone through 3 of the back end plates (attatches to the camera) and it's a pain on the wrist, but works.

Of course, the previous two, both drain the battery much much faster.

If Bebob comes out with something like it's "Coco" for the 200 or DVX, it's pretty cool, but I'm not sure if 7.2v is enough to power a light.

Again, the Frezzi seems the best, as an Ultralight looks kinda funny on a handycam,nor sure how you can power it. You can go with something from Bescor, that has it's own battery mount, but it's very limited in capabilites, consumer.

Best of luck to you.

http://www.bebob.de/international/coco-converter_eng.html
Link for the Coco

BTW, this looks pretty cool for the HVX /DVX
http://www.bebob.de/international/foxi_eng.html

[Bismarck]

We finally have a HD monitor that'll display 1080p (on loan), so I shot some stuff on the 200 in HD.

I have to say it looks absolutely amazing, and the slow-mo stuff is flawless.