Panasonic's AG-HPX300

csuram97

Member
Our station recently outfitted us with our new cameras: Panasonic's AG-HPX300 P2. We've had a great deal of difficulty making the adjustment: focal, viewfinder and low-light issues, etc. Wondering if anyone else (specifically shooting news) is using the HPX300 and want to hear your opinions/feedback...
 

PHOTOGJJ

Member
That sound like the lovely 300.
First they will shoot soft in the detail.
To fix that go into the scene file menu and adjust the detail corning and level settings. I think its corning -4 level +7 or visver. The viewfinder is small especially if your shooting 16_9. No eyecuffs small enough so when I shoot shoulder I have to take off my glasses. Mostly use the flip monitor. And lowlight is terrible. We came from sx with 32gain. Go in the sw mode menu and you can program 24db on one of the user buttons. Plus. If you need as much light as you can get cycle the shutter around to 1/15 the video will have a strobe look but if you need light you need light.
Most important if you don't have the manual get one and read it cover to cover and keep it near. You mentioned a few of the pitfalls with the 300 but it can do a lot. And when you get it setup it will make you look good. Ill update the settings when I get back behind mine tomorrow. After really working over it on one oncall weekend I really opened up what the camera can do.
 

PHOTOGJJ

Member
Add one thing the setting to open up audio 3 and 4 is the 25m recording in the audio output.
And like me be happy you camera still fits on your shoulder and not in your cars glovebox
 

zac love

Well-known member
The Lens was a terrible too. Smeary color, breathed like a moefoe when racking focus. The HVX 200 has much better glass.
Really? I haven't used the 300, but have felt that the HVX's focus wheel was way too light. Exhale next to the camera & your focus is off. I want a smooth lens, but I also want some drag.

The JVC 700s have CCDs, but I feel that they're very plastic-y, and if you know how to shoot with CMOS, viewers will probably have no idea that you're using CMOS. I used a couple on a month long gig, the LCD felt like it was already out of alignment (hard to open), I could see some bad pixels & the camera light was able to blow the power if you bumped the wrong switch.

The JVC 700 has a lot of great things on paper & design. I just think their recent line of cameras have been the Kia's of "pro" cameras.

I have a Sony Z7U w/ 1/3" CMOS & I think it does awesome in low light. But then I try to always shoot 30p or 24p, so I'm gaining a full stop of light over shooting 60i & a 1/60 shutter. And most of my experience before getting the Z7 was with old Betacams & a first gen Panasonic 2/3" DVCPro HD camera that sucked down light like a monster.
 
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