Considering stepping up HVX200 - HPX500

[BlackDogPro]

I am looking at stepping my main camera units up from HVX's to HPX's. What are everyones personal recommendations?

I am receiving the bulk of my business from the DFW market, full production services, camera & lighting equipment, rental and sales. We are just getting started and stepping carefully.

I have deeply considered shifting the bulk of my camera equipment over towards the new HPX500 in light of it's 2/3" chip and Lens capabilities. I feel like this could take the place of the HVX in the market over the past 2 years - being the most highly used camera for effectively priced High Definition productions.

What are your thoughts? Just dreams? What is everyones predictions for the rental/sales market of HVX's compared to HPX's over the next few months?

[monkeyking]

Life is a crapshoot, but since there are so many HVX cameras already out there maybe there will be a rental demand for the higher end P2 cameras. Why rent the low-end 500 camera when you could get the 2000/3000 cameras w/AVC-Intra and double your P2 recording time as well as all the other bells/whistles.
I can foresee indy filmmakers buying the much more affordable 500 camera which is about half the price of the 2000 camera.

my .02 cents

[craigbowman]

If I hadn't ordered a Red One, the HPX500 would be my camera of choice.

[BlackDogPro]

What I'm looking for is a piece of equipment that I feel comfortable having to pay itself off through rentals alone, or, rentals coupled with my services. I'm just not sure if there will be a high enough demand for a 2000 or 3000 in the DFW market... HVX is a camera that you can count on renting out once or 5 times a month, the price diff being typical 350/day for HVX or 650/day for HPX...

Thoughts?

[monkeyking]

Craig,
You could be shooting with your HPX now while waiting for your RED!
BlkDog,
I share your position. I'm not sure my market (DC) welcomes the HPX (or the HVX).
It's a tape town , but I have a few clients who might bite. 500 is affordable, but a more expensive HD lens might be a more desirable rental item than the CAC lenses which are designed optimally for the 500. Who would want to rent/use a cac lens on a Varicam?

[Kaku Ito]

I stepped up HPX, but of course keeping HVX200, and among all of the HDV cams I tested intensively in the past, I'm very comfortable with HPX.

Since you have experiences with HVX200, adopting HPX will be no problem.
Their (HVX and HPX) form factors are different, so I'm glad that I have both, because HPX is too large to take around on my bike for action shooting, but on the other hand, HPX picture is superior over HVX.

If you're already wired with DVCPRO HD editing environment or work flow, you will be fine and it is worth buying HPX.

I thought of all of these prorez and other formats, but I decided to stick with DVCPRO HD is sooooo efficient and small, also provides enough resolution and the tolerance with motions AND overcranking ability.

[RyanKR]

I'm not much for shoulder cams myself, I understand the quality is better but its just too big for some things. It really depends on what you film. But hey, having both would be the best decision :D