National Geographic HD tech specs

[tippert]

I'm doing a show for The National Geographic Channel this summer and I'm hoping to use the HPX500. I have a Red on the way but I'd rather go with a reliable and tested camera package for most the this shoot. These are the tech specs they require for 720p cameras. I think the HPX500 satisfies the requirements. Am I right?

Pickup Device: 3-chip 2/3 inch FIT CCD (16:9)
Aspect Ratio: 16:9
Frame Rates: 59.94P, 29.97P and 24P
Picture Elements: 1 million pixels
Gain Selection: -3, 0, 3 6 and 12 dB
Sensitivity: f 10 at 2000 lux (3200 k, 89.9% reflectance)
ClearScan Selection: 60.1 ~ 7000Hz
Extended ClearScan: 30.4 ~ 58.3Hz
S/N Ratio: 54dB (HD output)
Horizontal Resolution: 700 TV lines/ph
Registration: Within 0.02% all zones (without lens)
Modulation Depth: 45% at 800 TV lines/ph (27.5Mhz in HDTV)
Compression Ratio: 4:2:2 In and Out
Shutter speed selection: 1/100, 1/125, 1/250, 1/500, 1/1000, 1/2000 (s)
Dynamic range (1080/60i mode): 600%
Frequency response: Within ±0.5 dB, 10 to 25 MHz ... Within ±1.0 dB, 25 to 30 MHz
Quantization: 10 bit


Thanks for any feedback!

-Tom

[taormina]

I could be wrong, so I'll let someone else chime in, but I believe the 500 has 600,000 picture elements.

[hunter richards]

I don't know if anyone knows the actual amount of photo sites...but 700 lines on a chart is correct.

[martin kunert]

imho, no mattter what people say, specs are what is perceived in the end product. I made a theatrically released docu which was shoot on dirt cheap, 1 chip DV cameras. The concept was that it was shot by everyday people on those cameras, so whatever problems we had, we said that's what the original shooters wanted. All the distributors bought it -- even when it was our post production mistake. That said, I don't think anybody at the NG will, for example, count how many pixels you camera's imager had.

[dolph2000]

isn't HPX 500 8bit?

[mcgeedigital]

Just realize that NatGeo DOES NOT accept digital files as camera masters. I'd highly suggest laying off all of your footage to a Panasonic 1400 deck and making your edl form there.

[lawriejaffa]

Just wondering but why is it that the USA HD Discovery and Nat Geographic seem to be more demanding in their requirements than for channels that share their equivelant in the UK? hmmm

[tippert]

It's a full commission, so we can remain tapeless in our post workflow and then output to D5 or HDCam SR for the final deliverable.

I know that we could make a great show on this camera regardless of the actual tech specs, but I'd like to know if this camera is up to the Nat Geo US requirements before I propose that we use it.

[Brad Neal]

It's probably a case of shoot for the moon and see what you get.

For example, I see small hand-helds being used all the time in episodes of Dirty Jobs, Myth Busters, and other DC features. And those certainly don't meet the above requirements.

[Jan_Crittenden]

Hi,

I think that there is not a camera available except the HPX3000 in AVC-Intra, that meets the Nat Geo requirement. Depends on where the Quantizing is that they are asking for, is it at the camera head, then most would be fine as most are either 12 Bit or 14 Bit. If at the recording end, then even the F900 and the Varicam wouldn't qualify and thus, they would have no programming whatsoever.

The HPX500 with its spatial offset has an effective output at a little over 1 million pixels. So many people look at the starting place of the offset, 620,000 and give little credit to the offset. The HPX500 does an amazing job for the dollart spent.

Hope this helps,

Jan

[William_Robinette]

For example, I see small hand-helds being used all the time in episodes of Dirty Jobs, Myth Busters, and other DC features. And those certainly don't meet the above requirements.

Discovery and Discovery HD Theater are two different channels. The former is the one with Dirty Jobs, Mythbusters, etc.

[Brad Neal]

Sorry. Tippert was referring to National Geographic channel, not Discovery.

My bad :Drogar-Dum(DBG):

[FatDaddy]

Do you have a contact at Nat Geo channel you can ask? I work there (editor), so I could poke around. One edit suite where the guy started out as a shooter/editor has a very nice Varicam set-up that just sits there (many times more than one camera). Americas Most Wanted Shoots in the studio on the first floor. The Channel does not produce original programming any more, but Society does (buildings connected). It seems like more people are moving away from 720p to 1080p. The big issue is the crappy stock footage everyone throws in their shows (or bumps to HD).

Let me know if I can do anything.
john