720p or 1080p?

[Robert_Niemann]

I hope, the Panasonic AJ-HDX100 will come with 1080p. Or could there be any reasons for preferring 720p?

[Shaw]

It is my opinion (for what little that is worth) that we will only see 720p.

-These are prosumer cameras. I doubt you would get 1080 at this price range.
-Storage is a large issue. I just don't see it happening.
-720p is pretty darn nice and honestly quite enough for 99% of everybody. In fact I'm not even sure the HD spec includes 1080p (certainly not a 60fps but maybe 24?).

[Rezzie]

Plus, even if HD spec does include 1080p, I don't think that DVCPro-HD includes it...yet...

[Barry_Green]

The ATSC standards for broadcast include 1080/24p and 1080/30p.

DVCPRO-HD supports 720/60p and 1080/60i.

It wouldn't be impossible for them to implement 1080/24p or 1080/30p in the same way that they implemented 480/24p and 480/30p in the DVX. However, I really don't expect it. The VariCam is 720p, I doubt we'll see higher-res imaging in this new camera at 1/10th the price. Maybe, but I hadn't really even considered that they might go that route. We can hope though!

[Flintstone]

Panasonic is very much entrenched in the 720p camp (even though they do have less popular 1080i DVCProHD models), so I doubt they will go with 1080/24p in a loaf-of-bread form factor . *It is more likely that they will go 720 with the "announced" 24p for the indie filmmakers, and the much sought after 60p for the rest. *If we are lucky, they will support various frame rates (not necessarily variable as the Varicam), but fixed rates such as 24p, 25p, 30p 50p, and 60p.

In all honesty, personally I prefer the 720p camp because of 60p (and if it “happens” to do 24p, so much the better). *Also, this will surely change but, most progressive displays (LCD, Plasma, etc… not CRTs) are closer to the 720 native resolution then 1080; not to mention cheaper then 1080 native screens.

I just hope they will have true square pixel 1280x720 CCDs, and not crippled pixel-shifted tricked out image like the FX1/Z1 (960 horizontal instead of 1440)

[Rich Lee]

just curious. if they do indeed make it a 720p DVCPRO 100....how does the image get stored on the tape, is it stretched or squeezed in anyway? im sure its too soon to tell. how does the varicam do it? do you get 1280x720 right our of the camera?

[Barry_Green]

DVCPRO-HD stores 1280x720 data as downrezzed to 960x720. It employs the same kind of 33% anamorphic up-rez on playback that HDCAM and 1080i HDV use.