Why no timelapse in the HVX250?

[jpmulligan]

I am a bit puzzled as to why the HVX250 would not have a built in intervalometer like the AC160 has. I am evaluating both cameras as an upgrade to an HMC150 and there are aspects to both that I like a lot. I was pretty surprised when I discovered that there does not seem to be any facility for timelapse. Is this due to some technical limitation, say with with AVC-Intra? Or is this feature just not considered useful or desired in a "professional" level model?

It seems that moving to the HVX250 gives something (10-bit 4:2:2 Codec) and takes others away like the timelapse. Inquiring minds (yes, I have more than one ) want to know ...

[Mike Warren]

I know the problem. The lack of 1080p overcrank is a problem for me too. Of course, I do understand that I am not typical of the purchasers of these cameras.

I thought about adding a recorder to a 160, but I'm not sure any of the current ones have the right feature set for me. I need to do more research.

[n8ture]

It's there, you just have to take it out of AVC-Intra to do it. Unless I missed something. It was the only way I could set the interval time.

[Gary Huff]

On the HPX-170, it had to be set to Video Cam mode and not Film Cam mode in order to do timelapse. Does the 250 have the same setting in its scene files?

[Phil1076]

The lack of overcranking in 1080p is most likely due to bitrate rate issues -- the P2 cards/electronics wouldn't be able to handle the throughput.

[Gary Huff]

Not that at all. P2 is very robust when it comes to bitrate.

[Barry_Green]

Don't know why you guys are having an issue, but YES the HPX250 does have the interval recording/timelapse feature, and it has a lot more options than the AC160's version does.

[jpmulligan]

Well, so much for relying on a brochure rather than reading the actual manual, this definitely tips things for me more towards the HPX250. Barry, when you say that it actually provides more capabilities in this area than the AC160, what are the more important differences?

[Roberto Tafuro]

Hi jpmulligan.With the 250 you can activate VFR with AVCIntra codec selected in both 1080i and 720p.In 1080 if you use the 60HZ mode you can have a variabile frame rate speed from 1 frame up to 30fps.In 50HZ from 1frame to 50fps.In 720p you can do over or under cranck with this camera.You can choose in the rec format the interval recording too. I have tried the 160 and the 250. At this moment for me the 250 is the best choice.AVCIntra codec is superb,the P.A.P. filter is almost invisible and you'll have DVCPRO,DVCPRO50 and DVPROHD recorded on P2 cards.Really impressive for an handled camera according to me.

[n8ture]

Roberto:
I think jpmulligan is asking about interval timing though, not VFR.
I wasn't able to figure out how to get interval times without taking it out of AVC-Intra. Course, I didn't have the manual with me so who knows, it may be possible. But once I took it out of AVC-Intra and put it in DVCProHD I could shoot interval times no problem.