Help with HPX-500 Choice

B

Bassman2003

Veteran
Hello,

I have just registered here as I am looking at the HPX-500 as an upgrade to my DVC-200 cameras.

I have my own video, still & audio business and have been pleased with the DVC-200 as a great tool for what I do, which is a bit of everything.

One thing I enjoy is having a full size camera.

When I think of an HD upgrade, I really am thinking of a widescreen upgrade because all of what I deliver (except Web material) is on DVD. So the product is still in SD and I believe this will stay for some time.

My thoughts on the HPX-500 are on the budget side because I would like to have multiple cameras, so to make an HD transition work, only one HPX-500 could be purchased along with two "little" cams.

So here is my approach as I look to get opinions.

Buy the HPX-500 along with a Firestore and an SD lens. Shoot mostly DVCPro 50 until HD-delivered (Blu-ray) projects come along and rent or buy a better lens when needed.

How would shooting in DVCPro 50 with an SD lens compare with shooting HD with an SD lens if the final product is delivered on DVD?

Would the normal person be able to tell a difference?

They are both 4:2:2 correct?

The next camera in the ballpark in my view is the EX-1, which is a nice camera, but the family of XDCAMs does not have a large body camera which is affordable or has 4:2:2 color.

In a perfect world, I could get the EX-1 & the HPX-500 and they would cut well together, but I don't have faith this can happen. But I have heard the EX-1 has a lot of color tools.

Anyway, I would appreciate any feedback.

Thanks.
 
Thanks Barry,

How about this one:

How would the DVCPro 50 footage with an SD lens compare to HD footage with an HD lens only judging the footage after it has been output on DVD?

That big of a difference?

Also, any views on being able to color match the EX-1 and the HPX-500?

I would like to be able to try, but I don't know if I will find both of these cameras in a situation where I was allowed to spend a lot of time with them.

Thanks
 
Depends on the lens. I put a higher end SD lens on an HPX and it looked better than the kit HD lens that came with the camera.

It depends on the glass.
 
Bassman2003 said:
How would the DVCPro 50 footage with an SD lens compare to HD footage with an HD lens only judging the footage after it has been output on DVD? That big of a difference?
Click to expand...
If it's a good professional SD lens, I doubt anyone would be able to tell the difference once it's rendered out to DVD.

Also, any views on being able to color match the EX-1 and the HPX-500?
Click to expand...
I don't know. The EX1 has much more paintability than the HPX500 does, it's possible you could paint it to match. I don't know if the EX1 has the ability to match the 500's cine gammas. But for straight Rec709, they can match very well; I got an EX1 and HVX200 to look practically identical color/gamma wise when using STD3 on the EX1 and HD NORM on the HVX.
 
Wow, good news.

Thanks for your input.

The DVD-only deliverable situation looks like it will allow me to get into a better camera.
 
Hi Bassman,
we have exactly the same Panny cameras here, unfortunately they don't shoot 16:9, so that's one of the main reasons we want to upgrade as well.

Most (If not all) of my event customers do not want HD yet, so 16:9 DVCPRO with a 2/3" CCD cam is fine for now. We're going to dump to DVCAM tapes after we're done shooting.

Now for commercials and everything else, we're going to shoot in DVCPROHD and downconvert for quality reasons (If the commercial is SD).
 
Hey,

Sounds like we are in the same boat.

I am so budget minded about this upgrade because I think people are going to want HD at SD prices.

This is based upon the lack of consumer excitement about Blu-ray.

I could see a customer saying "how much is the HD package, oh, well how much is it if you shoot in SD?"

They will often not care about the high-end quality, but you have still payed to get the HD camera...

BTW, are you the Stormdave from the Edius board as well?
 
If you are going to be working in DVCProHD or DVCPro50, why wouldn't you get an HVX200 to match? Wouldn't it not only be closer in look to the HPX picture but be an easier workflow (than EX)? And with the new A model, it sounds like the match would be even better.

Just my .02cents, though. I'm looking at an HPX to go with my HVX200. Thanks to meeting Barry at GVExpo in DC in '06 I bought into P2. I have a Sony A1(fine when you need a very small cam), but I hate capturing footage. I've thought about the new Sony Ex series; plus I have a big investment in Sony software (Vegas Pro, Cinescore and all paks, Soundforge, etc...), but in the end Panasonic's implementation of P2 for the small independent production company is a boon. No VTR, capture, or problems. And Raylight makes Vegas implemention totally seamless. You really don't even know it's there. I also just saw where After Effects now allows you to work with native MXF P2 files. I've been doing that in Vegas with BorisFX Red for over a year with nary a problem and rendering straight in the Vegas timeline.

Now if I could just find a pot 'o gold for a HPX3000!

I've been doing straight to DVD with the HVX after recording in HD either 1080p or 720p. Every customer has absolutely loved the results. Sometimes when I play it in my 52 or 55" Sony HD TV's I'm blown away myself. I can only imagine how much better the HPX500 and other full size P2 cameras can look.

Good luck on your decision. Let us know how it works out.

Mark G
www.newmediadevcorp
Richmond, Va
 
Thanks Mark.

I have a couple of reasons for wanting the EX-1 over the HVX-200.

First is a holdover from DV days. I just don't like the idea of buying a 1/3" chip camera when a 1/2" chip is close in price. When I moved from 1/3" to 1/2" the difference was night and day to my eyes. I have heard this is somewhat changed with HD, but the laws of physics still have to apply to HD, don't they!

Second is the EX-1 does have a real lens and controls. I really have become used to lenses having iris & focus that are built to be used manually. Unlike the many 1/3" chip SD & HD cameras where the controls are there, but the design of the camera favors auto shooting.

Third, the LCD on the EX-1 seems to be the best on the market.

I was really rooting for Panasonic to introduce a 1/2" camera at NAB this year. I would buy it in a minute as I like using Panasonic cameras. But they did not, so I have to look at what I see as a better product.

I would like to test all of them side by side and see if I am off base in my thinking.
 
I second that as well. Please let us know your thoughts if you get to do any comparisons. I've left my analysis to playing with them at tradeshows and doing the research (and listening to Barry). I'll have to try the rent to own option!

Mark
 
Bassman2003 said:
BTW, are you the Stormdave from the Edius board as well?
Click to expand...

Yes :)

The biggest difference I see between the HPX500 and the EX1 is that HPX500 is an ENG camera and EX1 is smaller...which we don't like.

EX1 also has true 1920x1080 3CMOS imagers, while HPX500 uses pixel shifting 960x540 imagers which are also found in the HVX series.

Now, EX1 is MPEG2 4:2:0 and HPX500 uses DVCPROHD @ 4:2:2
 
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