Shooting 16:9 in DVCPRO/50/DV

STORMDAVE

Active member
Not sure if this is in the manual but when I switch to 480/60i it shoots in 4:3? How can I shoot 16:9 in SD?

This is the HPX500
 
Thank you Barry! That worked.

One more n00b HPX500 question, on our old cameras when we chose Preset and went outside it would switch to 5.6k and indoors 3.2k...seems that we have to manually change it everytime for preset or is it possible to set it to automatic??

Thanks!
 
Thank you Barry! That worked.

One more n00b HPX500 question, on our old cameras when we chose Preset and went outside it would switch to 5.6k and indoors 3.2k...seems that we have to manually change it everytime for preset or is it possible to set it to automatic??

Thanks!

You've found the one major fault with this camera.
They used the software of the 200 but got rid of the ATW and got rid of the filter wheel as well. If you ever are shooting you have to leave 2 balances loaded, one for indoor and one for outdoor. It is more than possible that if your subject moves from indoor to outdoor or vice versa that you will have to stop shooting and balance the camera. A HUGE mistake if you ask me.
 
Wow are you serious? Even the cheaper cameras have this! :furious3:

I hope there is a software revision to fix this? Or does Panasonic want us to invest in an HPX2000+ (That is IF it has this feature)...another thing, no Mic was included neither a hot shoe adapter? That's a pretty cheap move imo.

So basically the preset is somewhat useless if you go from indoor to outdoor rather quickly...If you do a manual WB indoors, it will switch to a specific Kelvin for that situation, but when you go outside what are you supposed to do? Make sure the AWB Preset is set to 5.6k? What if you don't have the time to white balance? At least if one of the user buttons had the ability to assign to the 3.2/5.6 shortcuts that would be a workaround for this problem.

Other cameras switch to 5.6k when you go to 2/3/4 ND filters and stay on 3.2 on 1st filter. What was Pana thinking?

Really dissapointed here :(
 
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Hi,

If I had to track someone from inside to outside, I would use the 3200 preset for insdie and prepare one of the manual white balances for the temp outside, because outside is rarely the perfect 5600K anyhow. Then switch between the in side and outside and you are moving with your subject.

This is much better than ATW ever was and it is only within a 10% window or the button to move between two presets, in which the outside temp may be 4500 on a cloudy day or 9500 an a hot California summer day. I would work the HVX the very same way.

Thanks,
Jan
 
This is really dissapointing because every camera I've come across, even Panasonic DV/DVCPRO cameras (And Sony DSR390/570/400/450) all work with ATW.

That is how you would work, but not how the industry would work. I want to be assured there will be a software update to fix this, if it is at all possible via a software update....if not, we will consider returning it within a week. It's really a deal killer. We planned to get a second HPX500...Can't believe such a simple feature is not available on an ENG style cam.

Some of the stuff we shoot, we have no time to even consider doing a white balance...and we've been working like that for more than 10 years. We're in uncontrolled environments sometimes...
 
Actually Dave it may be how the Sony cameras work, abd the HVX/DVX level of cameras work but if it were implemented on this level of camera it owuld be the only full size DVCPRO camera that worked that way.

Thanks,

Jan
 
Jan, this camera (We have 2) has this feature...

PCAGDVC200AB.jpg


Panasonic AG-DVC200...and it's pretty old.
 
Hi,

Sorry Dave, Forgot about the 200, but that is not a DVCPRO camera, that is a DV camera and wasn't thinking about it, I read the DVCPRO in your post and derailed.

But my workflow suggestion still stands. You have your WB preset at 3200 and then the next manual one set for the appropriate temp outside, and switch between the two. It is as seamless as the button to go between 5600 and 3200.

Thanks,

Jan
 
Does Panasonic plan to at least allow the 2 presets from the menu to be attached to User 1 & User 2? I don't think it would've been hard for Panasonic to implement ATW on this camera? It is an entry level ENG camera just like other cameras. Does the HPX2000/3000 have this same limitation?

Even the HDX900 has this....I told a long time DP about this (he owns the HDX) and he was stunned.

I love the quality but this is really a turn off. I already thought about setting WB indoors and using a preset outside, but we can't have people holding white papers for WB everytime!

It is as seamless as the button to go between 5600 and 3200.

Not seamless. You have to go to the menu every time to change the AWB Preset to either 5.6 or 3.2.
 
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Back to the original question. I too wound up having to post a question on this forum to figure out how to shoot 16:9 in SD.

Is there a chance that you could request in the next software update that the metaphor "Squeeze" be changed to "Wide Screen" or "16:9", Jan?

Or is there a reason that it is important to retain the squeeze terminology?

Also, I found that the owners manual doesn't do a very good job explaining this either.

Thanks,
Brad
 
I've been nagging for "widescreen" or "16:9" or "wide" for over two years now. I really hope they listen; "squeeze" is just plain bad terminology. I'm hoping that I got through to the engineers at this last NAB show to explain to them that they must exterminate the world "squeeze"; we'll see if they change it for the upcoming HPX170...
 
I have asked that the next camera have different language, but the HPX500 cannot be changed at this deep level of software change.

Sorry,

Jan
 
Dave,
Unless I am missing your point, the 500 has 2 factory presets; a 5.6 setting and a 3.2, as well as 2 customizable presets. All switchable on the fly without having to use a menu or remove the camera from the shoulder.

All I do when moving from outside to in, is reach up and flip from one to the other. One does not have to go through the menu, and I find that it actually is quite seamless.

-Brad
 
I have asked that the next camera have different language, but the HPX500 cannot be changed at this deep level of software change.

Sorry,

Jan

Hi Jan,
If the camera cannot be changed via a firmware update, then maybe the owners manual could at least be updated with a better, more clearly defined description of the "Squeeze" terminology. At least that would help future owners decipher the code.

As it is, the current owners manual does not explain the term, it simply states that its a menu setting that places the aspect ratio into "squeeze mode". And personally, I have never heard the term "squeeze" used to define 16:9.

Thanks,
Brad
 
Brad, you have A and B then the preset....the preset should automatically change with the rotating ND filter dial. If you have 3.2 set in the menu for thw WB preset and choose ND 3 for outdoors, it stays 3.2 and everything will be blue! Other cameras switch to 5.6 with the preset.

For the customizable WB A and B thats another story....you need to do a WB everytime and in alot of places you have no control over the situation and you will be forced to use a preset...the whole point of a preset is that...its a preset and you dont need to do anything to make it work. Maybe you guys are used to the DVX and HVX, but we use ENG style cams and this missing feature is ridiculous.

Dave,
Unless I am missing your point, the 500 has 2 factory presets; a 5.6 setting and a 3.2, as well as 2 customizable presets. All switchable on the fly without having to use a menu or remove the camera from the shoulder.

All I do when moving from outside to in, is reach up and flip from one to the other. One does not have to go through the menu, and I find that it actually is quite seamless.

-Brad
 
Brad, you have A and B then the preset....the preset should automatically change with the rotating ND filter dial. If you have 3.2 set in the menu for thw WB preset and choose ND 3 for outdoors, it stays 3.2 and everything will be blue! Other cameras switch to 5.6 with the preset.

For the customizable WB A and B thats another story....you need to do a WB everytime and in alot of places you have no control over the situation and you will be forced to use a preset...the whole point of a preset is that...its a preset and you dont need to do anything to make it work. Maybe you guys are used to the DVX and HVX, but we use ENG style cams and this missing feature is ridiculous.

We use ENG style cams as well. I guess I am just used to a different workflow.

Best,
Brad
 
Looks like we have to change our workflow as well...

But so far we really like the camera and I really don't want to return it. We'll see how this turns out.

Thanks to everyone for their help
 
That has been our experience as well.

I have to keep in mind that although the 500 is an incredible camera, it is on the lower-end of the high-end ENG's. So I can't expect all the features of a Varicam, although it has many of the same features.

Overall, we are blown away by what we get from this camera when comparing bang for buck.

-Brad
 
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