Panasonic Unveils Pricing And Ship Date For Ag-hmc150

Bucknfl said:
Since the HMC150 is 4-2-0 I'm guessing it won't chroma key as well as a HVX200, but maybe as well as an EX-1.
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That's true, But, you could use the hdmi out with something like the blackmagic to capture 4:2:2 direct to computer.
 
Yeah the batteries being different is a bummer, Ive got so many I lost count.

Oh well maybe the price might go up a bit with more batteries.
 
They've kept their batteries compatible for at least 7 years, probably longer. The new camera has an infolithium-style feature for reading out battery capacity to the minute, and that's what's prompted the change.
 
Barry_Green said:
They've kept their batteries compatible for at least 7 years, probably longer. The new camera has an infolithium-style feature for reading out battery capacity to the minute, and that's what's prompted the change.
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Why didn't they move that battery to the 170? It seems silly to have a new battery type for only one model.
 
What's the resolution on the LCD?

will it have the same issues as the HVX with determining focus on its LCD?
 
I read something about a better LCD.

About 4:2:0 and chroma-key, I saw good results from sony's due to the HD / extra resolution.

Ulisses
 
Hmm, not that I'm in the market for the 150 (We've 2HVXs) but I've had limited results testing AVC-HD (from an SD1) with edius...

I couldn't edit it natively without all sorts of choke-ups, in the end I converted to Canopus HQ (which takes an age) - and then you end up with huge files.

Edius Neo is supposed to be okay with it. I know it's only a matter of time before soft/hardware catches up - but my quick tests with the AVC-HD I found it a bit of an editing come-down from the fluidity of DVCPRO-HD/P2.
 
ecking said:
Why didn't they move that battery to the 170? It seems silly to have a new battery type for only one model.
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My theory is that Panasonic decided that since this camera won't make them any money on p2 cards that they will try to make it on new battery sales. Hopefully someone will offer and adaptor for the dvx/hvx batteries.
 
ecking said:
Why didn't they move that battery to the 170? It seems silly to have a new battery type for only one model.
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Don't know. But I imagine that they figured more 170 customers might be integrating into existing HVX/DVX production bases, so battery compatibility would be a more important factor to those folks than a to-the-minute digital battery readout would be. But for 150 customers they're going after a whole new flood of HD upgraders, and for them the new battery made more sense?
 
LloydC said:
What's the resolution on the LCD?

will it have the same issues as the HVX with determining focus on its LCD?
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LCD is the same resolution but it looks 1,000,000,000 times better for determining focus. The image processing is much better. The 150 has three focus assists, the magnified focus, the graph, and the peaking. Between the three of them it's very easy to get perfect focus.
 
ROne said:
but my quick tests with the AVC-HD I found it a bit of an editing come-down from the fluidity of DVCPRO-HD/P2.
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No doubt P2 is way, way ahead in terms of editing implementations.

I've used the Canopus tool to convert files into CanopusHQ, it was quite speedy on my 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo laptop. EDIUS can handle many files natively but not all, not yet. Hopefully the next version will integrate full support.

Adobe, Avid, and Apple have all promised AVC-HD support too.
 
Barry_Green said:
No doubt P2 is way, way ahead in terms of editing implementations.

I've used the Canopus tool to convert files into CanopusHQ, it was quite speedy on my 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo laptop. EDIUS can handle many files natively but not all, not yet. Hopefully the next version will integrate full support.
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Hmm, my laptop is 2.0GHZ Core 2 Duo, and I don't remember it being that quick using the convertor- perhaps I've been spoiled by P2 - I'm not a fan of doubling up on footage to edit either.

I got the footage into Edius natively but it choked when I did anything; like everything though progress will take care of it.

P2 is so good, it's difficult for that user base to move to anything else - AVC HD will be great for budget conscious newcomers though.
 
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On my laptop it takes about 0:40 to convert 1:00 of AVC-HD footage. Not instantaneous, but substantially faster than capturing would be.
 
Attic6 said:
They really let the side down with the batteries.
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Me too, even if what Barry said is the reasoning it's just not good enough for me. The dvx style batteries are great and plentiful, even I've got a few lying around from when I had my dvx. They had long life, good 3rd part ones too and boom, cash grab. I think Bucknfl is right. This keeps people who are gonna use the 150 as a B cam to 170s and 200s (it will happen) from owning only one battery type. Lame.
 
I think that the writing is on the wall - they want to go the Sony route, and kill off generics, and make all the money they can on the batteries. The 170 does not have it yet implemented as they just did not have enough time, when they have the "A" version next year, they probably will have it as a new feature... just my take.
 
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