Finally: I've Order My HPX500 Today!

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digitalinnovations

Well-known member
Well, I have finally been able to order my HPX500 today! I ordered through Specialized Communications. Jasmine was very helpful and patient with all my questions. I am really looking forward to getting my hands around that "bad boy" and putting it to work. I will keep you all posted on the progress.

I know one thing I would love are some scene file recipes. I believe somewhere I saw Hunter had posted one, I can probably dig that one up. I don't really remember seeing many other one here. If you have some, please share. I want to take full advantage of the cameras capabilities and I think through the menus you can squeeze as much as possible out.

Thanks!
 
Did you order P2 Cards? If not, I have 2x 32GB Cards available for sale in perfect condition. Check out the Marketplace.

Congrats on the purchase. You're gonna love the camera. What kind of lens did you end up going with? Where did you end up purchasing it from?
 
Today was the day! I just cracked open the box with HPX500 inside. Very exciting. Quick shipment and flawless order with Specialized Communications (not that anyone here would be surprised). i ordered Friday afternoon and it was delivered this morning. Now I am just waiting on the lens, until then I will just be studying up and getting some scene files together. I will post again to let everyone know how quick the lens arrives. Thanks Spec Comm!

P.S. I just filled out the 5 year extended warranty and I was looking into the $2000 rebate. I already received confirmation for the 5 year registration, but it sounds as if there is something more to it. As if I will receive some sort if extended warranty paperwork via email. I guess the registration confirmation is not the same thing. On the rebate paperwork it mentioned attaching the serial number label, where would I find that? I appreciate the info!
 
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Jeremy -

You will receive a certificate by email that will have the information you need to complete the rebate. Takes about 10 days if I remember correctly.
 
Wow, thanks for the quick reply! I will keep an eye for that. I am also assuming that since I registered for the 5 year extended I DO NOT need to go to the "panasonic.com/register" to register again, correct?
 
Alright, I just sat down to begin plugging in some scene files. I must be missing something. I inserted a new SD card and formatted it. I also went in through the card operations and plugged in 4 names for the different scene files. I then exited out and tried to go into the "scene" menu and all I see are the factory presets. I have tried the "load" option but still nothing. This is not quite as intuitive as I hoped, at least for me. Can someone explain the process to me?
 
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First the registration issue - I don't remember having to go back to Panasonic.com to register again. Once you've done the PASS registration you're done.

Second, give me another week to work on the scene file question. I've been working with Scene files for a year and a half (with the HVX) and I still can't get some of these issues straight. I've taken to using the Dynamic Range setting and CC'ing everything rather than trying to get a look in camera. But still, I should know better how it works! I'll have to get the manual out and try to make sense of it.
 
I really appreciate it! At this point, I was going to change the F1-F6 scene files and overwrite the factory ones. But eventually it might be nice to restore the factory and run the extra 4 on SD. Or even have the ability to have 10 custom scene files. Thanks again!
 
you can't really access the files on the sd card that easily. the 4 save files on the card aren't individual scene files. each one of those 4 holds an entire set of 6 scene files. when you save to one of the slots on the card, you are saving all of your current scene files at once. when you load from the card it replaces all your current scene files with the ones from the card. so four slots = a total of 24 scene files in groups of 6.

so here's how you do it. first, to preserve your factory settings, save now to one of your 4 spots and call it "factory". the entire state of the camera is now saved and can be reloaded anytime to return to factory settings. now go thru the camera and edit your scene files as desired. when you get things the way you want them, save to another slot on the card and name it appropriately. then edit some more and make even more scene files, save and so on and so forth.

now the cool part is you can access your scene files on a pc or mac with an sd card reader. the scene files are just text files. you can go in and see your settings and even edit them with any text editing program such as notepad or textedit. this is also how you do the framerate hack that will unlock all the extra framerates and allow you to go as slow as 2fps. there is a great thread in the hvx200 section on this hack.

all make sense?
 
digitalinnovations said:
I really appreciate it! At this point, I was going to change the F1-F6 scene files and overwrite the factory ones. But eventually it might be nice to restore the factory and run the extra 4 on SD. Or even have the ability to have 10 custom scene files. Thanks again!
Click to expand...


make sure you search and find hunter's scene file formula and program that sucker in. i shot with it all day today and most filmic image i have seen from the 500 yet. thanks hunter!!!
 
Originally Posted by hunter richards
Hunter's FILM16 Recipe

Ingredients:

1 Hpx500
1 Lens
1 Beer


Step 1: Open beer and drink.

Step 2: Take your hpx500 and input the following.

Detail -2
V Detail +4
Coring -4
Color (not the phase) -2
Master Ped +8
Gamma: Cine D
Matrix norm2

(everything not listed set to 0)

Step 3: Now shoot something nice. As you shoot click though all of the other factory scenefiles for comparison.

Step 4: View your footage at full-resolution. Notice how all of the other factory scene files look like crap now.

Step 5: Give me a high-five!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The purpose of this scene file is to give you a low-contrast, neutrally saturated image, for maximum potential in post and a real "film-look". Yes, its really a +8 on the master pedestal.
 
Thanks! That is the exact one I have on hand. I am really looking forward to shooting with that scene file. I was already, but after you confirmed it now I am antsy! Thank you for taking the time!
 
Update: The lens finally came in today. So I have immediately began entering scene files, testing those, etc. I do have a quick question, on the various scene files I have found they do not state whether the camera is set in "FILM" or "VIDEO". I am curious what impact this has on the settings as well.

Also, right off the bat I shot a quick DOF test with a scene file recipe from Xianchi. I uploaded it to Vimeo here: http://vimeo.com/1614608

I also set it up so you can download (save as) the source file here: http://www.digitalinnovations.tv/DI-DOF-Flower-001.mov

This is the DVCPROHD file transferred directly from the P2 card. Here are the details of the shot.
- HPX500 Camera w/ Fuji 17x9 SD Lens
- DVCPROHD 720 30PN
- Iris Wide Open
- Existing Light Only (overhead fixture w/ 3 x 60w bulbs)
- 32" distance between focus points

This might not be of any interest to anyone, I just thought I would post it, just in case it was.

Thanks to all!
 
i have mine set to filmcam. i have never used the video cam setup so i dunno.. i know that filmcam lets you set your shutter in degrees like a film cam.

nice test footy. didn't look like your lens breathes much. looked sharp. is that an older or new lens? internal or external focus?
 
Tomas: Sure thing. I will look those up and post them ASAP (not in front of me right now).

Cheezweezl: Thanks, it was just a quick and dirty shot, I was trigger happy! The lens is a new SD Fuji A17x9BRM, internal focus. I think I will be happy with it, at least until I can afford a higher end HD lens.
 
cheezweezl said:
Step 2: Take your hpx500 and input the following.

Detail -2
V Detail +4
Coring "PLUS"4
Color (not the phase) -2
Master Ped +8
Gamma: Cine D
Matrix norm2

(everything not listed set to 0)
Click to expand...

I discussed this a few times in the past. And I will say it again here. THe coring should not be a "-" factor. This introduces noise.

Generally I use the following for 24fps shooting.

Detail level -2
V Detail level +4
Details Coring -4
Chroma Level -2
Chroma Phase 0
Color Temp Ach - Depends on what I am shooting.
Color Temp Bch - Depends on what I am shooting.
Master Ped -5
A.Iris Level 0
News Gamma
Gamma - Depends on lighting condition (generally B.Press)
Knee - Depends on lighting condition
Matrix - Cine Like
 
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Noel Evans said:
I discussed this a few times in the past. And I will say it again here. THe coring should not be a "-" factor. This introduces noise.

Generally I use the following for 24fps shooting.

Detail level -2
V Detail level +4
Details Coring -4
Chroma Level -2
Chroma Phase 0
Color Temp Ach - Depends on what I am shooting.
Color Temp Bch - Depends on what I am shooting.
Master Ped -5
A.Iris Level 0
News Gamma
Gamma - Depends on lighting condition (generally B.Press)
Knee - Depends on lighting condition
Matrix - Cine Like
Click to expand...

Noel, just to confirm, did you mean to put "Detail Coring -4" ?
 
Tomas, here is the scene file that Xianchi posted elsewhere in the forums (the same one I used in that quick clip above).

Detail: +2
V. Detail: +2
Chroma Level: -2
Color Temp: -1
Master Ped: -7
Matrix: NORM2

I didn't think he posted his gamma setting, so I have mine set at "HD NORM". I hope this helps!
 
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