Would you like the HPX170 to be PAL/NTSC switchable?

Would you like the HPX170 to be PAL/NTSC switchable?

  • Yes. Must have out of the box

    Votes: 189 66.5%

  • Would be okay with a factory upgrade option at add'l cost

    Votes: 34 12.0%

  • No. Doesn't matter to me

    Votes: 61 21.5%
  • Total voters
    284
Barry_Green said:
If you shoot in 720/25p mode it will record sound. You could use that mode to create a PAL-compatible file, you'd just have to do the tiniest amount of speed adjustment.
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Hi Barry,

I am curious if you were to shoot in 720/25p NTSC mode and drop that clip into a PAL SD 25 fps timeline, would it work ? with sound.?

still slightly puzzled about this.

Thanks.
 
That's what I was trying and yeah, it did seem to pretty much work (depending on your editor's ability to strip out duplicate frames).
 
Yes, but I still think that they are different end users. Everything about the Scarlet screams filmmaking and everything about the HPX screams long form.
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I guess it's a matter of perception. While the Scarlet may be 'overkill' for board meetings and corporate seminars, I can certainly see a whole lot of 'video' folks looking to step up their music videos, training videos, weddings, corporate productions, etc. I think a lot of those now making 'videos' will be happy to turn them into 'films' using whatever 24p high-res camera suits their needs. And I feel the Scarlet, like the 170, fits that bill nicely.

The Scarlet just happens to do it with better resolution and less cost, is my main point.
 
Barry_Green said:
That's what I was trying and yeah, it did seem to pretty much work (depending on your editor's ability to strip out duplicate frames).
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You'll have to forgive my inexperience with this, but would you do that with cinema tools or in FCP ?
 
Okay, so the 170 records at 25P fps with sync audio but it is not PAL 25 fps. I'll do some tests when I get the camera and see what I can work out.

I contacted Panasonic's service center yesterday about performing the upgrade to the camera (once it arrives.) Anyone want to guess what their reply was?
 
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yes, unfortunately, that was basically it in terms of your first ?

I realize the camera doesn't exist from an availability standpoint, but I have a good feeling that I may possibly have one by the end of the week.

If I could possibly have the upgrade done in the next two weeks after that, I could use this camera on a shoot in Italy which would be great as it obviously is the best camera for this shoot.

Fingers crossed still.
 
Wow, certainly appears to be looking at the specs. Any idea what the cost is and where can it be purchased?

I have a 170 Panasonic printed brochure that was a pull out from a magazine a couple of months ago that states that the 170 is PAL/NTSC switchable...

I have to say, it's a bit disappointing when you compare the 171 brochure to the current 170 brochure as they are apparently two very different cameras in terms of what they can do out of the box...

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So, when the 170 is upgraded to PAL, will that be the available formats as listed in the 171 brochure?

Any idea when the US Panasonic Tech center will be able to perform the upgrade?
 
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The first price I've seen in The Netherlands for a HPX171 is 4,350 (excluding VAT, without any P2 cards).

I can't tell you anything about the 170-171 comparisation, I was hoping someone at Dvxuser is able to confirm the included NTSC functions of the 171 model.
 
Barry_Green said:
If you shoot in 720/25p mode it will record sound. You could use that mode to create a PAL-compatible file, you'd just have to do the tiniest amount of speed adjustment.
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I'm being told now that the camera will not record audio at 25 FPS unless the upgrade is done.
 
from the various conversations that I have had with Panasonic people, the 171 should do both out of the box...

Pesie said:
The first price I've seen in The Netherlands for a HPX171 is 4,350 (excluding VAT, without any P2 cards).

I can't tell you anything about the 170-171 comparisation, I was hoping someone at Dvxuser is able to confirm the included NTSC functions of the 171 model.
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Well Cees, that's what the brochure suggests with 60i, 24p, etc.
But is someone able to confirm this?
 
CW-35 said:
I have to say, it's a bit disappointing when you compare the 171 brochure to the current 170 brochure as they are apparently two very different cameras in terms of what they can do out of the box...
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Not sure what you're reading, but I just went through that HPX171 brochure and I can tell you that the HPX170 does everything the 171 does. The only difference that I saw at all was the 50/60 switchable thing, and you can get a 170 upgraded to do that.

If you're referring to the NAB-era brochure that Panasonic put out, that was back in April, about five months ago, when much less was known about the unit. I can tell you that having used a 170, it does everything that 171 brochure talks about (excepting the switchability, which is an optional upgrade anyway so yes you could have everything the 171 brochure talks about).

So, when the 170 is upgraded to PAL, will that be the available formats as listed in the 171 brochure?
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Presumably, yes.

a when the US Panasonic Tech center will be able to perform the upgrade?
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No idea, but hopefully very quickly as the cameras are due to start arriving here in the next week or so...
 
Barry_Green said:
Yes and no. If shooting in 24pN mode, this is true. If shooting in 720/24P mode, whoever told you that is wrong. Remember, I've done it.
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Do you mean 720/25P ?

I'm not trying to play you guys against each other so I don't want to state who gave me this info, but they know their stuff, believe me... They may have just misunderstood my question while trying to field 10,000 other email questions about the camera.

Well, good, I really hope the camera does shoot 720/25p with audio (still). That would be great.
 
Barry_Green said:
Not sure what you're reading, but I just went through that HPX171 brochure and I can tell you that the HPX170 does everything the 171 does. The only difference that I saw at all was the 50/60 switchable thing, and you can get a 170 upgraded to do that.
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Yes, but when will the upgrade actually be possible? I've made several calls to Panasonic's service center as recent as this afternoon and it's weeks, if not months away from being available... it's going to be a bit of additional costs & shipping costs per upgrade and the time involved in doing that and the time that the camera will be gone... when you compare that to the 171 being that way out of the box for apparently the same price minus a p2 card, the easiest word to for me to use would be - disappointing.


Barry_Green said:
If you're referring to the NAB-era brochure that Panasonic put out, that was back in April, about five months ago, when much less was known about the unit. I can tell you that having used a 170, it does everything that 171 brochure talks about (excepting the switchability, which is an optional upgrade anyway so yes you could have everything the 171 brochure talks about).
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The pull-out I am referring to came out in a magazine in late June - either videography or something like that. I have it in my office & will have to scan it. I didn't believe it when I read it and actually asked my wife to read to me what it said.... which was that the 170 was NTSC/PAL switchable and I kept the ad because I knew very quickly that it wasn't going to happen.
 
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