150.. initial impressions out of box

Justyn said:
Rosebud.... I haven't captured the timecode as we are doing this through the intensity card as an uncontrolled device. I don't think that the AVCAm will stream over firewire or USB.. so I'm not sure if I'd be able to get that info into the comp. It will of course come over if you are using the log and transfer option in FCP or something else. I'll try to see what I can do, but other than putting the display up I don't think I'll get that info via the intensity....
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Thanks for the reply Justyn. I don't know if the TC matters to you, but you might be able to capture as a "controlled" device using USB as device control and to ingest the TC while simultaneously capturing the uncompressed video/audio media with HDMI - just as capturing analog component from a deck or camera and using firewire for TC and device control. Just a suggestion.

I'm one of those nervous types that has a history with crashed media drives. Having the benefit of batch capture can save one's own yarbolls.

-Russ
 
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But it will play in Sony Playstation 3s that have SD card slots!

Great camera anyway. If I could come up with the cash, this is the one camera I would buy. Especially now that I've seen Red's cards with Scarlet, and can guess what Canon and Sony will offer next year (similar to this camera, maybe bigger chips, shot raw). No reason for me to wait. The future is here in this camera. Anyone who buys this camera will be happy with it for maybe a decade I think.

(BTW, I agree that the BluRay/HD-DVD wars did more harm than good, and BlueRay will go the way of Laserdisk, once people realize how much power their computer and a net connection can do).
 
Is the manual zoom on this camera still mechanical like on the DVX? Meaning you can disengage the servo and do quick snap zooms?
 
It's exactly the same as the DVX/HVX mechanical zoom - YEAH!!!

Although compared to the DVX I would have to say there seem to be more plastic panels on the 150.
 
rosebud said:
Thanks for the reply Justyn. I don't know if the TC matters to you, but you might be able to capture as a "controlled" device using USB as device control and to ingest the TC while simultaneously capturing the uncompressed video/audio media with HDMI - just as capturing analog component from a deck or camera and using firewire for TC and device control. Just a suggestion.
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The USB port really only serves as a mass storage device (in other words, a card reader). I don't think the HDMI spec allows for timecode. There sure as hell is enough bandwidth for it, just haven't heard of being able to pass/capture it. On the other hand, the RCA video out can double as a timecode master. This is meant for slaving another camera, but if it is a standard format, software should be able to grab the data and stamp it on. I'm not sure if this is already possible (I have no experience), but theoretically, software could read the value off of your computer's analog audio in (or maybe the BM Intensity pro could do this from one of its ins).

David S. said:
But won't it play back BDMV folders, not necessarily blu-ray™?
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AVCHD streams/files are all compliant with blu-ray specs, so all players are capable of playing the footage. The only problem is the folder structure and file naming is slightly different. Most recent players are set to look for this, but if not, you can simply (but painfully) rename all the files and adjust the directory structure.

The AVCCam viewer software does most of the renaming for you. I was thinking about writing a little tool that can go back and forth. I have more ideas if I can find documents on file structure.
 
Just adding to the original thread topic...

Okay I've now had my HMC152EN (PAL version) for 2 days and I've managed to put it through it's paces.

Likes:
* Very light & flies beautifully on the Glidecam
* Low light performance the best I've seen amongst 1/3" chipped cameras
* Nice bright LCD & flips image for use with 35mm DOF Adaptor
* All the buttons are perfectly placed - especially the Focus Assist!!
* Reads & writes to a multitude of Panasonic, SanDisk & Transcend SDHC cards no problems
* Larger camera body makes it more stable for hand holding

Dislikes (not that significant):
* A lot more plastic in it than the DVX (EVF housing is plastic)
* Turning beep tone on/off in menu makes no difference (beeper won't beep)
* Scene file sellector dial is much smaller and harder to turn
* Vegas intermitently freezing up & doing weird stuff during editing & rendering when working with footage shot in 50P - for the moment I'll have to shoot in 1080-50i until SCS roll out an update that makes Vegas work properly with xtra long GOP 50/60P AVCHD files.

Overall I'm really happy to be coming back to Panasonic cameras - at last they listened to us event shooters and finally gave us a HD replacement for the DVX.
 
Dislikes (not that significant):
* A lot more plastic in it than the DVX (EVF housing is plastic)
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On the outside we see plastic, but on the inside is the metal housing that protects the inside of the camera. I took the following photo (see below) of the hidden metal, that protects the camera, at DV Expo.

DSCF0115.jpg



Bob Diaz
 
I had 2 Polycarbonate 35mm film cameras that I used for “pro” work and they held up very well.
I mean I didn't bounce them off the wall but they got used really hard more often than not -

Do not fear the “plastic” covering.:thumbup:
 
I think it does look a bit plasticy.. but feels and handles so much better than the DVX did. That cam seemed like a little bitty toy...I might be one of the only HVX people who didn't have a dvx, and or didn't like the cam.....


I will post some footie soon....
 
I got mine yesterday and its very light . Can't shoot anything yet cause my Sd cards are still on theire way. The lcd looks weak I'll have to becarefull with that. But for now I like the size and weight of it . For a moment I wished I could pop a dv tape in theire. It would have been nice if the cam had the 6 pin firewireport like the hpx170 . Guess i'll have to save for a BM intesity card. I'll post some footy when I get my cards.So for now It sitting in my office getting acustomed to its surrounding.
 
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