AG-DVX200 4K Large-Sensor Handheld Camcorder

Depends on the look you want. I commonly use Voigtlanders and Speedboosted Leica R and Sigma zoom lenses. I will not get that look from this camera.

I'm sure it will fit a lot of peoples' needs. It would have fit my needs ~3 years ago perfectly. My needs now are for an interchangeable lens large sensor camera shooting an internal broadcast codec with SDI output. This only hits half of those requirements.

Plenty of folks will do excellent work with this camera, but I don't believe I'll be amongst them.
 
FF DSLRs have been extremely popular in my part of the world for event highlights/weddings etc.. so it's just my view this camera does not offer enough to be seen as a step forward. Personally I went from Hvx200 > AF100 > D750 & c100. This doesn't entice me at all. Am sure I am not the only one.

Yes you can mimic the DSLR look but with my current set of lenses this fixed lens is a step backwards regardless of the codec, resolution or frame rates.

Sure I can see if someone was older and used more fixed lens ENG style this camera looks good on paper but the indie film-makers needs have changed so much since the HVX-200 Panasonic didn't need to go this route.
 
pulpfiction007 said:
That's the one part I think they missed the mark...the 4:2:0 GH codec. I enjoy the rest of the concept. Large sensor, all in one solution.
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Nowhere do they announce the codec or codec specifics. They even indicate that the codec is a moving target by stating that 12 tops DR is a target. I think that you can count on GH4 codec as a minimum but that they have dreams of more, or the simply would have announced it.
 
Eesh, not sure i understand this camera at all. The lens is no where near wide enough and only 2.8 at it's fastest? How is that helpful to weeding/event videographers, let alone doc makers that need fast lenses and really wide lenses? This may be a total pipe dream but maybe they'll release the "cinema" version of this camera one day - same thing just without the lens.
 
PXW-X200... if my calcs are near, it'd yield only about a stop less DOF because of its faster fixed lens, would have longer reach, and an internal broadcast codec.

EDIT: ...i'm likely wrong on that. That camera doesn't even shoot 4K, seems like the Sony 4K camcorders are all 1/2.3" or 1". I could refine the math, but suffice it to say I'm not really in the fixed-zoom-camcorder market to make that research personally worthwhile.
 
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I'm with mcbob on a lot of his points. I have a fixed lens camera (AC130) with 22x zoom that's f1.9 wide open for news-style run & gun and event coverage, but have completely bought into interchangeable lens format for everything else I shoot (commercials, docs, corporate - which is 80% of my work).

Was really hoping I'd be able to continue to grow with the m43 format because I love the size/weight/performance combo the format represents... and of course have a nice collection of m43 glass now. However, I will most likely look towards something like the C100/300, FS7 or maybe the intriguing Blackmagic URSA Mini now.
 
I just got done cutting several website videos for a friend who is a wedding planner. Several wedding videographers... most were excellent... gave her footage to use. I didn't see anything they shot that couldn't have been shot on this camera (especially if it has the low light abilities of the PX270).

As for folks like McBob, I get that... if you've got a great set of lenses, this camera is worthless to you. But for those with a small set of zooms, this could be a great jack of all trades camera.
 
philiplipetz said:
Nowhere do they announce the codec or codec specifics. They even indicate that the codec is a moving target by stating that 12 tops DR is a target. I think that you can count on GH4 codec as a minimum but that they have dreams of more, or the simply would have announced it.
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Anything greater than the gH4 codec, and they would have incorporated it in the press release. I mean, saying it included AVC-Ultra (which AVC-LongG is a part of) would be a huge selling point.

Not saying they can't add it before it's released, but something tells me it isn't in the works.
 
Mike Harvey said:
Jack of all trades, master of none.
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I think that sums it up well. After the initial blog by Kunihiko Miyagi, and his comments: "......we’ve decided to go for a new breakthrough, and try to create another disruption in the industry and hit like the DVX100" it's hardly surprising the general feeling seems to be one of disappointment.

The big question might be just who it's aimed at? If you're in the general event etc type market (and currently using such as EX1, HVX270) the form factor and built in lens etc suits, but is 4K really worth it here? I've heard people say even HD seems overkill for such as weddings - I don't agree with that, but is anyone going to deliver such on 4K? If all else was equal, maybe, but 4K does have it's downsides.

Low budget cinema? Here 4K comes more into it's own, and that's who large format sensors got most excitement from initially for shallow DOF reasons - but that's coupled to the use of fairly wide aperture lenses to be worthwhile, and f2.8 is only equivalent to about f4 on s35 for DOF. It's not that much different to f1.8 on 2/3"! That's the whole point of interchangeable lenses for this market - you need a prime or short zoom to get the wide apertures.

B camera for a Varicam? It looks like the sensor used is of the GH "optimised for stills" type, and photosite size means it's highly unlikely to even come close to Varicam performance for DR etc. And for such wouldn't you at least want the same codec? (As the HPX270 shares codec with 2/3" cameras.)

It may be good for some, nothing intrinsically wrong with it, but to me it just looks too much like the jack of all trades designed by committee. That's not to say it's bad - but "breakthrough" and " cause disruption in the industry"? That's nonsense.
 
shorty15 said:
Was anyone asking for a DVX100 sequel?
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Literally thousands of people - just because you're not one of them, don't write this camera off as useless. I think this is an inspired move by Panasonic and can see it in my kit bag very soon. No lens changes means no extra weight, no dust in the sensor (I do a lot of travel work), a controllable zoom, a fast and easy setup - straight out of the bag and hit record. Perfect for me and half the broadcast documentary / news crews out there. If I want super shallow DoF shots I'll stick a DSLR in the bag with a prime and pull it out for set-ups and cutaways - but I can bet I'll only use it 10% of the time. Panny are going to earn a fortune with this little gem and rightly so. Yes the lens isn't as fast as one would hope, and I'm not sure that DR is up there with better sensors, but in every other respect this is a massive home run. About a year ago I remember commenting on this forum "give me a GH4 in PX270 body and I'll buy it." Time to put my money where my mouth is and reach for my wallet. Well done Panasonic!
 
TomLenham said:
Literally thousands of people - just because you're not one of them, don't write this camera off as useless. I think this is an inspired move by Panasonic and can see it in my kit bag very soon. No lens changes means no extra weight, no dust in the sensor (I do a lot of travel work), a controllable zoom, a fast and easy setup - straight out of the bag and hit record. Perfect for me and half the broadcast documentary / news crews out there. If I want super shallow DoF shots I'll stick a DSLR in the bag with a prime and pull it out for set-ups and cutaways - but I can bet I'll only use it 10% of the time. Panny are going to earn a fortune with this little gem and rightly so. Yes the lens isn't as fast as one would hope, and I'm not sure that DR is up there with better sensors, but in every other respect this is a massive home run. About a year ago I remember commenting on this forum "give me a GH4 in PX270 body and I'll buy it." Time to put my money where my mouth is and reach for my wallet. Well done Panasonic!
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Not really a PX270 if they don't include the codecs.
 
pulpfiction007 said:
Those cameras aren't large sensor cameras though
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Equivalent DOF from 1/2.3" sensor w/ f1.6 lens = ~f8.3
Equivalent DOF from 4/3 sensor with 2.3x crop (derived from stated equivalent focal length) w/ f2.8 lens = ~f6.4

That's only a bit over a half stop difference (or something like that...)
 
After the USRA Mini announcement today it's hard to get excited about a camera like this. Which is sad considering it's the namesake of this site. But this is an out-of-the-box camera. Just add recording media. So it would probably still work out to be cheaper than a kitted out 4K URSA once you add the EVF, battery, lens and currently expensive CFast cards. But you're also losing global shutter, raw/ProRes options and interchangable lenses with the DVX200. Different strokes for different folks.

What will really matter here is, how good the image is overall and how good it is in low light.
 
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