AG-DVX200 4K Large-Sensor Handheld Camcorder

[philiplipetz]

There are two persons running in the last section of the video, and their skin looks fine with no burnout or yellow-green.
As stated earlier - this was shot on a preprodution camera with old firmware - so the latest firmware should be even better. But I honestly do not know, if the new firmare does anything to the raw output of the camera. So maybe it does not make any difference.

There is purplish discoloration in the shadowed area of the caucasian runner, something that shows up much more strongly in indoor shots. Look closely in shadow and you can see a reddish-puple smear that does not extend over the entire shadowed area.

Old firmware.

 

[Xoomtell]

I would say that is because of the old firmware. This dump is 150% of the original PRORES 422 file made from inside Premiere Pro CC2015.

 

[philiplipetz]

I would say that is because of the old firmware. This dump is 150% of the original PRORES 422 file made from inside Premiere Pro CC2015.

Hopefully, but that remains to be proven. From the beginning I have given the benefit of the doubt to the DVX200 because it ticks all my product boxes (except 4:2:2 HD internal), but Panasonic has consistently disappointed me. Each time I am told to wait for the next iteration what is delivered does not solve the basic problems.

 

[Brad Forman]

I was wondering if anyone has found the manual zoom to be hard to control. When attempting slow zooms, I find the ring to be quite sticky, making my zooms choppy. I realize that the servo zoom is always an option, but has anyone else struggled with this? I'm considering giving panasonic a call.

 

[csroy@yahoo.com]

Well, I took 5 hrs shoot with 1st firmware....oh god...terrible colors and white balance...all greenish or yellowish..am still fighting with it...after firmware update...I see bit improvement...
After spending 4k on this camera...you expect much more than typical dslr or gh4...but you get way LESS...too much uncertainty....trail and error.....

bottom line...am going to return it...I loved it...by looks but results real bad ....My Point is, when you go out and shoot...you have very challenging light setup....most of the footage is controlled environment....white balanced and graded...think from real time scenario...take the camera out and start shoot...and you will find it...

I shoot always 24p @ 1/48 frames and ISO 500 and scene 1 ...it should be good...

Sudhakar

 

[Xoomtell]

Well, I took 5 hrs shoot with 1st firmware....oh god...terrible colors and white balance...all greenish or yellowish..am still fighting with it...after firmware update...I see bit improvement...
After spending 4k on this camera...you expect much more than typical dslr or gh4...but you get way LESS...too much uncertainty....trail and error.....

bottom line...am going to return it...I loved it...by looks but results real bad ....My Point is, when you go out and shoot...you have very challenging light setup....most of the footage is controlled environment....white balanced and graded...think from real time scenario...take the camera out and start shoot...and you will find it...

I shoot always 24p @ 1/48 frames and ISO 500 and scene 1 ...it should be good...

Sudhakar

Before you return it - try using the V-Log mode when shooting - and then apply the V-Log in Premiere/Final Cut...
If you want to use scenefiles with good results - you will have to try other scenefiles. Have you tried those from Barry: http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?335737-AG-DVX200-4K-Large-Sensor-Handheld-Camcorder/page207 ?
It is not your fault - neither is it the camera it self. I think it is a good camera. Panasonic is to blame for having released a camera with bad looking scenefiles - and then made an update to the firmeware, that made the old scenefiles even more useless. If Panasonic should do something good right now, to clean up this mess, they should release a bunch of nice scenefiles, for guys like you, and the rest of the run-and-gun folks here, that has been quite dissapointed with the way this camera looks out-of-the-box.

 

[dfphoto]

Hi I have an HC-X1000 and I spent about an hour creating a custom scene to match my Canon DSLR's as a base, you need to spend time looking at the manual and understanding what each function controls. I read if you disable the Dynamic range (on the HC-X) that will lower the noise levels. There are controls for the magenta/green levels and based on your indoor scene it looks to be lit with a crappy florescent bulb. Usually +40Mag+10Red+81b-c to correct. which is doable on that camera. Finally your white card must be a true white card capable of 95% coverage of your lens. If you are not willing to do these things you should not expect a camera to perform that is made to be customized. All above IMHO

 

[mapper65]

Panasonic is to blame for having released a camera with bad looking scenefiles - and then made an update to the firmware, that made the old scenefiles even more useless. If Panasonic should do something good right now, to clean up this mess, they should release a bunch of nice scenefiles, for guys like you, and the rest of the run-and-gun folks here, that has been quite dissapointed with the way this camera looks out-of-the-box.

I'm nearly at the same point csroy@yahoo.com but I'd really like to believe that Panasonic will make this right. I really want to like the DVX200.

I conversed via email with a Panasonic rep yesterday and he was going to pass on my (our) frustrations to whom he called the "experts" at Panasonic and then get back to me. It would be nice if someone that is in the know would chime in and at least let us know that there is hope. A lot of people using this stuff are people that have the equipment purchased for them by their company. If you're like me, the cost of the camera comes directly out of my pocket. If I knew in good faith that the guys at Panasonic were scrambling behind the scenes to get a solution to us, I would sit tight and not worry about the way things appear at this point in time. I don't think we are asking for much.

 

[Xoomtell]

I'm nearly at the same point Xoomtell but I'd really like to believe that Panasonic will make this right. I really want to like the DVX200.

I conversed via email with a Panasonic rep yesterday and he was going to pass on my (our) frustrations to whom he called the "experts" at Panasonic and then get back to me. It would be nice if someone that is in the know would chime in and at least let us know that there is hope. A lot of people using this stuff are people that have the equipment purchased for them by their company. If you're like me, the cost of the camera comes directly out of my pocket. If I knew in good faith that the guys at Panasonic were scrambling behind the scenes to get a solution to us, I would sit tight and not worry about the way things appear at this point in time. I don't think we are asking for much.

I totally agree. I have not even bought the camera yet, but need to be sure that it will work as expected before I use my money buying it. Eventhough I will buy it for my own little my one-man-company, the money comes from my own pocket as well.

 

[greytail]

I went through the Panasonic tech support system and it is practically useless. It seems that in an effort to increase profits, Panasonic America has cut back on knowledgeable support staff. One technician told me that he is responsible for answering support questions on hundreds of products and the only thing he can do is look in his computer for your answer. The only people who know anything are the sales reps, and even they can't be trusted to provide a correct answer. Wish we had a Jan Chittenden to go to!

 

[bluesgeek]

I was wondering if anyone has found the manual zoom to be hard to control. When attempting slow zooms, I find the ring to be quite sticky, making my zooms choppy. I realize that the servo zoom is always an option, but has anyone else struggled with this? I'm considering giving panasonic a call.

Yes, Brad. I would say the zoom ring is stiff, but so are the zoom rings on my AC90s. I usually have to put index finger and thumb on the ring for creep zoom control.

A little more disconcerting to me is that, after about 20 hours of hockey shooting with moderately dynamic use of the zoom ring, the DVX200 has developed a rough spot.

[UPDATE: I notice the rough spot on the zoom ring if I have my thumb on the ring putting upward pressure on the ring. It is almost a scraping feeling.]

 

[bluesgeek]

I went through the Panasonic tech support system and it is practically useless. It seems that in an effort to increase profits, Panasonic America has cut back on knowledgeable support staff. One technician told me that he is responsible for answering support questions on hundreds of products and the only thing he can do is look in his computer for your answer. The only people who know anything are the sales reps, and even they can't be trusted to provide a correct answer. Wish we had a Jan Chittenden to go to!

There is a second level of support which is quite good, but you have to go through a process to get a ticket escalated to them.

 

[dfphoto]

This camera is a 4.2.0 4k and the 5 axis is off in 4k mode...

 

[Brad Forman]

Yes, Brad. I would say the zoom ring is stiff, but so are the zoom rings on my AC90s. I usually have to put index finger and thumb on the ring for creep zoom control.

A little more disconcerting to me is that, after about 20 hours of hockey shooting with moderately dynamic use of the zoom ring, the DVX200 has developed a rough spot.

Dave,

I've used your AC90s as well and compared to my DVX200, the AC90's manual zoom is smooh as silk. I'm thinking I may have received a faulty unit. I'm on the fence about exchanging rather than just returning and throwing in the towel. My manual zoom problem notwithstanding, I didn't buy this camera with the intent of shooting in log and grading in post. Like you, my jobs range from corporate to events and sports and for many jobs, I need to be able to deliver a proper picture that day. Still thinking on it.

 

[Htech]

I pay over 5000 € for this camera and i'm really disappointed. I take it for weddings and events indoor 90%. I am a sony user and i feel like i take a step backwards. In terms of low light dvx200 is 7db under mi old ax2000. More shops advertise minimum ilumination 0,2 lux, but without 1/2s shutter and high sensitivity mode. The black noise is very high in dark areas or colours. When use it indoor i feel like the camera cannot reproduce black colour. Every dark colour is full of noise at 0 db. Scenefiles are unfinished. We buy it to do our job not to wait and wait them to finish it. Over all, after two days of testing i send the camera in service one month ago with a faulty lens and no news till now. Try the camera before you buy it.

 

[Greg Smith]

Although like many, I'm not yet loving the color or scene files, the manual zoom action of my DVX200 is as smooth as any other lens I've ever used, and better than many. I wouldn't describe it as "stiff" at all. If yours is sticky, Brad, I'd consider that a flaw worthy of an exchange or warranty service.

(I'm not much good at making smooth manual zooms, and leave it in servo mode 99% of the time, but I checked the action now just to be sure.)

- Greg

 

[mapper65]

Although like many, I'm not yet loving the color or scene files, the manual zoom action of my DVX200 is as smooth as any other lens I've ever used, and better than many. I wouldn't describe it as "stiff" at all. If yours is sticky, Brad, I'd consider that a flaw worthy of an exchange or warranty service.

(I'm not much good at making smooth manual zooms, and leave it in servo mode 99% of the time, but I checked the action now just to be sure.)

- Greg

I checked mine a little while ago and it seems fine from a zoom aspect. Like Greg, it's not often that I use the manual zoom for the type of shooting that I do. I'll grab it for quick framing but typically never while rolling. Either way, mine seems fine.

 

[bluesgeek]

Although like many, I'm not yet loving the color or scene files, the manual zoom action of my DVX200 is as smooth as any other lens I've ever used, and better than many. I wouldn't describe it as "stiff" at all. If yours is sticky, Brad, I'd consider that a flaw worthy of an exchange or warranty service.

(I'm not much good at making smooth manual zooms, and leave it in servo mode 99% of the time, but I checked the action now just to be sure.)

- Greg

I checked mine a little while ago and it seems fine from a zoom aspect. Like Greg, it's not often that I use the manual zoom for the type of shooting that I do. I'll grab it for quick framing but typically never while rolling. Either way, mine seems fine.

If I may ask, could either of you please comment on how the zoom ring feels in when compared to the focus ring?

I know that there is going to be a difference between the mechanical and electronic rings, but I use one finger on the zoom ring (having removed the knob) and find it a bit stiff to get started, and to keep moving smoothly at slow speed, and requiring more finger pressure to maintain traction. I could stand the resistance to be less than it is. Also, I don't like the design of the ring with alternating grip notches and smooth surface. My finger often slips on the smooth areas, especially if there is any skin oil on my finger... again part of the traction issue.

This is a minor point to me, and I can live with it, but I would have liked the resistance to be less.

 

[mapper65]

If I may ask, could either of you please comment on how the zoom ring feels in when compared to the focus ring?

My focus ring is quite easy to move and rotates fine in either direction. My zoom ring has a little more resistance on it and also moves smoothly. I don't feel any grit or places where the resistance seems to change anywhere along the way.

 

[Brad Forman]

Thanks Greg and Mapper. The Panasonic rep was more than helpful. I'll be sending it out tomorrow. Hopefully we see some fast movement on the color rendition front. Thanks again guys.