AG-DVX200 4K Large-Sensor Handheld Camcorder
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Mike, thank you for that perspective from your experience.
My concern is that the camera has been out for over month, and the new firmware for over a week, and with all the clamoring for an accurate default scene file on a forum dedicated to the Panasonic brand, we have not seen a scene file or any footage presenting skin without glaring (an admittedly relative term) color flaws. This is not to diminish the contributions of those who have posted some custom files, but to raise the issue that there may be some hardware problems with the imaging that can't be address at the level of in-camera user configuration.
I'm not talking about tweaking a camera to get it "exactly" the way I want it, but that out of the box, it should already be tweaked in its scene files to be accurate to some generally accepted sweet spot of color aesthetics, especially when it comes to skin.
Here's Panasonic doing what to my eye is a great job out of the box with the $800 4K FZ1000. They should be able to show us how to get skin like this out of the DVX200... if it's possible.
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I just got off the phone with Panny level two support and it was confirmed that their unit has the same issue I am reporting with a rough spot on the zoom ring, and with the noticeable "play" when wiggling the ring from top to bottom.
If I may ask DVX200 users to try this test and report here.
Zoom in to Z99. Place the left thumb at about 4 o'clock on the zoom ring (so that it is positioned on the grip side of the camera), and with upward pressure using the thumb only, zoom out. Do you feel a heavy friction, almost a click point? Thank you.
If I may ask DVX200 users to try this test and report here.
Zoom in to Z99. Place the left thumb at about 4 o'clock on the zoom ring (so that it is positioned on the grip side of the camera), and with upward pressure using the thumb only, zoom out. Do you feel a heavy friction, almost a click point? Thank you.
Mike Harvey
Veteran
In a way, you've kind of answered your own question. The new firmware has been out for a week. That's it. Barry has stated that he's busy working. My guess is so is everyone else. I just did a quick search on Youtube... what little footage has been posted at all in the last week has been shot in V-log. Vimeo has even less. I'm not sure it's reasonable to expect every working professional out there with this camera to update the firmware the moment it came out, and then set up custom scene files, shoot a few interviews or something, and get it cut and uploaded to Youtube or Vimeo. Lord knows if I had the camera, I wouldn't have. I've been too busy this past two weeks to do that.
Yes Mike, you're too busy to do that. And, I'm too busy working to do that. I may be able spend some time tweaking the camera between jobs, over time. But that should not prevent me from being able to use the camera's scene files to get "acceptable" color right now.
I'm not expecting Barry or any owner/user to do that. I'm expecting Panasonic to do that. So, is Panasonic too busy to do that?
I guess I don't understand the logic of not being able to turn on a $4000 camera, select a scene, set exposure and white balance, and have it put out an incredible image with "acceptable" color—a scene that I can tweak over time to make it ideal for my needs—if the same factory can do that with an $800 camera. It's like, we're going to charge you 4 times as much but skip the step where we configure something the customer can use right away, because the customer is a professional who should be able and willing to accomplish that, and who shouldn't expect to put the camera into service without investing countless hours first. Do I think that Panasonic could dedicate someone to putting out some scene files that solve the problem? Absolutely. How long could that take for a skilled colorist? Well I don't know. But if I was making decisions for Panasonic I would get an expert and give him or her a week to publish something to make the camera usable.
Here's a call to Panasonic (not to you or Barry). I paid you $4000 for a camera. Show me how to configure it to give me skin like this $800 camera that also came from your factory.
I hope I am wrong (and if I am I will apologize here) but I believe that Panasonic may have a problem that is deeper than scene file configs, and if they are busy doing anything, it is trying to fix that.
Jim Martin
DVXuser Sponsor
New question...and Barry might know...with the auto on/off on the camera's VF when you lean in, the LCD shuts off...I didn't see it in the menu or manual but is there a way to shut it off so the LCD does not turn off?....the only thing I found was turning the VF sensitivity down to -4.....we had a client who wanted to do this...
Jim Martin
EVSonline.com
Jim Martin
EVSonline.com
Bassman2003
Veteran
Thanks. Can any owners speak to the 120fps?
,
From Newsshooters review (part 3):
"The camera can capture variable frame rates anywhere from 2 to 120fps in full HD. In AVCHD you can record in either progressive or interlaced frame rates in 1920×1080, 720p or 575i. Please note that if you want to record progressive in full HD using AVCHD, only 24,50 and 60P are available; on the sample I tested there was no option to record 30 or 25p.
Greg Smith
Veteran
You can change the view from Auto to LCD to EVF through the "LCD/EVF OUTPUT" item in the Output Setup menu.
Don't worry about somebody turning the eye sensor down to -4. I did, and it made no noticeable difference in the frequency of having the LCD turn off when I didn't want it to. I wish there were a way to make it a manual switch assigned to a user button (or reduce the sensitivity of the eye sensor to a more realistic range).
- Greg
Hi,Bluesgeek!
I agree with you. a $ 4,000 camera images are worse than the $ 800 it.
Fz 1000 I worked as a camera, a pair of AC 160 and were completely together. This is now with the DVX-200 impossible. Why?
Panasonic finish this camera, if possible, although if a hardware ... wrong?
Cash back
I agree with you. a $ 4,000 camera images are worse than the $ 800 it.
Fz 1000 I worked as a camera, a pair of AC 160 and were completely together. This is now with the DVX-200 impossible. Why?
Panasonic finish this camera, if possible, although if a hardware ... wrong?
Cash back
Summarize your own experiences and described here:
1 .improvement in the 1.25 firmware, but not enough
2. After the white balance setting is not correct color
(especially blue, burgundy, it looks good multi-camera productions)
3. dark areas significant noise !!
4. 120 frames Slow-Motion recording picture quality is poor (low resolution)
5. If the light is reduced, greatly reduced the Croma, compared to any other camera
1 .improvement in the 1.25 firmware, but not enough
2. After the white balance setting is not correct color
(especially blue, burgundy, it looks good multi-camera productions)
3. dark areas significant noise !!
4. 120 frames Slow-Motion recording picture quality is poor (low resolution)
5. If the light is reduced, greatly reduced the Croma, compared to any other camera
Watch this: http://youtu.be/aU7WyzZXDu0
For me this proves, that this camera has what i takes when it comes to hardware capability.
I know I have been one of the concerned guys here lately. But I trust Barry, when he tried to calm us all down.
I agree that Panasonic should have waited releasing this camera, but done is done.
The camera is still so new, there will come scenefiles within short time. The latest firware is only a week old.
I fully understand the frustration about the scenefiles and all. But lets listen, when folks like Barry and others, that knows about these things tells us, that it is common to use quite some time getting the best out of a professional camera like the DVX200. I am sure we will see some really cool stuff from this camera sooner or later.
Barry_Green
Moderator
Overcrank, no audio.
Yes, it's something like 5 hours.
Audio is handled the same way as on most prior Panasonics -- you get audio if the frame rate is the same as the timebase, and no audio if they're different.
Barry_Green
Moderator
The eye sensor is what you're running into. The quickest fix is to just point the viewfinder straight up, so that you are less likely to trigger "false positives". If you want to disable the viewfinder (and thus the eye sensor), you can set the EVF/LCD OUTPUT menu item in the output settings menu to LCD instead of AUTO.
Bassman2003
Veteran
Thanks Barry. That is a shame as in the non-cinematic world, one does not know what you want to slow down. So you need a way to still deliver the real time footage with audio. So using the 120fps mode is just a trick which you will most often never get to use as you will burn your chance of having a normal recording of the situation. Having the audio track would change the situation from a cine approach to the over used run & gun term. But it is the truth. I asked this in the Fs5 forum and it is the same situation.
Sadly, a few pointed out that consumer P&S cameras record audio with their 120fps mode. Which makes me wonder if the pro camera makers even know how we might use a "run & gun" large sensor camera?
Sadly, a few pointed out that consumer P&S cameras record audio with their 120fps mode. Which makes me wonder if the pro camera makers even know how we might use a "run & gun" large sensor camera?
fastfinger
Well-known member
I capture allot of crashes in my work and having audio to slow with the video is really useful.
slidemaster
Well-known member
It does that Jim, as does the FS5. Sony states it is to increase life of the screen. I am guessing the Panasonic is the same reason.
philiplipetz
Veteran
Panasonic headquarters: "Let's recapture the magic by making an affordable version of the Varicam. No one can object to that."
Engineer: "We would have to compromise somewhere to make it affordable."
Panasonic headquarters: "Make it with two stops less DR."
Engineer: "We will have to cram it into a low bit rate codec to make it meet your price target."
Panasonic headquarters: "Who cares as long as it uses the Varicam log LUT people will love it."
Engineer: "Log is not everything."
Panasonic headquarters: "Give me a Varicam lite. Mke it the small, but affordable, brother of the Varicam."
The management suits walk out before they can hear...
Engineer: "But the codec will be too thin at 100 mbs to retain the Varicam quality, and there are better ways to compress a log image into a thin codec. Trying to force too much information into a thin data stream will lead to disaster."
Engineer: "We would have to compromise somewhere to make it affordable."
Panasonic headquarters: "Make it with two stops less DR."
Engineer: "We will have to cram it into a low bit rate codec to make it meet your price target."
Panasonic headquarters: "Who cares as long as it uses the Varicam log LUT people will love it."
Engineer: "Log is not everything."
Panasonic headquarters: "Give me a Varicam lite. Mke it the small, but affordable, brother of the Varicam."
The management suits walk out before they can hear...
Engineer: "But the codec will be too thin at 100 mbs to retain the Varicam quality, and there are better ways to compress a log image into a thin codec. Trying to force too much information into a thin data stream will lead to disaster."
Barry_Green
Moderator
Been trying to convince them of that for 9 years now. For whatever reason, they just aren't going to implement it. Then again, there's a notable resolution loss when shooting 120 fps, so it's not necessarily something you'd want to do as a continuous default situation.