Demo'd a HPX300 today...

No Skew

No Skew

Granted, I like the way the JVC looks too, but that's not why I'm considering it...

I have a long history with Sony and I WANT to love the HPX300, but I have used it, I have seen the skew and I don't have the luxury of having a bevy of cameras to use for still subjects and others for fast moving subjects.

Plus, i have a few requirements...

1. HD ( 720 up to 1080 is okay, but not HDV)
2. Removable lens
3. Reasonably priced media
4. CCD's over CMOS

For us the JVC makes sense. For you maybe not. I liked the HPX300, even the EX3 for that matter, but the CMOS, media (and form factor in the case of the EX3) is making it hard for me to adopt either.
 
Is it wrong that I am probably more excited for the Canon 7D than this camera?

Yes, it's wrong. 7D is a photo camera with video function, hxp300 is a proper
video camera which has it's limitations, though for what it costs, it's a superb camera.
 
True. But I was wasn't comparing the two. I'm just losing faith in the 300. Although if I had en extra $10k in my sock drawer, I'd probably buy it today.
 
meaning that swedish cars look better than german? That's an insult!

I agree. Swedish cars look like biscuit tins with wheels attached. German cars are much more beautiful. (With the exception of a very low production super sports car, whos name I can't remember).
But for ultimate beauty, 2 Italian brands are the worlds best (Lamborghini, Ferrari). And for Motorcycles, Ducati.
 
I've had a EX1 for 2.5 years with zacuto plates and use it with the letus ultimate. I've shot a lot of stuff with it. Now I have 2 ex1 and 2 nanoflashes. Done a ton of handheld. This setup is completely fine. The camera is really killer. The HPX300 has better colors. I love the panasonic color scheme. But worse in low light. In the end I think either one will make you happy. Or the HPX170. Just go for it, man! Why wait. You could be earning money today. Then you can sit back and ponder the next big camera. And remember - if you buy a lemon - there will still be a market for your camera on ebay. People are still buying the DVX100 on that thing!
 
True. But I was wasn't comparing the two. I'm just losing faith in the 300. Although if I had en extra $10k in my sock drawer, I'd probably buy it today.

You're losing faith in the 300. But $10K would restore your faith? Don't get it.
I've done a ton of shoots with mine. Mostly corporate and the skew is not an issue. the camera is absolute killer!
 
Shore,

I haven't lost complete faith, as I am waiting on a quote from AbelCine. And the more I think about it, Pana's financing option (25% down, 0%) is the real deal maker.
 
As long as the 300 fits your needs for movement, you won't find a better deal out there. I am so missing the 300 here, every shoot I have done lately with my 170, I have really wished it was on the 300.

Dan
 
On a shoot in DC for a political doc. HPX 300 is far exceeding my expectations. When set up properly, noise is not an issue. Skew not yet visible. Rarely have to take it out of -3db gain. A really easy camera to use, which after struggling with the 200 and ex1s and 3s is a blessing. It is a pro camera.
 
From Sony online expo: "Please don't compare HPX300 with PMW350. It's unfair to them. Their CMOS scanning speed is so slow that it was probably not usable in hi-speed situations. Also, their imager is 1/3 inch which probably forced you to bring a lot of lighting gear (or forced you to crank up the gain). PMW350 is a 2/3 inch so they are in a completely different class. You may want to look at Sony's HVRS270U also if you had HPX300 in mind and wanted to save money. S270U outperforms HPX300 ni low light, speed."
 
Sony marketing doesn't have much credibility around here, based upon their almost to the point of lawsuit for slander outright lies about P2 and the past crop of Panasonic cameras at NAB, IBC, etc.

That said, the 350 seems like a match made in heaven for what I am pursuing, lower end cable programming. The only issue is the same as P2 that leads me away from it, the having to download P2 or SxS as you shoot when you are shooting a LOT of footage for documentary/reality series.

I am doing an EPK shoot at a multi-day press event in Europe in a few weeks and the client told me that I will be side by side with CNN, Reuters and BBC, shooting a large amount of footage at press conferences and shooting interviews all day. Working by myself, no P2 tech and no great opportunities to dump cards as the day progresses because we will be running all over the city all day shooting. I would like to be shooting 1080 but with my meager allotment of P2 cards, I will have to shoot 720 24pN to get enough run time. I wish that I could afford some 64GB E-Series but there is not enough budget. And guess who will be in their hotel room all night, dumping cards and cloning drives?

In a situation like this, tape or even XDCAM HD discs would be superior to P2 or SxS for just the sheer practicality of the situation. I can see the same advantages for two shows I am producing, we will be running three cameras for many hours a day and I am not sure if we will be able to afford P2 for the simple fact of the amount of cards needed and that we would have to use a P2 data wrangler position, which costs at least $250.00 - $400.00 for someone who knows what they are doing.

Perhaps with the advent of E-Series 128GB P2 cards, this will become practical. But even with 64s, I can't afford to shoot 1080 for many hours a day if I don't have time to dump cards.

Dan
 
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In a situation like this, tape or even XDCAM HD discs would be superior to P2 or SxS for just the sheer practicality of the situation. I can see the same advantages for two shows I am producing, we will be running three cameras for many hours a day and I am not sure if we will be able to afford P2 for the simple fact of the amount of cards needed and that we would have to use a P2 data wrangler position, which costs at least $250.00 - $400.00 for someone who knows what they are doing.
So, he has a point by recommending the S270? Same 1/3-inch sensor, but large DV tape holding about 4.5 hours of footage. I know, I know, it is HDV. But it is practical, isn't it?
 
Can you dump footage (via USB) from the first P2 card after it has switched over to the second card during a recording?
 
If I was doing this kind of show for an outlet that would accept HDV like Travel Channel, I like the Z7 and the 270. My friend uses it to shoot Bizarre World for Travel and it is a decent camera.

Unfortunately, it would just depend on the network, most of them WON'T touch HDV or will only let you do less than 10% of the total content on HDV. Travel Channel is one of the few that seems to have no problem with HDV, many of their best shows are shot in HDV.

Dan
 
Can you dump footage (via USB) from the first P2 card after it has switched over to the second card during a recording?

You cannot simultaneously dump a P2 card and shoot to a P2 card on the same camera. You can remove the card from the camera as soon as it switches to the other P2 card and then dump the full card while you are still shooting the other card without stopping.

Dan
 
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