DVX100B Vs HVX200

kevtim

kevtim

Active member
I know at first this doesn't seem like much of a match up. However I have the DVX100B and a lens adaptor and a 50mm and 20mm lens. Now I'm thinking of selling all this gear to get me just the HVX200 and a couple of P2 cards. What would people advise? Stick with the DVX or go for the HVX? Also there is a question of... Are there any other camera's besides the HVX that are competitive and placed around the same price bracket?

My computer system is also a worry, although I think it'll be ok for HD footage. I have a MacBook Pro and a 2tb external hard drive. I also use Final Cut Studio with final cut Pro. Is there any compatibility problems I should know about? And finally how do you get the footage from your P2 card onto your computer?

Thanks in advance, you guy's always help me make the right decision!
 
I think it kinda depends on what you shoot with your camera. Do you keep the DVX and stay SD or get the HVX and go 1/3" HD? You could even go down the DSLR route and get a T2i, 7D, 5D, GH1 or GH2. You could save a bit more and grab an AF100.

You might even want to consider the Sony EX cams aswell. I myself went from Canon XL2 > Canon XHA1 > Canon T2i > Panasonic AF100.

To get P2 footage onto your PC you need an expensive Panasonic P2 card reader!
 
What are you looking to improve by upgrading the camera?
Without knowing ghat, the question can't be answered.

And, you DON'T need an expensive P2 card reader to read P2 cards. You can use the camera itself as a reader, use a laptop with a cardbus slot (as a networked reader), a PCI cardbus reader, or an expresscard to cardbus adapter… or a Sonnet QIO. Or an expensive Panasonic card reader.
 
Personally I would never stay with sd as my only option or any option. The HVX might still be useful for certain applications but p2 is pretty expensive. A dslr is a nice thing to have.
 
If you're mainly concerned with moving to HD, the cost of entry for the HVX200 is pretty high - P2 media will kick your butt! I would highly recommend the Panasonic HMC150, which is essentially the HPX170 (HVX200A's successor) but with SDHC media recording. My reasoning is this: Keep your lens adapter and primes, sell the DVX100B (it should fetch around $1000ish, give or take a hundred bucks depending on condition, hours, extras included, and who's shopping when you're selling). Save up and get the HMC150, which is as close in operation to the DVX100 as any other Panasonic HD tapeless camera I've handled, use your lens adapter with the HMC150.

Potential problems for you: If you have Final Cut Pro 5, 6, 7, or even X, you'll be fine working with the HVX200's media (DVCProHD format, use Log and Transfer instead of Log and Capture)... but if you have Final Cut Pro 5, the HMC150's files will not be able to import - you have to transcode the media first to Apple Intermediate Codec or ProRes BEFORE bringing it in to FCP. FCP 6, 7, and X will all transcode on import. AVCHD requires a bit of computer horsepower to handle. How old is your Macbook Pro? How much RAM do you have in it? Final potential issue is hard drive space. Got a lot of it? I hope so! Tapeless media fills drives up fast :-)

I hope this helps... happy shooting!
 
Your decision could be dictated by what you shoot. If you do SD web work or DVD output, you have little reason to upgrade except if you want better 16:9 output. If you need HD and are thinking a HVX200, you will want to re-think that to the HVX200a or better yet the HPX170, both of which are better cams than the original HVX200. Despite what the naysayers say about the cost of P2, it is a truly professional and secure memory system. One lost shoot to SD cards would easily pay for the more expensive and reliable P2 cards. Two 32gig cards is enough for most projects (your mileage may vary and might need less) and that will set you back about $800 new vs about $140 for the best SD cards. There is more to this than just the P2 vs SD debate, using P2 and the HVX or HPX, you will be recording to a better codec; DVCPro-HD. I own both AVCHD and DVCProHD cams, and prefer the latter for editing. AVCHD can look excellent, but if you shoot action, or do significant editing, DVCProHD is better. One other thing about making the switch to HD, critical focus will be more important. The small focus errors that didn't matter with the DVX will become glaring in HD.

There are many proponents of DSLR workflow, but IMHO, it is a compromise to the proven standard videocam. DSLRs can do beautiful work, but pretty much suck for anything long form and for audio also. My opinion. The biggest advantage DSLRs have is interchangeable lenses and shallow DOF if you need or want that. The DVX and HPX use the same filter size, so your adapter may work on a HPX. The HVX has 82mm threads, so your adapter may not work on that cam.

I made the switch you are considering a couple of years ago and went with the HPX170 and despite the additional cost, have been very happy with the switch. I added a AVCHD cam for a B-Cam, and like it as well, but the codec difference makes me reach for the 170 most of the time. There are many cams coming to market with better IQ than the 170, but it has the pro features you need and the same DVX mojo. With the intro of several new PannyCams in the last few weeks, there will be some good pricing opportunities, both new and used on these older models.

Grant
 
The HVX has been called "The World's Best Handheld SD Camera". If most of your work and workflow is SD, then there are indeed advantages to the HVX. By HVX, I mean HVX200A - the A does so much better in low light that you really don't want to consider the non-a (HVX200P) at all.

Not even mentioning HD,
The HVX has better-than-SD resolution, shoots in various quality SD modes (e.g., 4:2:2 DVCPro50), can do all sorts of interesting things with timelapse, frame rates, etc, shoots to the reliable P2 cards (more than 4 hours straight on a 64GB card), and has the TAPE DRIVE... which can be pretty useful in a pinch.

However, for HD, it's no longer the latest and greatest. I still think it is a nice HD cam, with some great features and the nice P2 media... but for the price I don't think it would be my top choice now. But I do still consider it important to have in the arsenal as an HD/SD cam, and to have something that can take tapes in a pinch. So... if it were the ONLY cam I had... maybe that would still be a top choice...
 
Firstly I want to say thanks guys, you have certainly given me a lot to think about.

I have to say I prefer the standard videocam over the DLSR option. However it might be time to get over my DSLR ignorance. But I have to say I just like how real videocam's operate with their nice big focus and zoom rings. Also I've had my DVX for nearly a year now and I'm so impressed by it id be a fool to leave my Panny love. So that narrows down the field a bit to the:

HVX200a
HPX170
HMC150

I use my DVX for weddings, gigs and music videos mostly. And I have to say it does hold it's own in this HD world. However Grant you hit the nail on the head and better 16:9 output is exactly what I need. And it sounds like I can use my DVX lens adaptor with both the HPX170 and HMC150. Does anyone know for sure if this will definitely work? And P2 media, yep expensive but I think it's worth it in the long run so the HPX170 might have the edge here.

However if I go down the HPX170/HMC150 route there is one small problem. There just aren't any PAL versions selling in the UK :( There are lots and lots of HVX200's going (however no HVX200a versions). What's the problem/difference with the HVX200 as opposed to the "a"?

Is it worth just waiting for some HPX's and HMC's to come on the market over here? Should I just continue to use my DVX until that happens skipping out on the HVX200 completely? So far this sounds like the most logical COA. Maybe I can look into upscaling my SD footage for now to fill the gap.

Oh and I have FCP 6.0.6, 4gb of memory on my Mac and I was planning to buy more and more external hard drives as and when needed. At the moment I only have a 2tb external.

Once again, cheers guys!
 
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Ullanta, Now after reading this the HVX200a is still in the running. Ahhh, why are these decisions always a brain twister.
 
Decision like this are tough, it took me a lot of back and forth to decide. I hadn't noticed you were from across the pond, so the PAL issue may make it more difficult. Ullanta brought up the tape drive issue so there are a few things you should know about that and a couple of other cam differences also. First, the tape drive on the HVX is only good for SD, 16x9 yes, but only SD. I don't think there are many folks shooting tape on the HVX when HD is available; my opinion. The big thing about having the tape drive is that you can match the HVX with a DVX with the scene files. The HPX has some features that are large improvements over the HVX including: a waveform monitor, vectorscope, more focus assist features, SDI-HD output, a 6 pin firewire port, is somewhat lighter, and I think, a slightly improved flip-out screen (someone confirm this please). In particular, the WFM is very useful for exposure and the 6 pin FW plug solved a known problem. The imagers are the same, so the potential IQ should be the same baring slight differences in the lens.

Hope this helps,
Grant
 
Actually… the AG-AC160/130 has not been mentioned here. If I were buying a camera today, I think the 160 would be it!
 
kevtim said:
I have to say I prefer the standard videocam over the DLSR option. However it might be time to get over my DSLR ignorance. But I have to say I just like how real videocam's operate with their nice big focus and zoom rings.
Click to expand...

Then you will dislike DSLRs, especially when you find a number of things you take for granted now are missing.

HVX200a
HPX170
HMC150
Click to expand...

Of the three, the 170 is the overall best. It gives you everything the 200A has except for tape, and considerably more.

Keep in mind that both the 200A and the 170 have a true-widescreen DVX inside them.
 
What did you wind up doing? I have shot a lot with the DVX100b and own a HVX and the HPX170.
I am in love with the 170. It's a way better shooter's camera than the HVX200. Although my 200 in the original not the 'A' version.
 
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