Feature Request

robotx21

Active member
I'm going to start a thread for features we, the consumer, would like to see in the new HVX200. Since the actual model has not been built into a finalized production version, they may be able to add some of these ideas that we talk about. So I'll start first. One feature I would love to see is a switchable B&W and Color Viewfinder. This would be great for focusing as well as setting up lighting. Hope Pana is listening :laugh:
 
I believe the eyepiece viewfinder is color/b&w switchable, or that's what I thought Jan said at the DVXuser gathering. Should help a lot, although it's an LCD.

-CJ
 
Ok, everything on the camera looks good. And we have to remember that we are not going to get a fully manual lense system on the HVX200. That would be called the 60,000 dollar VariCam. But could we at least ask for a hard stop focus lense on it? that would make simple racks, with out going past, a lot essayer. I would also like to see an SDI BNC out on the camera, so we could hook it up to professional HD monitors. It would also be forward thinking but totally unreasonable to put two XLR outs on the camera, for us that would use it as a stringer camera. All in all I think the HVX has the most to offer, but if we could get some small changes to it, and Panasonic could realise that they are not going to lose business from the VariCam and 2/3 CCD Cams, it would be the only camera to buy. We are not going to buy those cameras, we are going to buy the HVX and if I am going to pay 10,000 for one I would like it to have some of the more "Professional Features" but we will see.
 
imgenentertainment,

Ahhh, a fellow .mac user... welcome! The monitors I would use if money was not an issue (Astro 8.4" on camera LCD with waveform/vector) accept both HD-SDI and analog component. I'm totally for having a single BNC, but the monitor thing eases my mind for the moment, anyway. I think it would be reasonable to believe there could be many many aftermarket options for this camera simply, and only, because it has a USB connector. Can you say connect a Sound Devices USBPre and get S/PDIF, RCA, XLR IN/OUT from this camera over a USB connection? I don't see why not, if it's properly setup. Also, AJA video makes a component to HD-SDI black box converter for 700$. Hope this helps.

brian wells
 
True single frame time lapse with a built in intervalometer. (just like the SDX900 with cache board installed- it rocks!!)

Better quality zoom (stepless creeping zooms)

A HD-SDI output and a composite output.

High rez viewfinder

More resistance on the focus wheel (cine style) with locked end positions (infinity & close focus)
 
Steve Shovlar said:
HDV to tape. Sony can do it why not Panasonic?

This has been covered a lot.

Basic answer is that Panasonic will not compromise the quality of the HD they provide by using the crappy HDV standard, that has so little information in it that it can fit on a miniDV tape.

This camera is all about using a better type of HD than could fit on a miniDV, plus panasonic is not part of the HDV standard.

This is all so fundamental to what this camera is, that to request the feature here may damage how seriously Jan takes this whole list... ;)
 
Chimpan-A said:
Basic answer is that Panasonic will not compromise the quality of the HD they provide by using the crappy HDV standard, that has so little information in it that it can fit on a miniDV tape.

They are already providing REALLY crappy SD to tape. I think the questioner would like to know if they are willing to provide REALLY crappy SD to tape why not toss in HDV too?

It's not 'cause they are opposed to putting something crappy on tape, that's for sure. At least then it could be used for longer form events and documentaries and salespeople worldwide would have one less objection to overcome.

I personally think they should have left the miniDV drive off altogether and slimmed that pregnant thing down a little... and dropped the price another $500. OR maybe use that spot for a removable hard drive. Now THAT would have been cool.

This whole P2 thing is about selling consumables. The day Firestore comes up with a hard drive or solid state memory solution is the day P2 dies. I'd much rather get this footage in AVID's HD codec. Everyone knows it's very clean and still is compressed.
 
I wish the LCD on the HVX200 is a touch screen. I'm not a fan of numerous levels of menus on cameras. If there was a touch screen I would be able to easily sort through thumbnails of the clips and double click on it to view it. I can then scrub back and forth in the clip by draging my finger left and right. I would also be able to add in and out points in the clip to delete portions of the clip i don't need.

When I worked at Alias|Wavefront we had a lot of neat things to play with. One of which was a product called Portfolio Wall. It was a gestural based interface on a plasma screen that was used for presenting stills, storyboards, and animations. All by using your finger. In camera editing on the HVX would be cool to help save memory space and put together clips for reviewing on set.
 
Hd-sdi

Hd-sdi

As a companion to the Varicam (as marketed at NAB)...a HD-SDI output is a need not a want. I agree with the previous post on using a HD monitor for this and/or a direct out to the 1200a for on set recording to tape. In the end the "tapeless" is where the industry is going, but until the storage issue is worked out (god forbid the drive array takes a dive), we need to back up our footage on tape. Also clients are more comfortable with tape and the current cost...hell they are just now getting that BetaSP is dead...they think DigiBeta is the greatest...
.
I don't want to sound like an "old" tape vs non-linear man...but until there is a solution that is "safe" for the hours of footage we shoot and the large budgets we handle...the professionals need to have a backup....we can't just go in the backyard in re-shoot!

At NAB the talk in the booth was a possible P2 deck solution with a HD-SDI out. We could dub to the 1200a...or a companion piece to the current decks that would allow a backup to happen.

Lets hope the ears were listening at NAB or the eyes at Panny can see this. In the end...Panasonic has really gained my business..hope they continue. Sony is too arrogant.

FK



.
 
Steve Shovlar said:
HDV to tape. Sony can do it why not Panasonic?

Please, for the love of everything sacred, no HDV. I still prefer 24p DVX100a footage over 60i HDV.

Plus, if you are really in love with tape HDV, there's a ZR1 with your name on it.

I never liked HDV engineering design from the get-go. MPEG2 is not the future of high quality image storage. Period.
 
All the talk of how we don't see a good archive solution is because we, as video/film shooters do not think like an IT environment. Talk to your friend in the IT industry to find out how large amounts of data is archived and retrieved reliably on a regular basis.

P2 is part of an IT-based workflow, not a tape-based workflow... it's kind of an all-or-nothing deal.. If I want to have IT-based aquisition, then I need to be part of/learn about/integrate/implement an IT-based storage system that meets my needs.

It's simple, really.
 
Two rather tiny things

Have the onboard mic removable.
There is one rather neat feature on the Sony that i like, it is the backlight feature on the LCD screen. It is so great for using a LCD outside.
 
thisiswells said:
Also, AJA video makes a component to HD-SDI black box converter for 700$.


Hey Brian, which AJA are you talking about? The cheapest I found was 1,500 and needed a power supply.
 
I would like this cam to do NTSC and PAL. Saves getting different versions out there and everyone can work everywhere. Maybe not a big deal to people who do mostly 24p, but for those who do mostly TV work (like myself) this would really come in handy...
 
b/w crt eyepiece for focus. You already have a colour flip screen, don't need a colour finder. close focus, infinity lock point on focus wheel. Even if it had to be locked in a calibrated for each set-up it would be better than not at all. Too late now but why not a single 2/3" cmos sensor like the kinetta. I know 3ccd 2/3" would be too big, but a bigger chip, depth of field, would go a lot farther toward a pro/ cinema look than the marginal colour rendition improvements that you get from 3 small ccd's. I haven't seen any footage from it, but the kinetta is doing full uncompressed from a single chip, and the dalsa is using a single 35mm size chip. Maybe they could go that route next year when they bring out the "super-8" model with no dv deck.
 
Single frame buffer

Single frame buffer

I'd love to see a single frame buffer. This is what I mean:

After recording a clip, scrub through the clip on the LCD and stop on a frame. Press the frame buffer button and the frame is in memory. When you are ready to shoot the next scene I'd like to recall or view the frame in memory to compare lighting, white balance and composition before shooting.

This would be easy to implement. You can even allow it to capture the frame to memory without recording.
 
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