adamr316
Well-known member
Here are my first impressions of the HVX-200 from shooting with it for the first time yesterday. I have used a DVX100A previously many times.
#1. I love the look of the images. I'm not sure which mode I was in, (the camera was handed to me and I didn't have much time to read the manual) but the images look gorgeous...I didn't expect anything less.
#2. Controls are kind of similar to the DVX100A. There are added buttons (perhaps too many), but all were pretty much easily labeled...just had to search for some of them.
#3. Options galore. I love it! The only thing is...I didn't have time to read the manual and know what many of those menu options meant.
Now, I have plenty of other positive things to say about the camera...but I think they've been covered by others. The main issues I had with the HVX are:
1. Headphone amp level. I cranked the volume all the way up and even using Sony MDR-7506 cans, which are notoriously loud headphones, it wasn't very loud. And when I had the volume turned down for concert footage "about 9 'o clock position" I couldn't barely hear anything. Anyone else have this issue?
2. Auto-exposure. In run and gun situations (which is what I shot mostly) I had to set the camera to auto and the exposure wasn't very good. During a stage show, the performers in the front were blown out while the ones in the back were good...although the front performers dominated my frame.
3. Auto white-balance outdoors at night was bad. Not poor...just not to my liking. Had to go manual for these shots.
4. The on-camera mic. It sounded better than the DVX100A through the headphones...but did Panasonic improve it? It definitely sounded much less muffled.
5. Audio meters. I was confused...I'll admit. I wasn't sure what the two verticle markings meant. I do now though. I just wish Panasonic had made the levels a little easier to understand without having to refer to the manual. Perhaps coloring the level indicators between -20 and -12dB green and over -12 to -3dB yellow? Oh well...once I found out what they were indicating (after looking at the manual) I felt dumb.
6. Handheld use sucks. This camera made my wrist strain and because of this...unsteady images. Even with OIS turned on, movement was still shakey in close-up zooms. I found myself stabilizing myself on objects (chairs, bars, my knee) any time I could. The DVX100A is much better balanced/is lighter...but that's obvious from the size of this camera!
7. Low-light: The performance in low-light can definitely be improved. I guess I'm just spoiled with the Sony PD170 but...
So overall...I think this is a great camera. I wish I could have sampled some of the HD modes (especially slo-mo) but this was not apart of my assignment. Hopefully I'll be able to use it again now that I've read the manual more thoroughly.
#1. I love the look of the images. I'm not sure which mode I was in, (the camera was handed to me and I didn't have much time to read the manual) but the images look gorgeous...I didn't expect anything less.
#2. Controls are kind of similar to the DVX100A. There are added buttons (perhaps too many), but all were pretty much easily labeled...just had to search for some of them.
#3. Options galore. I love it! The only thing is...I didn't have time to read the manual and know what many of those menu options meant.
Now, I have plenty of other positive things to say about the camera...but I think they've been covered by others. The main issues I had with the HVX are:
1. Headphone amp level. I cranked the volume all the way up and even using Sony MDR-7506 cans, which are notoriously loud headphones, it wasn't very loud. And when I had the volume turned down for concert footage "about 9 'o clock position" I couldn't barely hear anything. Anyone else have this issue?
2. Auto-exposure. In run and gun situations (which is what I shot mostly) I had to set the camera to auto and the exposure wasn't very good. During a stage show, the performers in the front were blown out while the ones in the back were good...although the front performers dominated my frame.
3. Auto white-balance outdoors at night was bad. Not poor...just not to my liking. Had to go manual for these shots.
4. The on-camera mic. It sounded better than the DVX100A through the headphones...but did Panasonic improve it? It definitely sounded much less muffled.
5. Audio meters. I was confused...I'll admit. I wasn't sure what the two verticle markings meant. I do now though. I just wish Panasonic had made the levels a little easier to understand without having to refer to the manual. Perhaps coloring the level indicators between -20 and -12dB green and over -12 to -3dB yellow? Oh well...once I found out what they were indicating (after looking at the manual) I felt dumb.
6. Handheld use sucks. This camera made my wrist strain and because of this...unsteady images. Even with OIS turned on, movement was still shakey in close-up zooms. I found myself stabilizing myself on objects (chairs, bars, my knee) any time I could. The DVX100A is much better balanced/is lighter...but that's obvious from the size of this camera!
7. Low-light: The performance in low-light can definitely be improved. I guess I'm just spoiled with the Sony PD170 but...
So overall...I think this is a great camera. I wish I could have sampled some of the HD modes (especially slo-mo) but this was not apart of my assignment. Hopefully I'll be able to use it again now that I've read the manual more thoroughly.
