Help a clueless film student: HVX200 or HVX200a

C

cwminor

Member
Hey everyone - This is my first post, although I have been reading this forum for ages now. Glad to be here!

OK, I'll try to keep this simple. Let me preface this by stating I'm currently a second year film student. So, my questions is:

I have been looking the last couple of months at getting a new professional camera to learn on for the next several years. I create mostly short films and music videos. I used a T2i the last school year to do most of my work, but my school is now suggesting we use professional cameras because of their XLR inputs and focus, zoom etc.. Anyway Im now looking between the HVX200a and the HVX200. My budget maxes out at around 2k. I can't for the life of me decide if i should get the (now very old) hxv200(with 16gb P2 Card) for pretty cheap online (1,400)-ish. and have money left over to buy accessories, or if i should go for the newer, used hvx200a (with p2 card) on ebay for 2k. :undecided I know the 'a' has a better sensor and other features. So really, is it worth the extra money to go for that? Like i said, this camera is my big purchase for the next couple years.

(The hmc 150 looks great too but it's pricer and the AVCHD might be a problem)

Any help would be greatly appreciated. If there are other forums asking this please direct me, (and i'm sorry!)

Thanks
 
Last edited:
If you can at all find an HMC-150 that you can afford, I would go for that. Unless you plan on shooting a lot of Greenscreen, the 150 will do just as well, and the media will be a whole lot cheaper.

And even if you do shoot greenscreen, it is entirely possible to get a very good result.

I would think that between the HVX-200 and the A, the A is the only one to bother with. The improved sensor is really quite good.
 
There are some used bargains to be had on the basic P2 series cameras with the introduction of the new HPX250, and AC160-130 cams. A better option for you would be a HPX170 which has the same imager as the 200a, but has a better feature set including a wave form monitor, and more. I'm not sure I would want to spend money on a older 200; I believe that models value will continue to depreciate. The 200a and 170 will have ongoing professional usefulness for event video, web, and B-cam purposes.

Grant
 
+1 on the HPX170 IF you can get it for the money you're asking for. Bust most likely what you'll find are HPXs without any P2 cards for around 2000$.

HPX with low hours with one 16GB P2 for 2.500,00 http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthrea...s-extended-warranty-and-case&highlight=hpx170

A full HPX package with 3 P2 cards for 2.900,00 http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?274012-HPX-170-(with-64-32-16GB-P2-cards)-2950&highlight=hpx170

You might get it for 2000$ but you'll have to bargain a little. There are lots and lots of HPX on the used market currently. It looks like everybody is selling them. So you just might get what you're asking for with some luck.
 
Last edited:
Again, he should for the HMC-150 since that will probably work really well for him and the recording media is a lot cheaper. All else being equal, get an HMC if you find one in your budget.
 
Ya, as a student with little money, buying into P2 is not wise. This will not be your first camera believe me.
Go for the HCM series and SD cards for now.
 
For learning sake, a 7D is abetter choice. All cinema cams are s35 nowadays anyway. Get used to using the sensor and its field of view.
 
Hey thanks everyone for the great advice. I am now rethinking that I should probably get the HMC 150, I just have two more questions:

1. If i go the HVX route, I have noticed the hvx200a is several hundred dollars cheaper vs. the hpx 170. Is the hpx worth the extra money just for a lighter design with no tape deck?

2. If I go the HMC 150 route, I have heard AVCHD does not play as nicely with FCP as DVCPRO on the HVX. Is this true? I am using a 2010 i7 macbookpro. Could it handle the AVCHD nicely?

Thanks again for the great advice this really helps.
 
1. I personally think the 170 is worth it. I bought mine almost 2 years ago and love its light weight. The production team I work with have a hvx200 & 200a and they too are awesome cameras, but for glidecam, handheld run n gun I always go with the 170, its sleeker body is nice to handle, and the lens is a touch wider. And then there's the waveform/vectorscope,... there are many pluses. Its worth it. But it is an investment. P2 costs $ but gets you 4:2:2 color.
2. I havent used the hmc150 but its easy enough to turn the avchd to prores.
 
cwminor said:
1. If i go the HVX route, I have noticed the hvx200a is several hundred dollars cheaper vs. the hpx 170. Is the hpx worth the extra money just for a lighter design with no tape deck?
Click to expand...

The HPX-170 is lighter and a bit easier to use, along with waveform/vectorscope displays and other misc. usability tweaks. Is it worth an extra several hundred dollars for that? Only you can decide. You can get very comparable imagery on both.

2. If I go the HMC 150 route, I have heard AVCHD does not play as nicely with FCP as DVCPRO on the HVX. Is this true? I am using a 2010 i7 macbookpro. Could it handle the AVCHD nicely?
Click to expand...

Final Cut Pro will never play nicely with any variant of H.264, no matter how much hardware you throw at it. Panasonic has a free utility that will transcode your AVCHD into DVCPRO-HD, or Final Cut Pro can transcode directly into ProRes. With the native DVCPRO-HD content from the HVX/HPX, all FCP has to do is "re-wrap", it doesn't actually alter the format in any way, so it still takes some time, but it's a lot faster to start from raw footage on the card to editing in FCP.
 
yeah, FORGET the 200, its DREADFUL in low, available-only light. i didnt remember how dreadful until i used one A/B with my 170 for a live music event a couple of months ago.
even at full gain, the 200 was almost unusablly dark and grainy. if your budget only accommodates a 200 level camera - DEFINITELY go with the 200A!

another vote for a DSLR for a learning "film maker" tool as they ask to be treated more like a film camera. but as it's been said. if you NEED xlr and zoom, looks like the hmc150/hpx170 would be the way to go. though id consider your instructors dubious for calling that more "professional" unless your school is ENG focused... a more "pro" audio workflow for a FILM student would be to forego camera sound altogether and get an external recorder like a zoom or tascam.

ive used the 170 and 150 extensively and much prefer the general interface of the 170. (the 150 doesnt respond as quickly or work as intuitively) but the argument for media cost (SD card VS p2) is a STONG one.
if you go the 170 route. its advised to get two smaller cards as opposed to one big one. with two cards you can be shooting to one while you transfer the other. that is IF you budget the extra few hundred bucks for a laptop with pcmcia slots which you SHOULD if you go with P2; )
 
Alright I think after all the feedback I'll go with the hmc 150 because of the cheap media. 170 sounds great too but i doubt i could afford extra cards. My only apprehension is that i've read that HMC 150 does 4:2:0 color space while the 170 does 4:2:2. is this something i even need to worry about? And does anyone here use the hmc 150 on a steady cam? Is that practical because i will be doing a lot of moving shots!
 
Unless you plan on shooting a lot of greenscreen shots, then it won't be something you need to worry about at all. And even then, people are pulling keys from crappy DSLR footage, so you should still be good if you have to do it every now and then.
 
Cool thanks for the advice. HMC 150 it is! I found one online - used, but in great condition. The only thing is that is has 433 hours on it. Is that ok or too much to buy used? The asking price is 2,000.

Also note: the camera comes in the original box, with a shotgun mic and SD cards.
 
Last edited:
Tape-based cameras are good for 1000-2000 hours of operation. Since the HMC-150 doesn't have any mechanical tape recording heads, I'd say its life expectancy is even longer.
 
OK, guys, please don't shoot me for suggesting this, but should the OP really spend money on a new camera at all? Wouldn't this be a waste? Doesn't the T2i already produce beautiful images? Why not just get accessories for the old camera and other equipment -- lenses, grip equipment, sound equipment, lighting? Worried about lack of XLR inputs? Just buy a Zoom H4N or a Tascam DR-100. Worried about lack of zoom? Get a zoom lens...

I have to say, I own a DSLR and an HVX200a, and the latter doesn't see that much usage at the moment, except for green screen, or when I'm looking to record without interruption (say, a wedding ceremony or someone's lecture).

Someone once gave me the advice -- whenever you buy a new camera, be prepared to spend at least twice what you're looking at to outfit that camera...
 
Paper_bag said:
Get a zoom lens...
Click to expand...

It won't be a powered zoom lens, meaning it'll be jerky when zooming while recording.

And the Tascam/H4n is nice, but you have to sync up in post.

Whenever you buy a new camera, be prepared to spend at least twice what you're looking at to outfit that camera...
Click to expand...

You don't have to do that with the HMC-150. What more could you possibly buy?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top