HMC150 vs HVX200A?

A

aleebee156

Active member
HMC150 vs HVX200A?

I mainly shoot documentaries, action sports, some short films, a few product highlight things for work, but mostly documentaries/snowboarding/short films. I was originally going to upgrade from my DVX-100B to the HMC150. but now starting to think about the HVX200A. What are everyones thoughts? for what i am shooting, do you think that the extra cost of the HVX200A is worth it? or will i be just fine with the HMC150? I need some help!! this will be my camera for the next basically ever. i would like to start getting into other things like entering some film festivals eventually, but probably not for a few years until life settles down.

I am curious of what everyone thinks.

Thanks in advance, :dankk2:

Chris
 
Personally, I'd certainly go with the 150 unless you have to please somebody by delivering footage shot on P2 with DVCPRO HD.

If you are not in a big hurry, I'd suggest waiting until the dust settles after the new Sony and Canon cams have started shipping.
 
Robert M Wright said:
Personally, I'd certainly go with the 150 unless you have to please somebody by delivering footage shot on P2 with DVCPRO HD.

If you are not in a big hurry, I'd suggest waiting until the dust settles after the new Sony and Canon cams have started shipping.
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Ah hell, just use mainconcept to transcode it and hand them the P2 files. ;)
 
Just some food for thought, the 150 handbook seems to say that the ambient operating temperature is 32 degrees (0) to 104. That makes me wonder why Panny seems to be saying that this camera is not suited for sub freezing temperatures. Is it when it is being used with the automatic servo that can't take the cold? Obviously if you are going to keep it in a bag most of the time, that's great. If you are going to spend the whole day with it on a tripod or hand held in the field for snowboarding, I'd wonder if this is the right camera. Not sure about the 200, but I bet it's the same.

What do other people think? Is this a non issue? Or is the 32 degree recommended limit real?

Is the 200 better suited to his needs?

(to be clear, I have a 150, and it seems to work fine out side in the cold but i'm not under 32 much if at all here in the Pacific Northwest)
 
Read any camera manual, every one I've ever seen has said about that same range, 32 to 104. Didn't stop us from using HVX200s at 20 to 67 below zero up at the Iditarod, and I've seen HVX200s being used at the South Pole.

Now, with that said, the HMC150's focus ring will get stiff in the cold, something that doesn't happen with the 200A.

To the OP, I'd say the HMC150 is tailor-made for you, but if you're going to be doing a lot of work at around freezing temps, the HVX200A would probably be the better bet.
 
Thank you all for your input. Thanks for the heads up on the temp thing, i think that either camera will do fine in the freezing temps.

Barry- im shooting with my DVX10B right now and will have to part with it to afford the HMC150. I love the film look that i have been getting from the DVX, can i expect to be able to get similar looks if i would like to from the HMC? i love the HD for the weddings and things that i shoot, but would like to have that film look if i would like it. Let mek now your thoughts.

Also, with the HMC150 you edit Apple Prores 4:2:2 AVCHD correct? does that need a pretty robust system to edit? here is what i am on now:

24" i Mac
3.06ghz intel core duo
4gb ram
Nvidia graphics with 512mb, cant remember exact card
using 750gb G-Tech Q-drive for external storage via firewire 800.

thanks again!!!
 
Robert(or anyone else)

im new to HD and have not heard of Cineform. can you give me an overview and how it works with FCS2? basically it sounds like a file converter from the AVCHD to "cineform"? are they smaller files? im guessing its purpose is to make it easier to edit with...
 
You don't need cineform, you'd use log & transfer to ProRes.

And yes, the HMC150 does everything the DVX does, but better. Less noise, cleaner images, way sharper, the only thing the DVX can do better is that it's higher sensitivity but actually the HMC150 is so much cleaner you can pretty much make up the difference with gain, and still end up with the more-appealing-looking product coming from the HMC150.
 
Ok thank you Barry. I can and will do my research, but could you real quick give me the major pros to the HVX200A vs the HMC150? And if i were to go with the HVX200A is there anything else that i would need for post production besides FCS and storage?
 
The major pros to the 200A vs. the HMC150 are that it has variable frame rates for dozens of levels of slow-mo and fastmotion effects, it does interval recording for timelapse stuff, it can record standard-def, it has a tape drive if you wanted to record standard-def DV on tape, and it records DVCPRO-HD footage with 4:2:2 color onto professional P2 cards (a feature which I don't really think you need, but I'm pointing it out). The disadvantage to an HVX200A is that it's significantly more expensive, and it's bigger/bulkier.

However, if you're going to be spending a lot of time in the snow, the HVX200A's focus ring stays freely flowing and free-moving, whereas the HMC150's will get stiff. So if you do a lot of manual focusing, the 200A would have the advantage. If you rely on autofocus, and you don't need the slow-mo, then save the dough and go with the 150. You can get some slow-mo effects (mild slow-mo at 720/30p, smooth slow slo-mo at 720/60p) with a 150.
 
Likely yes, but I haven't actually tried it in freezing temperatures with the Varizoom. Should have asked about this a couple of days ago, we had a spate of 20-degree days! :)
 
Aleebee156, why the 200 instead of the 170? The 200 records only basic DV onto tape (albeit with better-looking widescreen mode), and you already have a DV camera.
 
aleebee156 said:
Robert(or anyone else)

im new to HD and have not heard of Cineform. can you give me an overview and how it works with FCS2? basically it sounds like a file converter from the AVCHD to "cineform"? are they smaller files? im guessing its purpose is to make it easier to edit with...
Click to expand...

Cineform gives you much bigger files, but performance is a whale of a lot faster (and the image quality is better when doing multiple generations of re-compression). AVC is very tough on CPUs to decode and encode. Barry is right though. ProRes should work just fine for you.
 
Barry_Green said:
Likely yes, but I haven't actually tried it in freezing temperatures with the Varizoom. Should have asked about this a couple of days ago, we had a spate of 20-degree days! :)
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I have used a varizoom in -20C temps no problem. The manual focus ring on the other hand doesn't even like +5C and is a real annoyance as any outdoor fall/winter shooting means using a varizoom. I wish Panasonic would offer a free fix for this. perhaps a new type of grease or something? What does the HVX use that the hpx/hmc do not as far as focus ring mechanics??
 
Cranky said:
Aleebee156, why the 200 instead of the 170? The 200 records only basic DV onto tape (albeit with better-looking widescreen mode), and you already have a DV camera.
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Pretty much the only reason I can argue for someone to consider choosing a 200A over a 170 is that they need the tape drive, or they're going to be doing a lot of manual focusing in freezing temperatures.
 
Denwa said:
I wish Panasonic would offer a free fix for this. perhaps a new type of grease or something? What does the HVX use that the hpx/hmc do not as far as focus ring mechanics??
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I don't know what the difference is, only that the HVX seems to perform better, and Panasonic has said that it isn't the grease, it's the way the lens is designed. Maybe there's metal that contracts in the cold and gets too close, I don't know.
 
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