hvx 200a or hpx 170 or stick with my hvx 200

[Ronster]

I realize this has been discussed before but everything I read was back about 6 months ago.

I was wondering if there was a new consensus?

Also I want to state my situation and see what you guys think:

I rent my hvx 200 in hollywood a lot. I always get calls for an hvx 200...its funny to me that no one asks if I have a 200a or a 200. Its just hey you have an hvx 200?

So for me I am a little hesitant on the hpx 170 (even though I know it is basically the same as an hvx 200a with some extra bells and whistles) Its just that no one calls me asking for an hpx 170 and believe it or not people don't want you explaining how the hpx 170 is exactly like the hvx 200a

I am personally shocked in how much demand the hvx 200 is being used on different hollywood productions. From behind the scenes, to actually shooting music videos, webisodes, etc

I still don't get why people aren't asking for the 200a over the 200....the request is always "hey do you have an hvx 200" thats it....and the hvx200a has been out for 1/2 a year. Most everyone I talk to has the hvx 200...not the hvx200a and everyone seems happy.

Is a "B" model due out soon? I feel like I am leaning to an hvx 200a if I were to upgrade because that is what everyone is using and what all my clients ask for. I think the hpx 170 sounds like it is a bit better of a camera than the hvx 200a but that said I have had to use the tape feature a couple times with my hvx200

Just wanted some feedback from you guys. Hvx 200a or hpx 170....stick with my hvx200...till perhaps a "B" model comes out

I really haven't heard any new info now that the cameras have been out for 1/2 a year.

Ronster

 

[Barry_Green]

There almost certainly won't be a "B" anytime soon, the "A" only came out about four months ago or so. If there's to be a "B" it's probably at least a year or so away.

If your HVX is still in demand, why spend to upgrade?

 

[puredrifting]

In this economy, it it's working, leave it alone. I would not spend any money that I did not have to at this point. According to the best economic minds, the economy is going to be bad for probably six months to a year and half before we pull out of this downward spiral so I would not be out buying a lot of gear unless you have a specific need and a project to pay for it.

My .02 that is only worth .005 cent now due to the recession.

Dan

 

[Ronster]

i am trying to shoot a feature and I figured having the hvx 200a might be an advantage in lower light situations....and an overall better image than the hvx 200.

Plus if I did the hvx200a I would still be able to get the rentals from all my clients who know I have an hvx 200 (whether it is A or not)

but right now my budget in general is very tight so i am not even sure i can afford it. Is the image quality that much better with the hvx 200a over the hvx200?

Ronster

 

[puredrifting]

The image quality is better but you are saying that your budget is very tight so my advice would be to not spend money on a new camera. The most you are going to get for a used HVX200 right now is probably $3,000.00 to $3,400.00 so you are looking at around $2,000.00 out of pocket to upgrade. I upgraded to the HPX170 (two jobs paid for it) but I still do shoots with the HVX200. If you are doing a feature, you are lighting. With good lighting, the HVX200 kicks butt, it can look amazingly good if you know how to light for it.

Stop sucking the new gear buying ether for a moment and think about it. 533,000 jobs lost in November, highest unemployment since the Great Depression, the government is printing money like there is no tomorrow to bail out evil mismanaged corporations, which is devaluing the dollar and could send us into MASSIVE inflation. As I said, unless you have a job to pay for it in the next couple of months, I would not be buying a new camera right now if I had a perfectly good one that works. Unless you are independently wealthy, I would be very fiscally conservative for the foreseeable future.

Dan

 

[hdimages.ca]

no one has asked for my hpx170 yet ,but with a 5 year warrentty and your renting it a lot. i bet none of your renters used the dv tape at all . you are in hollywood and shoot your own stuff and have lots of people renting i would go for the upgrade. anyone using it with redrock m2 will find the renter with the hpx170. upgrade the week your warrentty is up. .. the more things go in the toilet the more people go to the movies. thats hollywood.

 

[puredrifting]

the more things go in the toilet the more people go to the movies. thats hollywood.

Used to be that way but Viacom (Paramount/MTV/VH1/CBS) just layed off hundreds of people the day before yesterday, NBC/Universal laid off four percent of their workforce this week also. There are more huge layoffs coming to Disney, Sony and Warner Bros. A lot of this is because there are no such things as movie studios anymore, there are only media multi-national conglomerates that have their hands in everything.

People used to go to the movies when the economy was low, now they stay at home and watch TV and look at movies on Netflix and iTunes.

I work for most of the studios freelance and everyone there is terrified, nobody is feeling that it is the golden age of cinema as it was in 1934. The SAG leadership may just be stupid and greedy enough to strike soon and that isn't going to exactly help the entertainment business either, except for AFTRA.

Dan