Image feel - not entirely satisfied

[agcohn]

Hmmm.... It really seems like the imaging is a looong way from finalized on this camera - Barry, your comments make me feel that what we've been seeing is the result of a hastily thrown together device!

Really looking forward to the final production model! Barry, really though, how much better do think it will get? What tactile 'feel' qualities are in your ideal vision for this camera?

I thought that the Alfa Romeo footage and Crews.TV footage looked really good.

I don't think that Philip Bloom was using appropriate scene settings for his shoot. He said that Detail / Sharpness was at -7 (lowest), which sounds like what you would do with a DSLR, but not with a Panasonic Video Camera.

With the DVX and HVX it's suggested to lower the Detail a little bit, but definitely not to -7.

 

[bgundu]

Actually he used -7 sharpness setting and cine gamma V. That certainly wouldn't have been my choice for settings.

I thought that the Alfa Romeo footage and Crews.TV footage looked really good.

I don't think that Philip Bloom was using appropriate scene settings for his shoot. He said that Detail / Sharpness was at zero, which sounds like what you would do with a DSLR, but not with a Panasonic Video Camera.

With the DVX and HVX it's suggested to lower the Detail a little bit, but definitely not to zero.

 

[vagarob]

crews.tv demo made me want to buy this camera. Philip blooms comments convinced me to do it.

I think mr.bloom can't come out and say this is the best camera EVER, get rid of DSLRs and buy this instead... because he knows canon most likely has something else around the corner, and he has a huge video dslr audience. He also didnt have much time to setup....for the price (i got it at $4800 cdn, which is like $4700 american) i cannot find anything better unless you jump way up in $$$.

 

[agcohn]

Actually he used -7 sharpness setting and cine gamma V. That certainly wouldn't have been my choice for settings.

Sorry, I meant zero as off, not default.

 

[Barry_Green]

Hmmm.... It really seems like the imaging is a looong way from finalized on this camera

Well, the unit Philip was using was 75% complete. I used that model. Panasonic specifically asked me to not post any footage from it. In fact, they've asked me to not post any footage from the newer 85% complete unit that I'm using now, too. It's not ready to be viewed, it is not ready to be pixel-peeped.

And that unit was from about six weeks ago, too, so keep that in mind.

Nobody should have been posting any footage at all yet. Other divisions apparently were not concerned about letting footage out, but some divisions (such as the USA) didn't want any footage out at all until the imaging chain had been finalized. For obvious reasons, of course.

Barry, your comments make me feel that what we've been seeing is the result of a hastily thrown together device!

No, what you're seeing is stuff you never should have seen in the first place, because it was too premature and was not ready for audience dissection.

Remember, this isn't Panasonic's first rodeo. They've been down this path many times before and they know exactly what they're doing. The internet has compressed everyone's expectations of time, and not in a good way. For comparison, let's go back to the HVX200 - a camera with a very similar development/release cycle. It was announced at NAB, the AF100 was announced at NAB. It was shown to the world first in September at IBC, and the AF100 was shown to the world first at IBC. It was shipped on December 29th, 2005; the AF100 is scheduled to ship Dec. 27th. So everything's the same, right?

I posted the first footage anywhere in the world from the HVX200. Do you remember when that footage was released? DECEMBER 8th. It's still October, and people are already trying to dissect footage from the AF100. It's not ready. The baby hasn't been born yet, and people are trying to examine the fetus, from ultrasound pictures. It's premature!

The HVX200 wasn't ready for us to shoot on until the last couple of days of November, and then I put together something and DVXUser scooped the world with the first released footage. And that footage wasn't released until December 8th. Five weeks from now.

So everything you've seen here is grossly premature, as compared to the HVX's release. But the time schedule is totally appropriate -- the AF100 is following the HVX's schedule fairly exactly. And I expect you'll see real, excellent, fabulous footage coming off the AF100 in late November/early December.

There's nothing out of line here, except people's expectations of how the timeline works. The timeline is working just like it did last time.

 

[dillont]

Matthew,

No disrespect - I'm a pixel peeper as well, but this camera IS NOT FINISHED YET. Making judgments on what you see is a bit premature. I'm holding off on any judging of the AF100 image quality until Panasonic says "It's done!".

Best regards,

Dillon

Edited to add: And Barry beat me to it.
PS: Barry, I'm so way super jealous of your opportunity to hang out with the Branson crew at Spaceport America. Wow, what a gig! Kudos!

Hmmm.... It really seems like the imaging is a looong way from finalized on this camera - Barry, your comments make me feel that what we've been seeing is the result of a hastily thrown together device!

Really looking forward to the final production model! Barry, really though, how much better do think it will get? What tactile 'feel' qualities are in your ideal vision for this camera?

 

[plasmasmp]

Nobody should have been posting any footage at all yet. Other divisions apparently were not concerned about letting footage out, but some divisions (such as the USA) didn't want any footage out at all until the imaging chain had been finalized. For obvious reasons, of course.

Makes sense since they are dealing with a whole different beast here. I think they should require an overlay on all internet posted footage that give the build date and estimated completion percentage of the camera. That way people aren't getting confused in three months when they start pixel peeping the camera.

My only question for the pre-production camera was if the new OLPF/downsampling method worked. As for the backend software controlling the picture going to cards and external connectors, I know Panasonic will deliver in the end. They always do.

 

[Noel Evans]

Well soon everyone will have their wish. Interbee is coming up in Japan - that will have the 100% working production camera. If you are at Interbee you will get to play with the production version.

http://www.inter-bee.com/en/

 

[Barry_Green]

Well soon everyone will have their wish. Interbee is coming up in Japan - that will have the 100% working production camera.

Where is it stated that they will have production versions there? That seems unlikely to me, as it's still six weeks prior to shipping. Maybe the hardware will be at 100%, but I wouldn't expect the software to be.

 

[Noel Evans]

Information supplied by two authorised panasonic dealers in Japan who were told same by Panasonic jp. Seems they would be aware of what's going on, but etc etc

 

[Barry_Green]

Interesting. Well, I hadn't heard that, and it seems way premature. Maybe somebody's using different terminology now, because Philip Bloom told people there'd be "production" versions at the VIP tour next month, and that just doesn't seem possible. Maybe the very first "PL" sample, which is a prototype hand-assembled from production components. But I sincerely doubt there will be serial-numbered production-line finished units at Interbee...

 

[Homunculus]

philip bloom also thought af100 has the gh1 sensor amongst other things. i think he's a tad too busy to stay informed of minutiae these days

 

[Multi-Media]

Hmmm.... It really seems like the imaging is a looong way from finalized on this camera - Barry, your comments make me feel that what we've been seeing is the result of a hastily thrown together device!

Really looking forward to the final production model! Barry, really though, how much better do think it will get? What tactile 'feel' qualities are in your ideal vision for this camera?

I had the opportunity this week to speak with an old friend who is a major HD engineer. He was at an HD conference in Colorado and coincidentally was hanging with the Panasonic engineers... Among other comments, he said that there will be a follow up series of firmware updates and that I should keep current. So as far as releasing a "hastily thrown together device"... I don't think Panasonic is going to hang everyone out to dry... But, at some point, you have to release something... Would you rather the Scarlett approach? "it's going to be great, but not for a while yet"... How long can that carry water? What would be really nice is to make the initial model "obsolescence proof" and have Panasonic offer a full price trade in on the "next" model... like Red did with the Epic. I don't expect that, but firmware updates are sure to come... think of Windows service packs... I'm glad they will be constantly working on making it better.

Personally, I have faith in Panasonic to deliver the goods... I put my money where my mouth is and I don't think I will be disappointed... they have a reputation to uphold and a track record to prove their performance.