Love for 170

Jason Adams

Jason Adams

Section Moderator
I have had my 170 now for 6 months. This camera was not revolutionary like DVX100 or HVX200 it was evolution of already popular cams. I have to say I have never been happier with a camera in the 10 years I have been in this business. The ergonomics the features, this thing is a real rock star that does not get a lot of hype attention because its just the next step in HVX evolution.

Anyone else think that panny got this right on so many levels.

here are my favs.

Focus/Iris Ring selector - as an adapter shooter this feature is a God send.
Delete last clip - enough said
WFM/VecScope - how freakin cool is that

No. Panasonic did not send me a t-shirt to go say nice things about their cam. I am just really digging this camera.

Anyone else feel warm and fuzzy about their 170.
 
I've only had mine for about a week, but I really like it. Coming from a DVX100 was an easy transition since the menus and buttons are mostly the same. Right now I'm going through Barry's book that came with the camera to understand what all the settings do and playing with his preset scene files. Fun!
 
I was going to buy one very soon, until an other user mentioned the noisiness. Is it an issue? I really want one!
 
I just finished filming a 30 minute short film festival entry using the 170 paired with an SGBlade. We're currently in post-production and the footage has been turning out fantastic; I couldn't be happier. We shot in all kinds of different environments and lighting conditions. Imperceptible, if any, noise in any of the footage we captured; just made sure light levels were decent and implemented a few of the tweaks as suggested here on the board.

I used ALL of the adapter-friendly features that you mentioned and they made shooting SO much easier than I was previously used to. However, there was one feature that I gained an immense appreciation for --- metadata. We simply shot the film and I had the take numbers being automatically incremented. All that ended up being written in the shot log was the take number for the print or print candidate along with the associated file name. No more recording timecode numbers and then trying to match that up later when the footage was dumped into the NLE. Love the workflow of P2!

In short (no pun intended), lots of love for the 170... Glad I'm not still waiting around for the Scarlet to be released instead of shooting films now.

Can't wait to see the screening when it's projected on the big screen in the theatre in June.
 
immense appreciation for --- metadata
Click to expand...

I love metadata. I actually loved it so much I sold my DVX. I still shoot 60% DV but I shoot with the 170 just for the metadata. P2 and Avid is so cool.

I now take my shooting schedule of setups and program the SD card with all the days locations and load meta every time we change locations. So cool.
 
Yup,... me an my 170 have a thang going on... I just love everything about this camera. I myself shoot allot of DV as well and love the P2 workflow. I'm capturing my very very last wedding shot with my DVX100b and that will be the last DV TAPE Transfer. It is so easy to come off a wedding gig and just dump the footage an format the cards. Saves me so much time and money. I'm so psyched about the reduction in P2 costs that I'm now going to be able to shoot DVC PRO 50 for majority of these weddings. HD of course if people are willing to pay. DVC PRO 50 looks fantastic on SD DVDs...
 
I couldn't be happier for the price point and what you get ... well ... maybe interchangeable lenses ... ;)
 
The waveform monitor alone was enough for me to spill the money on a HPX170. Had it for 3 months now and still happy as a clam!
 
jason.adams said:
Focus/Iris Ring selector - as an adapter shooter this feature is a God send.

Anyone else feel warm and fuzzy about their 170.
Click to expand...

You will love the 170 even more when you shoot with an adapter out in moderate cold because the Focus ring can not be turned easily due to the gumming up of the lubricant. Forward thinking by Panasonic! Bravo!
 
What looks better on DVD? DVCPRO50 or DVCPRO HD from the hpx170?
Or is there no difference when the endproduct is a sd DVD?

In the next months I will switch from canon xl2 to the hpx170 but I'm afraid of missing the interchangeable lens.
 
Manuel said:
What looks better on DVD? DVCPRO50 or DVCPRO HD from the hpx170?
Or is there no difference when the endproduct is a sd DVD?

In the next months I will switch from canon xl2 to the hpx170 but I'm afraid of missing the interchangeable lens.
Click to expand...

I'm in the same boat, but to be honest. I've never invested in another lens for the XL2. So many adapters and higher HD cameras exist that I didn't bother spending the money on my XL2 and instead I am saving for the HPX170 and an adapter system.
 
At the first time I also didn't invested in other lenses but a few month ago I bought the 16x manual and it is really great. It is so much more like working with a professionell cam because of the endpoints of the focusring. And coming from 20x to 16x wasn't that bad for me but going to 13x isn't very much.
 
kgimedia said:
I was going to buy one very soon, until an other user mentioned the noisiness. Is it an issue? I really want one!
Click to expand...
As the user in question, I wouldn't necessarily say "Don't get one." I have one and like it. But if I could've gotten a cheaper used one, and there are a bunch available on craigslist, I would've gotten one there and held on to the money so I could save up for whatever the next gen is. It's a good camera, but it has a few issues that almost all derive out of the small chips: the focus can be a little soft and it isn't strong in low light. That said, there isn't another HD ccd camera with its color depth at that price and the picture looks really good on studio monitors. I'm not doing cmos, so I went with it.

I'm not disagreeing with the other people here who're applauding the camera, but it doesn't feel like the DVX did to me, a camera that really felt like it could do more. It feels like a camera that can do a lot, but is still held back by the smaller chips. I don't have buyers remorse, but I'm not cheerleading. If a company come out with a version with better chips that I can afford I'll replace the hpx 170; my DVX, I'll own forever.
 
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