New Panasonic AG HC-X2 (HC-X1/UX180 successor)

I have in my hands the HC-X2 (Firmware version 1.0). Been testing a little bit. Ask me anything:
For the moment:

Things that I really like
  • Battery location (allowing big batteries)
  • Build quality
  • I/O ports (ethernet, XLR, SDI, TC...)
  • RTMP streaming (works like a charm)
  • Wide angle lens (really wide!)
  • Fast zoom setting (not as fast as a broadcast B4 lens, but definitively faster than most prosumer cameras)
  • Slow and controllable zoom as well
  • Huge personalization options (user buttons with a lot of assignable functions)
  • Great OIS (PAN/TILT mode recommended)
  • Great Picture quality (like CX350)
  • iZoom fantastic (up to 32x in HD)
  • Ultra sharp and ultra bright LCD screen
  • Autofocus seems quick and accurate for the moment
  • Menu options are endless and some of them very advanced
  • HDR, HLG, V-log (need further testing)
Things that I miss/don't like
  • No SRT streaming
  • No 4k streaming
  • No FTP upload
  • No ALL-I UHD codecs
  • No P2 / AVC-intra / AVC-proxy industry-standard codecs
  • No 4ch audio
  • No WB switch (just a button)
  • No Gain switch (just a button)
  • No face detection in Manual mode
  • No html control (yes wifi control from an iPad)
  • No 4:2:2 UHD 50/60p (only 4:2:0, but yes for 25p). Tops at 200 Mbps
  • UI a bit slow sometimes (hopefully will improve with new firmware)
  • No 12G SDI output
All in all, I think that for the price is a great camera. We are replacing our 11-year-old HPX250 for these ones.
 
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mitteg said:
I have in my hands the HC-X2. Been testing a little bit. Ask me anything:
For the moment:

No SRT
No 4K streaming
Picture quality identical to the CX350
LCD screen ultra sharp and ultra bright
Only 2 channels of audio
LongGOP-only UHD
HD ALL-I 422 10bit
Firmware version 1.0
Click to expand...

Great! Thank you.
How is the face tracking autofocus?
Can you share a non-HEVC clip of anything so I can test import on my NLEs?
mov
[4:2:0 8bit] UHD 3840x2160 59.94p 420LongGOP 150M: Average 150Mbps (VBR)
or
UHD 3840x2160 29.97p 420 LongGOP 100M: Average 100Mbps (VBR)
 
Facetracking only works in full auto mode and i dont use cameras in full auto mode. So, it is useless to me unfortunately.
 
mitteg said:
I edited my previous post with some thoughts about it
Click to expand...

I’ve been looking at the specs. I’m trying to find out if these camcorders have a different gamma setting than rec 709. I see that it has a paint menu. Wondering if it has something like a wide dr setting to give a bit more DR and more pleasant highlight roll off than the hard clip I keep seeing in some of the test footage.

I know it has v log, I mean a fast turnaround gamma for tv use.
 
mitteg said:
Only in manual focus



Regarding the gamma settings, HLG will give us the best dynamic range possible. I still need to test it out.
Click to expand...

Please let us know what you see in your tests. In my experience HLG looks pretty bad when viewed in SDR.
 
mitteg said:
Facetracking only works in full auto mode and i dont use cameras in full auto mode. So, it is useless to me unfortunately.
Click to expand...

Do you mean literal full auto? Like the camera makes adjustments to gain, aperture, etc? Or it’s just like a focus auto mode? I ask because I would probably only use the af feature for something simple like a stand up with 1 person in the frame. I wouldn’t be able to use that feature if the camera is overriding other controls that affect exposure.
 
Completely full auto mode. The Face detection only works when the lateral switch is set to AUTO everything. Such a shame!

Newsguy said:
Do you mean literal full auto? Like the camera makes adjustments to gain, aperture, etc? Or it’s just like a focus auto mode? I ask because I would probably only use the af feature for something simple like a stand up with 1 person in the frame. I wouldn’t be able to use that feature if the camera is overriding other controls that affect exposure.
Click to expand...
 
mitteg said:
Completely full auto mode. The Face detection only works when the lateral switch is set to AUTO everything. Such a shame!
Click to expand...

If that's really true that's really hard to believe. Would be a first as far as I know and in the top 5 worse implementations I've seen in 15 years.

Having it only work in AF would be okay, but having it only work in auto everything is nuts.
 
mitteg said:
I have in my hands the HC-X2 (Firmware version 1.0). Been testing a little bit. Ask me anything:
For the moment:

Things that I really like
  • Battery location (allowing big batteries)
  • Build quality
  • I/O ports (ethernet, XLR, SDI, TC...)
  • RTMP streaming (works like a charm)
  • Wide angle lens (really wide!)
  • Fast zoom setting (not as fast as a broadcast B4 lens, but definitively faster than most prosumer cameras)
  • Slow and controllable zoom as well
  • Huge personalization options (user buttons with a lot of assignable functions)
  • Great OIS (PAN/TILT mode recommended)
  • Great Picture quality (like CX350)
  • iZoom fantastic (up to 32x in HD)
  • Ultra sharp and ultra bright LCD screen
  • Autofocus seems quick and accurate for the moment
  • Menu options are endless and some of them very advanced
  • HDR, HLG, V-log (need further testing)
Things that I miss/don't like
  • No SRT streaming
  • No 4k streaming
  • No FTP upload
  • No ALL-I UHD codecs
  • No P2 / AVC-intra / AVC-proxy industry-standard codecs
  • No 4ch audio
  • No WB switch (just a button)
  • No Gain switch (just a button)
  • No face detection in Manual mode
  • No html control (yes wifi control from an iPad)
  • No 4:2:2 UHD 50/60p (only 4:2:0, but yes for 25p). Tops at 200 Mbps
  • UI a bit slow sometimes (hopefully will improve with new firmware)
  • No 12G SDI output
All in all, I think that for the price is a great camera. We are replacing our 11-year-old HPX250 for these ones.
Click to expand...

What type of Lanc input/s does it have? Which Lanc controller can you use with it?
 
NorBro said:
If that's really true that's really hard to believe. Would be a first as far as I know and in the top 5 worse implementations I've seen in 15 years.

Having it only work in AF would be okay, but having it only work in auto everything is nuts.
Click to expand...

Yeah that is hard to believe. I never run any of my cameras in full auto everything, but autofocus is very useful for run and gun / events. That's almost 1 step forward and 1 step back so it cancels out the usefulness of this "improvement"

The AC90 and HMC150 plus all my Sonys can also do focus peaking in autofocus mode, which is useful. The UX180 / HC-X1 can't unless you are in manual focus but the LCD is so terrible it's hard to know if it's in focus
 
Ken1212 said:
What type of Lanc input/s does it have? Which Lanc controller can you use with it?
Click to expand...

Looks like the LANC type like Sony and the newer Panasonic cams such as CX350, and NOT the traditional 2 port they've used for ~20 years and I already own 5 of.....uhhhg.

HC-X2
1 x 2.5 mm Sub-Mini Input

HC-X1 (old style remote control)
1 x 1/8" / 3.5 mm Control Input
1 x 2.5 mm Sub-Mini Control Input
 
firehawk said:
Looks like the LANC type like Sony and the newer Panasonic cams such as CX350, and NOT the traditional 2 port they've used for ~20 years and I already own 5 of.....uhhhg.

HC-X2
1 x 2.5 mm Sub-Mini Input

HC-X1 (old style remote control)
1 x 1/8" / 3.5 mm Control Input
1 x 2.5 mm Sub-Mini Control Input
Click to expand...

Can you try one of your existing lanc controllers 2.5mm zoom connection that works with the HC-X1 in the 2.5mm input on the HC-X2. I think the zoom function should work.
 
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