Panasonic announces new HC-X1 4K camcorder
- Thread starter nutmegger
- Start date
Darren Levine
Veteran
http://www.cbs58.com/story/32938409/panasonic-hc-x1-ultra-hd-professional-camcorder
-9mp 1 inch sensor (new? or typo...)
-5 axis OIS (seems to have some limitation in 4k, unclear.)
-20x lens
-4K in DCI and UHD
-24mm on the wide in 35mm equivalent
-120fps in 1080
-Dual SD slots
-Dual XLR
-Dual recording formats
-Lots of image adjustments
-Waveform & Vectorscopes
-3x ND wheel
Not bad.
What i don't seem mention of, and need clarification:
-Bit rate?
-Colorspace?
-Is this a new 1inch sensor? the one we've seen in every other 1inch camera has been the 20mp variant.
-What's the OIS limitation in 4k if any
-What's the aperture range of the lens
-Iso performance?
-9mp 1 inch sensor (new? or typo...)
-5 axis OIS (seems to have some limitation in 4k, unclear.)
-20x lens
-4K in DCI and UHD
-24mm on the wide in 35mm equivalent
-120fps in 1080
-Dual SD slots
-Dual XLR
-Dual recording formats
-Lots of image adjustments
-Waveform & Vectorscopes
-3x ND wheel
Not bad.
What i don't seem mention of, and need clarification:
-Bit rate?
-Colorspace?
-Is this a new 1inch sensor? the one we've seen in every other 1inch camera has been the 20mp variant.
-What's the OIS limitation in 4k if any
-What's the aperture range of the lens
-Iso performance?
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Bassman2003
Veteran
I hope it is closer to the PX270 in color/image than the DVX200. And that it is small.
nutmegger
Well-known member
Specs are available at B&H web site.
Batutta
Major Contributor
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1277528-REG/panasonic_hc_x1_4k_ultra_hd.html
The 16 axis color correction sounds intriguing. No log mode though. For documentary work this sounds perfect. For filmmaking, f2.8 on a 1" sensor isn't so great, and while 24mm *35mm equivalent is nice, it still isn't wide enough. Seemed like an almost perfect camera. While I enjoy working with dslr's, I miss a lot of the built in functionality on my FX-1, especially being able to A-B focus and zoom points, as well as the ergonomics.
The 16 axis color correction sounds intriguing. No log mode though. For documentary work this sounds perfect. For filmmaking, f2.8 on a 1" sensor isn't so great, and while 24mm *35mm equivalent is nice, it still isn't wide enough. Seemed like an almost perfect camera. While I enjoy working with dslr's, I miss a lot of the built in functionality on my FX-1, especially being able to A-B focus and zoom points, as well as the ergonomics.
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Bassman2003
Veteran
It is actually a little bit larger than the PX270 but a fraction lighter. Specs seem to mirror the Sony RX10 II or III outside of the body design (which makes it look kind of pricey). Nice to see the 16 pole color correction pretty much being standard in all of the new Panny cameras. Looks like a great tool. Still has to equal the image quality of the PX270 for me to be interested though. I was disappointed with the DVX200.
combatentropy
Veteran
Looks real nice. Still don't know why they don't make a version without the lens, and preferably with a 4/3 sensor or larger.
The specs of the Panasonic HC-X1 look very similar to the Panasonic UX-180 announced at NAB: 1 inch sensor, 4K 24p, UHD 60p/50p, Full HD 120 fps, 20x optical zoom
Even the bodies of the two cameras seem to be nearly identical judging from the photos:
Panasonic UX180
http://demandware.edgesuite.net/aas...ault/dw2bf48168/images/pressroom/AG-UX180.jpg
Panasonic HC-X1
https://photos.prnewswire.com/prnvar/20160830/402844?max=1600
The only concrete difference I could find in the specs was that the UX180 includes a 3G SDI port (limited to 1080p output) whereas the HC-X1 seems to be HDMI only. The UX180 is priced at $3999 whereas the HC-X1 is $3199. It's not clear if there are other features of the UX180 other than SDI to justify its $800 price premium.
The Panasonic UX90 (also announced at NAB) has a similar form factor as well, but with slightly different specs: 15x zoom and limited to UHD 30p (no 4k24p and no UHD 60p). It comes in at a price of $2999. I assume the UX90 has a smaller body than the HC-X1 (since it has a smaller lens), but if these end up being the final specs and prices of these cameras, it's not clear how many people would opt for the UX90 if the HC-X1 is only $200 more.
Even the bodies of the two cameras seem to be nearly identical judging from the photos:
Panasonic UX180
http://demandware.edgesuite.net/aas...ault/dw2bf48168/images/pressroom/AG-UX180.jpg
Panasonic HC-X1
https://photos.prnewswire.com/prnvar/20160830/402844?max=1600
The only concrete difference I could find in the specs was that the UX180 includes a 3G SDI port (limited to 1080p output) whereas the HC-X1 seems to be HDMI only. The UX180 is priced at $3999 whereas the HC-X1 is $3199. It's not clear if there are other features of the UX180 other than SDI to justify its $800 price premium.
The Panasonic UX90 (also announced at NAB) has a similar form factor as well, but with slightly different specs: 15x zoom and limited to UHD 30p (no 4k24p and no UHD 60p). It comes in at a price of $2999. I assume the UX90 has a smaller body than the HC-X1 (since it has a smaller lens), but if these end up being the final specs and prices of these cameras, it's not clear how many people would opt for the UX90 if the HC-X1 is only $200 more.
Speedster159
Active member
The UX90, UX180, and HC-X1 all seem to be using the same body.
It's also a hell of an upgrade from the HC-X1000!
It's also a hell of an upgrade from the HC-X1000!
Speedster159
Active member
The UX90, UX180, and HC-X1 all seem to be using the same body.
It's also a hell of an upgrade from the HC-X1000!
It's also a hell of an upgrade from the HC-X1000!
Not much to add, except a short clip of the actual camera (plus, an OLED prototype TV with no specs given).
http://www.pcworld.com/video/68817/panasonics-new-4k-camera-lights-up-the-dark
http://www.pcworld.com/video/68817/panasonics-new-4k-camera-lights-up-the-dark
Bassman2003
Veteran
In the video you linked I caught a glimpse of the lens. Looks like it ramps from f2.8 to f4.5. Not promising if the lens acts like the DVX200.
Me too
nutmegger
Well-known member
At ftp://ftp.panasonic.com/camcorder/catalog/HC_X1_Catalog_160824.pdf there is a 15 page brochure detailing the features of the HC-X1. No mention whether the camera records in 8-bit or has the capability of recording/outputting 10-bit. Barry, can you answer this question?
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Speedster159
Active member
Yeah the real question is HC-X1 vs AG-UX180.
It would be interesting to know more about the 1-inch sensor being used in these cameras. A lot of the 1-inch sensors in use these days seem to be 20 Megapixel sensors adapted from still photography use, for example the Sony AX100, X70, and Z150 all use 20 Megapixel sensors (as do the Sony RX10 & RX100 series and Panasonic FZ1000).
But judging from the effective pixel count listed in the specs, the Panasonic HC-X1 seems like it may be using a lower pixel count sensor geared more toward video capture:
Also interesting are the reported minimum illumination specs of the different cameras:
I'm not sure that the minimum illumination specs are all that consistent across brands, but taken at face value, these numbers would suggest that the HC-X1 should be significantly better in low light than the HC-X1000 (as you might expect from the larger sensor). But it also suggests that the HC-X1 may have better low light performance than the comparable Sony cameras with 1-inch sensors (like the Z150). One way to achieve this would be larger sensor pixels.
Now of course, how much noise there is at different gain levels and what the picture quality looks like in various lighting conditions remains to be seen.
But judging from the effective pixel count listed in the specs, the Panasonic HC-X1 seems like it may be using a lower pixel count sensor geared more toward video capture:
- Sony PXW-X70 - 1-inch sensor (3:2 aspect ratio), 14.2 effective MP (in both 1080p and 2160p)
- Sony PXW-Z150 - 1-inch sensor (3:2 aspect ratio), 14.2 effective MP (in both 1080p and 2160p)
- Panasonic DVX200 - 4/3-inch sensor (4:3 aspect ratio), 15.49 effective MP in 1080p, 12.89 MP in 2160p30, 8.71 MP in 2160p60, 13.35 MP in 4Kp24
- Panasonic HC-X1 - 1-inch sensor, 8.79 effective MP in 1080p and 2160p (all frame rates), 9.46 MP in 4Kp24
Also interesting are the reported minimum illumination specs of the different cameras:
- Sony PXW-X70 - 1.7 lux (1/30 shutter)
- Sony PXW-Z150 - 1.7 lux (Low Lux mode, 1/30 shutter)
- Panasonic DVX200 - 0.2 lux (f/2.8, gain 18 dB, High Sensitivity mode)
- Panasonic HC-X1000 - 4 lux (Super Gain 30dB, Shutter 1/30)
- Panasonic HC-X1 - 0.2 lux (f/2.8, gain 18 dB, High Sensitivity mode)
I'm not sure that the minimum illumination specs are all that consistent across brands, but taken at face value, these numbers would suggest that the HC-X1 should be significantly better in low light than the HC-X1000 (as you might expect from the larger sensor). But it also suggests that the HC-X1 may have better low light performance than the comparable Sony cameras with 1-inch sensors (like the Z150). One way to achieve this would be larger sensor pixels.
Now of course, how much noise there is at different gain levels and what the picture quality looks like in various lighting conditions remains to be seen.