Panasonic SDX 800 vs. Other 24 frame cameras.

I

indigoman

New member
Greetings -
I'm searching for 24 frame "film look" cameras.
The restrictions of the HVX200 scare me, and Varicam may be costly overkill.
What are users' feelings about the SDX 900 for independant feature work , using 24 frame? How does that compare to the two I mentioned?
Thanks, folks!
 
Fabulous camera that looks great on a film out as well as a bump to HD. By far and away my favorite SD camera....



ash =o)
 
The HVX200 has significantly better image performance as seen on a 2k cinema projector. The SDX is slightly cleaner and has shallower DOF but looks out of focus in comparison to the HD HVX200 when projected.
 
evinksy -- Are you finding the HVX200 comfortable as a feature camera? Is it feasible, in terms of operation? - Thanks!
 
I dont agree at all, I saw some amazing SDX900 footage cut with a feature shot mainly on a Varicam and nobody could tell the difference. Not sure what they used to uprez it but it looked terrific. I believe they did this on the Brian Wilson doc as well and it looks stunning in HD and projected. If it holds up that well against a Vari, pretty sure it will do better against an HVX...


ash =o)
 
The HVX is an awsome feature film camera. I have two in development right now. Anything below $350K and a duo HVXs are the way to go.

As far as the SDX 900 it has a fonderful imager for SD, but I've shot the HVX and Varicam side by side and they mach much better than the SDX does. In fact in good light there is almost no way to tell HVX footage from Varicam footage.

I would take an HVX over an SDX for feature film production any day.
 
Just a matter of opinion I guess, I think the Vari stands out over the HVX pretty obviously in almost all situations and I find the SDX matches fabulous on similar shots. Most people I have talked to agree. I have cut in HVX b-roll into Varicam and it looked nice but guess what... so did the XL2 footage I had planned to re-shoot! No need to!!!

I guess it depends on how you use the camera but the way I operate I see a very big difference in the HVX and Varicam... Here is an article about the SDX being cut into HD for an HD bump and film bump, as you can see, the DP says it holds up very well.

http://cinematography.com/index.asp?newsID=3005

For the record, the DP of that doc has been the cinematographer on over 30 features.


ash =o)
 
a long time ago i went to du-art to check out their reel of video-to-film, they showed some 900 stuff and i thought it held up to the Varicam. i only got to see it once though... from what i could tell they both looked really good.
 
shot with the HVX this morning and have shot three project on the SDX900 - an amazing SD camera, and with the proper lenses - an excellent choice. The issue for me is price. 8000 for an HVX - a 100 MBS HD camera is a pretty great deal - and you could get two for the price of an SDX - not including a great lens - which is a necessity in my opinion. The one huge advantage for the SDX is the ability to change lenses....it is all about the glass for me....I just don't see the point of shelling out that much money (not including the battery costs and such - which are in themselves fairly substantial) for an SD camera when the technology is changning for rapidly and unavoidably to HD. Take a weekend and rent them or ask a camera house to set up a comparison for you to check out. Most houses will do this for you. Abel Cine Tech in NY for instance is a great outfit. Best of luck!
 
While I generally agree with your sentiment, the SDX is one of the only SD cameras that performs excellent when bumped to HD or to film. I personally think the upconverted SDX footage I have seen looks better than HVX native HD footage. I might actually snag up an SDX of my own if prices keep dropping.


ash =o)
 
Thanks folks, for the input.
It's a fascinating equation. Seems like a large adjustment in operating procedure to use HVX. The Varicam seems old school by comparison. I want to ride the crest of new technology. But how cost-efficient is it to USE the HVX card system, compared with the 900 tapes?
 
It depends on how risky you want your workflow. P2 or tapeless can be very affordable and on quick turnarounds where archiving is not a priority it is pretty awesome. For a feature you need to invest in a tape back-up system and a nice RAID, you will go thru several re-edits and many times even when you are locked a foreign distributor will want a re-edit.


ash =o)
 
P2 is the best workflow i have ever used. I will never go back to tape, if I can help it. Also the teatherd workflow is even easier if you can be within 25' of your cature station.
 
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