Barry_Green
Moderator
Re-read what I wrote and you'll see that it's not my assertion, it's Panasonic's. I said "According to Panasonic, " etc. So in a way you could say that it was marketing-speak, because that's what the marketing dept. of Panasonic gives as reasons for why the cards are more expensive and more reliable, etc.
I have not encountered any scenarios either, and am a big fan of the HMC150/SDHC memory combination, I think this is exactly what HDV/lower-cost customers have been clamoring for.
Timur can tell you of experiences using SDHC where it failed on him when used in the EX1 with an adapter.
Performance, yes, but performance across a broad range of meanings, not just data rate. Performance as per reliability, etc. Look at Sony - they created that SxS card, and all they use it for is 35mbps data! Why make an 800mbps card if all you're going to do is record the same caliber data that any generic class 6 SDHC card can store? Obviously there's more to it.
That is certainly correct, and goes to the core of "why won't someone make a top-of-the-line uber-camera that records to commodity memory?" Because if someone's going to pay that kind of coin for a top-of-the-line camera, presumably data integrity is at the forefront of their considerations. And they want to be assured that they're going to absolutely, positively, unquestionably, in all circumstances and all places and all times, get the shot.
NBC just bought a scad of HPX170s. The HMC150 is nearly the identical same camera, minus a few features like slow motion and variable frame rates, etc. Features that, frankly, I don't expect NBC would even use. So why would NBC pay more for the 170, and for the P2 workflow, when (for news) you'd think they'd be plenty content with the feature set that the HMC150 does have? I'm not them, I can't answer for them, but I think it's rather indicative that the major broadcast companies (Sony and Panasonic) don't make their top-end gear to record to commodity non-guaranteed memory cards, and the major customers (the aforementioned networks and stations) aren't asking them to.
I'm not saying they are. But... I mean, come on, just look in the Sony forum under the KxS and MxR and MxM and whatever adapters. There's tons of threads where people are trying to find some combination of cards that will work consistently and reliably. I cannot imagine any medium to large customer who would dare to trudge into such waters. They want a guaranteed solution. Panasonic guarantees P2 for all their formats. SDHC they will entrust to AVCHD and only AVCHD. And their customers seem to embrace it.
Again, for those who are willing to go with commodity memory, there's a line of products that's made to work with commodity memory, the AVCCAM lineup. But that isn't the P2 lineup, nor will it be, nor can it be.
