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Taking the Panasonic HVX200 out for a spin, Part 2

Camera, Filmmaking, High Definition / by

One of the things I wanted to get a feel for regarding this camera was how it performed under existing light conditions typically encountered in documentary filmmaking, with a dynamic range that most of the time extends from black to blown-out white, exceeding the dynamic range of any camera. How do the blacks look? How subtle is the gradient from shadows into black? How gracefully does it handle blown out highlights? How much noise in the shadows?

Another concern is how far can I take the color correction? This was not addressed in this test, but it’s an issue that’s been raised about the MPEG-2 based HDV format used in all of the other prosumer HD cameras that I would expect is less of a problem with the 4:2:2 DVCPro HD codec used by the camera.

You can see the following shots in the movies below: (1) Interior, Steenbeck flatbed lit only by window light, (2) Exterior, person (it was overcast so I’ll have to wait for another time with the camera to shoot on a sunny day), and (3) Interior, office, conversation, lit by a mix of overheard flourecent lights and sunlight from a window.

I used the following camera settings: 720/24PN, Gamma: Cine-Like-D, Matrix: Cine-Like, all other settings: Default; video captured to P2 media. Exposure determined using the spot meter (checking shadows, midtones, and then deciding on an iris setting). I did not have time to repeat the shots using the camera in the 1080i mode, which certainly would provide a more ‘live’ look and present less strobing and motion blur on pans, but time with the camera was limited. After shooting I connected the camera to my laptop (used only as a media transport device, it’s not fancy enough to run the latest version of Final Cut Pro) and easily dragged the media onto the hard disk right after the shoot.

Back at home on my PowerMac G5 I imported the clips into Final Cut Pro as easily as any other file and edited the movies using the DVCPro HD codec. No color or exposure correction was performed, what you see is exactly what I shot with the camera. The movies below were compressed with the H.264 codec using the high quality multi-pass settings, automatic key-framing, and limiting the data rate. One is full size with a pretty hefty data rate (requires a fast machine to play back without stutter) and the second is a smaller movie that will play better on slower machines. In another entry I’ll post a 4:3 version for the video iPod, but that’s not going to show you much of the HD spendor of this camera.

All in all I was pleased with the results, the camera has a nice filmic look, it handled the blown-out highlights gracefully and the shadows exhibit very little noise. The image might a tad softer than the Sony HVR-Z1U (a subjective thing based on visual memory) but a more pleasing image, which I suspect has something to do with shooting in 24P as well as the DVCPro HD codec, but we’re comparing apples and oranges: HDV is an 25 Mbit/sec codec using MPEG-2 inter-frame compression with a 4:2:0 color profile, while DVCPro HD is a 100 Mbit/sec codec using DCT-based intra-frame compression with a 4:2:2 color profile. But with storage prices in decline, rising quality expecations, I think Panasonic did a smart thing looking towards the future and implementing a high-end codec with this camera. HDV offers the advantage of convenient and inexpensive tapes and a proven media management strategy, while DVCPro HD offers higher quality with the media management complications of working with files rather than tapes.

I suspect the footage will inter-cut nicely with footage shot with the Varicam, making this a high-end camera choice for low-budget productions and a very versatile B-camera for higher budget productions. I think 16mm met its match with the Varicam, now the HVX200 offers 70% of what the Varicam provides and is available in an under $10K package inlcuding a couple of 8GB P2 cards. You give up the 2/3″ chip look, the wider range of frame rates, the more esoteric settings, but you also give up the weight and price tag.

The P2 workflow is a source of much discussion and debate, people either hate it or love it, it really depends on the nature of your project. It’s different from a tape workflow, and while not right for everyone, offers some distict advantages, including faster than real-time ingest into a NLE. Focus Enhancements has announced they will soon start shipping the FireStore FS-100, a portable hard-drive recorder designed specifically for the HVX200. So if recording to P2 cards is not your cup of tea, maybe recording directly to a hard drive is. One thing I’ve heard about the FS-100 is that it will not support the 720/30PN and 720/24PN native modes, so for variable frame-rate work, you’re still going to need to record to P2 cards. I suspect many people will end up using a hybrid P2 and hard drive approach. I’ll write more about this once I get a chance to work more with this camera and the various post workflow options.

If you want to see what the image really looks like without the H.264 compression artifacts, let me know and I can arrange to get you a copy of DVCPro HD master. In a previous post I include some still frames that give you an idea of the image quality before the H.264 compressor does it’s thing.

One good thing about shooting with this camera, or any HD camera for that matter, is even though your target today might be standard definition video or even the little video iPod, is your work will be future proof. At a later time you can release a high quality HD 16×9 version.

I shot this quick little test at Documentary Educational Resources in Watertown, MA on 24-Feb-06. Special thanks to Eric Rolph and Steve Garfield for taking part in the shoot. Panasonic HVX200 camera and P2 cards courtesy of Rule Broadcast Systems.

Below are two versions of the test:

Notes: [1] These movies need to complete downloading before they will start playing, your patience will be rewarded; [2] Please don’t link to the movie files directly, link to this post, I will be moving the location of these movies as soon as I resolve a little technical problem uploading them to my media server.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. I have a question: How is the new Panasonic in low light compared with the Sony HD camera? By the way for your intersting reports, it’s really useful.

    Kedar Misani, Switzerland

  2. With the Panasonic HVX200 shooting in 24p mode, it’s about a stop more sensitive than the Sony Z1U in 60i mode. Still slightly more sensitive, but the difference is less than a stop when the Panasonic is in 60i mode. Low light performance is one of the things the Panasonic gains with their larger pixel size compared to the Z1U.

  4. Loved this, David! Thanks for not only putting it up and making it available, thanks for all the technical information…The footage looks amazing. Have you conmsidered some res charts and/or motion tests with the HVX, HDV cameras and maybe the Varicam?

  5. Howard, I was doing more for a subjective test with the camera, but next time I take the camera out I’d love to shoot some resolution charts and/or motion tests comparing the the HVX200 to one or more of the HDV cameras if I can get them all in one place. For an article chock full of resolution charts and side-by-side comparisons, check out Adam Wilt’s article, “Four Affordable HD Camcorders Compared.”

  6. Helo,
    Did you not try the result using only the mini-dv cassette (so only in dv)
    Thank you
    Marc

  7. No, I did not try shooting with the camera in DV mode, I had it only for a short while so I focused on the things I’m most interested in, existing light shooting, 24P, DVCPRO HD to P2 cards… I’m sure it’s a killer DV camera, and I look forward to trying that out in the future. If you’re shooting stadard definition in 16:9 (squeezed), I’m sure it will look a little better than the DVX, but that remains to be seen.

  8. An excellent article David, but your review still lacks info about the inerval recording spec. I’ve read many times that the AG-HVX200 will do interval recording, but not even the Panasonic websit gives details. Will it be possible to record time-lapse (for example) clouds using 1080p at intervals of 2 to 4 seconds? What is the interval range? How does it write on to the P2 cards, and how is it loaded into a NLE?

  9. Hello David,

    thanks so much for these articles. You have no idea how helpful they are for those of us who have been waiting to get some info based on actual tests. We area about to emark on a theatrical documentary. I have been an avid dvx user since it came out and am happy to hear that the handling of the camera is the similar. Our shoot will consist mostly of Verite shooting plus some interviews. As you know shooting in a run and gun situation requires a faster work flow. I would like to get your opinion about the user friendliness of this camera in a Verite doc situation, using each P2, external storage and tape. Please cover both the positives and any reservations you might have. Again, thanks so much for taking the time to do this -cheers.

  10. What was you drive setup on your G5 when you transfered your P2 footage? I will be using a G-Raid 2500 pro firewire 800 and wondered if that was fast enough. Also what would have been your final master output too if you where to do a complete project on this camera?

  12. Sorry I’m new to this but when I was watching the small movie (640 x 360) at double size it still stutters a tiny bit at the beginning when you pan across the table even when quicktime tells me my full playing frame rate is already at 24 fps. Was it supposed to be this way?

  13. I think the HVX200 is friendly in a verite situation, however, you have to be comfortable using the P2 workflow… it’s very different. You need lots of cards for successful verite shooting with P2 cards.

  14. Tim, since you’re downloading media, rather that “recording in real time” any setup that supports firewire is fine for downloading P2 media.

  15. Jiayuan, the movies play fine, however, you need to download them to a PC with a fast processor, They use the H.264 codec which is very processor hungry. The advantage of H.264 over MPEG-2 is double the image quality for the same data rate OR half the data rate for the same quality.

  16. The details of the interval recording mode are described in the Manual, which is available online (try a Google search).

  17. David,

    Ok, guess I’m using a 1.33GHz G4 that’s why..=) But I shall be upgrading soon..

    And ya, is it possible that I could get a short clip from your test run of the HVX200 that comes right out from the P2 card without any furthur compression? Will it be too big? Cause I’m seriously considering buying the HVX200 and am quite particular about the actual image quality that it is capable of doing.

    Thanks for that!

    P.S. A great site you’ve got at kino-eye! Thanks for all the useful articles you wrote. They have taught me a lot more than expensive filmmaking books..=)