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hands-on hvx Feb 1, 2006 11:15 PM, By Barry Braverman

A first-look review of the Panasonic HVX200, video’s latest quantum leap. At NAB 2005, Panasonic security dutifully watched over a glass case that held The Camera. In truth, it was not an actual camera at all, but a painted black block of wood with recycled camera parts glued on it. Had the ogling masses known this, I doubt it would have made much difference, however. Such was the level of excitement and anticipation for Panasonic's little wonder. The AG-HVX200 clearly catered to dreamers and promised do it all, a true-high-definition, modestly priced camcorder capable of shooting variable frame rates at 720p and 1080i resolutions — at 4:2:2, no less. The camera offered the tantalizing prospect of a $150,000 shooting package for a mere $6,000. After all, this wasn't HDV with MPEG-2 long-GOP. This was the real thing. For nine months shooters and producers and storytellers of every stripe held their collective breath. Could the HVX200 be the camera they'd been waiting for? Last month, Panasonic lent Video Systems the first HVX200 unit made available to journalists for review. I put the camera — fitted with a single 4GB P2 card and Chrosziel 16×9 matte box and follow-focus — through a variety of shooting situations. I shot the The Panasonic AG-HVX200 fitted with a interiors of cars and Hollywood Boulevard at night. I took the camera to a bright studio set Chrosziel 16x9 production matte box, with talent, and to a fluorescent-lit drugstore with mixed illumination. The prototype camera support rods, and follow-focus. The fully had some issues: it was noisy in the shadows; a few of the menus and one of the camera's dressed camera is extremely well- balanced two downconverters didn't work. But one thing was plainly evident from the quality of the and compact. pictures: this camera rocks, and in a very big way. The Panasonic AG-HVX200 represents the most significant progress in small format video in more than a decade, since the introduction of the first consumer DV camera (the Sony DCR-VX1000) in 1995. Anyway you parse it — and we're talking about 1080p60 RGB 4:4:4 sampling here — the Panasonic AG-HVX200 is a remarkable storytelling machine.

HD, honestly The 5.3lb. basic HVX200 is a native 16:9, 1/3in. three-CCD camcorder. Sampling is achieved at the astounding 1080p60 rate at 14 bits though a 19-bit intermediate sampling stage. This makes for an extremely high level of sampling precision, rivaling the most sophisticated and expensive cameras on the market.

It’s a good thing the HVX200 ships with a full-size battery. With its new high-definition imager, the camera draws 35 percent more power than the standard-definition DVX models.

The $6,000 Panasonic camera marries the functionality of the VariCam (variable frame rate DVCPRO HD) and P2 (solid-state recording) with the general form factor of the company's popular DVX100A/B models. Clearly breaking new ground, it captures true HD (not HDV) at 1080i and 720p in the forgiving 4:2:2 color space. This means no long 15-frame MPEG GOP structure to sabotage my pans and fill my active-motion scenes with ugly macroblocks. No protracted 44-hour HDV output re-conform sessions from the NLE or convolutions when attempting to cut picture and sound natively. Of course serious shooters will routinely “bump” the original HDV camera footage to a frame-based codec like DVCPRO HD or HDCAM, but that doesn't change the fundamentals of the format: HDV's narrow bandwidth at 19 to 25Mbps, its very high compression, and its constrained 4:2:0 color space make the once consumerintended format especially susceptible to noise and other artifacts.

Of course HDV is immensely popular and used across an ever-broadening range of professional projects. The salient point here is that the Panasonic HVX200's HD pedigree is true frame-based DVCPRO HD at 100Mbps, not a highly compressed MPEG-2 variant. Be cognizant of the difference. Finally we have a true HD camera at a reasonable price.

The numbers game Low-light performance in the HVX200 appears to be about 1.5 stops better than the HDV cameras I have tested. The reason is the (apparently) lower-density chipset used in the HVX. Larger pixels mean greater light sensitivity, just as larger film grains lead to higher film speed. In a 1/3in. chipset (actually 6mm), real estate is exceedingly tight. Cramming smaller and smaller pixels onto a tiny chip works against good low-light performance — a matter of importance particularly to small-format video shooters. Panasonic refuses to state the native pixel density of the new HVX200 CCD. That's a gutsy move on the company's part, as many folks will automatically deduce a sinister motive. In fact, Panasonic faced a fundamental trade-

Advanced heat sinks in the HVX200 help dissipate the heat and reduce noise in the deeper shadows. Placing a hand atop the lens housing should induce a warm and reassuring feeling. It means the camera is performing and dissipating heat as it should.

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Panasonic AG-HVX200 Camera Review - a tutorial and review of the Panasonic AG-HVX200 ... Page 2 sur 4 off when designing its new 16:9 imager. That's because the highest resolution possible for a CCD is not always desirable; everyone would almost certainly perceive as too dark a 1/3in. imager with 2 million pixels. Still, marketers love to focus on numbers, like the clock speed of PCs and the pointless but impressive sounding “700X digital zoom” emblazoned on the side of some consumer camcorders. Professionals tend to know better. But the tendency of shooters, especially many novices, to judge cameras (and everything else) on the basis of numbers alone is a real and ongoing danger. 8GB each for a total runtime of 40 minutes at 720p24n (Native mode). The card that is not immediately in use for recording can be offloaded to a laptop, dedicated Panasonic P2 Store, or generic FireWire or USB 2.0 hard drive.

Suffice it to say that the CCD is an analog device. The silicon crystals embedded in it output a stream of electrons in direct proportion to the amount of light striking its surface. This analog electron stream is then digitally sampled and processed, raising the real issue: how precisely these operations are performed. In the HVX200, the analog signal from the imager is sampled (incredibly) at 1080p60 4:4:4 RGB. With 524,288 possible values to choose from in the initial processing, the camera's DSP is bound to find one very close to reality when assigning a value to a sample. It also means regardless of the recorded video format — and there are 81 available options — the camera cache is crunching a huge amount of data, which is then parsed to meet the desired scanning mode, resolution, and frame rate. This is one smart camera.

Video camera mode The HVX200 is really two cameras in one, and shooters must understand the difference to derive maximum benefit. As a video camera, the HVX applies the VariCam model to output 60p-converted video. Thus when shooting 1080i24p, for example, the HVX will output 60fps by applying a 2:3 pulldown. To be clear, the HVX200 in Video Camera mode captures scenes as we're accustomed to in SD, at 1080i60 (30P over 60i, 24P over 60i, and 24PA over 60i). The 24PA (“Advanced”) mode popularized in the DVX works identically in the HVX200, utilizing a 2:3:3:2 conversion of 60fps 1080i and 480i video streams. The NLE removes the invalid frames during capture to restore the original 24p frame rate. I was able to accomplish this smoothly, capturing 1080i24PA footage into Final Cut Pro — a process that went just as efficiently in the DVX. Whether shooting 1080i or 720p (30P over 60P and 24P over 60P) in Video Camera mode, the maximum runtime on a P2 card is the same — about one minute per gigabyte. The benefit of Video Camera mode is that the camera outputs a valid DVCPRO HD stream via FireWire to an external VCR or hard drive like the FireStore FS-100, the upcoming CitiDISK HD, or Specialized Communications' CinePorter, thus allowing for a much longer record time. Currently these external drives do not support recording in P2 Native Film mode, a functionality that is still in development. Suffice it to say that certain functions like time lapse, pre-record (up to seven seconds), loop record, and Slow Shutter are available only in the Video Camera setting.

Going native in film camera mode

The non-interchangeable Leica Dicomar zoom fitted to the HVX200 performs much better than most low-cost interchangeable lenses. This is because the camera’s imager block physically compensates to maintain optimal lens performance at all times. The shifting imager allows for extraordinarily close focus—virtually up to the front element of the lens.

The HVX200 Film Camera mode enables 720p recordings at various frames rates at fixed intervals from 12 to 60fps. Recording in the HVX200's new Native mode can be highly efficient because in the case of 720p24pn recordings, only 24 frames per second (not 60) are delivered to the recording medium. The ability to record video at “native” frame rates is unique to the HVX200. The “720p24pn” reference indicates a frame size of 1280×720 progressively scanned at 24 frames per second. In native mode (“n”), only the active frames are recorded to the storage device. (VariCam shooters will recognize this as a major change to how off-speed footage is captured; the VariCam records 60fps to tape in all cases.) So while a 4GB P2 card ($650 MSRP as of press time) can capture only four minutes of video in non-native modes over 60p, the card's total runtime may be increased 2.5X to 10 minutes at 720p24 in Native mode. (Interestingly, the capacity of the P2 card is 20 percent less than that for DVCPRO 50 recordings, about eight minutes per 4GB card). The HVX Ah, so many choices. In case you’re wondering, the frame rate of the camera cannot be changed while running, so in-camera ramping effects are not possible.

permits ready playback of off-speed clips by simply switching the camera to VCR mode and playing back the desired scene on the camera's LCD screen, electronic viewfinder, or external HD monitor. No supplemental frame converter is required to see the slow motion or accelerated effect during playback. I previewed the effect directly on the set to amazed onlookers; it's the closest thing we've ever had in an electronic camera to actual playback of undercranked or overcranked film dailies. Simple and stunning. Note that recordings in Native mode cannot (currently) be output to an external drive (even to the FireStore); the other option for live recording other than the P2 card is direct output via FireWire to a laptop or desktop computer. The target computer must be fitted with appropriate P2-enabled Log and Capture software, in which case Native Frame mode recording is fully supported just as if recording to a P2 card incamera. Most popular NLEs now support P2 capture, including Apple's Final Cut Pro, Canopus Edius, and Avid Xpress Pro HD.

To facilitate selecting from a wide range of options, the HVX200 features color-coded menus. The active selection is highlighted in green; white indicates an addressable parameter in the current configuration; options in blue are not applicable at the frame rate and scanning mode selected. In this setup, the “720p24pn” Native mode is selected.

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Panasonic AG-HVX200 Camera Review - a tutorial and review of the Panasonic AG-HVX200 ... Page 3 sur 4 I was able to mount the card directly on my 15in. Apple PowerBook G4 using the PCMCIA slot conveniently provided. With the updated Final Cut Pro software version 5.0.4 installed, the card mounted instantly; the media then could be put to use immediately or offloaded to a generic drive.

Objectively speaking The poorly performing lenses usually fitted to inexpensive camcorders have long filled me with anxiety. Perhaps they ought not, as it is only logical that the HVX200 at a $6000 MSRP does not come with a $50,000 HD lens. Still, the 13X Leica-brand zoom permanently mated to the HVX performs much better than it has any right to. Normally non-interchangeable lenses are not seen as a marketing plus. After all, the ability to switch lenses is usually thought to make a camera more versatile. But let's examine this notion further. The Leica-branded (OK, licensed) objective is admittedly modest by design, but there's a lot more here than meets the eye. Close focus? How about to the front element! Wow. And all this without the benefit of a dedicated macro function. This is possible because the camera's imager block physically compensates to maintain good lens performance.

The HVX200 can operate as a killer standard-definition DVX camcorder, recording consumer DV 4:1:1 (not HD) to tape. The new 16:9 high-definition imager contributes an enormous amount of fineness to the SD image—a valuable consideration for ultimate output to standard definition DVD.

The shifting imager allows what amounts to a very modest lens to perform like a much better one. Take, for example, the “breathing while zooming” problem often observed with cheaper optics. The HVX200 apparently monitors such performance shifts and corrects for them by continuously displacing the imager as compensation. In top-quality lenses, superb performance is achieved by the addition of expensive glass elements and multiple lens groups. Here, using the design pioneered in the DVX, such optical defects can be addressed and ameliorated, a huge advantage when compared to the mediocre-performing interchangeable lenses on other cameras that enjoy no such compensating provision.

In my experience the camera's 4.2mm wide-angle proved ample for most applications, so shooters will not feel unnaturally constrained by a too-narrow field of view. I should point out that the wide-angle displays considerable barrel distortion, an aberration also seen in the Sony HVR-Z1U but noticeably more severe here. Colorimetry is nearly identical to that of the AJ-HDC27 VariCam, and so for commercial shooters, the HVX200 can serve as an excellent B-roll camera for use in potentially dangerous or cramped environments. I used the camera in the front seat of a BMW, shooting back with a little frontal fill from a LitePanel Mini. The compact HVX shooting real HD was quite the ticket. And that closefocus capability came in handy to shoot dashboard details like the pegged tachometer.

Into focus

The FireWire port is a central part of the HVX200 P2 workflow, allowing live streaming to a computer or suitable hard drive like the FireStore FS-100. A USB 2.0 port is also provided for offloading of files.

One of the coolest new features in the HVX200 is the unusual 2X Focus Assist that magnifies the center of the image in the viewfinder and swing-out LCD. Finding focus on a tiny LCD screen can be particularly frustrating in HD, so this feature is likely to be much appreciated by blurry-eyed shooters. The focus assist function in the HVX200 may be applied even with the camera running, a key operational advantage. Incidentally, when checking the LCD screen and electronic viewfinder for an intruding matte box, French flag, or errant mic boom, you can feel confident that the full extent of the 16:9 chip is being displayed. Nice.

The P2 card may be inserted directly into a laptop, permitting immediate access to footage without capturing. The P2 PCMCIA card mounted on the desktop enables file transfers (theoretically) at speeds up to 640Mbps!

Just one suggestion from an old film veteran: The camera comes up to speed instantly without the usual convulsions and is utterly silent when recording to the P2 card or laptop. While these are positive points, the red REC light in the viewfinder wasn't always sufficient to get my attention. I propose therefore that a crawling “RECORDING” message be added as a menu option. Given the short runtime of the P2 card, it becomes absolutely essential to know when the camera is running and when it is not.

Sounds like a plan

As shooters, we tend to ignore the audio section of our cameras, and that is very much to our peril. Compared to HDV's compressed MPEG audio, the HVX200 as a true DVCPRO HD camcorder can record up to four channels of PCM audio, the mapping of which is automatically configured via the camera's exterior controls. To achieve four-channel functionality, the top-mounted stereo microphone is used in tandem with the auxiliary XLR inputs. While the audio controls and preamps seem especially quiet for a camera in this price class, the provided mic levels at -50dB and -60dB are incompatible with most professional (-40dB) microphones, including Panasonic's own AJ-MC700P typically used with VariCam models. Shooters are therefore advised that a pad may be required to adapt certain professional microphones to the HVX200.

Some caveats You've heard the accolades. Here are a few grumblings. The top-mounted menu selection buttons are non-tactile, incorrectly oriented, and difficult to see in low light. Panasonic reportedly reworked the button configuration multiple times during the camera's long development, but to my mind never quite perfected it. I would prefer to see the button array rotated 90 degrees to reflect more accurately the operator's perspective from behind the camera. Right now, the illogically placed up, down, left, and right keys make for a frustrating experience when attempting to access the camera's menus.A fiber-optic lighting strategy à la the keyboard of the Apple PowerBook G4 should be implemented to help illuminate the menu selection keys in low light. In my tests, I found routine camera setup much easier to perform using the (included) remote control. Unfortunately, the button arrangement on the remote is not consistent with that of the camera, creating more frustration along with the inevitable miscues. The SET button on the remote is particularly misplaced, usurping the

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Panasonic AG-HVX200 Camera Review - a tutorial and review of the Panasonic AG-HVX200 ... Page 4 sur 4 spot where the right navigational arrow should be.

The Focus Assist provides 2X magnification to facilitate focus even with the camera running. Note how the onscreen graphics in the LCD appear outside the 16:9 image area.

Traditional film shooters working with the HVX200 may miss having a 6fps capability, as the camera comes only as close as 12fps. Of course, in interval and time-lapse modes, accelerated effects are still possible at much slower rates, but many veteran shooters, including myself, will miss being able to shoot “6-for-6” commercials and music videos with the HVX (that's shooting 6fps for playback at 6fps). The HVX200 also currently lacks a 50p capability that would facilitate downconversion of DVCPRO HD files to PAL. For European producers wishing to use a single camera for a wide range of productions around the world, this could be a major hassle. Perhaps this could be corrected in the first HVX200 revision. Four channels of uncompressed (PCM) audio are supported in the HVX200.

Beyond these points, the short runtime and relatively low capacity of the P2 cards is likely to be the big issue for many shooters, especially in the documentary field. Many producers of narrative features, commercials, and music videos may not find the current card limitations a hindrance to their creativity. Longer-form shooters, however, especially of documentaries, The HVX200 features much quieter preamps than we’re used to seeing/hearing in similarly may want to consider an external drive solution like the FireStore, which enables a priced camcorders. continuous run time of 90 minutes or more.

Final thoughts With the introduction of the Panasonic HVX200, the inexorable industry trend toward a tapeless IT workflow has taken a major leap forward. Whether one utilizes the actual P2 cards or not, the HVX200 system obviates the need for long capture sessions and expensive VCRs. This represents potential savings of tens of thousands of dollars in time and hardware, more than offsetting the current (temporary) high cost of the P2 media. Many folks will still cite the need for videotape for backup and archiving, but this is also changing rapidly as large-capacity optical discs are on their way. In the spring, Panasonic is expected to ship its first Blu-ray burners with 50GB capacities. HVDs (Holographic Versatile Discs) also are looming. The first iteration of 5in. discs with capacity of 330GB are due for shipping in mid-2006, according to the HVD Alliance.

The navigational buttons atop the camera are 90 degrees off from where they should be. Also, the buttons should be illuminated for easier visibility at night and on dark sets.

There you have it. Any mode you slice it, the Panasonic HVX200 is a major achievement in technology and a watershed introduction. We've always said we wanted an affordable, compact HD camcorder — a real one! — and now we have it.

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