Comments on: The new Panasonic AG-HMC150 http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/14/the-new-panasonic-ag-hmc150/ Sat, 11 Oct 2008 06:25:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.2 By: Michael http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/14/the-new-panasonic-ag-hmc150/#comment-5994 Michael Fri, 22 Feb 2008 16:10:08 +0000 http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/14/the-new-panasonic-ag-hmc150/#comment-5994 Just chiming in here. You wrote: "This is a pretty nifty camera, an upgrade over the HVX-200, which was the indie filmmaker’s darling so far." This is actually not true. Rather, the AG-HMC150 is the successor to the DVX-100... or the HD (non tape) version of the DVX-100. There is a P2 based, intraframe, 4:2:2 colorspace camera that will be announced later this year that will be the successor to the HVX-200. A camera that will "answer" Sony's recently released XDCAM EX-1. Just chiming in here.
You wrote: “This is a pretty nifty camera, an upgrade over the HVX-200, which was the indie filmmaker’s darling so far.”

This is actually not true. Rather, the AG-HMC150 is the successor to the DVX-100… or the HD (non tape) version of the DVX-100.

There is a P2 based, intraframe, 4:2:2 colorspace camera that will be announced later this year that will be the successor to the HVX-200. A camera that will “answer” Sony’s recently released XDCAM EX-1.

]]> By: bg http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/14/the-new-panasonic-ag-hmc150/#comment-5936 bg Wed, 20 Feb 2008 15:48:54 +0000 http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/14/the-new-panasonic-ag-hmc150/#comment-5936 This is not an upgrade to the HVX200, it's an upgrade to the DVX100. But more that that, it's an answer to Sony's HDV camera's, and filling a hole in the price range lineup of cameras. The HVX200 is still better than this and all the HDV or AVCHD cameras, but it is too pricy for a lot of people. This will be a camera for the price range somewhere in-between the DVX100 and the HVX200. This is not an upgrade to the HVX200, it’s an upgrade to the DVX100.
But more that that, it’s an answer to Sony’s HDV camera’s, and filling a hole in the price range lineup of cameras.
The HVX200 is still better than this and all the HDV or AVCHD cameras, but it is too pricy for a lot of people. This will be a camera for the price range somewhere in-between the DVX100 and the HVX200.

]]> By: Eugenia http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/14/the-new-panasonic-ag-hmc150/#comment-5893 Eugenia Tue, 19 Feb 2008 02:02:12 +0000 http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/14/the-new-panasonic-ag-hmc150/#comment-5893 All Canon's AVCHD cameras do 1440x1080, so yes, I HAVE seen it. At 13mbps no less. The AVCHD consortium is a joke compared to HDV's in terms of enforcing their spec. Camera manufacturers are able to do whatever the hell they want to do with it, and still get validation from the consortium. All Canon’s AVCHD cameras do 1440×1080, so yes, I HAVE seen it. At 13mbps no less. The AVCHD consortium is a joke compared to HDV’s in terms of enforcing their spec. Camera manufacturers are able to do whatever the hell they want to do with it, and still get validation from the consortium.

]]> By: WoWu http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/14/the-new-panasonic-ag-hmc150/#comment-5892 WoWu Tue, 19 Feb 2008 01:23:39 +0000 http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/14/the-new-panasonic-ag-hmc150/#comment-5892 @ Eugenia ... you can not have seen H.264 at 1440 because 1440 and non squared pixels are not part of the H.264 specifications and AVCHD is just a trade marke of what Sony and Panasonic want us to believe tobe the standard H.264. Read the papers ... it is proprietary. @ Eugenia … you can not have seen H.264 at 1440 because 1440 and non squared pixels are not part of the H.264 specifications and AVCHD is just a trade marke of what Sony and Panasonic want us to believe tobe the standard H.264. Read the papers … it is proprietary.

]]> By: phred http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/14/the-new-panasonic-ag-hmc150/#comment-5885 phred Mon, 18 Feb 2008 12:47:22 +0000 http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/14/the-new-panasonic-ag-hmc150/#comment-5885 For someone who is so far 'ahead' of 'studip consumers', i would have thought that you were aware of Sonys new contender in the 1080p prosumer stakes. Especially as it was released last year (2007). As you will see, the XDCAM EX spec., (at $5000) makes the panasonic effort look like just another expensive toy for the 'Look at me, I'm a REAL cinematographer/videographer' marketplace. For someone who is so far ‘ahead’ of ’studip consumers’, i would have thought that you were aware of Sonys new contender in the 1080p prosumer stakes. Especially as it was released last year (2007). As you will see, the XDCAM EX spec., (at $5000) makes the panasonic effort look like just another expensive toy for the ‘Look at me, I’m a REAL cinematographer/videographer’ marketplace.

]]> By: WoWu http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/14/the-new-panasonic-ag-hmc150/#comment-5855 WoWu Sun, 17 Feb 2008 00:14:11 +0000 http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/14/the-new-panasonic-ag-hmc150/#comment-5855 1440x1080 are not even specs of MPEG4/H.264/AVC. This spec comes from the H1414 specs from MPEG2 and are originally 4:3 Layer since "non square" pixels are also n o t part of the MPEG4 H.264 specs. So this is not really what we expect from a follow-up of the HVX 200. 1440×1080 are not even specs of MPEG4/H.264/AVC.
This spec comes from the H1414 specs from MPEG2 and are originally 4:3 Layer since “non square” pixels are also n o t part of the MPEG4 H.264 specs. So this is not really what we expect from a follow-up of the HVX 200.

]]> By: Richard http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/14/the-new-panasonic-ag-hmc150/#comment-5822 Richard Fri, 15 Feb 2008 11:49:23 +0000 http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/14/the-new-panasonic-ag-hmc150/#comment-5822 Even if you can squeeze good quality into a small bitstream, that does not necessarily mean that you can do this in Real-Time in a Camera, remember that with 2-pass encoding and adjusting all the tiny little parameters that can make a difference depending on what kind of footage is encoded, you can get a better quality encoding in postprocessing. But this cannot be done during filming, so I guess it is better to have some more bandwidth to waste, because operating at the bare limits of a codec is most likely not a good idea when this is what your "raw" footage is that you would like to work with. This is just to prove Eugenias point. ;-) Even if you can squeeze good quality into a small bitstream, that does not necessarily mean that you can do this in Real-Time in a Camera, remember that with 2-pass encoding and adjusting all the tiny little parameters that can make a difference depending on what kind of footage is encoded, you can get a better quality encoding in postprocessing.

But this cannot be done during filming, so I guess it is better to have some more bandwidth to waste, because operating at the bare limits of a codec is most likely not a good idea when this is what your “raw” footage is that you would like to work with.

This is just to prove Eugenias point. ;-)

]]> By: Eugenia http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/14/the-new-panasonic-ag-hmc150/#comment-5821 Eugenia Fri, 15 Feb 2008 11:02:33 +0000 http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/14/the-new-panasonic-ag-hmc150/#comment-5821 I have seen raw h.264 13mbps 1080i (at 1440x1080 no less) and it's WORSE than the HV20's HDV mpeg2 at 25mbps. As for 18 mbps, that's only good enough for 1080i. For FULL 1080p, that's 1920x1080 at 24p or 30p, it better be 24mpbs. 18 mbps just won't be enough for it. Yes, h.264 needs less bitrate than mpeg2, but so far we've seen poor quality at these bitrates. I mean, I now I even see the HDV artifacts at 25mpbs now that I got a full 1080p monitor to watch raw footage. AVCHD's is even worse, and this is a PRO camera. So it better be hella good, or it's $6000 down the drain. I have seen raw h.264 13mbps 1080i (at 1440×1080 no less) and it’s WORSE than the HV20’s HDV mpeg2 at 25mbps. As for 18 mbps, that’s only good enough for 1080i. For FULL 1080p, that’s 1920×1080 at 24p or 30p, it better be 24mpbs. 18 mbps just won’t be enough for it. Yes, h.264 needs less bitrate than mpeg2, but so far we’ve seen poor quality at these bitrates. I mean, I now I even see the HDV artifacts at 25mpbs now that I got a full 1080p monitor to watch raw footage. AVCHD’s is even worse, and this is a PRO camera. So it better be hella good, or it’s $6000 down the drain.

]]> By: divide http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/14/the-new-panasonic-ag-hmc150/#comment-5820 divide Fri, 15 Feb 2008 10:54:00 +0000 http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/14/the-new-panasonic-ag-hmc150/#comment-5820 Why wouldn't 18mbps be enough ? Remember it's h264, not mpeg2. You can find near perfect quality, x264 encoded 1080p movie on the web, at 13Mbps (VBR). Why wouldn’t 18mbps be enough ? Remember it’s h264, not mpeg2. You can find near perfect quality, x264 encoded 1080p movie on the web, at 13Mbps (VBR).

]]> By: historyisaweapon http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/14/the-new-panasonic-ag-hmc150/#comment-5815 historyisaweapon Fri, 15 Feb 2008 03:04:30 +0000 http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/14/the-new-panasonic-ag-hmc150/#comment-5815 Why is this an upgrade over the hvx? This is more like a mistake. Why is this an upgrade over the hvx? This is more like a mistake.

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