Camcorder Review:
Panasonic AG-HVX200 DVCPro HD Camcorder (page 2)

The HVX200 is a true variable framerate camcorder that works much differently than a typical camcorder, and more like a movie camera does. Think of it like using Super8 film cartridges. In the HVX200's special mode "720/24PN" only the frames per second are recorded to the P2 card. In this mode the video takes up differing amounts of space on the P2 card. When you shoot video at 1/12 shutter speed, you have the option to actually record only 12 frames instead of spreading them out over 30 frames as does a typical camcorder. This saves on storage, and doesn't require as much post-production time to speed up your sunrises. What's more, you can view the effect in-camera.

Shooting in 720p mode gives you the most framerate options; 11, while the 1080i mode offers less. By using the 720/60p framerate, you take twice the number of frames per second, which makes for glassy slow motion effects. This is an intriguing feature along with a 1080i/24p mode, which records 24 progressive frames for 1080i video using 'pulldown'. On the same P2 card we shot slow-motion footage in 720p, documentary style in 1080i, and 24p DV video, all without scratching our heads.

Shooting video at 100Mbps is another world compared to DV (which records at 25 Megabits per second). The difference between these two numbers is compression of color information or sound. DVCPRO HD records video with much less compression and no GOP structure like HDV. This is a benefit for pros who will do high-end compositing and color correction. DVCPRO HD also records more detailed color information than DV or HDV. Our shots looked stunning, even though the best flowers in our Northern California climate hadn't bloomed yet. Sound is another big feature of the HVX; you get four channels of pristine uncompressed 48kHz audio. Wrangling four audio tracks for each video track may seem like a task, but we found it fairly easy to manage.

Each P2 card fits into a standard PC Card slot found on many laptop computers. When the card is inserted, you can edit footage directly in most editors worthy of having 'Pro' in their title. Though, it's a good idea to copy your footage right away, so you can get that card back into the camcorder. Another option is to transfer your files via FireWire. Either way, your capture time is dramatically reduced. Copying your files can be complicated, and will be difficult if you haven't planned a specific workflow ahead of time. We'd advise you to consult your editing software publisher for best results. The big highlight here is the speedy transfer of footage, which makes us ask why we still wait an hour for each of our DV tapes to finish capturing.

Looking ahead, P2 solid state recording seems to be a smart choice for video professionals. We hope the computer industry continues to embrace the PC card slot on new machines, as P2 cards increase in capacity. Our time spent with the HVX200 was excellent. It performed without a hitch, delivering amazing color and resolution that broadcast HD cameras are known for.

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