By Staff, December 29, 2005
Panasonic Broadcast announced that its AG-HVX200 solid-state memory camcorder will begin delivering to resellers on Dec. 29. The HVX200 combines multiple high-definition and standard-definition formats, multiple recording modes and variable frame rates, and the vast benefits of P2 solid-state memory recording in a rugged, compact design.
At a press briefing, Panasonic announced introductory pricing for the HVX200 including $5,995 suggested list price of the camcorder only, a $6,995 list price for the camcorder and two 4GB P2 cards, and a $9,995 list price for the camcorder and two 8GB P2 cards.
With the ability to capture images in 21 video formats, the ultraversatile HVX200 records in high definition in 1080i and 720p in production-proven 100 Mbps DVCPRO HD quality. The DVCPRO HD format offers users cost-effective, intra-frame compression, where each frame stands on its own for editing, and its full 4:2:2 color sampling allows the image to hold up under color correction. The camera records video on a P2 card as IT-friendly MXF files in 1080/60i, 30p and 24p; in 720/60p, 30p and 24p; in 50 Mbps DVCPRO50 and in 25 Mbps DVCPRO or DV
. With a pair of Panasonic’s new 8GB P2 cards (model P2C008HG), the HVX200 records for 64 minutes in DVCPRO or DV, 40 minutes in 720p, 32 minutes in DVCPRO50, and 16 minutes in 1080/60 and 720/60. The HD and SD video recorded on the P2 card can be rapidly downloaded to a nonlinear editing system or server, or edited virtually instantly from the P2 card by connecting to an IEEE 1394 or USB 2.0 interface. P2 cards mount like a regular hard drive from a NLE system’s point of view, which eliminates the time-intensive task of digitizing footage.
The multiformat camera has two P2 card slots and offers a variety of record modes, including hot-swap recording, to ensure continuous recording; loop recording; pre-record (up to 7 seconds in DVCPRO and 3 seconds in DVCPRO HD); one-shot record (from 1 frame to 1 second) and interval record (from 2 frames to 10 minutes). With cutting-edge P2, all moving parts are eliminated from the recording path, which ensures that the HVX200 is extremely reliable and resistant to environmental conditions including the shock and humidity that threaten camcorders based on mechanical recording transports. For added flexibility, the HVX200 is also equipped with a Mini-DV tape drive for shooting 4:3 and 16:9 images on DV tape in 60i, 30p and 24p.
.
|