Pansonic P2HD and Sony HDV on same P. Pro CS5.5 Timeline

[Larry Kropp]

Need some help. I'm deciding between buying a new Pansonic AG HPX250 vs Sony's XDCAM EX1R. I'm leaning towards the Panasonic but here is my concern. Compatability with P.Pro CS5.5. My curent camera is a Sony HDR-FX1000. Very nice camera shoots some great HD video. I shoot weddings and the business is growing thus I need another high quality camera. If I purchase the HPX 250 and use it as my main camera and use the Sony as my second camera will I be able to combine the two different recording formats or codecs in one Adobe Premiere Pro project? I would be importing HD video from the Sony camera and also AVC-Intra or DVC Pro HD codecs from the Pansonic camera. Would this be compatable? If so, how would I set up the presets for the new project in P. Pro.? Under the HD Tab I have the option > HD1080i30 (60), or the DVC Pro HD tab >1080i 60 or under AVC-Intra the1080i 60 option. My main goal is to make sure the two cameras are completley compatable and can be combined and edited on the same CS 5.5 Premiere Pro project timeline. Also I'd be exporting to DVD's so how would I set up CS 5.5 Encore to burn and encode these two different codecs? Any help/input will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Larry Kropp
L&M Video
Green Bay, WI

[Jeff Pulera]

Hi Larry,

CS5.5 is very flexible with mixing and matching formats in one timeline. The biggest concern is to shoot the same frame rate on both cameras! You don't want to mix 1080i 29.97 with 1080 24p so much.

HDV is anamorphic at 1440x1080, but will blend in perfectly into a full 1920x1080 sequence, but again, try to keep both cameras matching as far as frame rate for best results.

When exporting to DVD, check the "Maximum Render Quality" button in the encoder as this will help the downscale quality going HD to SD.

Jeff Pulera
Safe Harbor Computers
Milwaukee, WI