I just came back from a one month trip to Nepal's far West - doing Rara Lake area (on foot) and also, videoing inside monasteries.

This camera had now been used as high as 4200m (crossing a mountain pass), in freezing sleet, hailstorms, and as low as -15 deg C and as high as 40 deg C. Relative humidity goes from about 5% (in desert like conditions - along the bank of Kanali river), to 100% at places.

Carried a petrol powered AC generator (19kg) and 20 liters of petrol to charge batteries throughout the trip.

Conclusions -

a) Panasonic has a really tough guy in the HVX202. There is no way tape based media will survive -15 deg C and still function. Only the P2 media based recording (and other memory card recorders) will work in such environments.

b) This camera has survived being hit by hailstones - so hard it even chipped off the outer coating and showed its magnesium inner shell.

c) The LiOn batteries lifespan in extreme temperatures is pretty good - surprisingly. I would rate it as about 75% capacity of normal temperature.

d) It's low light capabilities is pretty good - for a 1/3" CCD camera. Filming inside monasteries without additional video lights (using just available light) - pushes the camera's abilities to the limits as well.

TS

TingSern,

Thanks for the report, that gives us a lot of confidence. The story sounds spectacular!

And I forgot to mention this too - HVX202 has also survived a 2 days bone jarring ride (although inside its camera bag) - in extremely dusty and very bad mountain road - on a metal "tray" on 4 solid rubber tires (that transmits every shock to the metal frame) - that was towed by a tractor. It got so bad that I gave up the last 3 hours ride out (after 1.5 days of being shaken to the bone) and opt for walking out the remainder of the road. With each bump, the pain in my head will hit the ceiling.

d) It's low light capabilities is pretty good - for a 1/3" CCD camera. Filming inside monasteries without additional video lights (using just available light) - pushes the camera's abilities to the limits as well.
TS

Funny as that is usually listed as one of the cams biggest known weaknesses.

The alternative to HVX202 is to bring a HVX500. No way - too big, too heavy. I am trekking and climbing. Hence, for its size and weight, the low light ability of HVX202 is reasonably good already. Filming inside monasteries - you can see the details pretty well.