Panasonic DVX200 Q&A

[Barry Green]

Hey all,

I didn't know where to put this, since the DVX200 is a 4K camera I thought maybe it should go with the HC forum, but it's not an HC, it's a DVX, so in the end I decided to put it here.

The DVX200 is scheduled to be delivered in October. I've got a preproduction model in hand, and am working on a book for it which will be available free to all DVX buyers.

In the meantime, if people have questions about what the camera does or doesn't do, feel free to ask and I'll answer as best I can.

[David Peterson]

Can you swap lenses with it? ;-)

[Jack Zhang]

How bad is the "orbing" on wide open aperture and full wide end of the zoom? I know it's an issue with the 1/2'' EX1s if you don't focus it properly at the wide end and some examples I've seen show really bad out of focus shots that "orb" when you open it up fully to F2.8.

I didn't expect any Bokeh and saw none in any of the examples.

Also, Can you confirm HDMI 2.0 out? and can you see what pixel format and bit depth it is? V-Log + HDMI 2.0 and 10bit would redeem the camera in my mind for use with external recorders.

[Barry Green]

I haven't seen such an example on the EX1. Can you point one out so I know exactly what you're expecting and looking for?

As for HDMI 2.0, yes it's HDMI 2.0. It outputs 8-bit 4:2:2 when recording, or you can put it in "output-only" mode and it outputs 10-bit 4:2:2 in that case.

There are a couple of exceptions that happen due to the processing load. For one, in UHD/60p or UHD/50p, it outputs 8-bit 4:2:2 at all times. It doesn't do 10-bit when in 60p/50p, but it does do 10-bit in FHD, and in UHD 24/25/30.

Second, when you're recording UHD/60p, it can't output a full UHD signal at the same time as it's recording, so it drops to 1080p on the HDMI during recording internally. If you're recording externally it wouldn't make a difference, as it outputs the live signal continuously in full res. When recording 4K/24 or UHD 24/25/30, it maintains a full 2160p output with 4:2:2 8-bit output while recording. For external recording you would likely want to turn on the 10-bit output option.

[Barry Green]

Originally Posted by David Peterson

Can you swap lenses with it? ;-)

With a hacksaw, all things are possible...

But really, there are a bazillion interchangeable-lens cameras out there; the whole point of the DVX200 is to bring the usability and familiar workflow of the 1/3" handheld camera, but to do it with a big sensor instead. It is definitely a case of Panasonic "zigging" when everyone else has been "zagging".

[Gary Huff]

Originally Posted by Barry Green

It is definitely a case of Panasonic "zigging" when everyone else has been "zagging".

Everyone else is swinging around the cliff, while Panasonic is barrelling full steam ahead out into the abyss.

[Jonathan Schwartz]

How would you compare lowlight to the AG-AC160A?

[Barry Green]

The DVX200 is definitely better, but how much better depends on how low the light goes.

In terms of base sensitivity, the DVX200 is better but the AC160's lens can open up to a wider iris, so that levels the playing field between them.

But when you need to start adding gain, the DVX200 picture stays much cleaner. I didn't test against an AC160, I tested against an HPX250, which is the same imagers, so the results should be the same. At 5000 ISO vs. 18dB of gain on the HPX250, they were equally bright but the DVX200 won in a landslide due to the lower grain; the HPX250's grain was very noticeable all over the image. In comparison, the DVX200 was relatively clean.

In zero light, the DVX200 wins because it has an infrared recording mode so it can record in pitch black (provided there's some infrared light to go off of).

It's not the most ultra low light camera on the market; it can't compare to an S35 camera with an f/1.2 lens of course, but it does do much better than the all-in-one 1/3"-sensor cameras that it is supplanting.

[Josh Bass]

hows low light compared to an EX1?

[Barry Green]

I don't have access to an EX1 to compare it to...

[Josh Bass]

Curses...foiled again!

[Jack Zhang]

How bad is the crop factor in 60p? Hearing reports the different picture modes have drastically different crop factors.

And that's a huge shame it can't output 10-bit 4:2:2 in 60p out the HDMI. Must be power limitations. Panasonic should have gone to 14.4v batteries like the Sony BP-U batteries.

And there obviously won't be a 4096x2160 output mode out the HDMI, (it's non-standard) so the 10bit you would be getting out the HDMI gets shrunken down to 3840 width in that mode.

[Barry Green]

Originally Posted by Jack Zhang

How bad is the crop factor in 60p? Hearing reports the different picture modes have drastically different crop factors.

There are minor variations in some of the modes' fields of view; 4K/24p is slightly wider than UHD/24/25/30p for example (because they are, in effect, the same vertically, but 4K has 128 extra pixels on each side of the frame so that makes it slightly wider).

In 1080, there is no cropping regardless of frame rate, it's always at a 28mm equivalent field of view (on the wide end of the lens).

There is a notable crop in when going to UHD/60P (or 50P). Instead of a 28mm equivalent, it crops in to a 37.2mm equivalent.

And that's a huge shame it can't output 10-bit 4:2:2 in 60p out the HDMI. Must be power limitations. Panasonic should have gone to 14.4v batteries like the Sony BP-U batteries.

It does output 10-bit 4:2:2 in 1080/60p. It doesn't in UHD/60p. I don't know the exact reason why it can't, but it can't. However, as of right now, I can't really see it being practically a problem, because there's nigh unto nothing (affordable) that could handle a UHD 60p signal. An Odyssey 7Q+ can't, a PIX E5 can't, and a Shogun can't. They're all HDMI 1.4 devices, which are limited to UHD/29.97.

Note: I'm not saying it's a good thing, I'm saying that as of right now, with the state of current technology, it's kind of not relevant. Obviously when the industry starts implementing HDMI 2.0 in their recorders, it will become more relevant.

And there obviously won't be a 4096x2160 output mode out the HDMI, (it's non-standard) so the 10bit you would be getting out the HDMI gets shrunken down to 3840 width in that mode.

Ah, some good news for you then -- you are incorrect on this. 4096x2160 is a standard mode, it's a Digital Cinema Initiative standard. The DVX200 happily outputs 4096x2160 at 10-bit 4:2:2 out its HDMI port, and the Odyssey 7Q+ happily records it. I haven't had a chance to try other recorders, but I can verify that it works fine with the Odyssey.

[Jeremy Cole]

Oddball question: With the EX1r, there were auxiliary wide angle and telephoto lenses that Sony supported so you could get a wider field of view, for instance, and have the barrel distortion compensated for with a menu option. The tele aux lens was quite useful when shooting events. Both, I might add, accomplished their respective tasks without affecting sharpness or light loss. Are you aware of any similar options that are planned with this camera?

[Barry Green]

Originally Posted by Jeremy Cole

Oddball question: With the EX1r, there were auxiliary wide angle and telephoto lenses that Sony supported so you could get a wider field of view, for instance, and have the barrel distortion compensated for with a menu option. The tele aux lens was quite useful when shooting events. Both, I might add, accomplished their respective tasks without affecting sharpness or light loss. Are you aware of any similar options that are planned with this camera?

I haven't heard from any manufacturers as to them stating plans to make such lenses; however, Century/Schneider always made add-on lenses for prior Panasonics, and it would be reasonable to assume that they, or others, will be making something for this one. Perhaps we'll hear more at IBC?