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MillimeterReview: Panasonic AJ-HPX3000
Nov 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Barry Braverman
Rugged, high-performance 10-bit camcorder offers HD shooters a new choice.
The Panasonic AJ-HPX3000 is a rugged 1080p 10-bit camcorder that shoots 4:2:2 full-raster 1920x1080.
In the world of high-end HD production, shooters have a new choice: The Panasonic AJ-HPX3000 is offering performance and dazzling specs at a knockout price.
At its core, the Panasonic AJ-HPX3000 is a rugged 1080p 10-bit camcorder that shoots 4:2:2 full-raster 1920×1080. With five P2 slots fitted with 32GB cards (introduced in November), the camera can hold more than 3 hours at maximum (AVC-Intra 100) resolution.
Two major attributes distinguish this camera. First, the new 2.2-megapixel 2/3in. CCD serves up an image so crisp, it can be a bit disconcerting at first. Preparing for a recent shoot of a Fox comedy pilot, I performed routine shading and spent more than an hour investigating the source of apparent “noise” in the darker swatches of my ChromaDuMonde (see digitalcontentproducer.com/cameras/revfeat/
charting_course for more on camera reference charts). It was only upon closer examination that I realized the true nature of the “noise.” The HPX3000 was resolving previously unseen detail in the texture of the chart itself. New users of the HPX3000 should, therefore, prepare themselves mentally: You're going to see a lot more detail in the faces and wardrobe of your subjects than you're used to.
Apart from the new high-resolution imager, there is another major reason for the increase in perceived resolution, and that is simply that the camera produces images that are scrupulously clean. Under a range of setups and lighting conditions, I could discern little if any noise in the high-detail areas of the frame — for example in the finely embroidered logo on an actor's polo shirt. Underlit areas of the frame, especially at night, are always problematic for HD shooters, but here, the deepest shadows of an actor's face were refreshingly free of obvious agitation. It's not an exaggeration to say this camera is the quietest 2/3in. model I've ever worked with.
