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Unsung Contender

May 23, 2006 12:00 PM, By Barry Braverman

The Panasonic HDX400 performs extremely well in many tough shooting situations.

The advent of the Panasonic HVX200 has almost completely eclipsed the company's other HD camcorders, especially in the mid to sub-VariCam range. The AJ-HDX400 ($32,000 MSRP for camera body only) is one good example of this. For all its extraordinary performance, low-light capability, and lush, organic images, this camera was introduced in 2005 and garnered nary a whisper of attention from industry cognoscenti.

A discussion of the camera is relevant now because it tackles low light levels in a novel way. Light sensitivity is a problem that afflicts HD cameras in general, and especially the low-cost HD camcorders that have exploded onto the scene within the last two years (including the HVX200, among others). I expect that we'll see versions of the HDX400's light sensitivity-enhancing technology in many camcorders soon to come.

In the coming months, I'll be looking at the AJ-HPC2000 and the updated version of the HDX400 (which is expected to add the 24p capability that the HDX400 lacks, but until NAB, Panasonic cannot confirm or deny that). For now, let's look at the first-generation HDX400 and the features and capabilities of this largely unnoticed camera.

Going organic

I consider the debut of Panasonic's HVX200 a watershed event in the evolution of small-format video. With its remarkable versatility, the HVX has ushered in a new era of low-cost IT-centric camcorders with features rivaling the industry's top-of-the-line machines. You can compare the features of the HVX200 and HDX400 and find some common ground. But that doesn't make the performance comparable across these two distinct classes of cameras, one pricing at under $10,000, the other offering the pro features and performance one would expect in a camera costing more than $30,000.

Chief among those differences, compared to the HVX200's output, the images output by the 2/3in. HDX400 appear much more natural — that is, less forced, especially around the edges of high-contrast objects and in landscapes that exhibit copious amounts of fine detail.

The HDX at work

I recently used the HDX400 on a major new documentary feature entitled Reagan's Hollywood produced by Hollywood's Price Entertainment. The production called for, among other things, shooting in dark, cavernous locations, including the homes of reclusive stars and at night overlooking city lights. The HDX400's ability to produce gorgeous pictures under such conditions was a deciding factor in my utilizing this model — the camera's low-light performance is at least two stops better than the handheld HVX200. One major reason for the low-light advantage: the 2/3in. HD imager at 1280×720p has a substantially larger pixel size than do the 1/3in. CCDs found in handheld HD and HDV cameras. Like film grain, larger pixels generally equate with greater sensitivity — a concept long familiar to pre-digital revolution shooters.

The camera's digital super gain enables shooting in ridiculously low light levels. I was able to record a close-up portrait (albeit with considerable noise) that was illuminated only by the luminous dials of a Swiss Army watch! The +74dB equivalent gain is powered by what Panasonic describes as “frame cumulative technology,” a process that relies on reduced-frame-rate flashing of the CCD to increase light gathering. Processing compensates for the slower frame rates to maintain the 29.97fps recording speed (the only rate available).

The strategy of using slower frame rates enhances the camera's low-light capability and contributes little if any increase in noise. This is in contrast to simply increasing gain to achieve adequate exposure; that process amplifies the analog signal in its entirety along with the noise. Panasonic's frame cumulative process obviates the need for substantially increasing the gain.

In conclusion

The HDX400 and its successors — the HPC2000 and the next-gen HDX400 — are capable of capturing dazzling high-definition images at a quality that's head and tripod above their lower-cost siblings. For shooters like myself, whose livelihood depends daily on the performance and reliability of our gear, the HDX400 offers absolute peace of mind — with the gorgeous pictures to back it up.

True professionals will always demand top performance from a camcorder along with minimum hassle and intrigue. The HDX400 fits that bill — and then some.

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© 2008 Penton Media, Inc.