Panasonic P2 Cameras

I am in need of a major upgrade in TV cameras.
One of the cameras I am considering is the Panasonic P2 camera.

1) Is there anyone out there that has experience using them?
-or-
2) Can you direct me to a camera forum website that has videographers'
real world experience using these cameras ( or any other brand )?

Thanks / Don B.

Why P2 specifically?

There is the F5 and the F55 from Sony to consider...
[blog.vincentlaforet.com]



www.strypesinpost.com

Thanks for the reply.
Actually, what I want to do is not to make "films" it is to make TV programs.
To have the least amount of compression with the largest chip.

I'm not a production guy, so I really don't know too much about cameras, but here are some links you can check out:

[www.hurlbutvisuals.com]

[www.dvxuser.com]

If you ask me, 4K will probably be the next big thing, and having that option around isn't going to hurt.

As far as compression is concerned, complex compression schemes do not matter too much in post, depending on the NLE you are using. Most modern NLEs can easily deal with the H.264 and Mpeg2 compressions used in most cameras, in some cases they can even work fluidly with RAW.



www.strypesinpost.com

ive been using p2 cameras for years. and as a recording medium. i love P2. but it is just that. a recording medium.
has very little in and of itself to do with what youre shooting.

the biggest argument against p2 cards is their perceived high price relative to the current popular SD and compact flash media. but when the argument turns to reliability, P2 wins hands down. ive heard about a forum post a week about data loss with sd and cf cards. but i cant recall a single story ever about data loss with P2 that wasnt attributable to user error. my main camera rig uses a pair of 16gig P2 cards and i can shoot to one while transferring the other all day long. the only problem comes if im shooting an event that requires a non-stop roll of over 80 minutes. then i have to rent bigger cards. but if you had two 32 gig cards, i imagine youd be good for about anything...

getting back to your goal of NOT making films but making tv programs. you can do that with just about any camera. dont let p2 specifically make that decision for you.

there are a couple of primary things to consider with buying a camera right now (this is a sort of broad view and doesnt get too deep into nitty-gritty details - YET):

1. forget you even heard the words 4k or even 2k if your budget is under about $15-$20k

2. do you plan to do sports or anything with fast camera motion? if thats the case, a traditional video camera with a CCD will be a better choice than any of the CMOS cameras (and some P2 cameras like the hpx250 are also CMOS- so be careful).

CCD cameras have a global shutter. meaning the whole frame is captured at one time. CMOS cameras typically use a rolling shutter. meaning the frame is captured from top to bottom. thus if the camera is moving quickly side to side, vertical objects will appear to wave back and forth. do a google search for "jellovision" - this is a concern for some people, not for others.

3. do you need servo zoom and remote lens controls (again handy for sports or ENG and a lot of jib work) if the answer is YES, then thats another vote for a traditional video camera. if NO. then you can get a LOT more creative freedom for the money with a DSLR like a canon 5dll, or a panasonic GH2. but then you get into issues of jellovision and possibly the dreaded aliasing / moire (which we will save for later in the discussion)

tv programs are shot in a variety of formats 1080i, 1080p, at 24, 30, 60fps the list goes on. and you can achieve that with either a video camera or dslr shooting to p2, sd cf or whatever.

lets talk more about WHAT KIND of tv programs you want to make. and that will help narrow things down.

the hpx170 has been my main camera for the last several years. and what i like about it is that i can do about anything with it. does decently in low light, servo zoom, bulletproof P2 recording media, shoots 1080p/i at variable frame rates and if i slap on a 35mm adapter (brevis, letus, shoot35, which are all cheap as dirt these days thanks to the DSLR craze) i can achieve arguably the dame DOF effects that a DSLR can

> then you can get a LOT more creative freedom for the money with a DSLR like a canon 5dll, or a panasonic GH2. but then you get into issues of jellovision and
> possibly the dreaded aliasing / moire (which we will save for later in the discussion)

I'll also add that DSLRs are absolutely horrible at two crucial areas for television: Audio, and run-and-gun. DSLRs need a lot of extra gear to even get close to the ergonomic comfort of traditional video cameras, and even then they are still imbalanced. And you can't even monitor audio at the camera level -- there's no headphone jack on most of them, which is an absolute killer. DSLRs really aren't for television or even documentaries. They're just not versatile enough.


www.derekmok.com

absolutely correct derek. and why i dont own a DSLR (i rent if the situation dictates)

but an argument could be made that (depending on what kind of tv show youre shooting) one might be recording primary sound with an external device anyway. and again, depending on the kind of show being shot. the camera might be treated more like a film camera - which is the stomping grounds of the DSLRs.

but again, in agreeing with your point. if i can only own ONE camera and it has to do as many things as possible. its NOT going to be a DSLR.

Good points. Yea, if you'll tell us the budget and what you plan to do with it, it would be useful, not to me specifically, as I'm not a production guy.


>CMOS cameras typically use a rolling shutter

The Sony F55 has been announced with a global shutter, but yea, as you mentioned, that's not a camera for under $15 to 20K. But the rumors are the price would be good. The 4K RAW is an add on option with the external recorder.

[nofilmschool.com]


RED also responded by dropping the price of the RED ONE M-X Module to $4K, making it quite a steal, but that is already sold out. Hopefully they have more in stock. It's a very good camera for that price, but you need a post set up to make sure you get it doing what you need it to do. Film, TV, commercial, whatever. It makes pretty pictures, that's for sure, although I may not recommend it for run and gun formats.

[www.red.com]



www.strypesinpost.com

Quote
strypes
RED also responded by dropping the price of the RED ONE M-X Module to $4K

yeah. but thats brain only. when you factor in power, lens(es) monitor, capture medium, etc - all things you HAVE TO have to use it, you're back into that $10k+ very quickly.

kind of funny though considering just a decade or less ago, the buy in for even an entry level "tv camera" was $30k
; )