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MillimeterReview: Panasonic AG-HPX300
Apr 13, 2009 12:00 PM, By Barry Braverman
A camera that fits the zeitgeist.
For HD shooters in particular, it's important to understand why cheap lenses look cheap. The main culprit is chromatic aberration (CA), the telltale bands of color that occur as multiple wavelengths of light with different energy levels pass through the glass at different speeds and so refract at different angles and focus at different points.
In high-end lenses, the color fringing around bright light sources is controlled by careful application of expensive lens coatings and/or by employing different glass types to compensate for the differences in light transmission. For the most part, CA fringing was not objectionable in standard definition owing to the rough edges around objects, but it is a much bigger issue now, especially in HD cameras that have no chromatic-aberration compensation (CAC) provision.
The HPX300 with CAC houses a library of lens profiles or look-up tables for newer CAC lenses from Canon and Fujinon. The required compensation is applied automatically when a CAC-supported lens is mounted on the camera. Thus the stock 17X performs much better than one might reasonably expect because most contrast-robbing, resolution-impairing artifacts caused by chromatic aberration are mitigated by the camera's CAC.
This is one reason why cameras with permanent fixed lenses generally perform better than similar-class models with interchangeable lenses; the camera maker knows precisely the shortcomings of the lens and can easily and economically compensate for the CA and other failings during image processing. Panasonic P2 cameras with interchangeable lenses and CAC do not share this problem. (For more on CAC, see millimeter.com/cameras/revfeat/hd_reveals_all_07012007.)
There are a few additional caveats regarding the HPX300. The Expanded View Focus Assist does not function while the camera is recording. While this may seem to be a drawback to some folks, keep in mind the color LCoS viewfinder is so sharp that it is now entirely practical to find critical focus without an assist.
The flip-out LCD screen is bright and sharp but awkward to view when the camera is placed on the shoulder.
The camera's flip-out LCD screen is also dramatically improved; it's by far the best of any camcorder in this price range. Unfortunately, the LCD is nearly impossible to view with the camera positioned in a normal shoulder-mounted configuration. More awkward still are the LCD's audio-level meters, which are completely obscured by the camera operator. This may not be an issue for the one-man-band shooter who can eye the audio levels in the viewfinder, but it can be problematic for a dedicated sound person who would prefer to see and verify these levels on-camera.
The video-noise issue has always been a challenge for small-format HD camcorders, and that continues to be the case for the HPX300. While lowering the master pedestal and raising the detail coring can help, it's also most important to avoid shooting with elevated gain whenever possible. The camera will allow up to a staggering +24dB gain; at this level, however, the imager pattern noise almost completely obscures the image. I advise shooters to use the negative gain setting (-3dB) for most normal operations and not to venture much above +3dB in a pinch.
The mounting system for support rails and a matte box is nonstandard and requires an additional adapter beneath the camera to fit existing systems. This may annoy some shooters and rental facilities accustomed to using the standard Panasonic rail support. However, most ENG and reality-style shooters will likely opt for a clip-on matte box, if one is desired at all, for simplicity's sake and ease of use.
Finally, a lot will be made of the 1/3in. imagers of the HPX300 and how they exhibit less-favorable depth of field than the larger 1/2in. sensors of Sony XDCAM EX models. While there is a discrepancy owing to the inherent physics, the difference is hardly noticeable in practice. It's certainly not as great as, say, the difference between the 1/3in. imagers and the 2/3in. imagers of the HPX500 and other cameras.
A camera for our times
The HPX300 is a remarkable camera that reflects the evolution of our industry. As business models change, the demands placed on shooters and their cameras become more severe and expansive.
At the major networks, we are already seeing producers and correspondents covering and shooting their own stories. The HPX300 fits this new paradigm, offering excellent performance in a lightweight, easy-to-master package.
The new camera certainly doesn't obviate the need for more sophisticated imaging machines to serve National Geographic or Planet Earth-style shooters. Nor might the HPX300 be the best camera for a John Toll or a Darius Khondji contemplating his next epic. But for nearly everyone else, it offers remarkable performance and functionality. And did I mention it doesn't cost $30,000?
bottomline
Company: Panasonic
Product: AG-HPX300
Assets: Superb ergonomic form and rugged construction; true 1920x1080 imager; versatile SD/HD including 10-bit AVC-Intra recording; best-in-class LCoS viewfinder; very low power consumption.
Caveats: Furnished 17X Fujinon not up to par with camera's imaging capability; awkward placement of flip-out screen; Expanded View Focus Assist does not function while camera is recording.
Price: Less than $10,000
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