Review: Panasonic AJ-HPX3000

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.

The HPX3000 can accommodate up to five 32GB P2 cards. Such a configuration allows a continuous runtime of 200 minutes using AVC-Intra 100 at 24pN.

The sizable performance gains evident in the HPX3000 may be attributed in large part to the camera's AVC-Intra 10-bit image acquisition, which offers excellent resistance to banding, hue shifts, and other common artifacts. The enhanced image structure is immediately obvious to any experienced shooter accustomed to the traditional 8-bit video codecs such as HDV, HDCAM, and DVCPRO HD.

As savvy DPs, we understand when recording 8-bit DVCPRO HD, for example, that we should generally not exceed an eight-stop range of exposure across the image. Shooting in 10-bit AVC-Intra, we gain two stops of dynamic range — a huge advantage because it makes us better able to handle high compression ratios and a broad range of color. In turn, this translates into more creative options downstream with respect to color grading and other postproduction processing.

The HPX3000 constitutes the first commercial implementation of H.264-based AVC-Intra in a camcorder as a standard feature, a remarkable achievement given the sophistication and complexity of the realtime encoder. The HPX3000 can record traditional 8-bit DVCPRO HD and DVCPRO 50 SD as well, but one must wonder about the point of that. AVC-Intra 100 provides better, more organic-looking images; it also potentially extends the running time of the P2 cards by 20 percent, by shooting 24pN (native frames only) rather than 59.94i, as generally had been the case previously with 1080 cameras.

The HPX3000 also allows AVC-Intra recording at 50Mbps. This effectively doubles the capacity of the P2 cards, a practical option intended presumably for news applications. Even in this mode (AVC-Intra 50 uses the more constrained 4:2:0 color space), recording in 10 bits offers a considerable advantage. I foresee a compact AVC-Intra 50 camcorder — akin to today's AG-HVX200. Fitted with two P2 slots and 32GB cards, such a downsized HPX could run for 80 minutes at native 1920×1080 resolution.

The HPX3000 is not a Varicam, and it cannot shoot at variable frame rates, but the camera provides a working man's range of progressive and interlaced recording formats: 1080-line 24p, 25p, 30p, 50i, 59.94i, and 24pA (advanced mode) for DVCPRO shooters pursuing an all-24p workflow.

One thing you'll never have to worry about with this camera is the HD shooter's classic dilemma of whether to shoot 1080i or 720p. Panasonic makes the decision for you: The HPX3000 shoots only 1080i at full 1920×1080 resolution. There is no 720p capture capability. Nor is there the capability to record standard definition at 25Mbps. Standard definition is implemented at 50Mbps 4:2:2 only. The lack of the lesser DV format no doubt helps to conserve critical real estate on the internal processing boards and help lower the cost of the camera.

When you work with very high-resolution cameras such as the HPX3000, the choice of optics is more important than ever. Lens models with Chromatic Aberration Compensation (CAC) profiles offer a clear and significant advantage.

With HD, the quality of one's camera optics impacts images more than any other factor. It's worth bearing in mind: Chromatic aberration (CA) is the principal reason that cheap lenses look cheap, and so it is imperative — with the advent of increasingly high-resolution imagers — that shooters grapple with the chromatic shortcomings of their lenses. Addressing the issue in the HPX3000, Panasonic has implemented Chromatic Aberration Compensation (CAC), which applies a generalized CA correction from a stored library of lens profiles (see digitalcontentproducer.com/cameras/revfeat/
hd_reveals_all_07012007 for more on CAC).

As of this writing, the HPX3000 supports eight CAC lenses from Canon and Fujinon; the lenses' associated LUTs were uploaded to the camera at time of manufacture. To evaluate the impact of CAC, shooters can use the pixel-to-pixel feature in their monitor, then switch CAC off by unplugging the lens from the camera body. It is imperative to zoom through the full range of a lens, because minimal correction if any is applied at the wide end of the zoom range. At full telephoto, however, the applied correction can be dramatic. It can transform an ugly cyan-fringed scene into something much more pleasing and free of artifacts.

As additional CAC lens profiles become available, shooters will be able to upload these files to the camera via the SD card slot.

Eight CAC lenses are currently available for the HPX3000:

• Fujinon HA22X7.8BERM-M58
• Fujinon HA22X7.8BERD-S58
• Fujinon HA16X6.3BERM-M58
• Fujinon HA16X6.3BERD-S58
• Fujinon HA13X4.5BERM-M58
• Canon HJ22ex7.6B IASE
• Canon HJ17ex7.6B IASE
• Canon HJ11ex4.7B IASE

Your connection to the world is here via USB 2.0. Each P2 card appears as its own volume on the PC or Mac desktop.

The HPX3000 features every gamma setting that Panasonic has ever offered in a professional camera: HD; SD; Filmlike 1, 2, and 3; and Film_Rec. The latter imparts the HPX3000 with an instantly familiar look for former and current Varicam shooters.

The Dynamic Range Stretch (DRS) feature in the HPX3000 is related to Film_Rec in that minimal knee is applied to the camera's response curve. DRS tracks hot areas across the frame and applies an autoknee-type correction only to those sections, thus mitigating the overall graying of the highlights that is typically seen when autoknee is applied in a traditional way. For many shooters, DRS obviates the need for autoknee entirely, because the maximum dynamic range of the imager — typically 500 percent to 600 percent — may be employed to control specific problem areas of a scene.

One point to keep in mind for HPX3000 users: To apply DRS, the function must be assigned to a user button. There is no menu selection to enable it.

The HPX3000 can output 1080i, 720p, and 480i concurrently through the various external outputs. The rear video out is controlled externally via a convenient slide switch for HD-SDI, SD-SDI, and VBS (composite) signals. There is also a dedicated HD-SDI/SD-SDI output on the side of the camera in addition to a monitor out, which is useful for affixing a standard-definition reference.

For offloading the P2 cards to external storage, the camera can be mounted on the desktop of a Mac or PC using the USB 2.0 connection. Important to note: AVC-Intra records in native mode, and so the FireWire port, which requires a valid video stream, is disabled when working in the AVC-Intra format.

P2 cards appear to offload to a hard drive much more quickly now than previously; a typical transfer rate is about 2GB per minute. I achieved this on an Apple MacBook Pro running OS X Leopard, fed by a five-slot AJ-PCD20 reader connected via USB 2.0. The halving of the transfer rate (within only the past few months) is helping to make the flash-memory-card-based workflow much more practical for every kind of production.

The Mode Check button conveniently displays a summary of your camera settings and P2 card status. Trouble is, you've only got 3 seconds to scroll through a series of menus to find what you're looking at. If you don't make it in time, you have to start all over again.

Every relationship has its share of pros and cons, and the HPX3000 is no exception. For one thing, this camera has a voracious appetite. The multi-million-pixel imager is a hungry beast, consuming upwards of 50W of power when the LCD screen is enabled. That is more than double the nominal power consumption of the AG-HPX500, and it's not something many of us are accustomed to these days.

DPs, therefore, need to maintain their battery inventory diligently to maintain efficiency. They need to carry a minimum of four to six large-capacity batteries on most shoots and recharge their bricks more often to keep maximum juice flowing. To be clear, the AVC-Intra processor is not the villain here; in fact, it consumes less power than DVCPRO HD encoders.

Most of my criticism is reserved for the dastardly Mode Check button at the side of the camera. While it's wonderful to have convenient access to a summary of camera settings, including key parameters and card status, the chaotic layout of the pages and the fixed 3-second timeout are maddening. Three seconds is insufficient time to sift through the cluttered morass of data that populates the interlinked menus.

This is not an inexpensive camera, so there's no excuse for generating this level of exasperation with what should be a simple, easy-to-read interface. In a future camera update, I would expect to see a user-defined timeout option added to allow the user to better control the Mode Check function. Then I can feel good about life again.

Another perturbing matter relates to shooters who must integrate the HPX3000 into a 23.98PsF work environment. The camera outputs HD-SDI only with pulldown, which might produce smoother images on a monitor. But it also poses a serious problem for producers accustomed to the 23.98PsF way of doing things.

I have a final complaint about the HPX3000. This camera is obviously intended for high-end production, so why is its physical configuration so unfriendly to mounting support rods and a matte box? With the rods and mounting shoe attached, gaining routine access to the camera's front controls — menu dial, white and black balance, and shutter control — is a punishing exercise that only makes the HPX3000 less attractive for the types of shows that are most likely to use these accessories. This point in itself should be enough to convince Panasonic to abandon the long-favored ENG physical profile in its top-end cameras.

With no tape transport or spinning record heads, one has to wonder what this "Save" switch is doing here. Answer: When Save is enabled, it turns off the LCD screen.

The images that the Panasonic AJ-HPX3000 produces are compelling, and with the advent of the first commercial implementation of AVC-Intra in a broadcast camcorder, HD shooters can finally free themselves from the shackles imposed by years of 8-bit recording formats. The end won't come quickly for the familiar video-based codecs we once held dear. But now 10-bit recording is available to us at near-D5 master quality, and it's pretty irresistible.

Company: Panasonic
www.panasonic.com/broadcast

Product: AJ-HPX3000

Assets: Crisp, clean images, AVC-Intra offers resistance to common artifacts, Chromatic Aberration Compensation support, Dynamic Range Stretch feature applies autoknee-type correction selectively, flexible output options.

Caveats: Unit can be power-hungry, Mode Check menu times out too quickly, outputs HD-SDI only with pulldown, physical configuration makes access to front controls awkward when support rods and mounting shoes are attached.

Demographic: HD shooters wishing to free themselves from 8-bit recording formats.

Price: $48,000