New Panasonic AJ-HPX2000 question.
 

I have seen this camera coming soon from Panasonic. However, the specifications confuse me a bit. Does this camera actually produce 1080p images or not?

It reads: "This multi-format camera produces pristine high-quality images in 1080i, 720p, 480p, 480i, and 576i (a total of 17 HD and SD formats)." One may assume it doesn't.

But then, it says: "Multi-format recording system that supports a total of 17 HD and SD formats, including 1080/59.94i, 1080/50i, 1080/29.97p, 1080/25p, 1080/23.98p, 720/59.94p, 720/50p, 720/29.97p, 720/25p 720/23.98p and more."

Can anyone tell me if I can shoot 1080-line progressive images. Thank you in advance.

I was told at the press release that it shoots up to 60p at 720 and 30p at 1080.

Yes it does 1080 progressive. You can see in the description of the formats that it does 1080/23.98p, 1080/25p, and 1080/29.97p. Near as I can tell it's the same camera as the HDX900, but recording to P2 instead of tape. And the HDX900 definitely does 1080p.

Recently, there was a new Panasonic press conference about the AJ-HPX2000.

From a November 30th, 2006 StudioDaily story:

http://tinyurl.com/tn8n5

"To underscore the point, Panasonic displayed examples of footage compressed over multiple generations using both MPEG-2 and AVC-I side by side on a large flat panel."

"The results portrayed MPEG-2 artifacting in a poor light indeed."

"Interestingly, Panasonic executives did not take the opportunity to directly slag the rival codec, which is used in Sony's similarly tapeless XDCAM line-up, which records images to optical discs."

"Instead, that task fell to an actress on-stage during the presentation, playing a dingy but bubbly blonde newscaster who declared, loudly, 'It's toodle-oo to MPEG-2!'"

"Representatives from Avid and Apple were both on hand to pledge support for AVC-I in future versions of their NLE systems."

The official specifications are listed here:

http://tinyurl.com/vrh3a

Jerry Jones
http://www.jonesgroup.net

Does anyone know how many picture elements per CCD, in this camera?

I believe it's the same 1280x720 chipset as used in the VariCam and HDX900.

Thanks Barry for your great information.

Bad news...
 

I'm sorry to tell you that after reading the offical Panasonic brochure. I learned that this camera is not capable of recording 1080p images. Only the camera section "sees" 1080p however, the recording format only captures 1080i images. If this information is wrong (hopefully) please let me know. Thanks.

It records 1080/24p and 1080/30p, carried within a 1080/60i transport stream. The footage is progressive. This has been discussed ad nauseum on the other camera forums because they all work this way -- DVX, XL2, SDX, SPX, HPX, HVX, etc.

Is this camera like a successor to the HVX-200? What are the key differences between this and the HVX-200? Is there any reason I would still want the HVX-200 instead?

Nevermind, I just read it was $27,000... :(

You'd still want the HVX200 if you were interested in spending $30k less :).

Not a successor to the HVX, not the same type of cam at all, no variable frame rates etc.

There is one coming that would be in the HVX family, a variable-frame-rate 1080 & 720 version called the HPX500, but that's still going to be a huge step up the cost ladder; the body alone is something like $15,000 or so.