HD Frequently Asked Questions

How does the HD process work?
It used to be the HD footage was transfered to standard definition (SD) video for post. Now memory is cheap, computers are fast and most producers editing in HD. Many productions don't ever make it to tape (DVD, web, ipod, etc.) and even those that do can be mastered in HD.

What format is P2?
P2 is not a format but a type of removeable re-usable flash drive. Panasonic cameras record .MXF files onto P2 cards. Those files are easily converted to any other computer file, such as Quicktimes for Final Cut Pro.

Why sizes do they come in, how much do they cost and should I buy my own?
Buying your own P2 cards would be convienient for you. Some clients like owning them because there's no rush to download. But they are pricey. They come in sizes from 2GB to 16GB ($900) and 32GB ($1600).

What about HDCAM tape stock?
BCT-40HD tapes look like regular Betacam tapes and cost about $40, depending on where you buy them and in what quantity. The 40 in BCT-40 stands for the length of the tape, 40 minutes, when shooting 30 frames per second (fps). When shooting 24p the tapes are 50 minutes long.

What about the HVX200?
I think the 200 is a great little camera that turns out a great picture when shooting on P2 cards. But it has a fixed lens that is neither very wide or telephoto and the 200 is a real light hog.  I find my HPX 500 is almost 2 stops faster..

Also, the HVX200 has 1/3" chips compared to the HPX 500's 2/3" chips. The 200 has focus that goes from here to tomorrow and it's very difficult to get a short depth of field so the people will pop against a soft background during an interview. You can rent a 35mm lenes and an adapter, but that's more expensive than the camera itself, so what's the point?

Still, the 200 has it's place.  I've been shooting a reality show where there are 4 handheld HVX200's and my HPXX500 shoots all the interviews, does all the wide angle lens shots and other specialty stuff like riding the jib. The cameras compliment each other and match perfectly.

What about the HPX2000 and HPX3000?
The HPX2000 was designed specifially as an ENG (Electronic News Gathing) camera and has features I wouldn't use. The HPX3000 is a $45,000 camera. My high end clients still prefer the superior Sony HDW-F900.

What about the RED camera?
I get asked about the RED a lot! I think it's a great camera but the post situation is still a mess.

If the RED actually spit out 4k resolution it would need about 6 TB to store one hour of footage. The RED signal is compressed 12:1 and still needs 1GB to store 30 seconds. So, most post flows include going back to a 2k resolution to do most of the post.  Now what?

Also, the RED is billed as a low-priced HD camera at $17,500. But this is a high end camera. Everyone who's bought one has spent at least $40,000-50,000 bucks putting a package together. 35mm prime lenses are getting scarce and I met a guy who had to buy a $170,000 set of Zeiss Super Speeds for his $17,500 camera.

Also, the Red is not small or lightweight. The mattbox rod system doesn't make it any smaller or lighter. And it has funky mini-BNC and mini-XLR connectors which requires some type of breakout box.

For now, my high end clients still want the proven Sony F900/3. Having said all this, in a year or two, when the Red group has got all the kinks worked out, I might have to get one if there's a demand. Hint, hint...

Do you shoot HD just like film?
There are a couple of differences. With film you expose for shadows. In HD you expose for the highlights. There is more latitude with the new Vision 2 stocks, but HD pulls more detail out of the shadows and the blacks stay nice and clean.

The Version 3 software gives me a couple of stops more latitude in the highlights and you can let the kicks burn.

Even though I would rate the camera at a 360 ASA, it seems faster because it can reach into the blacks and pull out the detail. I use less fill, and I find myself using negative fill to increase the contrast. The blacks never get noisy or milky.

Copyright 2002-2006 Donley Films, Newport Beach California. All rights reserved.
Dan Donley