Filed under: Cameras •Hardware •

Review: Panasonic AG-HPX170P 1/3”, 3CCD P2 Camcorder

Conclusion

The AG-HPX170 is a tapeless, P2-only brother to the HVX200; by losing the DV tape drive, it becomes one of the lightest, best balanced 3-chip HD camcorders available.

The HPX170 has the same resolution as the older HVX200, but improvements in its sensors and image processing yield a smoother, cleaner, more pleasing image closer to that of the far more expensive, 2/3” HPX500. It inherits the 200’s LCD and EVF, yet improved focusing aids and a built-in WFM (unique among camcorders) make focusing and exposing the 170 much more certain.

The HPX170 retains all the P2-based flexibility of the older camera: 480, 720, and 1080-line formats, variable frame rates in 720p, and special recording modes like pre-record, loop record, single frame, and interval recording. It also retains the scene files, gamma settings, and matrices of the older camera, providing a wealth of looks and plenty of tweakability.

Its DV, DVCPRO50, and DVCPROHD recording gives consistent, predictable results regardless of scene motion, and its intraframe-coded files play well and render quickly in nonlinear editors.

If you need a comfortable, usable camcorder that you can operate handheld for long periods, with well-thought-out and well-positioned controls, then you should give the HPX170 a look. If you do a lot of run’n’gun, and need to focus and expose on the fly, it’ll give you the tools you need to succeed. If you already have a DVCPROHD-based production ecosystem, the HPX170 fits right in. If you work with standard definition video and/or 720P DVCPROHD, the HPX170 won’t disappoint you.

If you require the highest possible HD resolution, then you may want to keep looking—the HPX170’s HD images are very good, but a bit softer than the competition’s.

Pros

• Arguably the most operator-friendly handheld HD camcorder available.
• Shoots 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i, and 1080p.
• P2 solid-state recording.
• Pre-record, loop, interval, and single-frame recording
• Variable frame rate recording.
• 24p recording, including advanced pulldown in 480i, 1080i formats and native recording in 720p.
• Low weight, well balanced.
• Panasonic cine gammas.
• Good zoom lens with good wide angle coverage.
• Cleaner, smoother, better picture than HVX200.
• 10-bit HD-SDI output with audio and timecode.
• Excellent in-camera downconversion.
• Post-friendly DV/DVCPRO50/DVCPROHD formats.
• Good focusing aids.
• Excellent data displays including exclusive waveform monitor, vectorscope.
• Full remote focus/iris/zoom control.
• Unprecedented five-year warranty, if you register the camera with Panasonic.

Cons

• Lower resolution than some other HD camcorders.
• Comparatively low-res LCD, EVF.
• LCD image rendering is very angle-dependent.
• No Y/C output.

Cautions

• Most special functions (DRS, pre-rec, loop, digital zoom, etc.) work only in 60i and/or 60p modes.
• Expanded focus assist not available in standard-definition modes.
• Variable frame rates only in 720p modes.
• No live 1394 data stream for 720pn modes (but the FireStore can remove redundant frames from the non-PN 1394 stream, giving you much the same result).

Operating manual, spec sheet, and other data here: http://catalog2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ModelDetail?displayTab=O&storeId=11201&catalogId=13051&itemId=280234&catGroupId=34401&surfModel=AG-HPX170

Firmware updates, P2 drivers for Mac & PC, P2 Viewer, and P2 Contents Management Software: P2 HD Support

Background HVX200 articles:
HVX200 review on dv.com
Exploring the HVX on dv.com
Whither the HVX200? on PVC

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