The Panasonic AG-HPX170 is The Next Generation Of P2HD HandHeld Camcorders

The introduction of the HPX170 marks the next generation of Panasonic’s, full production quality,

4:2:2 1080/ 720/ SD P2HD Hand-Held camcorders. Based on the recently introduced HVX200A,

this completely solid state P2 handheld offers some important feature enhancements as well as

an industry leading 5 year warranty. (1 year + 4 additional years after registration).

Unlike its brother, the AG-HVX200A a transitional camera perfectly matched for the customer that

wants to continue using or delivering venerable DV tape. The HPX170 is for the customer that

has fully embraced the tremendous advantages of P2’s file based workflow. The HPX170 is a

P2 solid state only camera that includes many extra features and benefits.

Starting with the front end of the camera, the HPX170 uses a newly-developed 1/3-inch

progressive 3-CCD imager system which substantially improves signal-to noise (S/N) ratio,

enhances low-light performance and prevents smear. Using exactly the same imager system

as the HVX200A, this camera will produce similar images and is an ideal shooting partner.

The HPX170 utilizes the highly reputed Leica Dicomar 13x lens roughly the equivalent of

28 mm in 35mm still photography terms. It ranges from 3.9mm to 51mm with a filter diameter

of 72mm. Adoption of this new wider lens and the use of P2 cards instead of dual P2 and tape

as storage media have brought about the reduction of the body weight by 20% from the

AGHVX200A,allowing more mobile HD shooting. The HPX170 weighs in at 4.2 lbs, just slightly

more than a DVX100B.

The AG-HPX170 has a number of new features that truly make it one of the most advanced

camcorders in its price range. Many customer suggestions have been incorporated into this

camera design along with state of the art technology like the new CCDs and lens assembly.

Manufactured with a magnesium aluminum alloy just like the HVX200 series, the camera is

highly durable and comes ready to work. It will be packaged with a 16GB P2 card and an

updated book from Barry Green that references both the HPX170 as well as the HVX200

series of cameras. Important new features that really make this camera a next generation

leader are HD/SDI (also allows for SD) output, improved LCD performance, and a useful

waveform monitor and vectorscope function.

The HPX170 also includes three different advanced focus assist functions, all of which

respond a little differently so that you can choose the one that is perfect for the shooting

scenario. Additionally, the customer can now enter metadata in the field, just like the

HPX2000/3000 P2 cameras.

New Features:

All solid state - P2 cards, 2 slots

HD/SDI – (including SD)

6 pin Firewire with locking connection. (no power out)

Color Bars with 1kHz Tone

Metadata input - like the P2 Gear

Camera Playback format can be changed without going into menus

Additional Neutral Density filters, Ľ, 1/16, 1/64

Additional Functionality of the User Buttons, Delete Last Clip, Pre-

Record and Variable Frame rate

WaveForm Monitor and Vectorscope                                           

Dedicated Slot Select Button                                        

                                           ,              

                Waveform Display                                        Vectorscope Display

Three Focus Assist functions, 2X blow-up

Histogram, and Focus Bar

20 Variable Frame Rates, 12, 15, 18, 20, 21,

22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 40, 44,

48, 54, 60

DVX-Style Navigational Tool

Security Cable Attachment Hole

Dynamic Range Stretching in 60I/60P HD, replaces News Gamma

Iris/focus ring assignment switch so that focus ring can be the iris

Time & date stamp burn-in, perfect for Legal Video work

Most cables facing rear to reduce conflicts, Audio connections in the

same place

Manual Focus Assist, camera will hit the last critical focus point

LCD Screen can be flipped for use with 35mm adapters

10X, 5X, 2x Digital Zoom

This is not an exhaustive list but as you can imagine this camera has many technologies

that have been adopted from some of the larger cameras to be in this newest addition to

P2HD. So starting with Dynamic Range Stretch, we would like to elaborate a bit on what

the technology does for the image.

Dynamic Range Stretch (DRS)

The DRS function reduces the blocked shadows and blown highlights in scenes where

bright and dark objects coexist, such as the view of a room from outdoors. With this

function, even if there are bright, halftone, and dark areas in a scene, their gradation

will be maintained and blocked shadows, blown highlights, and color distortions will

be minimized. The result is video with a visually wide dynamic range.

Image with DRS off Blocked shadows on dark areas are viewable. Image with DRS

on blown highlights on bright areas are suppressed.

 Cable Lock can attach here.

Center Histogram

Focus Bar

SDI (HD/SD switchable) output

The AG-HPX170 comes equipped with an SDI (HD/SD) output terminal for serial digital

transfer of uncompressed audio/visual data. It is compatible with digital broadcasting

environments and allows for a secondary recording with another Panasonic digital recorder

(P2HD/HD-D5/DVCPRO HD) or it can be incorporated into a small HD/SDI studio with the

AV-HS400 Digital Switcher

Camera Processing and Technology

There are three critical components working hand-in-hand to make the images from this

camera. The CCDs benefit from the additional picture information offered by the spatial

offset on the pixels. This allows the non-photosensitive areas of the CCD (the registers

between the pixels) to add to the picture quality.

New Progressive CCD Raises Sensitivity and Lowers Noise and Smear

The new 1/3-inch 16:9 progressive

CCD on the AG-HPX170 further

raises image quality. It combines a

significantly improved S/N ratio and

better low-light performance than

previous models. Backed by a high-performance

digital signal processor,

the CCD brings higher quality to HD

images to meet the demands of

broadcasters and high-end video

producers.

High-Resolution Native

Progressive 1080/60p Scan

Progressive to interlace conversion, cross conversion and down conversion all start with the

1080p/60 scan. That initial 1080p progressive scan signal coming off of the CCDs offers the

highest level of vertical resolution possible at this level of camera. Keep in mind that the camera

does not record this signal but uses it as a basis for all captures. The result is an HD or SD

recording with a level of image quality that cannot be matched by electronically processed

scans (pixel for pixel).

DSP with 14-Bit A/D Conversion and 19-Bit Processing

The digital signal processor developed for the AG-HPX170’s 1080/60p video signals uses

14-bit A/Dconversion and 19-bit inner processing to attain unprecedented accuracy in color

and detail. The DSP performs a variety of adjustments, including eight types of gamma settings,

for each of the R, G and B channels. It also converts the signals to HD or SD format. With a

performance equivalent to the processors used in many higher-end HD cameras, this DSP

delivers beautiful images in all video formats.300 Degrees 150 Degrees

Manual Focus Assist

There is a dynamic new feature on this camera that will make it really interesting to any

shooter that has to run and gun their images. The two images on the right are indicating

the rotation required for the focus ring under the Standard Mode, which you would use if

you were doing production and wanted to use a Focus Puller to do a rack focus on the

subjects at hand. This represents about 300 degrees. The second figure, is called Manual

Focus Assist, and it indicates a much shorter rotation, which equates to getting to the

focus point much more quickly. Keep in mind the rotation on a Broadcast lens is about

120 degrees. What is really interesting is that when you start to get close, the camera

sees the PEAK and carries out the tail end of the focus, then goes back to no auto-focus.

This should be a function that you show every customer that shoots news for a living.

MetaData input and management

A significant part of file-based workflow is the metadata portion of the footage. IT is what

makes it easy to find thing later. It also allows the field personnel to communicate with

the editorial staff. The correct spelling of the interviewee’s name can be input on the clip

within the body of the camera itself. The only other cameras that allow this functionality

are the larger  AJHPX2000 and up.

NTSC/PAL Upgradeable

This camera can be upgraded for International capability once they are registered for

the 5 year warranty. Panasonic Service will only upgrade units that are owned by US

customers at a US address. End-users must initiate the request for Panasonic to do

the upgrade and Panasonic resale partners are not eligible for this upgrade.

Once they have received their Warranty Registration, they need to send an email

to pbtscservice@us.panasonic.com.

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