The HVX200 also records in 720/24pN – the “N” stands for native mode. The standard for streaming video over firewire, to transfer video from a camera to a computer, requires 30 fps. This isn’t just a number of frames, but also a timing that is required by the transport. In order to be able to transfer video recorded at 24 fps over the 30 fps firewire, the camera has to create filler frames. In 24p mode, the additional frames are created by mixing the upper field of the frame before with the lower field of the frame after, a process called “pull-up”, which results in smooth 30 fps motion. That method is identical to the method used to transfer movies shot on film at 24 fps to video. However, there is no simple method for getting back to the original 24 frames once pull-up has occurred. 24pA (advanced) mode creates the extra frames by repeating some frames. This results in jerky, unwatchable, motion. However, it is easy to remove the added frames, process called “pull-down”, to get back to the original 24 frames. In the HVX200, Panasonic has added another mode called “native” mode. In this mode, the camera doesn’t even try to add in the extra frames. It just records 24 fps directly to the P2 card. There are several consequences of being able to shoot in native mode. First, native mode cannot be streamed over firewire, because it does not comply with the 30 fps timing requirements. Second, because it is not storing the extra frames, it makes more efficient use of the P2 cards than any other recording method. Third, because there is no timing consideration the camera can record images into the 24 fps file at any speed it wants – it can put 26 images in a second (called “overcranking”—slow motion) or it can put images in at 22 frames per second (called “undercranking”—fast motion) and at a variety of other speeds. This is called variable frame rate (VFR) recording. Because the timing relationship to 30 fps is discarded in native mode, the camera can’t record sound while it is undercranking or overcranking. (It still records sound in 720/24pN if the frame rate is set to default—24 fps).
The HVX200 records in the following formats:
480: 480/60i, 480/30p over 60i, 480/24p over 60i, 480/24pA over 60i
720: 720/60p, 720/60pN, 720/30p, 720/30pN, 720/24p, 720/24pN
1080: 1080i/60i, 1080i/30p over 60i, 108i/24P over 60i, 1080i/24PA over 60i
When recording in 720 and 1080 formats, the camera uses the DVCPROHD codec for compression. When recording in 480 to digital file (not tape), you have a choice of standard DV, DVCPRO (DV compatible with Panasonic equipment), and DVCPRO50 which records in standard definition 720x480 but with 4:2:2 color sampling, which is much better than DV for chromakey (green screen and blue screen).
Here is what I have found to be most useful. I shoot in 720p for most projects, because of its high definition and 4:2:2 color and widescreen, which is what I want for filmmaking. If I do greenscreen work, I shoot in 1080. It produces bigger files, but gives about 20% more resolution and is also 4:2:2 color, so it looks better when reduced in size to 720p. I shoot DV projects straight to tape. But sometimes if I want special effects, I will shoot in 720p and then use in-camera-dub to reduce the resolution while copying the file to DV tape. If I am doing 4x3 DV, and I need greenscreen, then I shoot it in DVCPRO50 for the 4:2:2 color. If I am doing 16x9 DV and I need greenscreen, then I shoot in 1080 for the extra resolution and color, and then reduce it in post to DV size.
I’ve done several two-camera shoots with the HVX200 and the DVX100a side-by-side. The DVX has better low light performance. It just does better in low light, in my estimation, by about 1 stop. However, when shooting straight to DV tape, and with both cameras using the same settings, the HVX200 clips just look better. They are sharper and have more detail in them (because there is more detail in the HD image that it starts with), and the colors just look brighter and punchier.
