KFOX-TV's Panasonic HPX300s are all lined up and ready for action.
EL PASO, TEXAS
KFOX-TV is a Fox network affiliate and serves the El Paso and Las Cruces, N.M. markets.
We are the market leader in local news, having initiated an evening newscast in 1997, and currently broadcasting nearly six hours of news programming each day. We are very proud of the fact that our news department has received more local, regional and national awards for journalistic excellence than those all of the other local television stations here combined.
P2 CAMCORDER TRACK RECORD
Our news photographers have become familiar with solid-state acquisition, as the station has been using Panasonic P2 camcorders (currently, we use AJ-SPX800s) for ENG. We also use Panasonic's AG-HVX200A P2 HD handheld models for shooting station promos.
We were faced with a big decision about upgrading our SD studio cameras and knew that we had a lot of options to consider. In reaching a decision, we were aware of our news photographers' experience and comfort level with the SPX800s and thought that Panasonic's new HPX300 studio package might be an ideal choice for our operation. After some investigation, we elected to go with the HPX300 studio configuration and haven't looked back.
Not only do we like the camera's P2 format, but the HPX300 also delivers full 1920x1080 resolution and comes standard with a high-performance 17X HD Fujinon lens. There was no need to purchase any third-party hardware to get the cameras up and running for our studio application. I should mention that the HPX300 has an interchangeable lens mounting system, should we ever need to supplement the standard 17x optics for a special application.
The Panasonic 300 studio package that we purchased includes a compact digital base station and lightweight camera adapters. We're also using the 300LenReturn cable for feeding external video to the viewfinders to assist in setting up and framing shots. As for the viewfinders themselves, we elected to supplement the camcorder's standard display with Panasonic's 7.9-inch widescreen multiformat color LCD viewfinder. This delivers high-resolution 800x450 pixel displays to make focusing that much easier.
We're also using Panasonic's AJ-RC10G remotes, which allow us to view menus directly on the remote control without having to access the camera's menu function. This remote control has a monitor output, as well as an SD card slot for saving scene files, allowing us to easily standardize the look of the cameras.
Our operators really appreciate the easy adjustability of the camera settings. And the camera's light weight and low-profile shoulder-mount design make it easy to shift it from a studio to a field environment, should we choose to do so.
A WISE DECISION
In these challenging economic times, the HPX300 is a full-featured camera system and a very affordable way to prepare for eventual high-definition studio broadcasting. The cameras are an ideal addition to our broadcasting operations and provides high-quality images to our viewing audience.
Bruno Cruz has been with KFOX-TV for 10 years and has served as its chief engineer for the past two years. He may be contacted atbruno.cruzjr@kfoxtv.com.
For additional information, contact Panasonic at 201-348-5300 or visitwww.panasonic.com/broadcast.
