Panasonic Now Shipping the AG-HPX500 P2 Camcorder

Panasonic is now shipping its AG-HPX500 shoulder-mount P2 HD camcorder, which was introduced at NAB2007.

The HPX500 offers 2/3-inch progressive imagers, interchangeable lens, variable frame rates and extended recording capability. At a price range of $14,000, Panasonic says the camcorder is the first to offer such high-end features. The camcorder is backed by Panasonic’s total 5-year extended warranty program.

The multiformat camcorder can record in 32 HD and SD formats including 1080i and 720p in full bandwidth DVC PRO HD. It offers 14-bit A/D conversion and its digital signal processor employs 19-bit internal processing. The 8.2-pound camcorder is equipped with eight gamma modes to cover a wide range of shooting situations, including Cine-like gamma for a film look.

Key interfaces include IEEE-1394, USB 2.0, HD-SDI, analog component and four audio XLR inputs. Its four 48-kHz/16-bit digital audio channels are independently controllable. The camera also features an SD memory card slot for saving or loading file scenes and user settings as well as a variety of shooting assist functions and presets. The camera also features an automatic Chromatic Aberration Compensation function that allows the camera to automatically optimize its performance with new CAC lenses.