Representing a huge leap forward in both camcorder and HD technology, Panasonic this week rolled out its AG-HVX200, the world's first 1080i/720p/480i multiformat camcorder. Actually, its full name is the "AG-HVX200 DVCPRO HD P2 handheld camcorder" (take a breath) which provides 1080i and 720p recording that Panasonic said maintains the image quality of 100 Mbps DVCPRO HD.
The camcorder shoots on a P2 card (Panasonic's solid state storage system) in 1080/60i, 30p and 24p; in 720/60p, 30p and 24p; and in DVCPRO50, DVCPRO, or DV. By eliminating all moving parts from the camera recording path when shooting on a P2 card, Panasonic has ensured prospective clients that the new unit is extremely reliable and resistant to shock, vibration and humidity that threaten camcorders based on most mobile infrastructure.
The HD camcorder provides many of the functions of Panasonic's shoulder-mount AJ-HDC27 VariCam, including high-quality images, variable frame rates (for fast-speed and slow-speed action), and cine-like color matrix to emulate the look of film. In addition, the AG-HVX200 has a Mini-DV tape-recording capability that allows customers to shoot in 16:9.
