The AG-HVX200 is the first camcorder featuring the P2 (professional plug-in) card. It was developed as a recording memory for professional systems. Because the core P2 products use no drive mechanisms they provide superior resistance to impact, vibration and temperature change. There are currently a choice among 4GB and 8GB P2 cards. A 4GB card will record 4 minutes of the highest quality HDTV video, 10 minutes of 720p/24 frame video or up to 16 minutes of standard definition DVCPRO25 or consumer DV video.

Developed specifically for HD recording, the 13x zoom lens system features a 82-mm diameter filter along with 15 lens elements in 11 groups, including three aspherical lenses. The Leica Dicomar lens incorporates advanced Leica optical technology. The use of low-dispersion glass reduces color aberration and increases resolution, while a multi-coating process minimizes flare and ghosting. This results in sharp, crisp, beautifully rendered images with delicate nuances and exceptional shading.

Panasonic’s advanced Optical Image Stabilizer dramatically reduces the blurring caused by hand-shake. Optical processing with an automatic correction function helps assure consistently clear and sharp images.

Each pixel has a large light-receiving area, giving this advanced 1/3- inch progressive CCD the kind of high sensitivity not available in previous compact HD cameras. This advanced CCD combines with a newly developed digital signal processor (DSP) in combination with a very sophisticated offset spatial technology achieves a balance of high resolution and high S/N ratio that rivals HD broadcasting cameras.

The AG-HVX200’s advanced digital signal processor for 1080/60p video signals uses 14-bit A/D conversion and 19-bit inner processing to attain unprecedented accuracy. While the camera does not record 1080/60p, it is from this capture that all other signals are made. 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 helps the AG-HVX200 deliver beautiful images in all video formats.

Using the DVCPRO HD codec recording system, the AG-HVX200 records HD video with outstanding image and audio quality onto a P2 card in file format. This codec, thanks to a low compression ratio at a video bit rate of 100 Mbps (1080/59.94i, 720/59.94p) and the easy-to-edit intraframe compression system, is suitable for recording fast-moving subjects with no motion artifacts other than motion blur. The 4:2:2 sampling rate minimizes jaggies at chroma edges and is advantageous in image and compositing. Sound quality is excellent too, thanks to DVCPRO HD’s uncompressed 16-bit, 4-channel digital audio recording capability.

The AG-HVX200 inherits many of the functions of the popular VariCam which enhanced the production of movies and television programs. It has variable frame rate features that respond to fast and slow action. Its true 24p/30p progressive video, cine-like gamma curves, and cine-like color matrix capture images and scenes with much the same look and feel as footage from a film camera. All controls and system interfaces are designed to meet professional needs.

Drawing on technologies developed for the VariCam, Panasonic has equipped the AG-HVX200 with advanced gamma functions that address eight different shooting scenarios. Included are the Cine-Like Gamma, which gives recordings the characteristic warm tone of film recordings, and a cooler, harder-edge News Gamma that’s designed especially for news gathering.

The AG-HVX200 camcorder offers several functions that would most commonly be found on cameras costing many times its price. It has a cam-driven manual zoom ring, focus ring and aperture dial. It gives access to up to four channels of uncompressed digital audio. It retains a FireWire connection (IEEE 1394) and USB PC interface. The camera also has 2 XLR audio inputs with the Phantom Power option.

The P2 card is a new solid state recording media that Panasonic developed to bridge the gap between information technology and professional video. About the same size as a PC card, the P2 card stores large amounts of video and audio data in MXF-format files. This solid state memory is free of tape related problems such as drop-outs. It provides superior resistance to impact, vibration, and temperature changes. And it is impossible to over-write important data. Unlike tape there is no need to fast-forward or rewind to reach selected points of video. The user selects a thumbnail image and the video clip can be viewed right away. Similarly once the record button is pressed recording starts immediately.