Panasonic VXF1 ( 2018 model)

12harry

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FWIW... Seems Pana may have improved the VXF990 - the zoom reaches 24x, but elsewhere I don't see anything very exciting..... for example there appears to be no built-in ND filter and the Iris blades are not mentioned ( AFAIK).... The Dolly-Zoom remains ( for those beach shots when a whale appears) and something like Onion-Skin for animation fans. A new feature appears ( to me) to be dynamic contrast control - as I read it, it attempts to un-contrast images where there is something that's obviously too bright..... I guess it's the same mind-set that gives us HDR, only much more useful . . . but that ( like any "New Feature"), it needs folks to try it for real.

Any downside? Well the supplied battery-capacity appears woeful; since they suggest a recording time with the LCD off ( Eh?), and that isn't impressive - along with the usual dire warning re using anything other than Pana Expensive batteries.
Considering this is about £200 more than the VXF990 . . . . I'm at a loss to see the extra VALUE.
It will record up to 25Mpx stills, although like many Brands they appear obsessed with 8Mpx stills from the 4K content..... does anyone buy 8Mpx Stills cameras these days?

What is particularly annoying is the multi-model pdf they offer . . . so it's very difficult to read the content without having to "skip" bits . . and even then it's far from clear if you missed something important. You'd think by now a pdf could ( no, SHOULD), be smart enough to show only the bits that apply to the one model you have just spent £800 on. It would also help save the planet by saving both INK as well as PAPER.
(( + I hope they provide a printed Manual . . . at this price-point they should. My Sony came with one.)).
. . . . If anyone has bought this VXF1 model, perhaps they can give us the real handling Pro's and Con's.
 
Any downside? Well the supplied battery-capacity appears woeful; since they suggest a recording time with the LCD off ( Eh?), and that isn't impressive - along with the usual dire warning re using anything other than Pana Expensive batteries
This has appeared for all the cameras using the 190 and 380 batteries. I would suggest that a 5V USB source will work as well as on all the other cameras with this battery. If (as I do) you can get a 5V source into the camera, you will not need to buy another battery.

for example there appears to be no built-in ND filter and the Iris blades are not mentioned ( AFAIK)....
This is meant as a consumer cam - no surprise there.:thumbsdow

There seem to be so many more gimmicks stuffed into this camera. It looks to be overloaded with options you might never use.
 
The comparison of the 2 models on the Panasonic site shows a few differences, but nothing to make me consider upgrading my VXF990 to the VXF1
compare - Panasonic UK & Ireland

It has a slightly different CMOS 1/2.5 vs 1/2.3" but lower total megapixels (that must be wrong - 8.57 vs 18.91mp). The zoom is slightly longer, goes wider but not as close at 25-600mm vs 30.8-626mm (24x vs 20x) and better intelligent at 32x vs 25x at 4K. The VXF1 looses the AV output and is slightly bigger (but not by much) & heavier (by 54g).

Mark.
 
The lack of useful new features over the last few years in the Panasonic consumer camcorder range has frustrated me. They're really hobbled these camcorders while their MILC range has kept improving. 10-bit encoding, uncompressed/raw/clean output to HDMI for ext. HQ recording, 444 or 422 colour encoding (better for green screening) instead of just 420, tunable AF parameters, better control of audio, higher LCD resolution, better support of MF, more control over the shape of the Tone Response Curve, the abilty to switch off EIS/OIS in the horiz. direction to suit panning on a tripod. Rather than more of these 2018 video options/features filtering down into their camcorder range, their lack of innovation here seems to point to the marketing decision that what they offer is sufficient for consumer camcorders, and that the market is decreasing and will probably soon disappear, so why waste money on a significant features/chipset/retooling investment. Still not including zebra/histogram on most of the range, (I think they're offered on the to camcorders models), is quite disappointing.

Dan.
 
Thanks for reminding me; Terfyn, I may be forced to use that external power-pack.
Is that 8.9Mpx "during 4K filming" - in effect a still-frame . . . The VXF1 does also offer 25Mpx stills; useful instead of another camera-kit.... except when in "Difficult situations"
The use of a low-contrast image ( like BlackMagics), is fine for arty "Effects" IMHO, but for most folks it just makes Editing a real pain - anyone attempting to balance colour-temps knows this . . . whereas allowing the camcorder to Auto WB gives a degree of standardisation and in the Editor you can apply a "global Correction" ( although this increases Render-times, I've found)... I wasn't aware the VXF1's HDMI-output wasn't at a higher quality ( they are usually) - so with an Atmos Recorder it should give you that ProRes file system and wider colour.....Snag is a 4K Atomos is getting very pricey.

Interestingly, I was discussing a "New Projector" and the consensus is that a new bulb and new HD-model will be far better than spending ~4x as much on a 4K-model . . . Competition appears to be thin on the ground. Some projectors appear to "Upscale" as well - and at least one isn't really 4K...rather it flips the mirrors more-often to give the extra pixels . . . not sure that will catch on . . . but the price means you can show 4K content without having to compress it ( In effect the projector manages to do it for you - although the additional pixels may be useful ).

As with many "new tech" there is a time when the Market will drag; as folks don't want to spend all their cash . . . so they console themselves with existing standards . . . and for many situations HD is perfectly acceptable. Only if you want a 12 ft picture at normal distances will the difference be obvious . . . so elsewhere it may be difficult to justify. It wasn't that long ago our forebears were happy with a clattering Standard 8mm.

Buying a new camcorder "With 4K" does mean you aren't left-behind . . . but most will also offer HD . . so you may benefit from a better-lens and internal circuitry while retaining your existing Editor, Monitor, etc. If you don't see any improvement you do have some extra gismos to play with . . . but these are to be used with care.
The VXF1 has a modest zoom range when that runs out you have to walk.
Stab:
I never switch-off BOSS on my Sony CX410.... which is very good ( Sony claims its BOSS is 13x better than ordinary stab. ).... provided I pan slowly. That isn't a big issue I find and can be speeded-up in EDIT if it's annoying. There is a minor issue when it reaches the end-of-pan but slowing down at the end isn't a bad habit anyway. The Pana system used ( some years ago) a spinning optical disc... so it would be very difficult to restrict this only to Vert correction. That may be the reason now.
Other than BOSS, I don't know how Sony applies correction.

BTW the Sony AX100 camcorder has built-in ND filters (DYOR), and whilst this is pricey, it may suggest some consumers want it.... As do the buyers of the Pan VX2000 (?) Stills camera . . . yet oddly its movie/Audio-features are somewhat poor - seems to me the departments are unsure of their Market needs.....
BUT it's also true the Still-Video divide is almost non-existent . . . and almost anyone with a phone can do either, reasonably competently, - at least on first looking.

MarkE19 - have you used yr VXF990 the Animation-stills - I understand this helps with "table-top animation" as you can use the previous frame for alignment.... It may help in other filmic-modes too. I must admit I was holding-back for built-in ND filters.

Cheers.
 
MarkE19 - have you used yr VXF990 the Animation-stills - I understand this helps with "table-top animation" as you can use the previous frame for alignment.... It may help in other filmic-modes too. I must admit I was holding-back for built-in ND filters.
No, not tried playing with many of the advanced features. I just got the camcorder last year for my honeymoon and for general family parties etc. With 5 children and so far 2 grandchildren it now gets plenty of use :)

Mark.
 

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