Panasonic Broadcast is now providing a free firmware update for new performance enhancements to its AG-HPX300 10-bit, 4:2:2 P2 HD camcorder.
The new firmware update improves CMOS imager performance and compensates for the “flash band” effect that plagues most MOS-based imagers. The update allows the camera to use a specially developed LSI signal process that removes flash artifacts commonly caused by the rolling shutter feature in these imagers. It detects the flash band frame and combines it with the previous unaffected frame image to compensate for divided flash band frames and maintain the natural frame sequence.
The update is available now online. An instructional video covering the flash band compensation improvement as well as shooting techniques for working with skew is available on Panasonic Broadcast’s channel on YouTube channel.
The update will also make the HPX300 compatible with the new E Series P2 cards, reduces noise in 1080/24p and 1080/30p recording modes when using the scene file F3 setting (SCENE SPARK), and adds Dynamic Range Stretch (DRS) functionality when using the slow shutter modes.
Panasonic also announced that a PAL (50Hz) compatibility upgrade is now available for the HPX300 camcorder at an additional cost of $800. For more information or to purchase, e-mail pbtscservice@us.panasonic.com. Eligible HPX300 units must be registered to a U.S.-based customer and have a U.S.-issued serial number.
The AG-HPX300 P2 HD camcorder offers independent frame AVC-Intra recording, variable frame rates and interchangeable lens. The two-slot camera records images in a variety of formats, from master quality AVC-Intra and production quality DVCPRO HD to standard definition DVCPRO50, DVCPRO and DV. Features such as selectable gamma, Chromatic Aberration Compensation (CAC) and Dynamic Range Stretch (DRS) ensure optimum performance.
