too bad P2 cards are not exactly what i would call ubiquitous.

and (last i checked) about a 400% markup over similar capacity flash cards.

yeah... i understand how they work... seems that just having multiple numbered SDHC card slots on a camera would be much cheaper and more convenient to work with.

@x23: I totally agree with you. SDHC cards are most likely the way to go because it's similar to tapes. Imagine having a MiniDV player that only had 1 tape built in that couldn't be removed. At least with SDHC, when one is full, you can remove it and place another one in and continue filming with minimal interruption.

P2 is not only robust, it is spreading outside the Panasonic family of gear.

Joseph, P2 IS hot swappable too.

They are expensive currently. That is the real shame here.

-JGB

@Joseph:

P2 cards are removable.

The main issue with P2 cards is their outrageous prices. They are robust, reliable and swappable, but prohibitive for most indie producers.

Sony is using SxS media in their new EX pro cameras, similar to P2 but much more affordable and manufactured by SanDisk, which will guarantee lower prices as the technology spreads.

Personally, I am more excited about the new EX cameras than these new offerings from Panasonic.

By the way, the much anticipated RED SCARLET is here!!!!

[www.red.com]

This is the mini version of the critically acclaimed RED ONE, presented last year.
I feel tingly all over!
;-)

@Videas. $20 when we're talking about almost $900 items is a wash. If SxS is going to be "much more affordable" they're gonna have to do better than 2.25%.

Time will tell of course, but for the time being (the only time that matters) SxS being significantly cheaper is hogwash.

A good colleague of mine is planning to get the EX, and I look forward to a good ol' shootout, but in the mean time the HVX and I make sweet sweet video love.

Any word on the actual resolution capabilities of this "fun sized" HVX?

P2 cards=High Priced
PMW-EX1 cards= still high

(Sony SBP-8 8Gb SxS card retails for $400)

(Panasonic AJ-P2C016RG P2 16GB card retails for $900)

Gee..$100 more over Sony pair of 8's.

That Sony PMW-EX1 camera is about $6500.

AG-HPX170 has no price set yet. Guessing $5000-$6500 range to be competitive.

Videas,

You can't talk prohibitive and talk RED in the same sentence... okay, to be fair it wasn't the same sentence.

Don't even look at the Scarlet as an Indie if you are balking at P2 cards.

The price to enter RED is cheap, $3k. The price to use it correctly is -exorbitant.

I've sen amazing indie work done with VHS and crap done with film. Lighting, audio, etcetera makes the movie, not the camera or format.

Once those have been mastered, the camera is fair game.

That said, I'd like to see some experts go head to head with formats and push the heck out of them.

Also, as far as SONY is concerned... always proprietary in their formats. That's a killer, no matter who makes the media for them

JGB

The real problems with them is they're ridiculously expensive because they're a proprietary format that never should have seen the light of day, and the whole point of having them in the first place was to have a format that would be fast enough for real time video capture, yet they're SLOW to transfer from. They dont even hit 17 MB /sec transfer rates which current SSD's (which would have been the logical media format to me for this purpose) trounce all over, and next gen SSD's will laugh at. Its ashame they wanted to make a few extra bucks using an inferior proprietary storage format on otherwise good cameras.

The only problem that I have found with P2 is the workflow.

Comment on Panasonic HPX-170 P2 Camera is Solid State, HD, Handheld ok, let me first start by saying wow! a few of you guys on this post are very misinformed. Let's start with the HPX-170: I went to NAB and put the camera in my hands myself and let's just say that the camera they had there was a mock unit and none of the controls worked. A Panasonic rep said to me that what I was holding in my hand was one step above bolsa wood. So basically we can only get excited about what is on paper. As for some of the specs it will have a lower noise ratio due to the upgraded CCD's with 1/2 stop better light performance. It will support SDI-out and thank god they have got rid of the 4-pin firewire out and opted for the standard 6-pin. The lens looked like a 62-68mm but I did not have a tape measure. New gamma settings and the price will be the same as the HVX-200A. OK let's talk about price P2 cards are a bit overpriced but I don't think by much when you consider the record 100mb sec transfer rate (DVCPRO HD). Pansonic is also re-releasing there 8-gig card at a cheaper price and as soon as the 64-gig card is released in fall of 09 the 32- gig card will drop to around $900. By the way P2 cards are swappable, in fact when two cards are inserted and one fills up footage rolled to the next card and you can hot-swap it out. I've went on and on about Panasonics cameras because I will put an HVX over a EX1 any day of the week. currently Pany's CCD's are better than Sony's CMOS period! there is no comparison. DVCPRO HD is a superior format. If some of you cant afford and HVX or HPX I recommend going to AVCHD with the HMC-150 is the next evolution of the DVX-100 and more in your price range. Also Pany has just released their 32-gig SDHC card that can give you 14hrs of recording time (SD of-course) I think 5hrs at 1080i. As for the RED Scarlet, I can't tell you how excited I am and I know I said CMOS is not a tech I would recommend, but it is a deferent story when it comes to RED. For the guy that said that the Scarlet will be $3000 but everything else will be expensive..... well dude surprise !!! the camera is complete with lens and all, that's what is so amazing a 3k camera for $3000 ready to shoot out of the box. If you are wondering how much the flash cards are...............8-gig RED flash cards currently $199 This is my first time posting on anything and I know I blabbed too much but now that I got it out of my system, I don't think I will do it again. Lamar

Comment on Panasonic HPX-170 P2 Camera is Solid State, HD, Handheld Oh! one more thing, almost every pro editing application PC and MAC support P2 workflow Lamar