New Toys
It's been a busy start to 2012 and we have been busy working on a variety of projects. We have also picked up some really cool new production toys! In December we acquired a brand new Panasonic AG-HPD24PJ master quality recording deck. The purchase enhances our P2 capabilities and gives us a way to record AVC-Intra 100 master quality files from our Panasonic HMX100 switcher. The deck holds two P2 cards and can run off of AC or the same D54 batteries that power our smaller P2 cameras. We were very impressed with the deck's half-rack size and it is very light, making it easy to carry out into the field.
We have also added a Panasonic HPX250 camera to our growing inventory. The camera matches beautifully with our HPX500 and HPX170 cameras. The new 250 also gives us the ability to record AVC-Intra as well as DVCPRO HD. When we tested the HPX250 in December we put it side-by-side with our other cameras and were blown away by the picture quality. The camera also has a powerful 22x lens. Since we require servo lenses on many shoots, this was a great addition. If you have not looked at the 250, definitely check it out. It's the 370's little brother. Both cameras share the same chip and high resolution LCD screen. The camera is larger than the 170 and the HVX 200. We added the shotgun mic from Audio Technica and the windscreen from K-Tek. We are currently using this camera with our Sachtler FSB 6 tripod.
Our third new toy is the CobraCrane II. I've worked with many jibs (Jony, PortaJib, 7 Jib, etc) and I am very impressed with the CobraCrane II. First off, it's very easy to set up and it can be set up with just one person. We have been mounting it to our Sachtler 18 head. The jib is not huge, but a great size to get some nice camera movement. It easily fits into small spaces. We did not purchase the extension kit, but will likely in the near future. We really just wanted to get it in house and kick the tires, so to speak. Give us a shout if you'd like to check out our new tools to help out on your next production.
