White Paper 034 Addendum 13: Menu settings for Panasonic AK-HC900P and AK-HRP900C Varicam (720/4~60Hz proscan)

Alan Roberts

Abstract

Brief assessment was made on one sample of the camera. It is a 720-lineprogressive variable frame-rate box-camera with separate controller; ithas neither sound nor viewfinder facilities, nor recorder. All menuitems refer to this camera only. Later versions may differ. The cameraappears to be based on the optical and electronic components of theAJ-HDC27F Varicam camcorder.

The camera has 3 ccds, each of 1280x720 pixels. The signal output fromthe camera box is digital only, but the controller has analoguecomponent outputs for monitoring. The output signal frame rate isconstant despite any camera frame rate changes, always running at 60(or 59.94) frames/second. When the camera is set to run at lower framerates, replicated frames are output as needed. Thus, the variable-speedpictures can be monitored using a fixed frame-rate display. A specialhardware/software system is required to extract frames from the tape toreconstruct a sequence of non-replicated frames at 24 per second.Nominal frame rate is 24fps, so the camera can effectively operatebetween 2.5 times (60fps) and 1/6 (4fps) normal speed. If the camera isset to 24fps, then the output signal is effectively performing a ""3:2pull-down"" operation as is normal for film work in 59.94Hz countries.

The camera is small (1.85kg) and is useful mostly for remotelyoperated, single-camera work. It has internal menus for setting theperformance, and two versions of most of them, giving a range ofcombinations that it has been impossible to investigate thoroughly inthe limited time available. The camera cannot be operated at allwithout its controller (remotely, up to 60m by repute), even powersupply (12v dc only) comes via the controller. There are threedistinctly different modes in which it can operate. It is clearlydesigned with the intention of supplanting film, both for televisionand for printing back to film for distribution.

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