The Panasonic HVX is a very rugged, easy-to-use camera that allows users to cheaply record beautiful images and video.
The Panasonic HVX200 is a popular prosumer (between consumer and professional-level) high-definition video camera, commonly used in shoots for television and web videos. It is the HD descendant of Panasonic's DVX-100A and DVX-100B standard-definition video cameras. The camera is designed for ease-of-use, so using it properly is necessary for professional purposes. A skilled camera operator can make a decent living using the HVX200.
Instructions
1. Charge the battery by inserting the battery into the battery charger and plugging it into an electrical wall outlet. The battery charger will indicate that the battery is fully charged by illuminating the green light on the front of the charger.
2. Insert the battery into the back of the camera with the battery contacts facing down until it clicks into place.
3. Insert the P2 card into the P2 card slot on the back of the camera. The electrical contacts of the P2 card must be facing towards the camera, and the label on the P2 card should be facing up. Make sure the "write-protect" slot on the card is set to "Off" (the card will reveal an orange stripe if it is write-protected).
4. Turn the thumb-switch on the back of the camera to the "On" position. Press the "Open" button on the left side of the camera to pop out the LCD screen. You should be able to see a live preview of what the camera is capturing.
5. Set the switch on the left of your camera by the lens to "Manual." This will allow you to manually focus the lens by turning the focal ring at the front of the camera left or right. Turning it left makes objects further away come into view. Turning it right makes closer objects come into view.
6. Set the shutter speed to capture video at the desired speed by clicking the Shutter speed '+' or '-' button on the left of the camera, by the LCD screen. A fast shutter 1/240 is good for shooting slow-motion footage and requires a lot of light, and a slow shutter such as 1/8 is good for shooting in low light or for making blurry effects. 1/60 is the most common shutter setting used in video.
7. Set the Iris by turning the f-stop wheel at the front of your camera towards the bottom. A low f-stop such as f/1.2 or f/2 is ideal for low-light situations, and it will also create a shallow depth-of-field (making the background blurry). A high f-stop, such as f/12 is good for outdoor situations with a lot of light. You may also want to turn on the Neutral-density filter located towards the front of the camera on the left to further limit the amount of light that hits the lens if shooting in full sun.
8. Decide your shooting format by clicking the menu button on the top of the camera. Navigate using the arrows to "Shooting Settings," and decide your shooting format. Your options are 720p/30i, 720p/60i, 620 x 480, 1080i/30i, 1080i/24p, and 1080i/60i. Television is often shot in 1080i/24p to replicate a "film-type" look.
9. Press the red button at the back of the camera to record a shot when you have the camera set to shoot as you want it. Press the red button again to stop recording.
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