Frequently Asked Questions

What are the differences between AG-HPX500 and other P2-based camcorders such as AG-HVX200 or AJ-HPX2100?

The P2 system feature is about the same as that of AG-HVX200. As a video camera however, it has numerous differences as follows:

(1) Comes with four P2 slots
(2) Features 2/3" x 3CCD
(3) 2/3" Bayonet-type lens replacement feature enables use of many professional lenses
(4) Compatible with 16 bit/48 kHz/4 ch digital audio
(5) Uses 12v professional battery
(6) Equipped with HD-SDI output terminal (embedded audio)
(7) TC in/out (BNC) ready
(8) GENLOCK in (BNC) ready
(9) Video out (SD/BNC) ready
(10) Has IEEE1394 port (6-pin), as well as USB2.0 (type B) port

* AJ-HPX2100 is designed for use in professional broadcasting productions; it does not feature special shooting modes such as variable frame rate capturing.

Is the Menu screen of AG-HPX500 different from that of AG-HVX200?

AG-HPX500 has a menu similar to the one in AG-HVX200, with additional lens set-up, battery replacement set-up, and other menu to support this professional camcorder.

Which lenses can be used with AG-HPX500?
What are the differences between those lenses and others?

Almost any 2/3" bayonet-type lens can be used with AG-HPX500.
In addition, AG-HPX500 comes equipped with Chromatic Aberration Compensation (CAC) to adjust chromatic aberration pertinent to any lens, in combination with use of recommended lenses.

With CAC, the camcorder automatically adjusts the registration error introduced by chromatic aberration of the lens, to minimize color bleeding on the outline of each image. The following lenses are compatible with the camcorder's CAC function.

Canon (three versions):   Fujinon (two versions):
• KJ10ex4.5B IRSD PS12     • XA17x7.6BERM-M58B
• KJ16ex7.7B IRSD PS12   • XA17x7.6BRM-M58B
• KJ21ex7.6B IRSD PS12  

* These are available as of February, 2007; more CAC-compatible lenses will be added in the list later.

Can I use other 2/3" lenses that are not mentioned in the list of recommended HD lenses?
What problems should I expect upon using SD (standard definition) 2/3" lenses?

Yes, you can.
However, you may not be able to obtain true HD quality images using a SD lens, due to the lens' characteristics.

What accessories are included with shipment of AG-HPX500?

The following three items are included:
 • 1.5" Viewfinder (4:3 CRT, NTSC/PAL switchable)
 • Shoulder strap,
 • P2 card driver software (CD-ROM )

Can I use an optional HD compatible viewfinder (such as AJ-HVF21G), to confirm the HD picture quality?

It is possible, but the displayed resolution will be converted to SD. A better way to verify the HD picture quality is to use an external HD monitor (such as BT-LH900A, BT-LH80W, and BT-LH1700W) to display HD signals via HD-SDI or analog component output terminal.

What can be set up under LENS SETUP in CAMERA MENU?

The following lens functions can be set up:
 • Shading parameter of the lens
 • CAC data
 • Verifying/adjusting the IRIS parameter

Is the ON/OFF maneuvering of three special shooting modes (interval shot, one shot, loop) under REC FUNCTION the same as that of AG-HVX200?

Both AG-HVX500 and AG-HVX200 share the same basic operation procedures. Set up each recording mode in the recording configuration first, then you can start recording. To start interval recording, use the trigger REC switch. To stop recording, use ■. Both Loop REC and oneshot modes utilize the trigger REC switch to start/stop recording.

While loop recording with AG-HPX500, how many P2 cards can be specified within the "recording range"?

You can set up Loop REC with more than two P2 cards.
With AG-HPX500, the number of P2 cards can be specified from 2 to 4.

In a situation where two AG-HPX500s are in use, or when more than two P2 cameras, such as AG-HVX200s, are featured in the studio, can I take one P2 card and used in more than one camera? If such maneuvering is possible, is there a way to identify which data is captured with which camera, after capturing is done?

It is possible. Use P2Viewer to identify the camera used for each data. Each video clip is organized with information regarding type of camera used, serial number, as well as card number.

Note that P2Viewer is software designed to run on Windows OS; it won't run on Mac OS. Instead, you can use P2 LOG, as well as Final Cut Pro, to verify data.

* If you own a MacPro and other Windows-compatible Mac, use BootCamp to install Windows on the Mac CPU, and run P2Viewer on it.






If I have several P2 cards with data stored using AG-HVX500, then put the cards into AG-HVX200 to NLE capture, what will happen to the data?

Since P2 cards are treated as external drives, you can capture data with AG-HVX200 in a similar manner. A data in a card is recognized as one file; if you have a large file spanned over three or more cards (spanned file), you can first NLE capture all required segments, then arrange them correctly so that the data can be treated as a set of sequenced video data.

I was using AG-HPX500 in a session with its slots fully loaded with four P2 cards. The card in slot 1 was apparently full, and the card in slot 2 was filled up halfway. When I switched to 24pN mode, it went back to slot 1 card to record a little, then moved on to record on the third card. Why did such thing happen? Is there a way to prevent such anomaly, to set up the unit to record from card 1, 2, 3, then 4, in an orderly manner? How can I set it up?

In the case above, if the first card is filled up, then switched onto the next card, such anomaly should not occur. Even if the card in slot 1 is not completely filled, the camera may determine that the space in the first card is not sufficient to continue writing onto the medium. In such case, the data will be automatically recorded onto the next card. However, if the camera determines that enough space is found on slot 1 card, due to the switching of REC mode, it may occasionally try to write on the remainder of the space left on the first card.

Since the camera follows certain algorithm to determine which card to record on, it is basically recorded "in an orderly manner". Insert each card slowly from slot 1 to slot 4, and recording should start from slot 1 on, as preferred.

Since recording condition can change from time to time, AG-HPX500 is controlled by the P2 system so that even if the power is shut down, when the power is back on it will try appending data onto the card lastly used.
Additionally, if all slots are not occupied, or if data cannot be written on the card any more, then the system will try recording onto another card.
(When the first card is NOT inserted to slot 1, the system will recognize it as the "first card" and start writing data on it, not the second card inserted into slot 1 later.) You can however select the slot to initiate recording.
The same system is featured in AG-HVX200, but you can force the camera to start recording on slot 1 or slot 2 by assigning SLOT SEL function to USER button.

How is the captured video data stored in the P2 card?
How should I back up data on the card?

P2 card contains a folder "CONTENTS" and a file named "LASTCLIP.txt". Within the structure, video data is stored as MXF file.

To back up data onto a hard drive using OS, first create a folder, and then copy everything on the card into the newly created folder, including "CONTENTS" and "LASTCLIP.txt". Do not change the folder name "CONTENTS". If you wish to back up more than two P2 cards, you must create named folders for each, then copy data.

If you utilize tools such as P2Viewer, you can bundle many cards into one single folder, or copy selected video clips.

Note 1: When naming each folder, use number scheme such as 001, 002, ... to help clarify the order of recording.

Note 2: When using Apple Final Cut Pro, you cannot select an MXF file in CONTENTS directly to import video data.



 • From pulldown menu, select:
 • File -> Import -> Panasonic P2... then,
 • From Import screen, add folder to
 • select card or folder.


If more than five P2 cards (i.e., more than the number of slots available) are used while recording extensively with AG-HPX500, can I insert those cards at random, and expect the system to recognize the session as one single file at the moment of NLE capturing?

It will not be recognized as one single file. To order them correctly, you will need to sort them by timecode information. A better way of managing this procedure will be to gather all P2 data onto an external hard drive first. Upon accessing the hard drive via NLE, all segments of the spanned file should be visible; you can then capture it as one single file.

When I tried to capture P2 data using Apple Final Cut Pro, a couple of files where the 'span' appears were indicated as "Incomplete". What does it mean?
Playing back of the file gives no problem otherwise.

Upon capturing contents of P2 card via FCP, the software marks the spanned clip (i.e., a video data with segments spanned across numbers of cards) as "Incomplete" if all file segments are not visible at the moment of capturing. If the entire spanned clip is visible, it will be marked as "Span", a single file.