Scene files for Panasonic pro cameras

Panasonic users can change the look of the images captured by their P2 HD and AVCCAM HD camcorder using freely downloadable scene files from the company’s website.

The files can change lots of aspects of how a camera performs, from different frame rate to wide-ranging changes in the colour correction matrix and gamma used to specific create looks without having to manually change individual parameters or experiment to get the look you want. Panasonic’s selection of customized scene files each contain a unique look that can be stored in the camera or read from the camera's built-in SD Memory Card slot.

The latest files available are 18 for each of the following cameras: the AG-AC130 and AG-AC160 AVCCAM HD handhelds; the AG-HPX250 P2 HD handheld; the AG-AF100/AF101 large sensor HD cinema camera; and the AG-HPX370 (pictured above) and AJ-HPX3100 P2 HD shoulder-mount camcorders.

The 18 files come in three packages (styles, filmic, effects), each containing six files per download – except for the AJ-HPX3100, for which the files must be downloaded individually. If you have an AF101, you apparently have to change the camera name to AF101E in each of the three styles text entry (according to a comment on Creative Cow) - something similar might also apply to other variants, like the HPX371.

The Styles package includes: Clean, Portrait, Rich, SoftB (similar to using a black diffusion filter), SoftW (like a white diffusion filter), and Stylin (a bright, punchy look).

The Filmic package, for the film look, includes: Comedy, Drama (darker, grittier, more contrast), Hollywood, Super8, Flat (for grading in post), and Stark (for that Iron Man look… sorry, no, apparently for a highly stylized, brighter, more contrasty, washed out look, so more ‘Tony Stark’ than ‘Iron Man’).

The Effects package includes: DSLR, Ghosty (green and blue), Cold (blue), Night (darker blue), Hot (dusty), and Boost (for shooting in low light).

You’ll also find scene files for other Panasonic cameras on the page: with 33 for the AJ-HPX2700, AJ-HPX3700 and AJ-HPX3000; 31 scene files for the AJ-HPX2000; 16 for the AG-HPX500; 18 for the AG-HPX170 and AG-HPX300; and 20 for the venerable AG-HVX200/HVX200A.

Remember the HVX200 - It's good to see Panasonic still does...

By David Fox