The AG-DVX200, AG-AF100, AG-AC130, AG-AC160, AG-HPX250 and AG-HPX370 are cameras that all have a similar menu structure that is unique among the Panasonic line of cameras because each of these cameras allows the operator to choose one of six scene files, also referred to as "looks."
The cameras are capable of loading up a collective package of six different scene files (or looks) at once. The files that you download from this site will be a complete package of six scene files. If you download all three packages, you will have all 18 scene files available.
To change a look, you must change the scene file's parameters for tone and color. Panasonic has done that for you by creating many different scene files for each of these cameras.
There are 18 scene files for these cameras, available in three packages (EFFECTS, FILMIC, and STYLES). Each file contains six scene files that change with the rotation of the scene file dial on the rear of the camera (F1-F6) or, in the case of the AF100, by changing the FILE SELECT menu item in the SCENE FILE menu.
Many of the scene files have color spaces that are not "legal" by standard-definition NTSC standards. This is because the colors are oversaturated. Because HD has no such "legal" limits, these colors can be captured by the camera but will be clipped in when used for an NTSC transmission. However, they are useful when used in HD display or in a filmout. Nevertheless, it must be understood that oversaturation produces a diminished sense of form in the oversaturated colors that tend to emphasize a graphic or 2D effect on the image consistent with the flattening of the three-dimensional form. These effects are further enhanced or diminished by lighting choices on the set.
To get the most out of these scene files, you should set your camera up to take advantage of all the customization that has been done in them. That means you should set your white balance switch to manual Ach or Bch, set the iris to auto, and set the shutter speed to SYNCRO SCAN (when changing the shutter speed, the SYNCRO SCAN is the shutter speed located between the fastest and slowest shutter speeds. For example, the normal shutter speeds on your camera might be 1/24, 1/60, 1/120, 1/250, 1/500, and 1/1000. If you go past 1/1000, you might encounter something like 1/48.0, and then if you go one more step you'll see that the shutter speed wraps around to 1/24. That shutter speed inbetween the fastest (1/1000) and slowest (1/24) is the SYNCRO SCAN shutter speed. It always has a decimal point in it (whether it's displaying fractions such as 1/48.0, or degrees such as 144.0d, there will be a decimal point). To get the most from the scene files, you want to set your camera to the syncro scan shutter speed.
These scene files take advantage of the white balance shifting possible in the COLOR TEMP menu settings (especially for scene files like HOT and COLD and NIGHT), and those color shifts are only possible when the camera is on manual white balance (meaning you shouldn't use the preset 3.2k or 5.6k, you should use the manual A or B channels). The scene files also sometimes rely on overexposure or underexposure to create the look, and that means they rely on the A.IRIS LEVEL menu item to bias the camera's exposure. You can of course put the camera in manual iris to create your final shot, but using auto-iris to review the shot will let you create looks that most match the sample pictures included with these scene files.
Some of the scene files use the DRS function - especially Super8 and Stark. The DRS function behaves differently on the HPX250 & HPX370 than it does on the AF100/AC130/AC160. As such, those scene files simply aren't going to look exactly the same between cameras. The other scene files will look very similar and you can match cameras well when using same-named scene files, but be aware that an HPX250 or HPX370 isn't going to match up to an AF100 or AC130 or AC160 in the scene files that use DRS (especially Super8 and Stark). On some of the cameras, the status of DRS is encoded right in the scene file; in the other cameras, you have to manually switch DRS on and off to see the effect. Plus, be aware that on some of the cameras, DRS is not available with all frame rates; some cameras limit DRS to only being active when shooting 60i or 60p.
To change the scene files in your camera please follow these steps.