Panasonic AG-AC8

[Allan Barnwell]

Announced at #ibc2013

NEW Panasonic AG-AC8 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

[Tom Van den Berghe]

just now discoverd this camcorder. I have the "new" JVC GY-HM70. Simulair in price like this one.
The JVC has a very sharp image in good light but in lower light the picture soften too much.

The position of th LCD is better on the panasonic. If the low light is better on the panasonic I'm gonna sell my JVC I think.

[Tom Van den Berghe]

the AG-AC8 will not use the BSI sensor found in the AG-AC90 or HC-X920 but will use the newer
1/4.5 type 4.14M S-FSI sensor.

Here is a video showing the difference between BSI and smart FSI Sensor.

SmartFSI(R)?CMOS Image Sensor - [Panasonic] - YouTube

The AG-AC8 has a small 1/4.5 sensor but with new technology. Maybe it will be good in low light?

[Phil Goetz]

That X920 from Panasonic with the three 1/2 sensors seems awesome. We saw it at the consumer electronics show and thought the only three 1/2 sensor cameras were made by Sony. We did a JVC HM70 test a couple months back:

JVC GY-HM70 - YouTube

[Bernd Eller]

Originally Posted by Phil Goetz

That X920 from Panasonic with the three 1/2 sensors seems awesome. We...thought the only three 1/2 sensor cameras were made by Sony.

Don't get fooled by the Panasonic advertising language. They claim to have three 1/2.3" sensors in this small camera and I assume this is true, but really in use is a much smaller part of the sensors only. Check the focal lengths and the crop factor for example and you will see that they are identical with the specs of the predecessors of the X920, and these cameras had 1/4.1" sensors. Even the pixel count of the X920 is giving away the trick: 12.7 MP total per sensor, but effective only 2.8 MP! So 1/4.1" is the sensor size which is available in the X920. It's definitely not really a 3 x 1/2.3" camcorder and no competition for a Sony PMW-200.

BTW, Panasonic played the same game with the AG-AC90. Here in Germany we got the official information from the Panasonic Product Manager that the AC90 has 1/2.3" sensors, but the effective size is 1/4.7". And unfortunately the effective size is the only specification that counts.

[Tom Van den Berghe]

Bernd,

very interesting to now that information about the X920!
But what do you think about the information about the AG-AC8?

1/4.5 type 4.14M S-FSI

Does this says anything?

[Bernd Eller]

Originally Posted by Tom Van den Berghe

But what do you think about the information about the AG-AC8?

Well, the AC8 is not a kind of camcorder I am interested in, so I am not familiar enough with it to comment. The specs are very similar to the HC-V720, though, so I guess it's a similar picture quality in a larger camera body, but that's speculation.

[Tom Van den Berghe]

found this

Panasonic Full-HD Camcorder HC-MDH2 - YouTube

MDH2 is India /Japan.. AG-AC8 is Europe/America ?

but

MDH2 has 1/2.33" High Sensitivity MOS Sensor
AG-AC8 has 1/4.5 type 4.14M S-FSI

maybe the same story like the AG-AC90 and the HC-X920 ?

[Phil Goetz]

Watched the video. Illuminating LED ring? Wow.

[Mike Beckett]

I often wonder why these entry level systems must have "PRO HD" in giant letters on the side, nothing makes a camera less "pro" looking than that!

Also, these marketing videos tend to be a bit fake. The samples of stabilization on/off seem to be the same shot with software stabilization, and the sensitivity shot is the same.

Mind you, reliable media is always a good thing on any camera...

[Matt Thomas]

Did anyone purchase the AG-AC8, Looking into purchasing a couple but not seen that much footage.

[Yekta Ağaoğlu]

but
MDH2 has 1/2.33" High Sensitivity MOS Sensor
AG-AC8 has 1/4.5 type 4.14M S-FSI

how can it be possible? the lenses are same also the sensors should be the same. otherwise the image circle of lens can not cover the 1/2.33" sensor size. By the way 1/2.33" sensor should better sensitivity than 1/4.5" type. I think it is a wrong information about specs of mdh2.

[Jack Walsh]

Very interesting, and confusing!
They list both cameras at B&H, but have totally different sensor specs and explanations in the blurb.
I just ordered the PAL version, MDH2, wiill see how it goes in low light, compared to my 600Ds.