Panasonic announces AG-HMC70 Shoulder Mount AVCHD Camcorder

[Chris Hurd]

Some quick and rough snapshots of the AG-HMC70, been sitting on them for awhile -- now finally uploaded: http://www.dvinfo.net/gallery/browseimages.php?c=56

[Randy Johnson]

Chirs,
What did you think of it?

Randy

[John N. Deaver]

I would also like to hear what anyone who has seen this thing in person has to say about it.

the price point is extremely attractive but the no focus/iris/zoom ring is not so attractive.
which one wins?

can this the B cam to the HMC150?

thanks in advance

-john

[Jim Nogueira]

I saw it and tried it out. It had a decent zoom control, XLR Mic/Line switchable audio inputs with phantom power and mic attenuation, fast autofocus, and it records efficiently on SD/SDHC memory cards. I think that it could be a B cam to the HMC150. Unfortunately, Panasonic, while giving the camera great audio control/features, decided to skimp on the manual video control that is essential to anyone using the camera professionally.

[Brian Tori]

How does the camera handle exposure? Is there a menu adjustment or a exposure wheel? Does the lcd monitor display f-stops? Is there adjustable gain?

[John N. Deaver]

Originally Posted by Jim Nogueira

I saw it and tried it out. It had a decent zoom control, XLR Mic/Line switchable audio inputs with phantom power and mic attenuation, fast autofocus, and it records efficiently on SD/SDHC memory cards. I think that it could be a B cam to the HMC150. Unfortunately, Panasonic, while giving the camera great audio control/features, decided to skimp on the manual video control that is essential to anyone using the camera professionally.

Thanks for the info

Even so, a lot of my work is weddings and theater stuff. Right now I'm shooting with a XH-A1 and mixing in stuff shot from my trusty and well worn DVC-30's (which have started to have tape transport problems)

Even though the DVC-30 always made great pictures it looks like *&#!% compared to the canon 1080 cam.

I would jump on another Canon but i like the idea of tapeless workflow (I spent $4,000.00 on tape last year) and i prefer the color reproduction on the Panasonic's.

the HMC 150 will clearly be a better camera but i don't know if i can wait that long, I have a lot of jobs this summer and i can really use an HD replacement for my DVC 30's
I doubt we will see serious availability of the 150 until january

So i guess what I'm asking is if it's a lock down shot at a wide angle (like the back of a wedding hall or theater) do you think The HMC70 will work.


(also my wife shoots with me and she is more comfortable with auto settings)

thanks
John

[Jim Nogueira]

Originally Posted by John N. Deaver

So i guess what I'm asking is if it's a lock down shot at a wide angle (like the back of a wedding hall or theater) do you think The HMC70 will work.


(also my wife shoots with me and she is more comfortable with auto settings)

thanks
John

I saw the camera at the Camera Company show in MA last month. The autofocus did seem to work very well, and the picture quality (albeit judging only by what I saw on the monitor at the Panasonic booth) looked very good. It also felt very comfortable on my shoulder. If I remember correctly, the viewfinder and LCD were OK. The mic looked kind of cheap, but I didn't get to test it out. The camera does have BNC connectors on the back for composite and component out, as well as HDMI output, which was nice.

Note that the camera's CCDs are 1/4" progressive. I don't know how the HMC70 imaging will match with your XH-A1.

Does your editing system handle AVCHD and can you mix it with HDV on the same timeline?

The only way to know for sure if this camera is right for you is to test it out for yourself.

Best, Jim

[Jim Nogueira]

Originally Posted by Brian Tori

How does the camera handle exposure? Is there a menu adjustment or a exposure wheel? Does the lcd monitor display f-stops? Is there adjustable gain?

I'm not sure. I didn't get to explore the menu. I put the camera down after being told by the Panasonic rep that if manual focus was important to me, that I should wait for the HMC150.

Jim

[Ethan Cooper]

Making these cameras without manual focus makes absolutely no sense to me what-so-ever. Anyone hear a good explanation for this?

i prefer the color reproduction on the Panasonic's.

It's nice to hear someone else say this. I've been using Sony's as my personal cameras for years now, but every time I've ever used a Panasonic I just liked how they handle color.

[John N. Deaver]

Originally Posted by Ethan Cooper

Making these cameras without manual focus makes absolutely no sense to me what-so-ever. Anyone hear a good explanation for this?



It's nice to hear someone else say this. I've been using Sony's as my personal cameras for years now, but every time I've ever used a Panasonic I just liked how they handle color.

my dvc30's have an assignable ring which i really like so that would have been my personal choice. However 90% of the time auto focus works for me. the other 10% of the time I'm looking to create an effect, in which case i will use another camera anyway (the canon for now and the hmc 150 when it becomes available)

I'll tell ya, had panasonic not gone P2 I wouldn't have bought the canon. I am considering P2 now but just because the price of memory is falling.

Still by the time i get 2 cameras and enough cards to shoot 8 hours of footage i've spent what like $15,000

If i was working on a film set it would be no problem to offload footage and reuse the card but there isn't a lot of down time at a wedding.

but still, I am spending a lot on tapes ...so.... i'm screwed ether way. (laughing at myself)

later
john

[Brian Tori]

If it doesn't have a focus ring then how does it focus? The pictures show a manual/auto switch on the side.

[John N. Deaver]

Originally Posted by Brian Tori

If it doesn't have a focus ring then how does it focus? The pictures show a manual/auto switch on the side.

i wonder if what we are seeing is pre-production models?

or if the entire lens barrel turns?

it seams like the easiest thing in the world to take the dvc60 (which had a focus ring) chassis and convert it to avchd or the dvc30 for that matter

if they had done this i would be all over this thing like white on rice in a glass of milk on a paper plate in a snowstorm

[Paulo Teixeira]

I also went to that show last month and I came home a little disappointed. First because I found out that the Sony EX1 is a lot harder to hold than a Z1u. Second because I found out that the successor of the XL-H1 was still going to be in the HDV format and third, I was told by a Panasonic rep that because the auto focusing is so good on their camcorders, it doesn’t really need a manual focusing ring especially for a cameras that cheep. I guess that means that the successor of the HSC-1u will not have a ring either.

Here’s Panasonic concept consumer AVCHD camcorder that they showed before the SD1 got released. I’ve posted this picture lots of times to show people that a focusing ring was already planed on their consumer AVCHD camcorders and they decided to scrap it entirely. If that’s not a focusing ring that I’m seeing than I’m wrong but it really does look like one.
http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/av/do...05/ifa6_09.jpg

I started learning video productions at the age of 16 and the director taught me how to properly frame, adjust the exposure, manually white balance, manually focusing, etc. I could tell that a lot of schools will be buying the HMC70 and it’ll be a shame that the students won’t be able to learn all the basics.

[John N. Deaver]

Originally Posted by Paulo Teixeira

I also went to that show last month and I came home a little disappointed. First because I found out that the Sony EX1 is a bit harder to hold than a Z1u. Second because I found out that the successor of the XL-H1 was still going to be in the HDV format and third, I was told by a Panasonic rep that because the auto focusing is so good on their camcorders, it doesn’t really need a manual focusing ring especially for a cameras that cheep. I guess that means that the successor of the HSC-1u will not have a ring either.

Here’s Panasonic concept consumer AVCHD camcorder that they showed before the SD1 got released. I’ve posted this picture lots of times to show people that a focusing ring was already planed on their consumer AVCHD camcorders and they decided to scrap it entirely. If that’s not a focusing ring that I’m seeing than I’m wrong but it really does look like one.
http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/av/do...05/ifa6_09.jpg

I started learning video productions at the age of 16 and the director thought me how to properly frame, adjust the exposure, manually white balance, manually focusing, etc. I could tell that a lot of schools will be buying the HMC70 and it’ll be a shame that the students won’t be able to learn all the basics.

I was a little older (freshmen at the university of montevallo) and we learned on SVHS cameras without a lot of the features my pro cams have now and personaly i think the things that are important to learn aren't the phisical things (focusing and all the other tech stuff) but the mental stuff judgeing composition, and understading how to tell a story in the edit.

as it happens i now also teach broadcasting in a local high school. and the thing i can't get my students to understand is that video production doesn't just happen, it takes a lot of work to see results and that its not all fun and games. they love to run around with a camera and shoot stuff but when it comes to the tedious stuff like loading tape forget it. and don't even get me started on trying to get them to do any kind of preproduction. "why do i gota write a script....we just wanna shoot some stuff"
And when the stuff they did no planning for turns out badly they loose interest and decide it's not worth it.

But....I am way off topic

on the subject of auto focus. you have to admit auto focus is way better than it was 15 years ago. back then we wouldn't dream of letting the camera focus for us. but to be honest with the crappy LCD screen on my cannon, half the time it does a better job than me. (admittedly its about time i got bifocals)

I mostly just ride the iris.
so I'm principally interested in this cameras exposure control

i would love to see it have a +3 +2 +1 0 -1 -2 -3 auto adjustment if you know what i mean

I'm also thinking of hiring some kids from my old college program to shoot low end weddings in my place, a $2,000 camera is a lot easier to trust them with than a $6,000 camera with $4,000 in P2 cards.

thanks and sorry for the ramble
john

[Paulo Teixeira]

What I meant was all the basics of camera operations. I didn’t intend on this sounding like it’s the only thing that should be learned.