Using Ag-Hmc40 in Europe ? at DVinfo.net

Dragomir Stoyanov · July 11th, 2010, 06:12 PM

Hello everyone.I'm considering buying new camera and the thing is that now i'm in US and as you know here the cameras are a lot cheaper.I saw on b&h the pal versions of some cameras and most of them are 1/3 most expensive.Hmc42 is about 2800$ while Hmc40 is under 2000$ .. i don't understand why thou :( Anyway .. My budget is around 2000$ and after reading some reviews and forums i'v came to this camera.Most of the reviews said that the camera is amazing in good light situations.Well for that price and the 1/4 chip i don't think that the camera will be that amazing in low light, but i don't need that anyway.The other camera that i was thinking of buying was the Sony Fx7 but i think that the panasonic is the better deal, but if you don't think so please share your opinions.My criteria for a good camera are vivid, crisp images and some options for the so called "film look" The HMC40 has 24p mode as some cinegama modes ( please share your opinion about these options) Are they usefull at all or it's just a marketing trick.With the camera i buy i'll most likely want to achieve that "film look" which i know is impossible to be as good as filming with a real film camera which however is not an option as you need hell a lot of money.Any other options for cameras are welcome ofc.Sorry for the long post, but i wanted to explain all my needs and don't wanna go wrong with the choice :) Thank you all!

Graham Hickling · July 11th, 2010, 08:47 PM

Last year I sold my FX7, which I liked a lot, and bought an HMC40. Very happy with the decision.

By far the biggest consideration is movthe FX7's tape-and-firewire based HDV workflow versus the HMC's SD-card based AVCHD workflow. Downloading fast from SD cards is great, but for an enjoyable editing experience you'll then need to have either a way-fast computer ($$$) and/or transcode to an easier-to-edit format using Cineform or similar ($$).

Personally I'm not particularly interested in the 24P film-look -- in fact if that's a priority you should consider the VDSLR route for the more filmic Depth of Field, which you will not get with the HHC40s 1/4" chips. But I really enjoyed kicking interlaced footage to the curb - I mainly use the 720P60 mode these days. The FX7 gives you no progressive framerate options.

The HMC40 also has powerful scene-file capability for manipulating the 'look' of your footage in-camera. That was not a factor in my original decision, as I figured the look is adjustable in post, but I'm finding I'm making increasing use of it.

One other thing .... while you are spending money ... consider buying a $150 Panasonic BluRay player with the SD card option. You can pull the card from you camera a play in directly on your HDTV, to evaluate the raw footage before editing. You can also burn your short (20-30min) edited AVCHD clips to normal red-laser DVDs and save buying BluRay writable disks an burner.

By the way, are the European HMC42s just PAL, or are they dual PAL and NTSC like the HMC151s? (A dual system would be worth paying for, IMHO).

Mike Beckett · July 12th, 2010, 03:03 AM

We have the HMC-41 in Europe, and it is PAL only. It just has the 25p, 50p and 50i modes.

From what I can tell, the NTSC version (HMC40) doesn't have the PAL modes, so you'd be stuck with 30p, 60i, 60p - which isn't much use for us.

If you can get a good price, the JVC HM100 has both PAL and NTSC modes, but it is more expensive at around $2700. It does come with XLR audio as standard, whereas the HMC40/41/42 needs an optional XLR module for around $300.

I came from the Sony V1 ("pro" version of the FX7, but the same imaging components) and it can't hold a candle to the HMC41. The FX7/V1 is quite old technology now the HMC40 pictures blow the Sony's away. The only thing I miss from the V1/FX7 is the built-in manual ND filters.

I really wouldn't buy an FX7 today, when you could get a sub-$1000 palmcorder with better quality pictures.

Dragomir Stoyanov · July 12th, 2010, 08:35 PM

Ty for your answers.Now it's even more clearer to me that i won't buy the Sony :) I want to keep my budget around 2000$ and the JVC is not really an option and i don't rly like it.It has build in XLR but other than that i think the panasonic will be better for me.I'v been searching and came buy to Ag-Hmc41 which in one site was 2300$ and it's more to my budget.I'm still wondering if there is any other option in this price range.Let's say 2000-2300$

Graham Hickling · July 12th, 2010, 11:36 PM

Pimp my Canon 7d: Road testing the latest Video DSLR | Philip Bloom

Dragomir Stoyanov · July 16th, 2010, 09:00 PM

I'v tried Canon 550d and while it produces a rly nice video it's rally a camera i don't want to use everyday.The dof can be achieved with a 35mm adapter i think, so it really comes to a very good camera in low light situations.

July 11th, 2010, 06:12 PM	#1
Dragomir Stoyanov Tourist Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Blagoevgrad , Bulgaria Posts: 3	Using Ag-Hmc40 in Europe ? Hello everyone.I'm considering buying new camera and the thing is that now i'm in US and as you know here the cameras are a lot cheaper.I saw on b&h the pal versions of some cameras and most of them are 1/3 most expensive.Hmc42 is about 2800$ while Hmc40 is under 2000$ .. i don't understand why thou :( Anyway .. My budget is around 2000$ and after reading some reviews and forums i'v came to this camera.Most of the reviews said that the camera is amazing in good light situations.Well for that price and the 1/4 chip i don't think that the camera will be that amazing in low light, but i don't need that anyway.The other camera that i was thinking of buying was the Sony Fx7 but i think that the panasonic is the better deal, but if you don't think so please share your opinions.My criteria for a good camera are vivid, crisp images and some options for the so called "film look" The HMC40 has 24p mode as some cinegama modes ( please share your opinion about these options) Are they usefull at all or it's just a marketing trick.With the camera i buy i'll most likely want to achieve that "film look" which i know is impossible to be as good as filming with a real film camera which however is not an option as you need hell a lot of money.Any other options for cameras are welcome ofc.Sorry for the long post, but i wanted to explain all my needs and don't wanna go wrong with the choice :) Thank you all!

July 12th, 2010, 08:35 PM	#4
Dragomir Stoyanov Tourist Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Blagoevgrad , Bulgaria Posts: 3	Thx Ty for your answers.Now it's even more clearer to me that i won't buy the Sony :) I want to keep my budget around 2000$ and the JVC is not really an option and i don't rly like it.It has build in XLR but other than that i think the panasonic will be better for me.I'v been searching and came buy to Ag-Hmc41 which in one site was 2300$ and it's more to my budget.I'm still wondering if there is any other option in this price range.Let's say 2000-2300$

July 11th, 2010, 08:47 PM	#2
Graham Hickling Trustee Join Date: May 2004 Location: Knoxville, Tennessee Posts: 1,669	Last year I sold my FX7, which I liked a lot, and bought an HMC40. Very happy with the decision. By far the biggest consideration is movthe FX7's tape-and-firewire based HDV workflow versus the HMC's SD-card based AVCHD workflow. Downloading fast from SD cards is great, but for an enjoyable editing experience you'll then need to have either a way-fast computer ($$$) and/or transcode to an easier-to-edit format using Cineform or similar ($$). Personally I'm not particularly interested in the 24P film-look -- in fact if that's a priority you should consider the VDSLR route for the more filmic Depth of Field, which you will not get with the HHC40s 1/4" chips. But I really enjoyed kicking interlaced footage to the curb - I mainly use the 720P60 mode these days. The FX7 gives you no progressive framerate options. The HMC40 also has powerful scene-file capability for manipulating the 'look' of your footage in-camera. That was not a factor in my original decision, as I figured the look is adjustable in post, but I'm finding I'm making increasing use of it. One other thing .... while you are spending money ... consider buying a $150 Panasonic BluRay player with the SD card option. You can pull the card from you camera a play in directly on your HDTV, to evaluate the raw footage before editing. You can also burn your short (20-30min) edited AVCHD clips to normal red-laser DVDs and save buying BluRay writable disks an burner. By the way, are the European HMC42s just PAL, or are they dual PAL and NTSC like the HMC151s? (A dual system would be worth paying for, IMHO).

July 12th, 2010, 03:03 AM	#3
Mike Beckett Trustee Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Antrim, Northern Ireland Posts: 1,569	We have the HMC-41 in Europe, and it is PAL only. It just has the 25p, 50p and 50i modes. From what I can tell, the NTSC version (HMC40) doesn't have the PAL modes, so you'd be stuck with 30p, 60i, 60p - which isn't much use for us. If you can get a good price, the JVC HM100 has both PAL and NTSC modes, but it is more expensive at around $2700. It does come with XLR audio as standard, whereas the HMC40/41/42 needs an optional XLR module for around $300. I came from the Sony V1 ("pro" version of the FX7, but the same imaging components) and it can't hold a candle to the HMC41. The FX7/V1 is quite old technology now the HMC40 pictures blow the Sony's away. The only thing I miss from the V1/FX7 is the built-in manual ND filters. I really wouldn't buy an FX7 today, when you could get a sub-$1000 palmcorder with better quality pictures.

July 12th, 2010, 11:36 PM	#5
Graham Hickling Trustee Join Date: May 2004 Location: Knoxville, Tennessee Posts: 1,669	Pimp my Canon 7d: Road testing the latest Video DSLR \| Philip Bloom

July 16th, 2010, 09:00 PM	#6
Dragomir Stoyanov Tourist Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Blagoevgrad , Bulgaria Posts: 3	I'v tried Canon 550d and while it produces a rly nice video it's rally a camera i don't want to use everyday.The dof can be achieved with a 35mm adapter i think, so it really comes to a very good camera in low light situations.