The Panasonic TM900 Users Thread

[Chris Hurd]

Just a note, I'm not about to lock this thread or anything, but please make sure that any further additions to this discussion are actually about the TM900 itself (now long since discontinued). If I can find the time, I'll try to peel out all of the X900 posts and put them into their own topic, and perhaps the time is right for a forum dedicated to these little cams. For now though, please, if it ain't about the old TM900, then choose another thread or start a new one -- thanks a bunch for understanding!

[Roger Shealy]

Hey, when you guys are shooting with the TM900 (and probably the other newer models...) and you have locked down several variables in manual, say white balance and shutter, and then you want to return one or more variables back to automatic - what's the best way you've found to do that and interupt shooting the least?

[Guy Caplin]

Can I take issue with Chris. Since the XM 900 and, from first reports at CES, the XM 920, have fundamentally the same features, I would endorse keeping all this invaluable information on the practical usage of these great camcorders together on the same thread. Although the Panasonic AG-AC90 uses the same chip configuration and processing, I would not add it to this thread, as the control and operation of this camcorder are quite different.

Incidentally, I recently did a professional shoot using a Canon XF305 for the close-ups and my TM 900 as a cover wide shot. Other than a slight colour tweak in post, the cameras matched very well even though one cost ten times as much as the other.

[Tom Hardwick]

I too pair my tiny SD900 with my Sony NX5 on professional shoots and often the 900 outperforms the seven times more expensive Sony. To be fair the 900 shoots native 1920x1080 whereas the NX5 is shooting about half that in its quest to get better low-light performance, and generally I'm handholding the NX5 with megaOIS turned on, losing me even more resolution.

tom.

[Al Bergstein]

Originally Posted by Guy Caplin

Incidentally, I recently did a professional shoot using a Canon XF305 for the close-ups and my TM 900 as a cover wide shot. Other than a slight colour tweak in post, the cameras matched very well even though one cost ten times as much as the other.

I have also. If it is well lit, it's not a bad b cam.

[Roger Shealy]

We use the TM900 with 7D all the time. Sometimes the hues are a little different and hard to match perfectly, but they work together great.

[Alastair Traill]

Trimming long MTS clips before storage: -

I have an interest in natural history and use an EX3 and/or a Panasonic TM 900 to obtain my material. As my subject matter can be unpredictable my takes are often very long and need trimming before being added to a library of sorts. Sony provide ‘Content Browser’ that makes selecting desired sections from a long EX3 take very quick and very easy.

Is there a similar program with which I could do the same for my Panasonics MTS files?

[Peter Riding]

The HD Writer software which came with your TM900 can do this.

You do need all the original files that the TM900 created though in order for HD Writer to deal with it.

It is very straightforward to trim off the start and the end - see the help files. If you want to make multiple cuts part way through and have each as a separate file I think you will have to run it through the process several times though.

It is all non-destructive, does not involve rendering, and is quick.

Pete

[Alastair Traill]

Thanks Pete,

Sounds good but when I read up on HD writerI got the impression it was Windows based only and I am on an iMac. I will investigate using HD writer with Bootcamp.

[Guy Caplin]

AlastaIr you might find that the internal trimming function in the camcorder itself would suit your purpose. The function is not particularly well documented in the manual but I have found it intuitively easy to use. I have been cutting off long leads into action by dividing the original clip into two separate clips and then deleting the unwanted section. This saves memory on the recording card and cuts copying time into the editing system.

[Alastair Traill]

Thanks Guy,

I have used the camera's edit function to eliminate unwanted material and it is a handy feature to have. However in a long natural project I tend to accumulate a lot of similar material and it is not easy to pick the most important clips on the small screen.

I had a look at HDWriter but did not like idea of its apparent inability to import a clip more than once. At the moment I am using Edius for trim and sub-clips and it looking promising.

[Fariz Abasov]

Hi there, i'm using TM900 for 2 years and i'm very happy with this camera. Made hundreds of videos. The only problem is - the microphone. Need help from pro's. Which mic system should i use to shot 3-4 people in studio? Sunheiser does not fit TM 900.

[Adrian Lepki]

Originally Posted by Fariz Abasov

Hi there, i'm using TM900 for 2 years and i'm very happy with this camera. Made hundreds of videos. The only problem is - the microphone. Need help from pro's. Which mic system should i use to shot 3-4 people in studio? Sunheiser does not fit TM 900.

If you want to use on camera omni microphone the Audio-Technica Pro-24CM is a good choice.

Adrian

[Fariz Abasov]

Well i need to record a conversation between 3 or 4 people with high quality sound. I need separate mics.

[Adrian Lepki]

Originally Posted by Fariz Abasov

Well i need to record a conversation between 3 or 4 people with high quality sound. I need separate mics.

In this case you'll need a mixer (i.e. Sound Device 302) and wired lavalier mics. If the conversation takes place around a table it is possible to use 1 or 2 boundary mics.