The Panasonic TM900 Users Thread

[Alan Christensen]

I have 3 TM900's that I use for event videography. I like them because:
1) They are relatively easy to use
2) The video from all three cameras matches (I always use a preset or manual WB). I can adjust all three cams the same amount afterwards in post if the preset wasn't perfect.
3) They don't seem to ever overexpose faces even under harsh lighting (spotlights) so long as you have intelligent contrast enabled
4) With the 12x zoom it is pretty easy to frame shots no matter where the camera needs to be located

I recently bought a Panasonic G6 to have a fourth camera. Unfortunately I am having problems using it as a B cam for my events. The problems that I have run into are:
1) I can't match the colors from the TM900's. Although the G6 may actually be more accurate, I can't get a match, especially with greens. I've tried all of the G6 color choices (standard, vivid, portrait, ...) I can get a match on some of the colors, but not all of them. Note that I am pretty good with all the adjustments available with Premiere.
2) It is hard to get to the zoom ring when mounted on my tripod because the ring is located so close to the camera. This makes it impossible to use as a camera with an operator. I just stick it on a tripod and either leave it fixed all the time or just turn the tripod to get another view.
3) The 3x zoom ring available on the stock G6 doesn't give me enough zoom to frame the shots as I want them. I'd need to buy the 14-140 zoom at $699 to get what I need

So I'm trying to decide if I should send back the G6 and just get an X920. At $738 it would be cheaper than adding the big zoom to the G6. I hate to do this as I like the picture taking capabilities of the G6. But color matching is really important to me.

Have any of you tried to match the video of the X920 with the video from the TM900? Does it match well? I notice that the X920 no longer has an intelligent contrast mode which is disappointing. I can't shoot intelligent auto because the auto WB really sucks on these cameras. I do normally use automatic exposure but with intelligent contrast enabled on the TM900. Does anyone have experience with the X920 in harsh lighting conditions? Does it easily blow out highlights?

Any comments regarding usage of an X920 in conjunction with a TM900 would be greatly appreciated.

Alan

[Adrian Lepki]

Alan,
I am experimenting with three cameras: TM900, X920 and GoPro Hero3 Blk. Matching the Panasonic cameras is not a big problem, it get's more complicated with Hero3. The cameras are set to manual WB, and RAW in case of Hero3. Typically one Panasonic is on a tripod, the other hand held. The GoPro is either mounted on a small stand or is attached to the hand held cage (that gives me two different angles from the same POV). Before I begin actual shooting I do a few test shots (all cameras) with something white in the scene (white card) to have a reference in the post production for color correction. Syncing is done in Vegas using the PluralEyes plug-in.
Adrian

[Alan Christensen]

Adrian- Thanks for the reply. My guess was that the x920 would match better than the G6. The color on 3CCD cams seems to have a different look than that of single CCD cams that is hard to completely adjust for. I'll probably send back the G6 and get the x920. Do you have any other likes/dislikes with the x920 relative to the TM900? Is it as sharp? Any problems with overexposure on the x920? Thanks again.

[Al Bergstein]

As some of you might have seen, I've put my 900 up for sale on ebay. Bids starting at $400.00. Comes with panny's wide angle .7 lens. Camera has worked fine for me, but for my next project I'm needing clean HDMI out for some live streaming work and have to move to newer cameras for that particular feature. I'm sure this camera will be a great B cam for someone or a starting camera for some younger filmmaker. You can check it out at Panasonic HDC TM900 32 GB Camcorder Black 885170040038 | eBay
I've also posted to the top level of this forum.

[Wladislav Artsimovich]

I'm three years late on this, but since I signed up, I might post this just aswell.
Zip Download 25mb
I tested Sharpness vs F-stop on the HDC-SD 909, which is the same as the TM-900, just for PAL.
The Zip has 15 images, ranging from f1.5 -f16 @35mm with a downloaded sharpness test image printed @600ppi, obviously lowest iso/gain.
With ND filter for f1.5-f2.0 and with 25p for <f6
f2.0-f2.8 Is the Sharpest, altough in 1920x1080 f1.5 is sharp just aswell.
Something I noticed the first time I filmed with the camera, is that at f3.4 and f4.0 sharpness suddenly drops, before going up after f4.0.

edit: Luminance has been equalized with a script.

[Ian Thomas]

Sorry if this has been in a earlier thread but is there any zoom controllers that will work with the tm900,

I do football matches and it was great to use a zoom controller vi lanc socket on my sony camera but can't find a solution for the panny


thanks

[Ian Thomas]

Nobody know? ok which would you get the X900 or the X920 I have the tm900 and need a backup

thanks

[Al Bergstein]

I don't know why, for the price, you wouldn't buy the latest model. B&H is selling it for under $800. But no, I don't remember ever having a LANC for it.

[Luc Spencer]

It is with great sadness in my heart that I report the death of my beloved TM900. After 4 years of highly successful event videography, despite many of my colleagues' laughs at its size, this little hero "camcorder" has stopped working.

It is an electrical problem which causes the camera to shut down as soon as I open the LCD screen. After which it tried to boot up again, shuts down instantly and so on. However, it works fine if I use the viewfinder. Which is weird.

I have taken it to a local service (not an official Panasonic one) and the primary suspect seems to be the motherboard for not supplying current properly. I'll have to find out how much a replacement part is, but I have a feeling it will be almost as much as the camera.

The really annoying part is that it started doing this after a few weeks of just sitting on my desk.

*sigh*

[Andy Wilkinson]

Sorry to read that. Mine is still going strong and is an often used holiday cam.

I have recently been using it for things like in-car windscreen mounting (using a B Hague suction mount) and in fact accidentally dropped it onto the road getting out of a BMW that I was filming a Doctor in...my C100 plus Ninja Blade was in my other hand... so good job I did not drop that rig!

So now my TM900 has a few external scratches but is otherwise working perfectly...at least it was last time looked at it!

[Geoffrey Cox]

Bought several of these for work a while back and now we need more / replacements. Is there a newer version (it seems to be no longer available...)? If not, what are people using instead?

[Andy Wilkinson]

Saw a post recently about someone wanting a replacement for the old TM700...which reminded me that it's been a long while since I posted on here about my TM900.

Well, it's still going strong! - despite the fact I dropped it getting out of a paramedics car a couple of years ago! (just a few superficial case scratches was the result of that).

I still use it as a "holiday cam" (Venice, Mauritius, Porto and Lisbon being the most recent "outings"), rarely for anything professional. I did have it in action a few months ago on a paid job filming a client present a lecture in a historic Cambridge University venue. It was just locked-off to cover the on-screen Powerpoint slides. This made editing the main cam's footage, in this case from my PMW-300 following the Prof as he talked & walked around the auditorium much easier (to sync with the correct overhead slides).

Still using the original (supplied) small and medium sized Panasonic batteries & they, remarkably, still have decent longevity - but I also (from about 2 years ago) now have a large aftermarket battery in the bag, especially when travelling (that one lasts many hours!)

[Norman Davidson]

Hi
Is there a varizoom or equivalent to work with a Panasonic TM 900.
I've used the Lanc connection in the past with Sony & Canon camcorders
Many thanks
Norman

[Chris Hurd]

Hi Norman, I have merged your post into our TM 900 user's thread.

Somebody here will correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm fairly certain that there is no option for a wired remote lens controller for this camcorder.

LANC is a Sony protocol which is licensed by Canon. Panasonic does not use it. Higher-end professional Panasonic camcorders will have an AUX jack for remote lens control, and VariZoom has controllers that are compatible with these Panasonic models, but unfortunately the TM 900 doesn't have the necessary AUX jack.

Hate to say it but I believe your only option is to use the wireless IR remote control that came with the camcorder. There's no way (as far as I know) to physically interface a wired controller because the TM 900 doesn't have a way into it. There is a USB jack, but there is no provision for lens control via USB to the best of my admittedly limited knowledge.

[Guy Caplin]

See my post of April 27th, 2013 on this thread about making a crude 'wired' remote.