Panasonic HVX200 Focus PageShoot Tools: Panasonic
Apr 1, 2008 12:00 PM, By Dan Ochiva
Remote jacks allow for focus, iris, and start/stop functions. Price: TBA
AG-HMC150
Soon after it was introduced late in 2002, Panasonic's AG-DXV100 became a hit with independent filmmakers, offering 24p production at a relatively low $4,000 price point. Now, almost six years later, the company releases a successor that builds on the good aspects of the earlier model (three CCDs, solid audio, optical image stabilizing), while adding HD formats that include 1080/60i, 1080/30p, and 1080/24p. Sporting a Leica Dicomar zoom lens (it opens to a relatively wide 28mm equivalent — that's in 35mm film terms), the HMC150 records 1080i and 720p at 13Mbps, which the company claims is comparable in quality to current HDV compression formats with bit rates of 25Mbps. The handheld supports the new AVCHD codec and is switchable between 50Hz and 59.94Hz. It also includes XLR input, HDMI out, USB 2.0, component out (D terminal), composite out, and RCA audio-out jacks.
