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MillimeterShoot Review: Panasonic AG-HMC150
Nov 1, 2008 12:00 PM, Reviewer: Jan Ozer
Moving AVCHD to the professional market.
The Panasonic AG-HMC150 uses the same basic form factor as the AG-HVX200 and more recent AG-HPX170, with a 3.5in., 210,000-pixel color LCD panel on the left; a 0.44in., 235,000-pixel color viewfinder in the back; and most controls on the left-hand side.
In stark contrast to earlier generations of AVCHD camcorders, by design and feature set, the AG-HMC150 is the first camcorder targeted squarely at the professional market. This is the first AVCHD camcorder that I've tested that looks, feels, and works like a truly professional camcorder. During the camcorder's month-long stay, I filmed an informal concert at a local dinner theater and several events around town, including a meet-and-greet for America's Got Talent finalist and local celebrity Alexandra Pyles.
At the dinner theater, which I shot under relatively low light, I matched the HMC150 against the Sony HDR-FX1, an older HDV-based camcorder that performs well in low-light conditions. As night fell and ambient light decreased, both images got noisy, but the HMC150 held its own. This is significant, because one of the major concerns about AVCHD camcorders is their noise levels. Otherwise, video shot under good lighting was relatively noise-free, and colors were strong and vibrant — significantly improved from those of previous AVCHD camcorders I've worked with.
The HMC150 uses the same basic form factor as the AG-HVX200 and more recent AG-HPX170 (see my review at digitalcontentproducer.com/
cameras/revfeat/panasonic_aghpx_1001), with a 3.5in., 210,000-pixel color LCD panel on the left; a 0.44in., 235,000-pixel color viewfinder in the back; and most controls on the left-hand side. There is no tape drive, and the single SD/SDHC slot sits directly beneath the viewfinder, much like the P2 cards on Panasonic's DVCPRO HD line. Panasonic claims that using solid-state storage contributes to the unit's reliability, and the company backs the claim with a generous three-year warranty.
The AG-HMC150 has three 1/3in. CCDs. It shoots in 1080/60i, 1080/30p, 1080/24p, 720/60p, 720/30p, and 720/24p — all in AVCHD format — at a maximum data rate of 24Mbps. At that highest quality level, a 16GB SD card holds 90 minutes of video. The price for 16GB is now about $100 and dropping quickly, so this camera can serve a wide variety of markets — including ENG, corporate, and event video.
The camcorder features a Leica Dicomar lens with optical image stabilization, a 13X zoom, and f/1.6-f/3.0 (f=3.9mm to 51mm; 35mm equivalent: 28mm to 368mm). There are two control rings: one for zoom and one that you can configure for either iris or focus. There are separate controls for gain, shutter speed, and aperture. When shooting in sunlight, you'll appreciate the neutral-density filters with settings at 1/4, 1/16, and 1/64.
I/O is extensive. For audio, the unit features two XLR connectors with +48V phantom power and a headphone jack for monitoring. Video outputs include HDMI, component, and composite, coupled with stereo audio via RCA jacks. You can transfer video by USB or by copying the SD-card memory directly via a compatible reader on your computer. There is no FireWire port on the camcorder.
You use a joystick mechanism for working through your menu options and playing back your clips, which works well. Overall, the menu presents the camera's options in plain English, making the HMC150 very easy to use, even for most beginners.
