Panasonic AG-HMC 150 discussion

Stefan Immler · September 7th, 2008, 10:16 PM

I don't want to digress ... but do a lot of indie producers use the JVC HD100 or 110?

Darren Shroeger · September 8th, 2008, 01:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin Shaw

All other HD cameras in that price range produce sharper images than the Panasonics, so saying the HMC150 "owns" its competition is questionable. It sounds like an excellent camera for the price, but let's not get carried away with superlatives.

Heh heh... I must admit to being a proud soon-to-be HMC owner. I do agree that the HMC150 represents an amazing value, a solid tapeless performer at the XH-A1 price point.

Dwain Elliott · September 8th, 2008, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jay Legere

B&H says $3,500 when it's released in September.

Might be good-bye to my xh-a1

Jay, I can understand someone being indecisive about buying the HMC150 or the Canon XH-A1, but why in the world would you say "good-bye to an XH-A1 that you already have?

David Parks · September 8th, 2008, 11:10 AM

Index of /~dvxuser/PRIVATE/AVCHD/BDMV/STREAM

Reference clips shot by Barry Green. If you haven't checked these out yet, then you could be selling this camera a little short. The 720/60p mode clips looked very good.

I think the 150 will be a very good 720p camera for the money. And although it can do 1080p/i it appears that 720/24 is the sweet spot for the least amount of compression and the codec doesn't seem to noise up or break at all.

Cheers.

Darren Shroeger · September 10th, 2008, 09:15 AM

Here is a new HMC150 brochure from Panasonic. We're getting close!

ftp://ftp.panasonic.com/pub/Panasoni...0_brochure.pdf

David Parks · September 10th, 2008, 03:26 PM

Thanks Darren.

The brochure also includes a good explanation of MPEG4 Intra frame prediction with variable block size vs. HDV MPEG 2 with fixed blocksize. That is why I'm seeing less noise (if any at all) in sample clips from this camera vs.HDV 720p and 1080i.

The one thing i thought was a little off target was the explanation on 2x, 5x, or 10x digitial zoom.,,,, "magnification equivalent to 130x zoom without the drop in light intensity that happens when using a lens extender." I'm sorry but at 130x digital zoom will crap out and loose rez so badly, who cares about loss in light. I think we'll sacrifice that 1/2 or more stop loss for a lot more clarity thank you. At least you can correct in post.

Cheers.

Tim Polster · September 10th, 2008, 04:15 PM

Didn't you see the photo next to the 130x zoom, it looked great. :)

Just kidding.

BTW, there is a lot of info in that brochure. Very informative.

This camera has caught my eye.

Stefan Immler · September 10th, 2008, 04:31 PM

It has caught my eye too, but I am still not sure if I should get a 720p camcorder instead (like the JVC HD110) or the Canon XH-A1. It could well be that the JVC, for example, gives better footage.

Any word when it will be shipped and what the waiting period will be if ordered through BH PhotoVideo?

Darren Shroeger · September 10th, 2008, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stefan Immler

It has caught my eye too, but I am still not sure if I should get a 720p camcorder instead (like the JVC HD110) or the Canon XH-A1. It could well be that the JVC, for example, gives better footage.

Any word when it will be shipped and what the waiting period will be if ordered through BH PhotoVideo?

October 2? It's really not confirmed but I think I heard that date mentioned.

Speaking of JVC cameras, this video is worth viewing. It is an interview with Semir Nouri, Product Manager of JVC Europe. Lots of great info about 720p60 which definitely applies to the HMC150.....

http://www.macvideo.tv/camera-techno...ticleId=104032

Stefan Immler · September 10th, 2008, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darren Shroeger

Speaking of JVC cameras, this video is worth viewing.

That interview is great stuff! Thanks for posting it. So JVC will very soon switch to SD card recording as well, interesting!

Darren Shroeger · September 10th, 2008, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stefan Immler

That interview is great stuff! Thanks for posting it. So JVC will very soon switch to SD card recording as well, interesting!

Interesting idea to put HDV onto SDHC cards. It makes for easier editing at the moment... Sure hope FCP edits AVCHD natively and quickly with the next update!

David Heath · September 11th, 2008, 03:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darren Shroeger

Interesting idea to put HDV onto SDHC cards. It makes for easier editing at the moment...

But Sony have done virtually the same with the Z7 and S270, though onto CF instead of SD.

The beauty of both their approach and now that of JVC is that one has a choice of tape or solid state depending on the situation. Or both - solid state for ease of editing, keep a tape for backup. That seems a far better choice at the moment than solid state only recording.

Sean Seah · September 11th, 2008, 11:01 AM

I noticed there is a HMC-152. Seems to do it all compared to the 150. It can do PAL+NTSC. Is that the only diff?

http://panasonic.com.au/products/inf...contextID=4168

Stefan Immler · September 11th, 2008, 11:16 AM

That's the Aussie version of the HMC-150 that can shoot upside down. ;-)

Darren Shroeger · September 11th, 2008, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stefan Immler

That's the Aussie version of the HMC-150 that can shoot upside down. ;-)

Cool, no need to flip the DOF adapter footage in post! ;)

September 8th, 2008, 11:10 AM	#49
David Parks Major Player Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Houston Posts: 789	Index of /~dvxuser/PRIVATE/AVCHD/BDMV/STREAM Reference clips shot by Barry Green. If you haven't checked these out yet, then you could be selling this camera a little short. The 720/60p mode clips looked very good. I think the 150 will be a very good 720p camera for the money. And although it can do 1080p/i it appears that 720/24 is the sweet spot for the least amount of compression and the codec doesn't seem to noise up or break at all. Cheers. __________________ David Parks: DP/Editor: Jacobs Aerospace at NASA Johnson Space Center https://www.youtube.com/user/JacobsESCG

September 10th, 2008, 09:15 AM	#50
Darren Shroeger Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Traverse City, MI Posts: 41 Images: 2	Here is a new HMC150 brochure from Panasonic. We're getting close! ftp://ftp.panasonic.com/pub/Panasoni...0_brochure.pdf __________________ Darren Shroeger \| http://hdmuse.com \| Traverse City, Michigan

September 10th, 2008, 03:26 PM	#51
David Parks Major Player Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Houston Posts: 789	Thanks Darren. The brochure also includes a good explanation of MPEG4 Intra frame prediction with variable block size vs. HDV MPEG 2 with fixed blocksize. That is why I'm seeing less noise (if any at all) in sample clips from this camera vs.HDV 720p and 1080i. The one thing i thought was a little off target was the explanation on 2x, 5x, or 10x digitial zoom.,,,, "magnification equivalent to 130x zoom without the drop in light intensity that happens when using a lens extender." I'm sorry but at 130x digital zoom will crap out and loose rez so badly, who cares about loss in light. I think we'll sacrifice that 1/2 or more stop loss for a lot more clarity thank you. At least you can correct in post. Cheers. __________________ David Parks: DP/Editor: Jacobs Aerospace at NASA Johnson Space Center https://www.youtube.com/user/JacobsESCG

September 7th, 2008, 10:16 PM	#46
Stefan Immler Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Washington DC Posts: 162	I don't want to digress ... but do a lot of indie producers use the JVC HD100 or 110?

September 10th, 2008, 04:15 PM	#52
Tim Polster Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Arlington, TX Posts: 2,231	Didn't you see the photo next to the 130x zoom, it looked great. :) Just kidding. BTW, there is a lot of info in that brochure. Very informative. This camera has caught my eye.

September 10th, 2008, 04:31 PM	#53
Stefan Immler Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Washington DC Posts: 162	It has caught my eye too, but I am still not sure if I should get a 720p camcorder instead (like the JVC HD110) or the Canon XH-A1. It could well be that the JVC, for example, gives better footage. Any word when it will be shipped and what the waiting period will be if ordered through BH PhotoVideo?

September 11th, 2008, 11:01 AM	#58
Sean Seah Trustee Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Singapore Posts: 1,498	I noticed there is a HMC-152. Seems to do it all compared to the 150. It can do PAL+NTSC. Is that the only diff? http://panasonic.com.au/products/inf...contextID=4168

September 11th, 2008, 11:16 AM	#59
Stefan Immler Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Washington DC Posts: 162	That's the Aussie version of the HMC-150 that can shoot upside down. ;-)