HMC40 announced at DVinfo.net

Barry Green · April 19th, 2009, 05:40 PM

Panasonic announced a new HMC40 today, should be available around August for $3195. It's a high-def version of the DVC30, basically. Looks like it'll be a hot little number. 1080/24p from three 2.2-megapixel 1920x1080 CMOS chips, as well as 1080/30p, 1080/60i, 720/24p, 720/30p, and 720/60p. Waveform monitor, user buttons, manual focus/iris/zoom, headphone jack, mic jack, optional XLR inputs, HDMI output, component output... it looks like a miniature HVX200.

Mark Von Lanken · April 20th, 2009, 07:40 AM

Hi Barry,

Thanks for the info. I'm not too excited about the CMOS feature.

Lawrence Bansbach · April 20th, 2009, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Von Lanken

I'm not too excited about the CMOS feature.

Or the fact that chips are smaller than a quarter inch.

Paulo Teixeira · April 20th, 2009, 12:53 PM

Its basically an HD version of the DVC30. It looks like it has the exact MOS chips that are inside the TM300 but with the added bonus of having slightly more manual features, XLR inputs and more recording modes.

For all the people that worried about the price point that JVC put on the HM100, this will cause it to drop quickly before the HMC40 is released. Now it’s up to Canon to release a successor to the GL2 and Sony to release a successor to the A1u.

How many semi professional camcorders with 1/3” chips are as small as the HM100 or the HMC40?

Ron Evans · April 20th, 2009, 02:42 PM

It is clearly a TM300 with XLR and more controls at more than twice the price. I too am waiting to see what will happen in this AVCHD area. I have been pleased with my SR7 and then SR11 and will likely get an XR500 but would really like an AVCHD replacement for my FX1. Even better if it was smaller like the old TRV900.

Ron Evans

Paulo Teixeira · April 21st, 2009, 09:26 AM

Here’s a video of it:
Newsdetails: Film-TV-Video[day]=21&tx_ttnews[month]=04&tx_ttnews[year]=2009
Translated version of http://www.film-tv-video.de/newsdetail+M5f74422abb9.html?&tx_ttnews[day]%3D21%26tx_ttnews[month]%3D04%26tx_ttnews[year]%3D2009%0D%0A&sl=de&tl=en

Robert Rogoz · April 21st, 2009, 10:48 PM

I was hoping for much much better product from Panasonic. But for some reason recently the manufacturers have the tendency to copy the worst features from the competitors, price it sky high and wait for the miracle of huge profits. Focus/zoom on the same ring in a "pro" camera- are you kidding?! No PCi sound, recording format impossible to work with on the Mac and 75% of the PC's. 1/4 chips! Gee, who is doing a market research for these guys? Looks like a dud from a get-go.

Robert M Wright · April 23rd, 2009, 08:15 AM

I'd like to know how the HMC40 compares to the JVC HM100 for low light performance.

Steve Wolla · April 25th, 2009, 01:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barry Green

Panasonic announced a new HMC40 today, should be available around August for $3195. It's a high-def version of the DVC30, basically. Looks like it'll be a hot little number. 1080/24p from three 2.2-megapixel 1920x1080 CMOS chips, as well as 1080/30p, 1080/60i, 720/24p, 720/30p, and 720/60p. Waveform monitor, user buttons, manual focus/iris/zoom, headphone jack, mic jack, optional XLR inputs, HDMI output, component output... it looks like a miniature HVX200.

So is this an AVCHD cam? Or did Panasonic use the same MPEG2 like JVC?

Robert M Wright · April 25th, 2009, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Wolla

So is this an AVCHD cam? Or did Panasonic use the same MPEG2 like JVC?

It's AVCHD.

Chris Hurd · May 30th, 2009, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Wolla

So is this an AVCHD cam?

All Panasonic AVCCAM camcorders are AVCHD.

In other words, if it carries the AVCCAM badge, you know it's AVCHD.

Jonathan Schwartz · June 1st, 2009, 05:28 PM

Chris,

Thanks so much for all of the info you have posted about this camera, I am very interested as a long time DVC30 user. I have tried to find more information about the lens but have not been able to. Can you tell us more about size, focal distance (1.8-3.4) and anything else. Thanks for all you do to keep us up to date.

April 19th, 2009, 05:40 PM	#1
Barry Green Barry Wan Kenobi Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 3,863	HMC40 announced Panasonic announced a new HMC40 today, should be available around August for $3195. It's a high-def version of the DVC30, basically. Looks like it'll be a hot little number. 1080/24p from three 2.2-megapixel 1920x1080 CMOS chips, as well as 1080/30p, 1080/60i, 720/24p, 720/30p, and 720/60p. Waveform monitor, user buttons, manual focus/iris/zoom, headphone jack, mic jack, optional XLR inputs, HDMI output, component output... it looks like a miniature HVX200.

April 20th, 2009, 07:40 AM	#2
Mark Von Lanken Major Player Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Tulsa, OK Posts: 910	Hi Barry, Thanks for the info. I'm not too excited about the CMOS feature. __________________ Mark Von Lanken www.VonWeddingFilms.com

April 20th, 2009, 12:53 PM	#4
Paulo Teixeira Trustee Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 1,773	Its basically an HD version of the DVC30. It looks like it has the exact MOS chips that are inside the TM300 but with the added bonus of having slightly more manual features, XLR inputs and more recording modes. For all the people that worried about the price point that JVC put on the HM100, this will cause it to drop quickly before the HMC40 is released. Now it’s up to Canon to release a successor to the GL2 and Sony to release a successor to the A1u. How many semi professional camcorders with 1/3” chips are as small as the HM100 or the HMC40? __________________ https://www.youtube.com/user/PhotoVi...esEtc/featured https://www.pond5.com/artist/paulot Last edited by Paulo Teixeira; April 20th, 2009 at 02:47 PM.

April 21st, 2009, 09:26 AM	#6
Paulo Teixeira Trustee Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 1,773	Here’s a video of it: Newsdetails: Film-TV-Video[day]=21&tx_ttnews[month]=04&tx_ttnews[year]=2009 Translated version of http://www.film-tv-video.de/newsdetail+M5f74422abb9.html?&tx_ttnews[day]%3D21%26tx_ttnews[month]%3D04%26tx_ttnews[year]%3D2009%0D%0A&sl=de&tl=en __________________ https://www.youtube.com/user/PhotoVi...esEtc/featured https://www.pond5.com/artist/paulot

June 1st, 2009, 05:28 PM	#12
Jonathan Schwartz Major Player Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Ocean Springs, MS Posts: 211	HMC40 Lens Chris, Thanks so much for all of the info you have posted about this camera, I am very interested as a long time DVC30 user. I have tried to find more information about the lens but have not been able to. Can you tell us more about size, focal distance (1.8-3.4) and anything else. Thanks for all you do to keep us up to date. __________________ Jonathan Schwartz CA Video Productions

April 20th, 2009, 02:42 PM	#5
Ron Evans Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Posts: 4,220	It is clearly a TM300 with XLR and more controls at more than twice the price. I too am waiting to see what will happen in this AVCHD area. I have been pleased with my SR7 and then SR11 and will likely get an XR500 but would really like an AVCHD replacement for my FX1. Even better if it was smaller like the old TRV900. Ron Evans

April 21st, 2009, 10:48 PM	#7
Robert Rogoz Major Player Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Bellingham, WA Posts: 457	I was hoping for much much better product from Panasonic. But for some reason recently the manufacturers have the tendency to copy the worst features from the competitors, price it sky high and wait for the miracle of huge profits. Focus/zoom on the same ring in a "pro" camera- are you kidding?! No PCi sound, recording format impossible to work with on the Mac and 75% of the PC's. 1/4 chips! Gee, who is doing a market research for these guys? Looks like a dud from a get-go.

April 23rd, 2009, 08:15 AM	#8
Robert M Wright Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Minnesota (USA) Posts: 2,171	I'd like to know how the HMC40 compares to the JVC HM100 for low light performance.