List of Panasonic camcorders
The camera uses a 1/2-inch colour Newvicon tube with a consumer-grade lens barrel giving a 6 times zoom with macro, normal focussing down to 4 feet (1.2 metres), and a minimum illumination of 10 lux.
The system gives battery and picture quality information to the cameraman using on-screen displays, and a six-digit numeric code can can be used to record the date onto the video ("burned in"), though this does not advance automatically.
The recorder section uses a full-size VHS transport fitted with a two-head VHS-C video head drum, and audio is carried on a mono 8 kHz linear track.
Common problems are the brake band around the supply spindle coming off its plastic backing, and distortion of the microswitch which detects when the tape door is closed.
Introduced in 1994, the Supercam is a VHS/S-VHS Betacam-style camcorder, including a bayonet-mounted lens, SMPTE timecode functions, 26-pin VTR/CCU connector, genlock and colour bar generator, and is badged as using Digital Signal Processing.
Two independent XLR-input audio channels record in Hi-Fi, and on stereo linear tracks with improved 12 kHz bandwidth.
Features SNS (Super Night Shooting) mode (Panasonic's version of Nightshot) and optical image stabilization (OIS).
The BBC used the HVX to shoot all their coverage of the 2006 and 2010 Olympics, the Fox network is using P2 exclusively at all network owned-and-operated stations, Raycom has over 85 HVXs at their 21 television stations; NDTV (New Delhi TV), the largest private producer of news and entertainment in India uses several dozen HVXs and New York 1 uses the HVX for all its one-person news crews (over 25 reporters).
The camcorder employs the same imaging section as the AG-HVX200A, and is similar to it in terms of physical appearance, layout of controls and functionality.
The AG-HPX170 also contains an SDI (HD/SD) output terminal enabling the serial transfer of uncompressed video and audio data.
Although it acquired a professional price tag (to reflect the removal of restrictions on the commercial licensing of the AVCHD technology), the blow was softened by the inclusion of a 40 GB portable disc drive.
A supplied 8 GB SDHC card holds about 45 minutes of video recorded at highest quality setting.
The camcorder shares some components with the HDC-HS300/HDC-TM300/HDC-SD300 consumer series, in particular the 1/4.1-inch 3MOS imaging system, the 12× Leica Dicomar lens and the 2.7-inch touch-sensitive LCD screen.
The camera offers full 1080 and 720 HD, native 1080/24p recording, variable frame rates, professional audio capabilities, and compatibility with SDHC and SDXC media.
Standard professional interfaces include HD-SDI out, HDMI, time code recording, built-in stereo microphone and USB 2.0.
The AF100 features two XLR inputs with +48V Phantom Power capability, 48-kHz/16-bit two-channel digital audio recording and supports LPCM/Dolby-AC3.
Apart from some minor restyling and a change to the colourspace (to match professional requirements), this new offering was otherwise identical to the consumer version.
The AG-HSC1 was however, bundled with a portable 40 GB battery operated hard drive, the VW-PT2ZP which was able to import video directly from a SD card.
In the process of miniaturization Panasonic reduced the size of the lens and of the sensor block compared to the first generation of AVCHD camcorders.
The location of the connectors was revised, and the menu joystick was moved from the back of the camcorder to the left side, inside the LCD cavity.
An 8 GB SDHC card (supplied only in some markets) holds up to one hour of video recorded at highest quality setting.
A special Digital Cinema mode allows shooting progressive-scan video at film-like rates—25p or 24p, depending on region.
Panasonic's 2010 camcorders add 1080p60 or 1080p50 progressive recording mode (depending on region) by using a proprietary variation of the AVCHD format.
The lens has been revised to provide a shorter focal length, though the optical zoom range remains unchanged.
[29] This model featured HYBRID OIS image stabilising system combining optical and electrical components, not available in the previous 2010 line-up.
Released in February 2010, the HDC-SD66 supports 1080p/50i AVCHD video recording, 25× optical zoom and capturing 5 megapixel still photos.
The new Shooting guide feature can display hints during video recording such as warning the user for panning too quickly, and the new Quick Start option keeps the lens cover open for up to five minutes after closing the foldable screen to enable video recording more rapidly when opening it again.
The 3D adaptor for these models is the VW-CLT2 - substantially improved and much more expensive than its predecessor, though the 3D effect is still rather less than real life (because the two lenses are closer together than the distance between the eyes).
The video can be recorded using High Dynamic Range (HDR), which combines two images taken with different exposures to reduce over- and underexposure.
[43] The HC-WXF991K is an iteration released later in the same year, equipped with additional Wi-Fi connectivity for allowing remote control through software on a mobile phone, and a 5.1 surround sound microphone.
