Ag-hmc80

Thomas Smet

Thomas Smet

Veteran
http://www2.panasonic.com/webapp/wc...0103536709&surfModel=Content04082010103536709

This so far looks to be a HMC40 in a larger form factor body. In fact it looks to be a full shoulder mount form factor. Excellent! I don't know the sensor size yet but the price point and specs make me think it is like a HMC40 just in a larger body. This could end up being one heck of a camera.

If you click on the image in the link you can download a zip file with high res photos of different angles of the camera.
 
I'm thinking 1/4" too. Wouldn't plan on pretty pictures out of this thing, but hey, maybe they'll prove us wrong
 
dmpsk8 said:
I'm thinking 1/4" too. Wouldn't plan on pretty pictures out of this thing, but hey, maybe they'll prove us wrong
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I don't have an HMC40, but people say the image is really good in decent light, so I wouldn't expect anything less in this camera
 
Not exactly -- it's a replacement for the HMC-70, but it's a hugely different product. This is basically an HMC40 put in a shoulder-mount body. The HMC70 was a single-chip camera, the HMC80 is a three-chip PH-mode AVCCAM product. Way more advanced than the HMC70.
 
There was no ring on the HMC70 at all; no focus, no zoom, no anything. The HMC80 has one ring, which can be set to control zoom, or focus, or iris.
 
Barry_Green said:
Not exactly -- it's a replacement for the HMC-70, but it's a hugely different product. This is basically an HMC40 put in a shoulder-mount body. The HMC70 was a single-chip camera, the HMC80 is a three-chip PH-mode AVCCAM product. Way more advanced than the HMC70.
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how does this compare to hmc 150
look good for a light should mount
 
vocare said:
how does this compare to hmc 150
look good for a light should mount
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Lots of discussion on the HMC40 vs. HMC150. In short, the HMC40 makes a sharper image in good light, but in lower light the HMC150 is far superior. The HMC40 is about 50 to 64 ISO, the HMC150 is 500 ISO, so you need three stops' more light for an HMC40 to deliver equivalent brightness (meaning, 8x as much light).

Other than that, the HMC40 is a great camera for situations where there's adequate light. The HMC150 is a more professional unit with a lot more features, but a higher price tag.

Frankly, if you can live with the low light limitations, this HMC80 looks great. But you'd better give it a test run to see what the low light performance is like. Many HMC40 buyers seem to report that they're pleasantly surprised, thinking that the low light shortcomings of the HMC40 are being overstated. I would rather have someone be pleasantly surprised than have them be disappointed, but the numbers are what they are. In bright light, the HMC40 (and presumably the HMC80) just destroys; it delivers images that are smooth, slick, razor sharp, as sharp as an EX1 or HPX370. But at a far lower price.

The HMC80 looks like a micro-budget version of the HPX370.
 
Barry_Green said:
Not exactly -- it's a replacement for the HMC-70, but it's a hugely different product. This is basically an HMC40 put in a shoulder-mount body. The HMC70 was a single-chip camera, the HMC80 is a three-chip PH-mode AVCCAM product. Way more advanced than the HMC70.
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Of course.

I mainly just mentioned that because I don't think a lot of people here are even aware of the HMC-70.
 
Thomas Smet said:
http://www2.panasonic.com/webapp/wc...0103536709&surfModel=Content04082010103536709

This so far looks to be a HMC40 in a larger form factor body. In fact it looks to be a full shoulder mount form factor. Excellent! I don't know the sensor size yet but the price point and specs make me think it is like a HMC40 just in a larger body. This could end up being one heck of a camera.

If you click on the image in the link you can download a zip file with high res photos of different angles of the camera.
Click to expand...
That is a nice looking camera. I sort of missed that form factor, which is similar to my old Sony V5000 Hi8 camera I used in the 1990s. Of course, the HMC80 would be vastly superior.
 
It seems like it would be excellent for event shooting where there's plenty of light.
A relatively inexpensive road to HD production with a cam that has that sexy, ENG shoulder mount look.

Price point seems right.

Streeting at... $2500? Anyone?

I think I have found an efficient means of transitioning to HD and I LOVE that it does SD too. For those clients who aren't interested in HD yet.

Anybody interested in a couple of DVX100b cams? 4 years old. Only 240 and 180 hours.

hehe.

kidding! for now. :)
 
AG-HMC80 announcement

AG-HMC80 announcement

http://pro-av.panasonic.net/en/sales_o/broch_pdf/AG-HMC80_E_ntsc.pdf

I think this is pretty nice. I would consider this over a 150 and at $2700 it seems like a very nice lower end camera. I certainly could have done the same productions I did in the last year with this over the 150. I do like the wide angle on the 150 lens. I wouldn't have minded having standard DV out for certain situations, as I've really struggled working with the specific AVCHD folder structure and size of the files. There's times it's just overkill. Given the comparisons of Canon and Sony in the same price range, I think that this will likely be a winner though. If I were thinking of adding a camera, shoulder mount is much nicer than the 150 for long days working in a run and gun event.
 
Wow..8x more light required than the 150? What does that translate into in terms of indoor shooting? Need stand lighting to get anything reasonable? It would be great to see a still of each based on a real world lighting setup. Like one with available light interior, another in a modestly lit interview situation. Camcorder review does these for consumer cams but I haven't seen one for the line of Panny prosumer models.
 
Gweilo66 said:
Wow..8x more light required than the 150? What does that translate into in terms of indoor shooting? Need stand lighting to get anything reasonable? It would be great to see a still of each based on a real world lighting setup. Like one with available light interior, another in a modestly lit interview situation. Camcorder review does these for consumer cams but I haven't seen one for the line of Panny prosumer models.
Click to expand...

http://www.eventdv.net/Articles/News/Feature/In-the-Field-Panasonic-AG-HMC40-66352.htm

check this out it has a light comparison between the 150 and the 40
40 uses the same optics/sensors as the 80
 
Thanks. Good article. I guess the issue of actually usable gain needs to be factored in. Any idea how these compare to DVX100a regarding light sensitivity?
 
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