HMC40 Wish List, What Would You Want To See...

BobDiaz

BobDiaz

The Professor
Assume that one day Panasonic upgrades the firmware to the HMC40 and makes improvements to the camera, what changes would you wish for....

Here's mine:

(1) Automatic Gain Limit: Allow the user to pick any maximum from +1dB ---> +24dB in 1 dB steps. This would be better than the limited choice of +12dB or +24dB.

(2) Single Point On Screen For F-Stop & Gain: Given you can't have a high F-Stop and Gain, why use two different locations on the screen to display this? A single location that either displays Fx.x OR +xxdB would remove some of the excess clutter.

(3) Auto Magnifier For Focus Ring: The menu would offer the following new option, Auto Magnifier For Focus Ring: On / Only When Paused / Off. If turned on, the Magnifier is activated for 2 seconds after the ring is turned. If it's not turned, it times out and returns to normal view. If "On" is chosen, the feature works when recording or paused. If "Only When Paused" is chosen, this feature only happend during pause, but not during recording.



So, let's hear you ideas....


Bob Diaz
 
* Focusing distance in meters, not in abstract Fxx values.
* It would be nice if the camera reported depth of field with current aperture settings. This value can be easily calculated knowing circle of confusion, and who better knows this value than Panasonic.
* Color peaking with choice of color and "depth" (I think, Sony calls it "frequency").
* Allow choosing location for focus magnifier: left, middle, right. Currently it magnifies middle of the frame. Reason: more often than not subjects used for rack focus are in different parts of the frame. So if I want to rack focus from an already focused subject on the right to the subject on the left, I want my magnifier to show stuff from the left of the frame. Make it selectable by touch of the LCD. Presently, magnifier works only if both subjects are close to the middle of the frame.
* Is shot transition patented by Sony? If not, steal it.
* A high-res LCD will be a boon and will greatly diminish the need in focusing aids.
* The HMC40 has a large hood, so I find the secondary "hood" with the lens protective shutter taken straight from consumer models a bit lame. Most people will be using a filter on the lens anyway, so get rid of the secondary "hood" and add the doors to the hood like on the Sonys. Oh, and can the hood be a bit prettier? Again, look at the Sonys.
* The current top handle is taken straight from a 1950-ies kettle. Look at Sony and JVC models for inspiration.
* Modify the "standard" external mic so one could plug it directly into XLR port without cable, like those proprietary Canon and Sony mics that can be inserted into proprietary hot shoes.
* Built-in tools for simple clip cut and join operations. I care mostly for cuts, because I often forget putting the camera on record or on pause, so I either lose shots, or I am getting 10 minutes of my own feet. But I often have useful stuff in the beginning of such clips, so I cannot delete them entirely. I want to cut off bad stuff and delete it, right in camera.
* Allow recording in DV, 4:3 and widescreen, including progressive modes.
* PCM sound option.
 
- The ability to lock zoom speed using the rocker on the hand grip (to a s-l-o-w smooth crawl)
- Setting recording bitrate and format separately - in other words, setting encoding quality independently of frame size/format/rate. Offering lower bitrate options for only 1080i60 sucks. I'd like to be able to extend recording time on 4GB cards, for shooting 720p (especially for 720p24 and 720p30, where a lower setting, like HG, should still yield excellent quality while being able to record 40 minutes or so on a card that can be easily copied to one single layer DVD).
- DISABLING THE BATTERY "HANDSHAKE" - ALLOWING 3RD PARTY BATTERIES TO WORK!!!

Oh, and I'm with Cranky on the focusing distance units of measurement. I have no idea what an F unit is.
 
A dial would be great (and could certainly be useful), although I'd be fine with having it buried somewhere in a menu and saving the limited real estate on the chassis. I've had the zoom speed on my HV20 locked down to the slowest crawl since very shortly after I first took it out of the box, and never really had a burning desire to change it.
 
Robert M Wright said:
A dial would be great (and could certainly be useful), although I'd be fine with having it buried somewhere in a menu and saving the limited real estate on the chassis. I've had the zoom speed on my HV20 locked down to the slowest crawl since very shortly after I first took it out of the box, and never really had a burning desire to change it.
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And I have a $25 LANC remote for my V1U, which has rotating zoom speed dial. Very, very handy.

Here is one more wish, then: CHEAP REMOTES.
 
I have mixed thoughts on having focusing measured in distance, as opposed to a "range of focus" scale from 0-99.

Distance increments are something I am use to with camera lenses. It is a metaphor I can understand and have used a lot in the past.

On the Other Hand -

Range of focus is far more relevant to me in a small area (a small room, office, or close up interview) or with macro lenses. Distance doesn't really do much for me.

If I put on a wide angle adapter, tele-extender, or macro lens, then the distance focus will be out of synch, since I have changed the lens (unless there is some sort of way you can insert a lens setting through the menus or there is a smart communication happening between the lens and camera, which would be expensive).

The range of focus/focus distance is not something I rely on for anything more than a general range check, anyway. My real focusing is done on the image itself and, in the case of the HMC40, with the focus assist tool. After a while, and especially with dynamic environments, the range of focus option is pretty easy to get use to and gives me a reasonableness check that I am focusing on the right thing. For instance, if I am working with a close subject and the focus says "F99" then I quickly know that the camera isn't on target and I need to correct the focus.

So.... focus distance or range of focus.. not that big of a deal really. I've quickly become accustomed to the range of focus, so no problem's here.

A few things I would like:
1) USER buttons put together instead of in separate places with a different tactile feel from the other buttons.
2) A bit bigger IRIS jog wheel on the side... not a lot, just a little bit bigger.
3) A double card slot like some of the JVC's have. I have a JVC camera like that and it is actually a nice feature for a lot of different things.
4) Just a little bit bigger viewfinder (EVF)
 
After having a using a camera (for about a year) that has 2 chip slots, I found that I really like it and it has helped out in several different circumstances. it is one of those features that you think is probably not a big deal, until you have it, then you wonder why everyone else doesn't do it.
 
Several things -- first of all, no, F99 is not infinity, F95 is.

Secondly, there are cheap remotes, the HMC40 is backward compatible with all the prior Panasonics back to at least the original DVX100 seven years ago.

Third, there's a very good reason for the MF00-MF99 instead of the numbers -- and man am I sick of people coming in here and just proclaiming something as "stupid" or "pointless" or whatever word they want to use, all arrogant and hostile, instead of just ASKING. For crying out loud.

Those who want to come here specifically to a) crap on the Panasonic products, and b) tell people why Sony is better, please just go away.

So why the MF00-95 instead of the distance scale? Put a wide-angle lens on, and find out. Put a telephoto lens on, and find out. Adding an accessory lens changes the optical path and therefore the focal point, so if all you had was MF00-MF95, you could still use it for accurate focus, but if you had only feet/meters, your feet/meters indicators would be WRONG.

So Panasonic includes the MF00-MF95. On the HMC150/HVX, they let you have both, on the little camera it gets only the one. Want both? Buy the better camera.
 
Barry_Green said:
Those who want to come here specifically to a) crap on the Panasonic products, and b) tell people why Sony is better, please just go away.
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+1

I like to debate products and judge based on what is coming to market, but I love my Panny cams! I remember back when I got the DVX100 when it first came out. My buddy had a PD150 and a VX2000 and he was bragging about how great they were, and how great the lowlight was.
I was shocked when I had him help on a wedding using his cams... My DVX looked SOOOO much better! It wasn't even close IMHO. He was even amazed when we were trying to cut the footage together. Indeed his was really bright at the reception, but it looked washed out and really plain/dull compared to the DVX.
 
Thanks for explaining why Fxx instead of meters. Indeed, meters/feet does not work with adapters. Sony has a special menu setting for whence one uses an adapter, but obviously this setting is tailored to Sony adapters only, which are expensive. WA adapter for the V1 costs $500, but it comes with a handsome hood. Still, not everyone is getting a WA or TELE adapter, and for those people having a distance scale would be helpful. It would not cost much to add this functionality to the HMC40, the 150 has it after all.

Next time I will ask first. I apologize.

P.S. Who said that Sony is better? I bought the V1U as a stopgap -- can you buy a used HMC150 for $2K? -- hoping for Panasonic to iron out minor kinks and to release an "A" version. My other camera is the HDC-SD1 with a 1/4-inch 3CCD, "for crying out loud". I love it.

P.P.S. What about a menu setting for WA/TELE adapter and a user-defined tele/wide value? Put on adapter, go into the menu and key in "0.7", for example. Voila, you get correct distance metering.
 
1. Save scene files to SDHC cards

2. Focus distance in real world units.

3. Not turn the camera off to load a scene file.

Those are my biggest ones that might be possible to be changed in a firmware update.
 
Barry_Green said:
Several things -- first of all, no, F99 is not infinity, F95 is.
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So... F99 is infinity + 4?! ;) (j/k)

I rather wish that the xlr was built onto the unit itself, but at the same time, I understand how now doing so brings the price down that much further. Plus, should the xlr ever go bad, it doesnt bring the whole camera down with it.

V3rlon - "1. Save scene files to SDHC cards" Yes. THAT would be great as well!!
 
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I think the original request was about firmare updates.. changes in Hardware are a bit beyond the scope of the wish list.

While it would be nice to be able to download an XLR module and an extra SDHC card slot, I think that is a bit beyond the capabilities of Panasonic programmers.

Something I think would be cool, but have no idea about how plausible, would be a way to control the camera through the USB port with a laptop, and to have more screen real estate to manipulate the controls (like OnOneSoftware does for DSLRs).

Still, my little list up there is my current 'it would be nice if..' I guess I will try to convert panny units to feet/meters/lightyears sometime soon just for convenience.

We should put together a set of...notecards for things like that. Settings, tricks, tips, and so on. Then we could have a pdf or something we could print out and laminate for reference as needed.
 
Barry_Green said:
Those who want to come here specifically to a) crap on the Panasonic products, and b) tell people why Sony is better, please just go away.
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That certainly is nothing remotely akin to an accurate description of me.

First of all, on the whole, I think the HMC40 (a Panasonic product) is just an utterly outstanding camcorder, delivers amazing value (and stunning images!) for the money, and the engineers at Panasonic designed it exceptionally well - a camera that truly raises the bar in it's class. I've said so, often and in no uncertain terms, here on this forum and elsewhere as well. Although neither by design nor intent, sometimes I probably actually sound a bit like a commercial for the Panasonic HMC40!

Does the HMC40 have weaknesses? Absolutely. Every cam does, and I am (obviously) not shy to point them out, quite honestly as I see things. For goodness sake, look at the title on this thread ("HMC40 Wish List, What Would You Want To See..."). Hopefully, Panasonic listens to critical comments from customers (like the ones in this thread), and uses the feedback to improve products. Frankly, I would characterize the weaknesses that I perceive in the HMC40 (aside from the proprietary battery issue) as being quite minor in the big scheme of things, if not downright trivial. All in all, I am a very satisfied HMC40 owner (and give it at a solid 9 on a 10 scale - nothing being perfect).

Second, I absolutely do not believe "Sony is better" or anything of the sort (nor do I say that). Both Sony and Panasonic (as well as Canon and JVC) make some dang nice cameras (and often quite different - a good thingy), and also make some genuine duds. I do indeed like some features in some Sony cameras better than some features in some Panasonic cameras - and vice-versa! Heck, I'd love to own an HPX300 or an EX1/3 - not to mention an HM700 and probably the new Canon coming out soon, although I'd probably still use the HMC40 the most anyway (just plain easier to pick up and go places with, and easy to shoot with).

In general, I like the feel of shooting with Panasonic cameras, a little better than the feel of shooting with Sony cameras (the ones I've actually handled). Also, in a very general and fairly subtle sense, I tend to like the look of footage coming straight out of Panasonic cameras just a wee bit more than the look of footage coming straight out of Sony cameras. All of the majors do make cameras that are quite capable of shooting footage that I find pleasing to look at though. I am certainly not stuck on any particular brand of cameras.

Personally, I really like HD video. I've always had an interest in video (since I was a kid - and some interest in photography also, to a lesser degree though), but became far more interested, especially in video production, when shooting HD video started becoming something of a practical reality for the common man a little over 5 years ago. SD, to me, has always, more or less, somewhat akin to looking at the world through a screen door (rather than a window). HD has, and still is changing that. High image definition is truly getting higher in definition, both in terms of acquisition (more and more full raster imaging chips in cams, with better image quality codecs), and delivery/display (full 1080p televisions nowadays, and higher resolution images being delivered via more and more routes, like the internet - HD on the net is growing fast!).

I've been (somewhat crudely) labeled a "pixel-counter" (or similar) on occasion. Indeed, I value recording a high level of image detail faithfully. Fundamentally, that's not exactly the same thing as a preoccupation with counting dots. I do make a clear distinction between recording a given number of dots, and actually recording true image detail - entirely different things in essence. Perhaps somewhat ironically, I am probably a little less interested in spatial detail, and a bit more interested in temporal detail, than a lot of folks - generally preferring 720p60 video to 1080p (don't care much for interlaced video - especially since natively progressive monitors/televisions are, or are becoming, almost universal nowadays). That said, I do like the option of shooting 1080p with the HMC40, and indeed recording images with detail that extends beyond that which could be recorded faithfully with "only" about one million dots (luma) in a frame.

There are folks who make a point of emphasizing the importance of content (and perhaps go more than a wee bit overboard in doing so). Indeed, I value content. I have no desire to shoot random images that have no meaning whatsoever to me or anyone else. Images that fail to convey meaning are essentially just noise. That doesn't mean that genuinely "good" content, with true meaning to the viewer, looks just as good in SD as HD (although meaningless crap doesn't look any better in HD). If that were true, why even have HD video at all? I sure don't shoot in HD just because I can.

As I said (right here, and elsewhere, and often), I think the HMC40 (a Panasonic product) is a fabulous camcorder. Someday, I would like to get a camcorder, that uses 1/3" imaging chips, can shoot 720p60 and record to inexpensive solid state media. All else being equal, do I think the NX5U would be a better cam for me, than an HMC150? Yeah, on the whole, I honestly think it probably would be, for me. Does that mean I think Panasonic makes "crap products" and/or "Sony is better"? Heck no - nothing of the sort.

I am not here for purposes of slamming and/or promoting any company, but I am here to listen and learn from what others have to say, as well as share my own knowledge, thoughts and opinions, openly and honestly (with no commercial agenda nor any affiliations with or allegiances to any corporate entities).
 
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