AC90: Hmc80 vs ac90

Ed Kishel

Ed Kishel

Veteran
I'm looking to invest in a couple cameras for legal depositions. I believe these two cameras provide time/date stamps.

The specs are so close on these two models, the HMC80 seems like a ac90 in a big plastic body. I'm leaning towards the ac90 because you can record on two cards simultaneously (backup safety is big in video depos). But as an af100 user Im accustomed to using waveforms like the hmc has.

The ac90 is newer, and maybe sharper, and probably better at image stabilization. What would you loose from the hmc80 by going with the 90- other than the waveform?

Anyone have any opinion if they had to choose between the two?
 
Hi Ed

For legal work I think you would struggle somewhat with the HMC80 which is actually an HMC40 in a big box ..The AC-90 has slightly smaller chips but they are backlit and the gain on the 90 is pretty much clean up to 24db whereas the 80 gets quite rough after a mere 12db ... a less than adequately lit courtroom and you will struggle with lighting.

Barry knows the cameras inside and out (he writes the books on them!!) so believe me if Barry says there is no date stamp you can be 100% sure there is no date stamp!! Also be careful with the AC130/160 for legal work..it will cruise in the lighting conditions but I believe it still has a date stamp placement issue ..it was central and was then moved down but not enough ...Barry should be able to confirm this however.

If you are sure that you will be working in nicely lit courtrooms that yes, the HMC80 will do the job for you.

Chris
 
Not saying Barry is wrong- just wondering why the press release is false then. Really wanted the 90 to be my next camera. Haven't ruled out the hmc80, but will consider Canons now. Panasonic should firmware upgrade the 90 so that they fulfill the promise made in the press release. But I know Panasonic never adds features in FW updates, only bug fixes.
 
Ed Kishel said:
Why does this Panasonic press release state otherwise:
Click to expand...
Can't answer the "why", all I can tell you is what it does and what it doesn't do. And the AC90 doesn't burn the time/date into the footage.

Clearly someone who wrote the press release made a mistake.
 
DVX100 didn't burn the time date stamp into the footage either. Panny seems to drop the ball a lot in this department.
I have both the 80 and the 130 for my legal work. the 80 is for people that are not true videograhers. 130 is for true videographers that want all manual control.
it is true Panny messed up the time date stamp on the 130/160 but I sent it in to Panny and they fixed it. the position is perfect now.
I also use a Maxell iVDR to do a dual recording ...and use that as my primary footage to make the DVD because the camera makes up some really messed up files names when shooting in SD.
 
Kinda sucks because every other under-$2k-camera I look at seems to not measure up to what the AC90 can do. Super sharp, clean gain, 60p, dual sdhc slots, light, pro audio inputs etc etc. It checks off all my boxes except the time stamp one. It is very "bang for buck" (as most panasonic's are). I would hope for a AC90A that includes the time stamp- but panasonic doesn't do A or B updates to cameras under the one hundred model series. We'll see what shows up at NAB....
 
Ed Kishel said:
I would hope for a AC90A that includes the time stamp- but panasonic doesn't do A or B updates to cameras under the one hundred model series. We'll see what shows up at NAB....
Click to expand...
Hi Ed,
Yes and a Panasonic 160A shoulder mount "form factor" ( when did the word shape become form factor??? how I hate the mangling of my English language!!!) That would be a dream camera!!
Cheers!
Rod ( grumpy old man!!)
 
We found this Goof the first few days of the introduction of the camera. Not good for legal work.


Ed Kishel said:
Not saying Barry is wrong- just wondering why the press release is false then. Really wanted the 90 to be my next camera. Haven't ruled out the hmc80, but will consider Canons now. Panasonic should firmware upgrade the 90 so that they fulfill the promise made in the press release. But I know Panasonic never adds features in FW updates, only bug fixes.
Click to expand...
 
Hey Grumpy (aka Rod)

Dream on!! I very much doubt whether you will ever see that...they already have the HPX370 as a shoulder mount camera but one never knows they just might change the format on the HPX to AVCHD and you have your shoulder mount camera!! That's why I had no option but to go the Sony EA-50 route ...hard to kick old habits wanting the cam on my shoulder but the HMC80 was getting outdated .. I was secretly hoping for an AC-100 but it never came!! The Sony does time stamp and also SD for legal stuff but it's way over the $2K mark!!

Chris
 
Hi Chris,
Yes I too have been an "iron parrot" man for too many years and although virtually all of my work is tripod based I would still like the option of shoulder mount-old habits die hard (oo-er Iv'e gone all Bruce Willis!)

I am waiting for NAB now, to see if something exciting comes out of the woodwork, I am also seriously thinking about the Panny AF102, now if that went SM my dream would be fulfilled as that is essentially a 160 with bigger sensor and interchangeable lens! oh well, we can dream.

Cheers!
Rod
 
Hi Rod

SM's are tough to find nowdays but I see that JVC have now launched a new Model HM70 ...shoulder mount but it looks like a "tupperware" case and is single sensor and no XLR's ...Guess they will be popular with schools and such and seem to be the JVC version of the MC2000 .... Panny already have the AC-7 which is actually quite a featured camera for something under $1000 !!!

I know a lot of people do custom rigs for the Sony FS100 and 700 so surely they would make rig kits for the AF102 as well??? The Sony FS100 is a rather good unit actually compared to my EA-50's it can see in the dark!! However they all seem to have really weird shapes???

Chris
 
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