AC130: Panasonic ag ac130

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pulpfiction007

Veteran
Panasonic_NAB-300x224.jpg
The AG AC130

for those who haven't been following NAB!

Could this be the new HMC150 by another name? I think so. Featuring a 21x wide angle (28mm) lens, 3 highly sensitive 2.2MP 1/3" CMOS chips, 1,226,000 pixel VF, 921,000 pixel LCD, twin SD slots with support for SDXC and simultaneous recording, AVCHD - 1080 @ 60i, 30P, 24P 720 @ 60P, 30P, 24P. DV @ 480 60i, 30P, 24P
Also includes HDMI, Firewire (for DV), two wired remote control ports, 2 XLR ins, 4 position ND switch, 3 great lens rings - mechanical zoom, focus, iris, 3 progammable user buttons, cinema gammas (of course), synchro scan, waveform, vectorscope, timecode.

Basically this camera has everything the HMC150 has, but better. Except.... some might say the use of CMOS imagers. It is not a small cam (well to some it is) as it weighs around 5Lbs.
Anyway...I think it's a great looking/fully featured camera with a tentative MSRP of under $4,000.


Note 1:
At the press conference they mentioned 1080 60P, but the spec sheet I read does not list it. (It is most likely not included)

Note 2:
If you want the same camera but need HD-SDI, VFR, Linear PCM audio, and PAL/NTSC switchability - the AC160 has those at a tentative MSRP of under $5000
If you want all the AC160 offers, but P2 AVC Intra Codec - the HPX250 has that at a tentative MSRP of under $6500
 
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Hmm, this is an interesting camera, pretty much what I expected them to come out with given that they have has 3MOS 1/3 chips in other models for a while now. It answers a lot of the criticisms of the 150, but there are a couple of things I'd like to hear more about:

Firstly, does it record 1080 50/60p (depending on which version). I use 720 50p on my 151 all the time as I like to be able to create nice slo-mo in post without having to make the decision before I shoot. It's ideal for weddings etc. in my opinion. A higher res camera with 1080 50p would be nice, but if it only does 1080 25p then the extra resolution is wasted on me TBH.

Secondly, assuming the sensors are more sensitive, how much more? Is it a really significant difference?

Either way, I'm sure that this camera will be a great choice for people looking to get a new camera in this bracket, but I think I'll probably stick with my 151. The 151 has been very reliable for me and it has very few moving parts so it should keep going for years. The image quality from the 151 still stands up IMHO and there's no flash banding!
 
Assuming I can sell my HMC150, I will be purchasing it. I am curious though if it uses the same batteries as the 150/80/40.
 
studio1972 said:
Firstly, does it record 1080 50/60p (depending on which version). I use 720 50p on my 151 all the time as I like to be able to create nice slo-mo in post without having to make the decision before I shoot. It's ideal for weddings etc. in my opinion. A higher res camera with 1080 50p would be nice, but if it only does 1080 25p then the extra resolution is wasted on me TBH.
Click to expand...

AVCHD doesn't support 1080/50p or 60p.
 
We 150 users have been asking for dual slots, so this is excellent, and I would either sell my 150 or buy this as a 'A' camera and use the 150 as a B camera. Have to wonder how the image quality stacks up to the 150. Hopefully the low light ability would be better than the 150. For many, you really would want to have image quality that matches. But on it's surface it seems like a great camera. Makes the decision around $4 to 5k very difficult, as an AF100 is also a great camera, albeit that it is without lens (however, many of us have lens that would work already). I would have also have liked to see this as a shoulder mount. Or am I missing a different model that is?
 
Overall, a pretty nice camera though. You slap in 3 full resolution 1/2" CCDs and keep the same price, this would be the best event camera on the market, bar none.
 
I'm having a hard time believing that, Barry. According to my reading, CMOS are far more complex than CCD, as they require the image processing electronics for each pixel to be on the same chip. Whereas CCD sends the raw pixel data off chip for all processing. Given that you actually get more light capturing area on a CCD because of this, it seems entirely possible to fit the full 1920 x 1080 pixels on a 1/3" CCD. Especially since it is now possible to do so on even a 1/6" CMOS.
 
If it were possible they'd do it. They're not stupid and they have very clearly heard us over the years. I have been the biggest CCD instead of CMOS cheerleader for years but the game is over and CMOS won. You will see CCD in the 2/3" chips but only in 2/3". If you want a small chip ccd you better grab a jvc or an hmc150 because that is all there is or ever will be in the future.

Flash band compensation technology gets rid of the most egregious complaint against MOS. Hopefully the new cams will have it.
 
I'd love to know just how much better the LCD will be. Maybe it will use the AF100 LCD. I havent had the chance to try a AF100 yet so perhaps others will comment on how good that is compared to the HMC150's?

If this LCD is v.good and it will record 1080/60p that will swing it for me to flog my 150's. My compromise in shooting 1080/30p for weddings is that any slow-mo is horrid. 1080/60p will be the best of both worlds.

Dual slots is nice but I am used to just the one now and I cant say its hindered me.

I'd have prefered to stick with CCDs but I think Barry is right, those days have gone.. However, if the image quality and low-light sensitivity is even slightly reduced, I'll pass.

Oh, I hope they've nailed that clicking \ popping audio too..
 
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No way the image quality is reduced - in daylight shooting, the HMC40 beats the pants off the HMC150 already, and it's got a smaller chip. 1/3" CMOS sensors and a longer lens, plus whatever under the hood firmware improvements they'e made are only going to make for better images.
 
Burners said:
I'd have prefered to stick with CCDs but I think Barry is right, those days have gone.. However, if the image quality and low-light sensitivity is even slightly reduced, I'll pass.

Oh, I hope they've nailed that clicking \ popping audio too..
Click to expand...

In another thread there is a video saying all three of the "triplets" (HPX250/AC160/AC130) are using the chips from the HPX370.

Barry's review of the HPX370's chips is here http://www.dvxuser.com/articles/article.php/28

Footage from Philip Bloom's initial review of the HPX370/371 is here


Now granted it's a different lens and that can have an effect, but I would think lowlight and image quality is going to generally be in the same ballpark as the HPX370.

Also, I don't know anywhere where it says the AC130 will do 1080p60. The AC160 will in VFR, but all the specs for the AC130 I've seen don't mention anything about 1080p60 or VFR.
 
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