Panasonic announces UX180 and UX90 pricing & availability

[nutmegger]

One reason I was comparing the two is they are close in price. Granted the 180 has a longer zoom. Not all of us need a 20x lens. I'm hoping someone can do an image quality comparison when the 180 ships. The video Doug Jensen posted a couple of months ago of the Z150 is impressive.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZA4CG6pXX6M

 

[Harry Pallenberg]

The only advantage I can see to the Z150 at all is that it records 1080p at 10-bit (but even then, only at 50mbps). The UX180 doesn't do 10-bit at all, but it does go up to 200mbps.

I'd much rather have a 10-bit recording format than an 8-bit one, sure, but I wouldn't give up a 20x lens (with a wide-angle of 24mm) or UHD/60p to get it.

The other advantage is that the Z150 is out now I soooo wish the 180 or HCX-1000 would hurry up! Seriously the 24mm wide 20x lens is gonna be sweet.

 

[firehawk]

I soooo wish the 180 or HCX-1000 would hurry up! Seriously the 24mm wide 20x lens is gonna be sweet.

I am excited about the UX180 as well. Too bad it can't use the old and new DVX style batteries like the HC X1000. That was a great idea!
No way I am going to pre-order it though. Curious to see how good the production model does

 

[Ron Evans]

The other advantage is that the Z150 is out now I soooo wish the 180 or HCX-1000 would hurry up! Seriously the 24mm wide 20x lens is gonna be sweet.

All my cameras are currently Sony and I was hoping the Z150 would have UHD60P it was off the list when that didn't happen. I have a FDR-AX1 but was looking for similar spec but with better sensor and the AG-UX180 or HC-X1 fit this requirement I think but the Z150 does not. I do not think you can compare them. Z150 to the AG-UX90 may be a better comparison and I think the Z150 may win that comparison other than price.

 

[benne13]

Video posted today of both UX90 and UX180 Footage

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njqcXVhJoAk

 

[tsioukas]

UX180 looks cleaner than UX90. Colors are the same. In 20x UX180 looses for a sec the focus. Very good footage.

The image quality convinced me. I am waiting to read the operation manual of UX180. I have already read UX90 and I didn't find something that I didn't like, except video output that it doesn't have 720p (usefull for live streamlining without to speed CPU power) and at this time it doesn't have Android APP.

 

[dnavas]

Video posted today of both UX90 and UX180 Footage

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njqcXVhJoAk

Thanks for the footage. Wish it was cut better, though -- looks like it was down-sampled in both resolution and frame frequency.

 

[Barry_Green]

UX180 looks cleaner than UX90.

The UX180 is definitely substantially cleaner than the UX90. The camera internals are not the same between the two.

I have already read UX90 and I didn't find something that I didn't like, except video output that it doesn't have 720p (usefull for live streamlining without to speed CPU power)

The UX90 can definitely output 720p live. I've done it. Put the camera in 720p mode and set the video output to "SYSTEM" and it will output 720p. The UX180 is the same.

and at this time it doesn't have Android APP.

That, unfortunately, is true, and I don't know if it ever will have. I have to buy a refurbished iPad from Best Buy. It's $179, so it's not THAT big of a deal. Slightly annoying, but considering I paid $465 for my FOXI remote focus/iris control, really $179 to have full remote control ability is a no-brainer. Would be convenient if they'd make an Android app, but they don't, so I'm just choking down buying the iPad as if it was a remote device and in that context it's cheap and easy to justify.

 

[firehawk]

Do the old panasonic zoom focus iris controllers not work with the ux180 and 90?

Does anyone know if the 180 can do smooth zoom starts and stops ?

 

[tsioukas]

The UX90 can definitely output 720p live. I've done it. Put the camera in 720p mode and set the video output to "SYSTEM" and it will output 720p. The UX180 is the same.

Yes, sorry, I didn't explain it well. I mean when you record UHD or FullHD at the same time. It just have down conversion to 576/50.00p.

That, unfortunately, is true, and I don't know if it ever will have.

They release iPAD app in the start of 2016. For a company with the size of Panasonic yes they are late to release Android app. I hope that this isn’t a technical problem because app works only in iPAD and not in iPhone.

 

[benne13]

Does the UX90 shoot FD 60fps? I know it doesn't shoot UHD 60fps only 30fps so I was wondering about FD? I'm just looking for a camera to match my GH4 60fps quality for sporting events.

 

[davedv]

Yes the UX90 can shoot Full HD 1080p @ 60fps. It seems like the UX90 is not a world camera though, so there are separate models for the NTSC (60 fps) and PAL (50 fps) regions. Which means that the version of the UX90 sold in Europe will max out at 50 fps in HD and 25 fps in UHD.

From what I can tell, the UX180 is a world camera and is switchable between 50p and 60p recording. The Panasonic HC-X1 also seems to be system frequency switchable between 50 and 60p.

 

[Barry_Green]

Do the old panasonic zoom focus iris controllers not work with the ux180 and 90?

Yes, they all do. But the ROP app controls much more than just focus, zoom, and iris.

Does anyone know if the 180 can do smooth zoom starts and stops ?

Depends on how hard you press the zoom button. If you're slamming it to full speed, it'll lurch into action. If you gently press the zoom lever, you'll have an extremely smooth zoom start.

 

[Barry_Green]

Yes, sorry, I didn't explain it well. I mean when you record UHD or FullHD at the same time. It just have down conversion to 576/50.00p.

. Ah, yes, you are correct on that.

They release iPAD app in the start of 2016. For a company with the size of Panasonic yes they are late to release Android app. I hope that this isn’t a technical problem because app works only in iPAD and not in iPhone.

All I can tell you is that I've been watching this company for a decade, and they really don't "do" software. I would not hold out hopes that they will make the app iPhone-compatible, or android-compatible. Maybe they will, and maybe they won't. All I can tell you is that as of today, the app is available, and it works on the iPad, and -- that's it. Because of that, I'm planning on having to get an iPad to use it.

Will things change in the future? Will they have an iPhone version? Will they have an Android version? I have no idea. But it doesn't exist today, and I don't know if it ever will exist, so -- I'm saying don't count on it. If they do it, it's a nice surprise. But generally, Panasonic doesn't do a lot of software development.

 

[Barry_Green]

Yes the UX90 can shoot Full HD 1080p @ 60fps. It seems like the UX90 is not a world camera though, so there are separate models for the NTSC (60 fps) and PAL (50 fps) regions. Which means that the version of the UX90 sold in Europe will max out at 50 fps in HD and 25 fps in UHD.

From what I can tell, the UX180 is a world camera and is switchable between 50p and 60p recording.

This is all correct.

The Panasonic HC-X1 also seems to be system frequency switchable between 50 and 60p.

Can't say, don't know anything about the HC-X1.

 

[Camera Expert]

One of the many videos I did at NAB New York. I went to New York all the way from Boston by bus. Once I'm their, I had to walk a lot and take a train and so I was a bit tired and decided to use 1 channel of my AC90 built in mic instead of the shutgun mic. Oops! I did that for the first 2 interviews. Ah well. I still used the shutgun for the rest of the inteviews. Besides, this was the first time using a shutgun mic on the AC90. Also, please disregard the shutgun mic flapping at the top. I noticed it during the shoot and decided to keep the clip rather than do it over again. It was sticking out a little bit too much for that first video.

Anyway, I'm actually going to do a review on the UX90 once I get it. I'll be comparing it to my AC90. I'll be doing some other kind of testings as well. I might also get to test the UX180 when it comes out.

 

[dnavas]

Anyway, I'm actually going to do a review on the UX90 once I get it. I'll be comparing it to my AC90. I'll be doing some other kind of testings as well. I might also get to test the UX180 when it comes out.

Awesome, I'll look forward to that! Nice scoop. I guess "next couple of weeks" means some time after Thanksgiving, especially as most folks are quoting December. In the meantime, the fortunate few have been given access, lucky so-and-so-s

I think that looks pretty good, but I certainly don't have any kind of expert eye.

 

[Ron Evans]

A question for Barry. The information says that the gain can be set in 3 positions but there doesn't appear to be the classic gain switch. Also however the gain is switched does it switch smoothly which is important when it has to be switched when shooting. Something I like about my NX5U.

 

[Barry_Green]

Yeah, the gain is different on these cameras, there is no switch. There's a gain button, and you can assign three positions to three user buttons, and you can use the wheel to set gain in 1dB increments. So:
1) You can use the gain button, and set to to cycle between OFF/LOW/MID/HIGH.
2) You can assign the LOW/MID/HIGH functions to user buttons. That way it works just like the switch would have, but it takes up three of your user buttons to do it that way.
3) You can use the onscreen GAIN function with the wheel, and that way you can dial in exactly what gain you want.

So the control is all there, it's just done differently than from a switch.

 

[Ron Evans]

If the gain is changed does it move smoothly between settings whether it is by button or wheel? With my NX5U I like the fact I can switch from 0 to 6db and the camera will move this slowly and give me time to manually change iris if I need to compensate a little with no abrupt changes. This works fine even if the iris is in auto with AE shift and I would just like to move the iris range to a different point by moving gain up or down. I hope you are writing a book on the UX180 as I am really thinking of getting one when they come out later this year.