Jan_Crittenden
Veteran
Well I think you will be very impressed with it. Maybe we can do a little DV Expo Floor Video showing just those things and post it. Do we have a place to post it here, like AG-AC90 Footage area? Am i being pushy here?
OTHER: Panasonic Broadcast US announces new member to the AG-AC AVCCAM camcorder family
- Thread starter LanceOregon
- Start date
ChrisHarding
Well-known member
Hi Jan
Members will love that!! I think I have already posted a link with you being interviewed at another trade show/expo with your initial thoughts about the camera....
I have a feeling that HMC40 people will be fighting to get one!! OK, now what I would fight thru any crowd for would be a new series "AC-100 maybe??") as an update of the HMC80... a shoulder mount event camera using the new innovations would be awesome... I will get a 90 anyway once the PAL versions come out but an SM would be very nice!!
Chris
Members will love that!! I think I have already posted a link with you being interviewed at another trade show/expo with your initial thoughts about the camera....
I have a feeling that HMC40 people will be fighting to get one!! OK, now what I would fight thru any crowd for would be a new series "AC-100 maybe??") as an update of the HMC80... a shoulder mount event camera using the new innovations would be awesome... I will get a 90 anyway once the PAL versions come out but an SM would be very nice!!
Chris
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LanceOregon
Well-known member
I would imagine that since this is another AVCCAM camcorder in the AG-AC series, that it will just be combined into this forum, just like the 130 and 160 currently are. So I think that you would be safe uploading any footage to the AC130/AC160 footage area here.
That video of you at WEVA that Chris mentioned did include a very short clip shot from the camcorder. And it looked pretty doggone good to me, although it was frustrating that it was so very short. It seemed to take a few seconds to get the white balance right. But it was spot on after that
I've really got to think that this camcorder will appeal to the WEVA type of professional with its price point, combination of features, and compact size.
Felipe Henao
Well-known member
We all here are waiting for that, This Thread is the place and you are the one
Barry_Green
Moderator
Okay, I can now report that no, that would not be correct. The AC90 has a lovely 8-blade iris!
Wesley Byram
Well-known member
That's a pleasant surprise indeed. This camera is starting to look very tempting. The big remaining question is just how improved over the HMC40 this cam is in low light, but your previous coments wrt the clean gain are encouraging.
ChrisHarding
Well-known member
Hi Wesley
It is supposedly better and seriously at weddings, apart from the dark and dim reception venues even at 17db in a Church my HMC82 sensors give really pristine footage so this should actually be better even though the chips are a tad smaller the technology is way better!! I used to struggle at wedding receptions so I went up to the 1/3rd chip cameras (AC-130) and shucks I STILL needed to use a video light so there wasn't really any advantage!! Unless you are looking at shooting a black cat at midnight in a dark cellar I think the 90 will do pretty much all that is asked of it... so what if the camera needs 18db of gain if the image looks good!!! My mate in the UK is using a JVC HM700 with 1/3rd chips and he complains bitterly about low light..so as long as there is some light I think the camera will amaze most owners!! Some footage at the DV Expo from Jan will clear up any low light issues but don't expect it to see in the dark ....if you are shooting ultra low light then a DSLR with a very fast lens is needed
Chris
It is supposedly better and seriously at weddings, apart from the dark and dim reception venues even at 17db in a Church my HMC82 sensors give really pristine footage so this should actually be better even though the chips are a tad smaller the technology is way better!! I used to struggle at wedding receptions so I went up to the 1/3rd chip cameras (AC-130) and shucks I STILL needed to use a video light so there wasn't really any advantage!! Unless you are looking at shooting a black cat at midnight in a dark cellar I think the 90 will do pretty much all that is asked of it... so what if the camera needs 18db of gain if the image looks good!!! My mate in the UK is using a JVC HM700 with 1/3rd chips and he complains bitterly about low light..so as long as there is some light I think the camera will amaze most owners!! Some footage at the DV Expo from Jan will clear up any low light issues but don't expect it to see in the dark ....if you are shooting ultra low light then a DSLR with a very fast lens is needed
Chris
Wesley Byram
Well-known member
Hi Chris
As the old saying goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Personally, I've never been 100% satisfied with the HMC40's performance under even normal indoor lighting, much less in a scene that is genuinely dark. (Bright sunlight or studio lighting is another thing, where the HMC excels.) The AC90 has backlit sensors and a faster lens, so indeed it should be better. I'm curious as to how much more sensitive it is. One stop? Two stops? I'm sure we'll find out in good time, and any improvement at all is welcome.
Dynamic range is also something I'm curious about. The HMC40 can do about 9 stops if I'm not mistaken. That's usually enough to get the job done, but again, more is better.
As the old saying goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Personally, I've never been 100% satisfied with the HMC40's performance under even normal indoor lighting, much less in a scene that is genuinely dark. (Bright sunlight or studio lighting is another thing, where the HMC excels.) The AC90 has backlit sensors and a faster lens, so indeed it should be better. I'm curious as to how much more sensitive it is. One stop? Two stops? I'm sure we'll find out in good time, and any improvement at all is welcome.
Dynamic range is also something I'm curious about. The HMC40 can do about 9 stops if I'm not mistaken. That's usually enough to get the job done, but again, more is better.
Barry_Green
Moderator
I would say the base sensitivity is the same or extremely close to the same, but that the image holds up much better to gain.
Barry_Green
Moderator
I would say the base sensitivity is the same or extremely close to the same, but that the image holds up much better to gain.
The sensors are backlit, but they're also smaller, so the gain in sensitivity due to the backlit design seems to have compensated for the smaller size. The cleaner gain is where the improvement comes from. But, I'm talking about a pre-production unit here, and I don't have an HMC40 anymore so I can't directly compare the two side by side, and even if I did, it's a pre-pro unit so we wouldn't learn anything conclusive anyway. Not at this stage, at least, other than to say that early reports of thinking the video quality was taking a step backwards seem, in my educated guess, to be quite mistaken, as the sensitivity seems equal, the bokeh is better, the gain is cleaner, it holds the image together longer, and it's definitely sharper with a pure clean sharpness that rivals much bigger and more expensive cameras.
There's a clip of footage from the camera showing OIS and AWB in the middle of this interview with Jan:
Checked out the camera at DV Expo today. Unfortunately I was in a bit of a hurry, but I made the trip out there just to see this camera. I'm seriously considering this for documentary shooting, and will probably end up getting it. The size is very nice, not too big, not too small. The 3 rings are fabulous and what sold me on this camera (along with the price). I'm very encouraged by what I'm hearing about the OIS too, which I unfortunately didn't get to properly test. Really, there's no competition for this camera right now in its price category.
My only concerns right now are: if that system of stowing the viewfinder will be reliable (hoping the camera is fairly reliable, given the 3 year warranty?), the viewfinder seemed a bit small (but I have not compared it to other cameras in the category or higher), and that I found out that the zoom ring is a bit "dampened", so it doesn't give a very direct response (again don't know how common this is on cameras with 3 rings). I don't think any of those will be a show stopper, however, and like I said, I will probably be getting this as soon as it's available.
By the way, Jan, if you're reading this, thanks for the info today at the booth. I was the tall guy with the yellow shirt and student badge.
My only concerns right now are: if that system of stowing the viewfinder will be reliable (hoping the camera is fairly reliable, given the 3 year warranty?), the viewfinder seemed a bit small (but I have not compared it to other cameras in the category or higher), and that I found out that the zoom ring is a bit "dampened", so it doesn't give a very direct response (again don't know how common this is on cameras with 3 rings). I don't think any of those will be a show stopper, however, and like I said, I will probably be getting this as soon as it's available.
By the way, Jan, if you're reading this, thanks for the info today at the booth. I was the tall guy with the yellow shirt and student badge.
ChrisHarding
Well-known member
It a stunning little camera with all the big brother features which makes it highly desirable and an awesome price bracket too. I'm just hoping that it hasn't inherited the autofocus issues that the 130 and 160 has as my primary use would be on my stedicam (current cams are too heavy to lug around all day on the rig) so a good autofocus like the HMC range would be critical for me.
Hopefully footage than Jan said she would shoot at the Expo will show the camera behaving beautifully in full auto??
Chris
Hopefully footage than Jan said she would shoot at the Expo will show the camera behaving beautifully in full auto??
Chris
Felipe Henao
Well-known member
Here it is Bob Diaz was kind enough to share this
ChrisHarding
Well-known member
Hey Felipe
There is a test shoot video also...Bob posted it on the HMC forum. He says the autofocus is great and has none of the 130/160 issues and the OIS is apparently outstanding ... check out the video all handheld...at full zoom it wobbles but a half zoom it's as good as it gets!!
Chris
There is a test shoot video also...Bob posted it on the HMC forum. He says the autofocus is great and has none of the 130/160 issues and the OIS is apparently outstanding ... check out the video all handheld...at full zoom it wobbles but a half zoom it's as good as it gets!!
Chris
Felipe Henao
Well-known member
Hi Chris, Thanks, I just checked Bob's videos and looks like a great camera, planning to buy one but for sure not selling the HMC40, size is unique in this HMC40, of course the AC90 has many
new developments.
ChrisHarding
Well-known member
With the front, high mounted LCD that they have done sorta Sony style the cam is easily adaptable to a shoulder mount ....just a rail and shoulder pad under the camera and Hoodman actually make a really nice loupe for the EX-1 that probably would fit perfectly.
http://www.hoodmanusa.com/prodinfo.asp?number=HEXKP
I used much the same on the 130 but it was more work...this would be easy to convert ... I was hoping Panasonic would bring out an AC-100 to take over from the HMC40 but alas it seems not so it looks like AC-90's would make a really neat events camera if you make it a shoulder mount. Even on my HMC82's I have a rail and shoulder pad as the stock shoulder pad doesn't fit my shoulder very well. Making an SM AC-90 would be a fairly simple operation
Chris
http://www.hoodmanusa.com/prodinfo.asp?number=HEXKP
I used much the same on the 130 but it was more work...this would be easy to convert ... I was hoping Panasonic would bring out an AC-100 to take over from the HMC40 but alas it seems not so it looks like AC-90's would make a really neat events camera if you make it a shoulder mount. Even on my HMC82's I have a rail and shoulder pad as the stock shoulder pad doesn't fit my shoulder very well. Making an SM AC-90 would be a fairly simple operation
Chris
LanceOregon
Well-known member
Wow, the sample clips shot with the AC90 look great. The autofocus test could not have performed better, in my opinion. Nothing at all like the 130/160 Autofocus.
Just checkout how well the autofocus performs here:
And here is another video showing how good the OIS is:
If there is something to hate about this camcorder, I'm sure finding it hard to find something.
The HMC crowd is going to eat this camcorder up I think. Panasonic may have found a nice sweet spot of features, performance, and price with the AC90.
Just checkout how well the autofocus performs here:
And here is another video showing how good the OIS is:
If there is something to hate about this camcorder, I'm sure finding it hard to find something.
The HMC crowd is going to eat this camcorder up I think. Panasonic may have found a nice sweet spot of features, performance, and price with the AC90.
