AC90: there probably won't be firmware updates.. but just in case a wishlist

D

dee123

Member
I wonder if there are ever firmware updates for camera's like this? I guess it most likely won't happen but just in case i do send my wishlist...

1 LCD + viewfinder working at the same time - This is just annoying and unnecessary! By far my biggest annoyance. Film outside on a sunny day and you keep on flipping in and out the LCD, making you look like a nervous incapable amateur. With other cames with the simple 'hinge' type LCD's it may be doable but with this twist and turn screen it is just impossible!

2 Touch focus / face recognition in manual mode. Such a great invention, but why just leave it to FullAuto exclusively (that changes way too much)? Most of my 'subjects' are on -one third- of the screen, not central (and move a little), face recognition would make run/gun interviews focussing super simple and secure.

3 white balance adjustment (+/- in menu) for auto WB (like the smaller panasonic camera's have). I like a slightly warmer tone. I have the feeling this camera is a bit on the cold side. I do much going indoor outdoor rungun etc stuff so manual WB (where adjustment is possible) is not always handy.

4 Distance measured in real world units (meters/feet). I guess this won't happen as many Panasonic camera's have this. I still don't know why, but it sometimes does make me feel unsure what is in focus.

ok i keep on dreaming.

d
 
I agree with you that it's just ridiculous that you cannot use the viewfinder and flip out screen at the same time. I will say that the flip out screen is almost bright enough to use on its own outside. But not if the sun is on your back. I'm going to try to use the EVF as little as possible. It's really pretty poor, but I guess expected at this price point.
 
does anyone know if panasonic ever releases updates for cameras like this?
the update procedure is in the manual.. may be a false hint though..

d
 
The AC160 got a firmware upgrade to record to 1080 60p so you never know with the AC90. For their consumer camcorders, I don't know if they ever released a firmware upgrade for people to easily download while for their still cameras like the GH1, GH2 and GH3, it's common. That's sort of not fair.


Panasonic showed off a 4K version of the AC90 in the past and I was thinking about how their could be a possibility that it might be able to upgrade it to 4K with a firmware. Yes that sounds a bit out of wrack but as mentioned in Panasonic's specs, the chips are pixel shifted to 2160p and it gets recorded to 1080p. It would definitely be incredible to be able to do that and a paid hardware upgrade would be the next best thing. On the other hand, Panasonic might rather have you outright buy the newer model. One thing is for sure is that it would need a hardware upgrade anyway to output 2160 60p through the HDMI port. For 24p and 30p, that wont be necessary.

Here's the link to the 4K version of the AC90.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9qWi1c3bhY
 
Last edited:
That would indeed be interesting if they did offer 4K in a firmware upgrade. I may be assuming things here but I would be very surprised if they introduced a prosumer 4K camera and had 4K @ 60P right out of the gate. I would suspect that 4K @ 24P and 30P at first with a 60P version to follow in time. Who knows though? Panasonic seems to be listening to its customers a bit more than some of the other manufacturers.
 
Well if Panasonic don't do a firmware upgrade by the time my AC90 comes out of warranty I will probably do a fix for LCD + viewfinder working at the same time myself if it is just a matter of re-rigging the microswitch. As you wont actually use both at EXACTLY the same time you can use a press button externally to do the switch as you look from one to the other. So the screen can be out and when you look through the view finder you hit the button to change and again when you look back.
 
well at least i feel less alone now about the LCD+EVF thing. they should have realized this when designing the camera.

in the old days when the LCD was a simple flip on the side and there was need to save power (when working with energy-consuming tape cams) this was understandable.

but now this cam runs hours and hours on a battery, energy saving can't be the reason. and flipping this LCD screen is... well.. you simply can't check EVF quickly while keeping on fiming. it takes 2-3 seconds -and- serious camera shake (and click-click noises!!) to flip in the LCD.

i am happy with the way the LCD is securely inside the cam for transport, i do like that, but is just should be able to check EVF quickly when filming outside.

i do a lot of run/gun inside/outside shooting so i sincerely hope this can be changed some day.

(by the way, does that eyecup fit anyone?)
 
I would like WMF, a larger histogram, better time lapse (not 1080i). If it was possible a higher frame rate like 90fps would be cool too. I would also like more user buttons via touch screen. ALC on external microphones would be great, but not sure its possible. Of course all that other stuff mentioned above would be great too.

On a side note, the user menu (I have gotten used to it) could really be improved. Its basically in the old Panny format which to me could use an overhaul.
 
As far as i know ALC works on the XLR's.

i was happy to find out it is LIMITER control and not LEVEL control.

d
 
I suppose the ac90 has better iq than the hmc40, but the 40 is very respectable. And I can have both the flipout and the VHF on at the same time, and I have a wfm. I can appreciate some of the upgrades the 90 has, but they took away some important features for some reason only Panny could know.

Grant
 
Capability to capture and output the date/time stamp info on the video. Such as what the AC160, AC130, and HMC150 does. For legal deposition type projects.
 
Another handy function I'd like to see them add would be to display the dB gain level when in Auto Iris. I find myself often having to toggle to manual as I want to know how much gain is being implemented. Like you said, probably won't see a firmware update but worth mentioning! :D
 
Stronger ND's would be nice. Unfortunately that would require a hardware upgrade. It's almost as if you are forced to buy an ND filer with the camcorder for the times your shooting in very bright days. This is the type of inconvenience that should only be common with DSLR's and not professional camcorders.

As for something that might be able to be just a firmware upgrade is better handling of gain when shooting in 24p with very little lighting.

It's good that this thread exist because you never know. It'll be a while until Panasonic replaces the AC90 so it doesn't hurt to make it better via firmware. On the other hand, we don't know what Panasonic will do with their 4K version. It would get a bit of bad publicity if that gets released next year for not much money over the AC90's original price since it will have been too soon that the AC90 gets replaced unless Panasonic does what I hope and turn it into a hardware upgrade for a price. Since they already did hardware upgrades for the AC130 and AC160, you never know.
 
jazzspot said:
Capability to capture and output the date/time stamp info on the video. Such as what the AC160, AC130, and HMC150 does. For legal deposition type projects.
Click to expand...

i don't really get this.. you have a (recorded) file date, why would you want to have it in the image? as for legal, you can start filming with any desired date anyway. in the image or not, tinkering is very easy. i may miss something.

i did notice that the recorded file date does not change on this camera when you put it to a different time zone. it just keeps the 'home' time until you change the 'main' clock setting. which makes this setting quite useless i think.

d
 
I would like the ability to dial in a specific color temp with the white balance controls. I am extremely satisfied with the camera overall but the White Balance functionality is amateur hour.
 
It would be great to have true 24p in the PAL version. The 25p option isn't true 25p and causes artifacts. It's easy enough to convert 50p to 25p however this technically halves the bit rate of the source frames. True 25p would be great too but I have a feeling this doesn't exist in the AVCHD standard.
 
dee123 said:
i don't really get this.. you have a (recorded) file date, why would you want to have it in the image? as for legal, you can start filming with any desired date anyway. in the image or not, tinkering is very easy. i may miss something.

i did notice that the recorded file date does not change on this camera when you put it to a different time zone. it just keeps the 'home' time until you change the 'main' clock setting. which makes this setting quite useless i think.

d
Click to expand...

For litigation video, the video must generate and output the time date stamp. That is a requirement. I'm not referring to simply displaying the time date in the camera's LCD screen.

"One requirement for all litigation videographers and his/her camera is the ability to generate time and date as required by most industry standards."

"Check to see if the time and date stamp record onto the video in the camera as well. I’m not talking about in a data track that can be turned on and off, but on the video like older VHS cameras."

http://legalvideoresource.com/equipment/how-to-choose-best-camera-deposition-video/#comment-106
 
i think 25fps does exist in avcdh standard.

however, going from 50p to 25 p does not halve the data rate. as avchd mainly records -differences- between frames, it takes only relatively little data to register double the frames, as the difference between the frames is very small. my wild guess is from 25 to 50 fps it only takes 10 or 15% extra data.

of course the sensor still has to register all 50 frames, and the chip has to encode, so that is why not all camera's have it. it is not the data rate.

d
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top