AC160 Would you buy this camera again?
- Thread starter djkoz
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Have 2 of them and they get a lot of use music videos, theater productions, interviews, etc., great camcorders. Went through the lens losing focus issue, that was all operator error. Learned the camera and it is a great camera. Just don't rely on "auto" to do everything in low light, stick with "manual" control and you will love this camera. I can get very usable video with 18db gain and shooting in really low light, haven't used the 90, so I can compare the two. John C
Hi Dan, I have a 160A and a AF102. I shoot training and industrial with a bit of marketing- no run'n'gun. These cameras offer just incredible versatility and value for money. For me, there is nothing out there that comes close . The NDfilters and sensitivity of these give them a very wide range of capability. And don't overlook the 160A's vast zoom range- very nearly all things to all men, so for me, the 160A/AF102 can't be beaten.Cheers!Rod
kwkeirstead
Well-known member
I am totally satisfied with my 160A and continue to think it was the best of its class that was on the market at the time for my needs.
I, too, steer clear of auto.
The only mod I did was to remove the volume dial plastic cover protectors and remove the shotgun mic holder (I have two Rode Videomics). I tried unsuccessfully to build up the push auto button. I finally got to where i could find it easily.
Iinteresting to learn we can go to 18db with this camera. I have never dared to go more than 12db. I just set reset the gain settings to 0,6,18 and will try out 18db.
I, too, steer clear of auto.
The only mod I did was to remove the volume dial plastic cover protectors and remove the shotgun mic holder (I have two Rode Videomics). I tried unsuccessfully to build up the push auto button. I finally got to where i could find it easily.
Iinteresting to learn we can go to 18db with this camera. I have never dared to go more than 12db. I just set reset the gain settings to 0,6,18 and will try out 18db.
ullanta
Veteran
Not only would I buy it again, but it seems to me I will never want for a "better" HD camera. I have been through the HVX200(non-A and A) and HMC150 (and used many other cams I haven't owned) and I can say that for the first time, I have no desires for improvements or new features. I don't think I will ever want for anything else unless i find a need to go to higher res than HD - and i don't see that happening any time soon. The resolution is sufficient to take maximal advantage of 1080p. The controls are excellent. The imagery is beautiful. Low light is great. The flexibility is legendary. The media is cheap.
Is it absolutely perfect? No: The lens cap sucks. I much prefer the HVX/HMC style. But the PortaBrace lens cover (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...race_LC_55X65_LC_55X65_Medium_Lens_Cover.html) addresses this easily.
Is it absolutely perfect? No: The lens cap sucks. I much prefer the HVX/HMC style. But the PortaBrace lens cover (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...race_LC_55X65_LC_55X65_Medium_Lens_Cover.html) addresses this easily.
TubEfingers
Well-known member
Rod, I'm currently using HMC151 & AF101 together, does the 160 match with the AF as well as the HMC does?
Vaughan Wood
Well-known member
Hi TubEfingers,
We use the AF101 with my 160 and 130 for stage and concert work (it covers the wide shot), and it matches the other cameras very well, and is easily tweaked in post to get a perfect match.
They are, after all, the same generation of cameras so the guts are very similar.
Answering the original question, I would buy the 130/160 again, for live low light stage work they have an extremely clean and sharp image, and even though all our work is delivered on SD DVDs, our clients have really noticed the difference after using aging Sony PMX100s for the previous 5 years (which tended to show more noise in low light as they got older).
Cheers and Merry Xmas to all,
Vaughan
We use the AF101 with my 160 and 130 for stage and concert work (it covers the wide shot), and it matches the other cameras very well, and is easily tweaked in post to get a perfect match.
They are, after all, the same generation of cameras so the guts are very similar.
Answering the original question, I would buy the 130/160 again, for live low light stage work they have an extremely clean and sharp image, and even though all our work is delivered on SD DVDs, our clients have really noticed the difference after using aging Sony PMX100s for the previous 5 years (which tended to show more noise in low light as they got older).
Cheers and Merry Xmas to all,
Vaughan
Hi, I can't comment on the HMC151 but for all practical purposes I can't tell them apart. (In fact the 160 has slightly higher line resolution I believe)I'm sure if you pixel peeped and whacked them through a colour comparitor you may see differences, but for my work they cut the mustard together as a dynamic duo !
Cheers!
Rod
Michael Carter
Veteran
I have the 130 - for a grand less than the 160, you lose SDI, uncompressed audio and 1080p 60. (Though as I recall, the 160 didn't originally have 1080-60). The 130 shoots 60p @ 720.
That said, I do wish I had the 1080-60 for full-frame slowmo, but other than that... the 130 is just shockingly good and versatile. The audio sounds great. I do things like staged and lit corporate interviews, greenscreen, and motion plates for animation with the 130, and I also shoot a fair amount of run & gun for one of my larger clients that throws a lot of events and is getting fairly high profile (I was fighting for shots with CNN all summer...)
I have a mess of rod component odds & ends, and so I shoulder mount the 130 for every run & gun gig, mounting the manfrotto focus control where my fingertip can control focus and iris. With the focus-in-red feature (and some practice) I can focus faster than my DSLRs can AF for stills. As above posters have said, it's really a do-it-all camera for most situations. I owned the 150, and the 130 image, to me, was a massive leap in sharpness (I do a fair amount of keying though) and dual-cards is a huge deal for peace of mind. I've **never** had to swap a card even for very long days, large aftermarket batteries give me 2+ hours for 40 bucks, and the zoom range is amazing. Lens flares are decently attractive, too. When you get to know the image and how to adjust the camera settings, you can match about anything footage wise - I use canon or Nikon DSLRs for b-cam with no issues. Watch the saturation level in your settings and you'll be fine.
I didn't do a ton of research, but I'd owned a DVX and then the 150 and was very happy with Panasonic's take on image controls. It's a fantastic camera for the $$.
That said, I do wish I had the 1080-60 for full-frame slowmo, but other than that... the 130 is just shockingly good and versatile. The audio sounds great. I do things like staged and lit corporate interviews, greenscreen, and motion plates for animation with the 130, and I also shoot a fair amount of run & gun for one of my larger clients that throws a lot of events and is getting fairly high profile (I was fighting for shots with CNN all summer...)
I have a mess of rod component odds & ends, and so I shoulder mount the 130 for every run & gun gig, mounting the manfrotto focus control where my fingertip can control focus and iris. With the focus-in-red feature (and some practice) I can focus faster than my DSLRs can AF for stills. As above posters have said, it's really a do-it-all camera for most situations. I owned the 150, and the 130 image, to me, was a massive leap in sharpness (I do a fair amount of keying though) and dual-cards is a huge deal for peace of mind. I've **never** had to swap a card even for very long days, large aftermarket batteries give me 2+ hours for 40 bucks, and the zoom range is amazing. Lens flares are decently attractive, too. When you get to know the image and how to adjust the camera settings, you can match about anything footage wise - I use canon or Nikon DSLRs for b-cam with no issues. Watch the saturation level in your settings and you'll be fine.
I didn't do a ton of research, but I'd owned a DVX and then the 150 and was very happy with Panasonic's take on image controls. It's a fantastic camera for the $$.