Panasonic Pro AG-HMC150 3CCD AVCHD 24fps Camcorder
The AG-HMC150 handheld incorporates three 1/3-inch progressive CCD imagers to produce stunning 1920 x 1080 resolution picture quality far exceeding older Long GOP formats like HDV. It s equipped with a high-performance wide-angle Leica Dicomar 13x zoom lens and 24- and 30-frame progressive capture in a full range of HD formats, making it well suited for all types of projects. With an exciting range of professional video and audio features and a compact, well-balanced design, the HMC150 is a must have for video professionals and enthusiasts looking for the best in affordable HD. Includes: AG-HMC150 AVCHD Camcorder, AC adapter/charger, 2640mAh battery pack, AC cord, DC cord, Wireless remote controller with button-type battery, Microphone holder, Eye cup, Shoulder Belt, Component video cable, PIN-BNC conversion plugs, Ferrite core, Binder, CD-ROM, The following accessories are attached to the unit. Lens hood cap and INPUT 1/2 terminal cover
Panasonic Pro AG-HMC150 3CCD AVCHD 24fps Camcorder Features
- Waveform Monitor, Vectorscope plus two Focus displays for accurate, quick focus
- 13X Wide angle 28 mm lens out of the box (35mm equiv.). 1/3-inch CCD Progressive Imagers
- Higher bit-rate recording than consumer models (21 Mbps PH Mode)
- Full range of HD formats: 1080/60i, 1080/30p, 1080/24p (Native). 720/60p, 720/30p, 720/24p (Native)
Panasonic has done an excellent job of designing this camera. The record buttons are at your fingertips, the playback speaker is no longer under the camera, and the menu setup is very easy to use. Transferring from a SD card saves so much time and money and is you aren't worried about the wear on your heads. I haven't had any problems with the camera or it's quality to date. If you are looking for a camera in this price range, I STRONGLY recommend this one. -- STRONGLY RECOMMENDED!
If you are looking for an affordable camcorder that actually shoots 1920x1080 24p with XLR inputs and good control over image settings, this unit will not disappoint in terms of picture quality.
Despite all my negative comments below, when it comes down to it the camera produces and extremely good picture and film like look when you have your settings and lighting correctly done.
My last camera was the Canon XL2, when I opened the box the the HMC-150 I was completely underwhelmed. The build quality seems cheap, you can just see how they did some cost cutting to get the price down on this camera.
Lets face it, for the price you get good features so it's hard to complain but here is what I don't like:
CONS
1. 4:3 LCD is absolutely a waste, obviously they pulled it from the parts bin from older models to cut costs.
2. Zoom, is either manual or servo, can't use both. Need to toggle a switch to switch between.
3. On screen menus are straight out of a video titler from the 90s. Confusing and just overall thrown together I am sure Panasonics menus on cheaper camera have to be better.
4. Auto zoom rocker speed not all that adjustable takes time to adjust too.
5. Battery that comes with the unit is worthless, if you are actually going to use the camera for more than 60 minutes at a time you need to upgrade.
6. Tons of buttons all over the place, requires some exploration. Quite often you find yourself asking why did they put that there?
7. Built in microphone is average but who seriously uses those on any camera anyway?
PROS
1. Price
2. Extremely good picture quality and film like look when probably lit and scene file settings are dialed in.
3. Relatively light weight easy to move around.
4. Optical stabilizer works pretty well.
5. Zoom assist function quite handy.
6. Lens despite negative reviews is great for this price range.
7. SD card recording is top notch.
8. XLR inputs with phantom power.
9. Outputs galore, should cover all your needs.
10. Head phone jack re-enforced.
In the end most of the negative parts of this camera are washed away, when you have realistic expectations of it's capabilities.
-- Solid, Despite Cost Cutting Measures
I've had the Panasonic HMC150 for a few weeks now and have used it on a few shoots and have been very pleased. It has been especially handy for shooting long form presentations and live events, as you can get over 100 minutes of 720P HD on a 16GB SDHC card that I bought for [...] each on [...]. That is a huge advantage when you have a lot to shoot and don't have the time between shots to dump off your P2 cards to the laptop. There are a few extra stops on the ND Filter preset versus the 200 camera, and the lens seemed to hold up well even at long lengths from the back of a concert hall. Wish it had come with a higher capacity on the battery but other than that, this is a good addition to our stable of Panasonic HD cameras. Import into Final Cut Pro 6 was easy via "Log & Transfer" and the overall quality of the video is great. -- HMC150 Rocks - Great Alternative to $$$ P2 Cards
I was actually looking at either this or the HMC40. The 40 was more in my price range, but after seeing it in person and seeing the 150 I had to go with the 150. This camera is great. I wish it was a little cheaper, but it's worth the money. Especially, if you are using it for work. I just received my camera last week and just been getting more familiar with it. I will put her to the real test this weekend when I have a shoot. The thing I really, really like is that there is no tape! No moving parts! I don't have to worry about logging and capturing footage. Just plug the SD card in, download, and render! And most important, NO TAPE GETTING STUCK IN THE CAMERA!!!! I couldn't stand that! Panasonic has really done it with this camera! Thank you, and I recommend this camera. -- I'm Happy
I got my HMC-150 in january and yet i don't have any regret of this. Well, the only thing that i can say is that it came with a nano battery, it only longs for 100 minutes, which is almost nothing. You need o buy it with a larger battery separately.
I love the fact that it records in SD card, is really practical, easy to use, and highly safe. I had doubts about this delicate data being saved in this tiny SD cards, but now i love it. The AVCHD codec is awesome, it looks better than the Panasonic P2 200. I want to buy an 35mm Nikkor adapter to get better deep of field... But the optical is really good too, it's wider than the older models, and has more deep of field too.
This is a great product if you want to record truly HD videos. The price is really reasonable, and easy to use too. -- Great codec, and the best for the price.
