With a high-resolution 3-megapixel imager, multiple AVCCAM recording
formats, DV support, and enhanced professional functions, the Panasonic AG-HMC80
delivers the full benefits of AVCCAM for schools, event videographers,
government facilities, web designers and corporate users who prefer to
work with a shoulder-mount camera and need flexible connectivity and
format support. The camera, utilizing a professional 3-chip imager, can
also take 10.6-megapixel still images and store them as standard JPEGs
on the solid state card. AVCHD recordings and stills can be directly
played back from the SD card on a wide range of low-cost players
including Panasonic Blu-ray players, laptop PCs and advanced game
consoles.
�With DV recording, the HMC80 affords users the
flexibility to utilize either HD or SD formats in an affordable,
reliable solid-state workflow,� said Jan Crittenden Livingston, Product
Line Business Manager, Media & Production Services, Panasonic
Solutions Company. �The new camcorder offers the image performance of
our HMC40, plus added professional features, such as a manual focus
ring, that boost its appeal for use in professional production
applications.�
The camcorder�s full HD resolution 3-megapixel
3MOS imager produces stunning 1920 x 1080 or 1280 x 720 AVCHD video with
high sensitivity. Because the AVCHD format-based camcorder uses MPEG-4
AVC/H.264 high profile encoding � which provides a doubling of bandwidth
efficiency and improved video performance over the older MPEG-2
compression based formats (e.g. HDV) � recordings look clean and crisp,
even during fast motion, without image degradation or dropouts.
The
HMC80 records video in all four professional AVCCAM HD recording modes,
including the highest-quality PH mode (average 21 Mbps/Max 24Mbps), the
HA mode (approx.17 Mbps), the HG mode (approx.13 Mbps) and the extended
recording HE mode (approx. 6 Mbps).
At 60Hz, the camcorder
supports the following HD formats in PH mode: 1080/60i, 1080/30p,
1080/24pN, 720/60p, 720/30p, 720/24pN; in HA, HG and HE modes, it
records in 1080/60i. In standard definition DV, the camcorder records
480/60i, 480/30p, 480/24p.
The HMC80 records standard-definition
DV directly onto SD cards in the AVI Type 2 file format and offers
squeeze, letter box and side crop options.
Using just one 32GB
SDHC memory card, a user can record three hours of full resolution
1920x1080 video and audio in PH mode, four hours at HA mode and 5.3
hours at HG mode. In the HE mode, the camera can record up to 12 hours
of 1440 x 1080 HD content on a 32GB SDHC card. Up to 2 hours of DV
content can be recorded on a single 32GB SDHC card.
For the
first time in an AVCCAM shoulder-mount, the HMC80 includes such high-end
professional features as a user-assignable manual focus ring functions
(Focus/Iris/Zoom) for added control; time code/UB recording; time/date
stamp; and two wired remote control terminals (for zoom, focus, iris,
REC start/stop controls). The camcorder�s lens system captures super
sharp images at up to 12X optical zoom and features a 40.8mm (35mm lens
equivalent) wide-angle setting. It also offers users useful functions
including Optical Image Stabilizer (OIS) for smooth stable shooting,
Dynamic Range Stretch (DRS), which helps compensate for wide variations
in lighting, and a Cine-Like Gamma mode that gives recordings a more
film-like look.
The HMC80 comes standard with HDMI output (AVCHD
only), USB 2.0 (mini B-type devices), composite output (BNC x 1),
analog component (BNC x 3), IEEE 1394 output (DV only), and a built-in
stereo microphone as well as a 3.5 mm external mic-in jack. The
camcorder features two locking XLR inputs with switches for mic/line,
and +48V Phantom Power capability.
The camera offers useful
solid-state recording functions including pre-record, interval
recording, shot marker and metadata capture. Additional features include
waveform monitor display, focus assists such as focus bar display and
enlarged display, auto focus with face detection, white balance, mode
display, zebra display, color bar, tally lamps, slow smooth zoom and
soft landing, slow shutter and synchro-scan shutter functions, and three
programmable user buttons. A wireless remote is also included.
For
editing or playback, professionals can transfer content by inserting
the SD Card into Mac or PC computers or by connecting the camera
directly via its USB 2.0 interface.