It was a long wait but finally got it last week and then took it for a trip right away, its performance it's outstanding, I got this camera for a TV show we are producing, after seeing a few options we decided to get this one because of several reasons:Size, the camera is very compact, for a camera that provides broadcast quality image the size is amazingly small.
Construction, this camera has most of its body made out with metal panels, that makes it very solid and also makes it reliable, also the set up of the buttons are easy to access.
Price, there are other models in the market that could deliver a similar quality or probably a little better but the cost is at least $1k more, if you think like I do "creativity is the main ingredient for a good production", spending the extra cash doesn't really make a difference as long as you are aware of the camera's capabilities and limitations, but there is always ways to improve performance in some conditions that could affect the correct functionality of your equipment.
Tapeless technology, we bought another AVCHD camera a little less than a year ago, we use it mostly for action shots and underwater recording, the transition was effortless, the advantages and capturing time are reduced to minimal and the quality is amazing, with this model we found that its quality is even better than older models and editing is a lot quicker, also recording cost are cut to almost nothing with new SDHC cards that can be used over and over without loosing quality... Just this fact makes it a must buy!!!
After using it for this little time I have managed to work around its many controls and get exactly what I want from it, the response to low light is not the best but it's decent, you can always add a good light for little money and resolve that problem, also the sound quality is excellent, I didn't get the optional xlr adapter piece for it but I am using a 8mm wireless mic system that combined with this little fellow deliver great results!!
In short words: "the new Panasonic AG-HCM40 is not the best camera money can buy but ,to my opinion, it's the best camera money can buy for this price!!"
PROS:
1) MPEG-4. Shoots very good quality in a tiny light weight package. Just love it. Even has time-lapse capability which sure beats roto-ing in post for a time lapse effect.
2) You can squeeze two HMC40s in the same size carryon pelican case as the 150.
3) Start editing your shots on Mac in only 2-3 minutes without waiting for rendering. No transcoding required, no $600 P2 cards either. But you should use something faster than just class 6 SDHC media if you want to bump up the quality a little, otherwise you might get some artifacts (image problems) with fast motion and striped clothing. Same problem as any media recording slower than the camera.
4) I'm cool with renting HMC150 and redrock/letus for higher end projects if necessary. This camera is fine for making DVD projects or streaming HD.
5) Great looking shots with 4:2:0 sampling.
6) We produce our own stuff, make a profit and clients keep coming back. With a $1995 retail price tag I can finally afford to own two very nice HD cameras.
CONS:
A) Manual button lovers will need to learn the softkey menus. I love the softkeys with all the same features. No different than using an iphone.
B) Two choices for sound: Seperate sound (best) or get the panasonic/beachtek adapter for on camera. I like using seperate sound on a tascam or fostex digital recorder with four seperate channels (mic 1, mic 2, wild background). This gives you plenty of room to remix in post or replace sounds. Great sound is still 50% of the production.
C) It's not the same glass lens set as 150/170 so you may need different accessories.
D) No timecode jam sync between two cameras. This camera does have its own timecoding (HH:MM:SS:FF). Oh well, I've been living without timecode sync since I started. It just adds a little to the time in post for manually lining up shots and sound tracks. It's no problem to keep using a clapper board anyway. Clappers do give a kinda nostalgic flair for the crew and spectators.
I hope this helps. Upgrade cameras every couple of years while the resale value is still a good plan. After shooting a short this weekend I think this is going to be a good two year relationship. I wish you the best.
Semper fidelis,
David Cannon
Buy Panasonic Professional AG-HMC40 AVCHD Camcorder with 10.6 MP Still and 12x Optical Zoom Now
This camera deserves "6 Stars" on image quality. I am a Realist when it comes to reviewing a product. First: we must consider the items price, $1995.00. In the "Professional Video Camera World", That is tantamount to saying a steal!!! I will not go into features and functions, the description of this Camera is given in detail on the product description portion of this page.Second: Size and weight, Until very recently, a Pro Video Camera came in two sizes, large and super large. The additional problem here is that the general public became used to seeing these monstrosities at events, and broadcasts. Many Video Camera Professionals still look for these monstrosities simply to appease their clients visual expectations. This is the wrong approach, we should stop breaking our backs with our equipment, and instead educate the public of the technological advances that have benefited this industry. The video quality produced by this camera will please the most discriminating client.
Third: You have all this quality being recorded on SDHC cards (my advise is Class 10 30mbs or better). Recording on SDHC cards will be a liberating experience for people who used tape in the past. The Quality is much better. You cannot record over scenes by accident. It can be recorded on again and again, without loss of quality. It is not affected by altitude like hard drive consumer models. If you are thinking of getting this camera, Just get it.....think later!!!If you are brand new to professional or pro-sumer camcorders or figure its about that time to step up from your handycam days into the world of professional audio/video, there is no better "starting gate" than the Panasonic AG-HMC40. Its smaller form factor will be a familiar "path" in terms of handling and control but will also give you some more real estate to play with the included on-camera controls. Most of this stuff are things within the menus os high-end consumer camcorders but they have been placed on the camera body for quick reach and control. This enabled a lot of on-the-fly adjusting that was simply not possible with lower end consumer camcorders of today.
Then they add manual adjusting with a focus ring, an iris dial control, three different user-controlled buttons and a wole host of other goodies that will propel your experience into the real of professional videography use.
The included battery that comes with the HMC40 is actually the MID-RANGE model that provides about 3 hours of juice at full charge. Most models of camcorders like this (including the older brother HMC150) usually come with the smallest size 1-hour battery but the fact that Panasonic decided to include the 3.5 hour battery in this kit is simply fantastic. The 8 hour extended battery is always recommended but this three hour long model is definitely a welcome addition that will help offset the cost of buying an extended battery, especially if you don't need longer than a 3 hour model (you can use the money saved for on-camera external microphones, the optional XLR adapter, or external lighting).
Speaking of extras, the optional Panasonic XLR adapter is a MUST if you wish to use a good quality XLR shotgun or omni-directional microphone. External lighting is something you DEFINITELY will need if you plan on filming in low light as this camera's low light recording capabilities are mediocre at best without a decent light.
Also, don't be fooled. This camcorder records perfectly in it's highest quality mode with a GOOD QUALITY Class 4 SDHC card. As long as the SDHC card you plan to use is a good brand such as Transcend, PNY, Lexar, SanDisk, or other quality brands, a class 4 (with MINIMUM 4MBps write speeds) records perfectly. This camcorder records at a MAXIMUM of 24Mbps (That is MEGABITS per second, which equals 3MBps -MEGABYTES PER SECOND-) and a quality Class 4 SDHC cards writes at a MINIMUM of 4MBps (MEGABYTES per second). The ONLY reason you would want a Class 6 or 10 speed SDHC card if if you wanted a higher transfer speed (which is good when offloading the data off the card onto a computer. A Class 6 or 10 card should have a minimum write speed of 6MBps and 10MBps respectively, with good quality SDHC cards even having a minimum write speed of 16MBps 30MBps (Lexar, Transcent, SanDisk being my favorites). I've heard bad things with ADATA cards and this camcorder so please be aware in case you plan on using lower quality SDHC cards as you might get distortion, pixelization, ect.
I hope this helps you in your purchase of this great professional Panasonic camcorder!This is the most exciting camera that I have ever owned. Not only is this an outstanding HD video camera but it is also an excellent still camera. While I am still exploring the possibilities of what this camera is capable of I have already come to appreciate the advantages that it offers in controlling the picture quality. The ability to accurately focus quickly as well as to control hot spots in the picture area with the manual f stop control is greatly appreciated. The touch tone screen control works effectively and the ability to choose any three settings for quick access is valuable. I've never seen a camera where the controls were be set up than this one. When hand holding the controls are in exactly the right spot. The ability to do Time Lapse photography is something I have always wanted in a camera and this one does a excellent job. The picture sharpness in the highest recording rate (Approx. 21 Mbps) is breathtaking. My only complaint would be that the instruction book comes only as a pdf file. I printed it off and use it all the time in teaching myself the ins and outs of the superb tool. This is a camera for the person who is serious about creating artistic works that go beyond just shooting a video record. While I'm sure that the Panasonic AG-40 would fit in well with professional TV applications I think that this camera will open up a new world for the serious non-professional who desires to create personal masterpieces. I would pick this as the video camera of the year!
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