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PANASONIC EXPANDS PROFESSIONAL AVCHD PRODUCT LINE WITH THE
NEW AG-HMC70 SHOULDER-MOUNT CAMCORDER
October 31, 2007
Source: Panasonic
Affordable,
Point-and-Shoot HD Camcorder Offers Benefits of SD Card Solid-State
Recording with Professional Audio Flexibility
Panasonic announced the expansion of its
professional AVCHD product line with the introduction of the
AG-HMC70 AVCHD camcorder. As the industry’s first shoulder-mount
AVCHD camcorder, the HMC70 records high-quality 1080i images
onto readily available SD/SDHC memory cards.
Like Panasonic’s full production quality
solid-state P2 HD recording system, this AVCHD camcorder eliminates
the need for and cost of a special deck, as well as the time
required to transfer content from a tape or optical disc to
a PC for editing or content distribution. Since it uses a
standard SD or SDHC card, the HMC70’s recording capacity
will increase and media cost decrease as the industry announces
new higher capacity cards.
Joining the small hand-held AG-HSC1U in
Panasonic’s AVCHD camcorder line-up, the HMC70 utilizes
the industry standard H.264-based Advanced Video Codec High
Definition (AVCHD) video format to deliver crisp HD images.
AVCHD delivers twice the recording efficiency of older MPEG-2
codec technologies like HDV, and it is supported by a growing
number of nonlinear editing packages including Apple’s
Final Cut Pro Version 6.0.1 and i-Movie, Grass Valley EDIUS
Software Version 4.5, Pinnacle Studio Plus 11, Nero 7 Premium
Reloaded, Ulead Video Studio 11 Plus and Ulead DVD Movie Factory
6 Plus.
The HMC70 features three native16:9 progressive
¼” CCDs to record, or provide a live feed of,
widescreen 1440 x 1080 HD resolution images of weddings, sports,
concerts, or other events. It can be used by law enforcement
agencies for training or surveillance, by schools for use
in video production, live staging and documentation, or by
broadcasters and newspapers for web journalism.
The camcorder is equipped with a 12X 38.5mm
to 462mm* Leica wide-angle zoom lens, one-push auto focus,
and integrated Optical Image Stabilization (O.I.S.) that ensures
stable images, which are most critical when displaying high
definition video. The camera also provides excellent color
reproduction and inherits the exceptional color rendition
of Panasonic’s other professional HD cameras.
The camcorder brings the benefits of solid-state
recording to budget-conscious professionals. Like digital
still photography, recording onto an SD/SDHC card offers a
fast and simple IT-compatible workflow, and ensures ultra-reliable
performance because the HMC70 uses no moving parts (unlike
tape or disc-based camcorders) in the recording process.
The HMC70 is resistant to shock, vibration,
temperature change and extreme weather conditions and because
it is solid-state, users have instant access to the recorded
footage without the need to ingest or digitize. In addition,
SD and SDHC memory cards are inexpensive, widely available,
and can be reused repeatedly. Since AVCHD records video as
digital data files, content can be transferred and stored
on affordable, high-capacity hard disk drives(HDD) and optical
storage media and transferred to new ones as advanced technology
is introduced in the future.
The flexible camcorder provides professionals
with continuous record time for long-form HD video production.
With just the touch of a button, users can choose to shoot
in one of the camera’s three recording modes – 6Mbps,
9Mbps or 13Mbps. Using the new 16GB SDHC memory card (available
in November 2007), the HMC70 can record for up to 360 minutes
at 6Mbps quality and up to 160 minutes at 13Mbps, the camera’s
highest quality mode.
The HMC70’s lightweight, shoulder-mount
design facilitates stable shooting and better balance during
long recording sessions. The camcorder’s 3-inch 16:9
LCD monitor offers thumbnail display of recorded images so
videographers can monitor or delete clips. Professionals can
also capture 2.1 Megapixel still images with the camcorder
onto the SDHC memory card – even during video recording.
The SD card content can be played back directly on a growing
number of large HD flat screen displays, front and rear-screen
projectors, and PCs that offer an SD card slot with AVCHD
decoder software. AVCHD content also can be played back on
the Panasonic DMP-BD10AK Blu-ray Disc™ Player and on
the PlayStation 3 game system. Using NLE software, content
can also be rendered in various formats and delivered on a
wide range of media.
Unlike entry-level cameras, the HMC70 offers
professional audio capabilities including two XLR Mic/Line
switchable inputs with attenuation, +48V Phantom Power, and
both Auto & Manual level with Rec level dials. This allows
flexible, high quality audio recording using a wide range
of wired and wireless microphones and mixers.
Professionals can instantly transfer content
from the HMC70 camcorder to Mac or PC computers with an SD/SDHC
card reader or by connecting the camcorder directly via its
USB 2.0 interface. Other connectors that provide even greater
flexibility include HD/SD component and composite (BNCs),
HDMI and RCA audio jacks.
The HMC70 will be available in April 2008.
Options will include a VW-VBG6 5,800-mAH Battery, VW-W4307H
Wide Conversion Lens, and VW-T4314H Tele Conversion Lens.
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