Panasonic Leica Dicomar Video Camera

No photographic camera in contempo memory has generated every bit much buzz as the Panasonic AG-DVX100. This is the starting time consumer-priced camera to offering 24 frame per second progressively scanned video (24p), which (theoretically) makes video look like information technology was shot on moving-picture show. Professional videographers and serious hobbyist can now capture video in 24p, which is how an increasing number of movies, television commercials and primetime programs are shot. At that place'southward more to this photographic camera than just 24p, notwithstanding.

Form

The large soft eyepiece on one end and a Leica Dicomar lens on the other create a very nice first impression. The handle running from front to back makes the DVX-100 like shooting fish in a barrel to hold and command with one hand. A flip-out 3.5" LCD console is located on the left side, only higher up two large dials for manually controlling the sound levels. On the right side of the camera you'll detect analog video inputs and outputs, a FireWire port and two big XLR connectors for microphones. The back of the camera contains a small punch for quickly changing shooting modes, from standard NTSC interlaced video to film-like 24p. There are six individual modes and ii user modes that tin can be fully customized, which we found to be invaluable. This is definitely a sleeper feature on this camera that may exist overlooked amid the all the 24p hoopla. There is a pregnant just small pause while the camera switches into the progressive modes (24p, 24p advanced and 30p). Strangely, auto focus does not function in any of the progressive modes.

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Office

Yous tin can control the zoom using the fingertip rocker or via the handle, but we liked the responsive manual lens-butt zoom the best (with stops and barrel markings). The DVX100 also has a transmission focus ring located on the lens butt, merely, unlike the zoom, it isn't a true mechanical ring. Nosotros institute the numerical representation of the focal altitude in the viewfinder and LCD to be extremely useful. Optical image stabilization worked precisely and gave handheld shots an even and steady wait. A tiny joystick above the LCD screen controls the camera in VTR mode. Pushing the joystick forward and backward fast-forwards and rewinds the tape and was easily operated in the field with one hand. Panasonic definitely gets two thumbs upwardly for the appealing design of this photographic camera. The professional person, serious and make clean look of the DVX100 will turn more than than a few heads.

Panasonic left no stone unturned when information technology comes to the audio system on the DVX100, which has 2 XLR inputs on the body. The camera captures rich, vibrant audio that is easily monitored using the audio levels that are displayed in the flip out LCD screen or in the viewfinder. The large dials for manipulating the ii channels of audio input were piece of cake to find and adjust without having to remove your heart from the viewfinder.

24p

The 24p features of this camera sparked considerable debate around the office. The video from the DVX100 was beautiful, no thing what style we shot in. Shooting in 24p produced gorgeous results that did indeed have a film-like expect and feel. Although it's difficult to depict, the images produced a surreal and afar feel that was somehow different from video. For example, we shot a street corner right exterior our role and played information technology back, and only a few people actually recognized it as the corner that they laissez passer on a daily basis. Flesh tones appeared more than natural than standard video. Rapid camera movement as well produced a dizzying effect that is non commonly associated with standard video.

A minor but vocal faction in our role validly pointed out that you are throwing away 20% of your potential video frames when shooting 24p. Besides, the photographic camera does shoot beautiful 30p video. Or you can shoot standard video at 60i (60 interlaced fields), which can be converted to 24p in mail, for example, using in-sync Blade ii. (Caution: It is more difficult to convert 30p video to 24fps film than to convert standard interlaced 60i video to film. This topic is well beyond the scope of this review.) Further, it was argued that the vast majority of the video shot past near videographers with this camera is going to exist played back on standard interlaced NTSC television, which means your gorgeous 24p is going to exist telecined to interlaced 30fps anyway (60i). Unless yous are an indie producer prepared to spend thousands of dollars (perchance $300 a minute or more than) to transfer your video to motion picture, you might want to rethink 24p.

The 24p supporters and the 24p skeptics came together for a pint at the pub later and agreed: this camera shoots beautiful images. You tin shoot in 24p or 30p or 60i or any you lot'd like, and then this is the one camera that can please everyone. The image can be endlessly tweaked with a host of camera controls and groups of custom settings can be saved to two user modes, instantly accessible with the mode dial. This meant that we could sharpen up the video and saturate the colors to win objective quality and resolution tests or soften the image up and desaturated the color to create an aesthetically warm picture look. Suffice it to say, while everyone had a "best" way to configure the camera, no i was disappointed.

Let the Revolution Brainstorm

For whatsoever reason, objective or not, the motion-picture show-going public aesthetically prefers moving-picture show to video. And while we might disagree about whether the typical videographer should even worry about the film look or should instead concentrate on shooting good video (you have to walk before you can run), the most powerful reason to recommend the Panasonic AG-DVX100 isn't 24p itself, but the option to shoot 24p. Add to this XLR audio, the Leica Dicomar lens, 3 one/3-inch CCDs, multiple user presets, countless image tweaking and a street price in the $3,500 range and you lot'll understand why nosotros feel Panasonic has fabricated a revolutionary camera worthy of our highest praise.

TECH SPECS

Format: Mini DV

Lens: fl=4.5mm to 45mm, f/1.6, 10x optical zoom, 72mm filter, Leica Dicomar

Image Sensor: 3 x 1/3-inch CCD gross pixels: 410,000 effective pixels: 380,000

Viewfinder: 0.44-inch color (180,000 pixels)

LCD Viewscreen: 3.5-inch color (200,000 pixels)

Focus: motorcar, manual

Image Stabilization: optical

Maximum Shutter Speed: 1/2,000

Iris Command: yep

Exposure: auto, manual

White Balance: auto, transmission, presets

Audio: 16-bit, 48kHz

Microphone Input: yeah

Inputs: FireWire, S-video, composite, XLR

Outputs: FireWire, S-video, composite, headphone

Edit Interface: FireWire

Other Features: 24p, 24p advanced, 30p, 60i shooting modes; Cine-similar Gamma curves; customizable user modes; ND filters

Dimensions: 5-1/ii (w) ten 6-5/16 (h) x 14-3/8 (d) (139 x 160 ten 364 mm)

Weight: 3.65lbs (1.66 kg) (sans record and battery)

Functioning Times

Pause to Record: 0.89 seconds

Power-up to Record: 5.x seconds

Tested Horizontal Resolution: +515 lines

Strengths

Exceptional picture show quality
Vi customizable modes
Excellent progressive video
Flexible paradigm tweaking

Weaknesses

No automobile focus in progressive modes

SUMMARY

A revolutionary professional person camera that allows shooters to switch between cinema-similar images or standard video modes.

Panasonic Broadcast & Boob tube Systems
One Panasonic Way
Secaucus, NJ 07094
(800) 528-8601
www.panasonic.com/pbds

$3,795