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MillimeterPanasonic AG-HMC40 Review
Sep 29, 2009 12:00 PM, By Barry Braverman
Diminutive camcorder works the mosh pit.
A waveform built into the HMC40 makes lighting for greenscreen a simple matter. A recommended brightness level of 55 percent to 60 percent can easily be verified.
Pro shooters feel at home
The HMC40's recording options would no doubt seem familiar to experienced shooters. These options include a 3-second prerecord function and a synchro scan shutter for synchronizing off-speed monitors or discharge lighting, such as neon signs and street lights, when shooting abroad. The camera's three external User Buttons can be assigned to a multitude of tasks such as increased gain, setting the digital zoom level (2X, 5X, or 10X), or displaying the waveform.
For educators, the camera's display options include onscreen display (OSD) of setup menus, viewfinder markings for action safe and 4:3 cropping, and standard-definition output in squeezed or unsqueezed modes. Note that the HMC40 cannot shoot standard definition in any shape or form. The capability has been eliminated here, presumably as a cost-cutting move.
Viewfinder clutter is becoming a real menace for shooters these days. This can be an issue in the HMC40 as well because most menu options have an associated status icon in the viewfinder. Shooters should be sure to eliminate all but the most essential camera functions, which for me include audio level, timecode, battery condition, gain setting, and focus distance. The volume of cryptic characters splayed across the LCD can, if not constrained, easily obscure the image and frame boundaries, making effective camera operation difficult if not impossible.
The XLR balanced audio module (the AG-MYA30G) should be standard, but it isn't. You'll have to fork over an additional $300 for it.
What happened to my balanced audio?
Good question. It's there, sort of, in the guise of a robust audio module (AG-MYA30G) that mounts atop the camera. Unfortunately, the module with dual-XLR inputs is not included in the basic camera configuration price. For most users, this can be problematic if they wish to use professional balanced microphones and mixers. While I'm not a fan of artificially reducing a camera's selling price in this way, I understand that camera manufacturers, like everyone else, are feeling the pressure of tough economic times and must resort to such strategies to attract potential buyers.
Absent the XLR module, shooters are reduced to making do with the fragile 1/8in. mini-jack input. This jack is a known troublemaker and should be rejected for virtually all professional and semiprofessional applications. If you're considering the HMC40, the optional XLR module (an additional $300) is strongly recommended.
Continue the discussion on “Crosstalk” the Millimeter Forum.