Review: Panasonic AG-HMC80 Shouldermount Camcorder
In an era of ever-shrinking HD cameras, cell phone HD, and DSLRs, you might ask, why would anyone need an on-shoulder HD camcorder? Is it the copious amount of I/O jacks? The ergonomics? Or the easy access to numerous features in a big camera sort of way that enamor the Panasonic AG-HMC80 to its target end users? Let's find out.
CONCLUSION
Caveats aside, I am very enthusiastic about this camcorder. Sure, we all have a wish list of features/capabilities that we want, but looking at the HMC80 in comparison to what else is available at that price really highlights the value. It may not have a $5,000 camera image, but for a street price of around $2,450, you get an on-shoulder camcorder, with easy access to features and copious I/O jacks. Looking at the competition, the next camcorder that offers some real BNC jacks for I/O is the $7,000 range. Canon offers the XH-G1 at $4,500 and the XF105 at $4,000. But those BNCs are for select features-only HD-SDI out, genlock, and time code. The HMC80 offers affordable I/O that is unmatched at its price point.
[Figure 8 here]
The copious I/O jacks on the HMC80
Moreover, in schools, churches, or institutions where students, volunteers or other non-professionals may be working with the gear, the HMC80 offers an ease of use that can help ensure that the job gets done, and the camcorder survives longer than trying to use a smaller prosumer camcorder with delicate, micro-sized video and audio ports and jacks. Plus, adding remote control surfaces for zoom/focus, etc, means the camcorder is easier to use and is protected from direct manipulation.
You could possibly go with a cheaper vDSLR for the image aesthetic, but vDSLRs are clearly not made for easy video work. By the time you get done rigging up XLR interfaces, LCD monitor, hand grip, shoulder mount, rails, and cage, you spent considerably more than the HMC80 and still can't feather in a zoom while recording and simultaneously smoothly adjusting the iris while the autofocus does its job.
There are a few limitations for live producers-most specifically, the limitation on the number of simultaneous live outputs-but if you can work around that, the HMC80 has a lot going for it. Image quality is good, though not as pristine as more expensive prosumer camcorders. But then you have to choose between image and hands-on usability. For most of this camera's target audience, the image quality will be fine.
The HMC80 is one of the few low-priced prosumer camcorders that bucks the "smaller is better" trend and offers what a segment of this market really wants: a bigger, on-shoulder, easy access camcorder with lots of easy I/O options.