Panasonic AG-AC30PJ Full HD Camcorder with 3" Touch Panel LCD Viewscreen and Built-In LED Light, 20x Optical Zoom, 5-Axis Hybrid OIS+

Panasonic AG-AC30PJ

Panasonic

Panasonic AG-AC30PJ Video #1

Panasonic AG-AC30PJ Full HD Camcorder w/Touch Panel LCD Viewscreen, LED Light

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Panasonic Professional Camcorders

Panasonic AG-AC30PJ 

Top Rated Gear: Panasonic AG-AC30PJ Full HD Camcorder with 3" Touch Panel LCD Viewscreen and Built-In LED Light, 20x Optical Zoom, 5-Axis Hybrid OIS+ Configuration: Camcorder Only, Lens Included: 20x Zoom, Recording Media: Secure Digital (SD)

 Geared for the Mobile Shooter - A New Dimension in Low-Light Shooting and Professional Functions   The Panasonic AG-AC30PJ is a Full-HD camcorder that comfortably assists professional entry palm camcorder work with 3 manual rings, XLR mic/line inputs, and a 20x zoom lens in compact body. A bright LED video light also supports shooting in dim light.   Packed with Professional Functions   Focus, Iris, and Zoom are finely controlled by 3 Manual Rings, and 2-Channel XLR Audio Input Terminals enable connection to everything from microphones requiring a phantom power supply, to audio equipment with +4 dB output. These and other functions, like an Illuminating LED Ring that clearly shows when the camcorder is recording, fully meet the needs of professional, on-site acquisition.   Low-Light Shooting with a Handheld Type Camcorder   The 1/3.1-inch Back Side Illumination (BSI) Sensor and a Built-in LED Video Light with a bright 300 lx at 1 meter are ideal for shooting events like nighttime wedding parties.   Powerful Zoom with Less Blurring   The Optical 20x Zoom/F1.8 lens supports a wide variety of shooting situations. And the 5-Axis HYBRID O.I.S. + (Optical Image Stabilizer) corrects blurring in virtually all types of shooting.   Dual SD Card Slot for Endless Relay Recording   When the card in Slot 1 becomes full, the camcorder automatically continues to record onto the card in Slot 2. In addition, lets the user exchange cards while shooting. By sequentially exchanging recorded cards with blank ones, the AC30 achieves endless recording to capture extended events. Safe, secure, Simultaneous Recording is also featured to record the same data onto the cards in both slots.

We were looking for a fairly inexpensive camera for live shots on HD TVs throughout our church, this camera was the perfect choice.

Camera has excellent picture quality.

Very good

This camera is both easy to use, and capable of outstanding video.  I use it to record video of our daughter playing volleyball in a variety of lighting conditions.  The quality is easily good enough for making a college recruiting video.  It’s turned out so well that the coach now has me record all the games for her too.  Having the double SD card slots made that instantly possible.

Excellent!

So far this camera has performed very well. the picture quality is as good as a Pro camera. Low light shooting is very good. I have only used the on board light once and was very impressive also.

I bought this camera (ac30) in efforts to solve an issue I'm currently having with the sony nx100. That is the AF on the sony is very unreliable and one has to be constantly conscious of it. The AG ac30 solved that issue as the smaller sensor has no problem at all getting things in focus most of the time. That said... everything else was a downgrade :

First the touchscreen on the panasonic seems like it came out of a cheap prepaid cellphone. The sony (eventhough it isn't a touchscreen) has a much better quality screen and this really makes a difference while shooting.

The audio on the panasonic. Given I didn't even bother to test the integrated mic, I plugged in a phantom powered mic and used it in auto balance. The results were disappointing. Audio coming out of a basic PA speaker will distort unless you swap it to manual mode. The sony does a much better job with its auto audio balance with a phantom powered mic.

Last thing I looked at was the low light capability. I previously owned the AG ac90 and I don't want to say that I'm 100 percent sure... but the low light performance in the ag ac30 is the same if not worse... there is no improvement over the ag ac90 eventhough the ac30 has a slightly bigger sensor. As for the sony nx100 it simply blows it out of the water. The 1 inch sensor of the sony is simply superior for low light.. and I was expecting that... but didn't expect to be that much of a difference. The ac30 gives you more 'light' than the ac90... but it is much noisier. That's why I think its the same if not worse.

The deal breaker for me was the audio. I could have dealt with the downgrade in low light capability and the cheaper screen... but being forced to record in manual mode for the audio made me return the camera.

A lot of people claim that 'pros don't record in auto mode anyway'  and to them I say: this is NOT the camera to consider buying to record in manual mode... or the sony. You get 10000 times better results out of a dirt cheap DSLR if you are gonna be recording in full time manual mode. The reason we buy cameras such as this one or the sony nx100 is so that we can record 'on the go' ... and a lot of times that means relying on auto mode.

I cannot recommend this camera unless you are are willing to record the audio in manual mode ALL THE TIME. Let me mention again that I didn't test the built in mic... only a phantom powered external mic... so maybe the internal mic doesn't have this issue. who knows?

Panasonic AG-AC30PJ Full HD Camcorder with 3" Touch Panel LCD Viewscreen and Built-In LED Light, 20x Optical Zoom, 5-Axis Hybrid OIS+

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