Name: Panasonic AG-UX180 4K Premium Professional Camcorder
Brand: Panasonic
SKU: PCAGUX180PJ
Price: 2695.00 USD
Availability: Discontinued
Rating: 4.9 (10 reviews)

Panasonic AG-UX180 4K Premium Professional Camcorder

Panasonic AG-UX180

Panasonic

Adorama

Video

Video Cameras

Professional Camcorders

Panasonic Professional Camcorders

Panasonic AG-UX180 

29% Off: Panasonic AG-UX180 4K Premium Professional Camcorder Buy now & save $1100. Configuration: Camcorder Only, Lens Included: 20x Zoom, Model: AG-UX90, Recording Media: Secure Digital (SD), Sensor Size: 1", Sensor Type: CMOS

 Shift Your Video Production to Professional 4K Images. The 4K Premium  Panasonic introduces the 4K camcorder UX series to meet professional 4K video production needs. The AG-UX180 is the premium model with professional functions and specifications for high-end users. This model is equipped with a newly designed compact lens featuring a wide 24mm angle and 20x optical zoom as well as a 1.0-type (effective size) high-sensitivity MOS sensor. Its evolved Optical Image Stabilizer (O.I.S.) and intelligent AF function suitable for professional camera work.  The AG-UX180 supports 4K 24p, UHD 60p/50p, FHD 60p/50p multi-format recording and HD super slow-motion. Two SD memory card slots are provided to enable relay/simultaneous/ backup recording for enhanced reliability and also support UHD/FHD dual codec recording for a more efficient workflow. The controls of the AG-UX180, such as the manual three rings and user button, as well as interfaces, such as 3G-SDI/HDMI and XLR input, are engineered to meet the needs of professional video recording. Offering the same level of agility and mobility as the conventional HD handheld camcorder, the AG-UX180 provides powerful support for high-image-quality 4K video production.  Newly Developed, Industry's Widest Angle 24mm and 20x Optical Zoom Lens &#149; The 4-Drive Lens System achieved a up to wide 24mm angle and 20x optical zoom in the handheld camcorder with 1.0-type (effective size) sensor &#149; The Optical Image Stabilizer (O.I.S.) with a correction range expansion of approximately 900% enables stable handheld shooting&#149; The Micro Drive Focus Unit offers a high-speed auto focus function with excellent tracking performance and improved stability in 4K recording  1.0-Type (Effective Size) MOS Sensor for High Precision, High-Speed 4K 60p/50p Recording &#149; The 1.0-type (effective size) MOS (approx. 9,460,000 pixels in 4K 24p and approx. 8,790,000 pixels in UHD/FHD) offers an outstanding depth of field and excellent balance between image quality and sensitivity &#149; 4K 24p, UHD 60p/50p, FHD 60p/50p multi-format and HD 120 fps (59.94 Hz) /100 fps (50 Hz) super slow-motion recording are available  Professional Functions and Design, Including 3G-SDI and XLR Audio Input &#149; The manual three rings, user button and other controls are specially designed to satisfy professional users &#149; Equipped with professional interfaces such as 3G-SDI output, XLR input, TC synchro input/output and wired remote control  4-Drive Lens System The 4-Drive Lens System simultaneously and independently drives 4 lens groups (group 2, iris, group 3, group 4). The lens size and drive range for each of the 4 groups can be efficiently suppressed to optimize image quality/zoom power and achieve compact body.  Industry's Widest Angle of 24 mm  The integrated lens boasts the industry's widest angle of 24 mm at the wide-angle setting. It enables wide-angle and minimal-distortion shooting without the use of a wide conversion lens and also allows video recording/production in a vehicle or room for example.  World's First 20x Optical Zoom in a Camcorder with 1.0-type Sensor  The 20x optical zoom lens covers the range from 24 mm at the wide-angle end to 480 mm at the telescopic end (35mm film equivalent at 4K 24p).  Intelligent Zoom for Maximum 30x Zoom in Super-High Resolution  In FHD shooting modes, the i.Zoom function increases the zooming capability to a maximum of approximately 30x while maintaining high resolution. When the zoom reaches the 20x optical zoom limit it switches seamlessly to i.Zoom.  Manual Three Rings The AG-UX180 features manual three rings for Zoom, Focus and Iris control. These manual controls ensures professional operation.  Digital Zoom (2x, 5x or 10x)  The AG-UX180 is equipped with 2x, 5x and 10x digital zoom. Using the 20x optical zoom and i.Zoom together, it gives you super telephoto magnification equivalent to a 300x zoom without dropping in light intensity.  LEICA DICOMAR Lens  This high-performance lens has passed the stringent quality standards of Leica Camera AG. A multi-coating process minimizes ghosts and flaring, resulting in especially clear images.  Advanced Optical Image Stabilizer [4K/UHD/FHD]  The correction area of the Optical Image Stabilizer (O.I.S.) has been expanded to approximately 900% over the conventional area (as compared to the Panasonic AG-AC160). This provides powerful correction even in unstable shooting situations, such as low-angle or high-angle shots. The ball OIS system reduces wear on the drive section and greatly improves correction for small amplitude hand-shake.  5-Axis Hybrid Image Stabilizer [FHD]  In HD shooting modes, by using hand-shake correction that combines the effects of both optical and electronic image stabilization, hand-shake in various directions, including the rotary direction, is detected and corrected.  Intelligent Auto Focus Offering High Speed, Excellent Tracking Performance and Stability &#149; Top-class focusing speed in 4K: The focus status judgment algorithm achieves accurate and quick transition to search operation &#149; Top-class tracking performance in 4K: The high-precision, high-speed Micro Drive Focus unit accurately tracks the subject even when a quick change in focal distance occurs&#149; Top-class stability in 4K: The AF system accurately judges changes in the subject by actively using minute wobbling motions in the high-resolution 4K image. This contributes to high focusing stability  Custom AF Function for Adjustment of AF Speed, Tracking Sensitivity and Area Settings  Auto focus operation can be customized by adjusting the AF Speed, AF Sensitivity and AF Area Width. This function enables the AF to operate exactly as intended by the user in accordance with the subject type or application. &#149; AF Speed: AF speed can be set in seven steps from 1 to 7. The larger the figure, the faster the AF &#149; AF Sensitivity: AF sensitivity can be set in 10 steps from 1 to 10. The larger the figure, the easier it is to track fast-moving subjects. &#149; AF Area Width: The width of the area in which AF is effective can be adjusted  Focus Assist (Expand and Peaking) When the Focus Assist button is pressed, Expand (enlargement) or Peaking (colored emphasis of focus point) is displayed to assist the user's manual focusing operation. Expand and Peaking can also be displayed simultaneously.  One-Push AF  This function temporarily activates Auto Focus when shooting in Manual Focus mode, using a "PUSH AF" button.  Manual Focus Assist  Focus is automatically adjusted after you adjust it with the focus ring in Manual Focus mode. This enables quick and accurate focusing.  Focus Transition  Up to three focus positions can be preset. The focus can be shifted to a preset focus position (focal distance) with a single touch. The user can set the focus transition time (immediate, 2 to 15 sec, 20 sec, 30 sec, 45 sec, 60 sec, 90 sec) and the wait time until the start of focus transition (0 sec, 5 sec, 10 sec).  Area Function  Auto Focus is easily possible with just a touch on the LCD panel. You can also change this to Auto Iris and Brightness of the Display on the screen.  User Buttons  Any of the 44 functions can be allocated to the User Buttons. There are a total of 13 User Buttons: Nine on the AG-UX180 body and four on the LCD Touch Panel. The AWB button can also be used as a User Button.  Sliding 3.5-type Touch-panel LCD  The 3.5-type monitor LCD built into the handle section can be pulled out and turned 270 degrees in the vertical direction for use in high angle, low-angle or selfie shots. The touch panel function can be used for menu setting and area functions.  High-Resolution OLED EVF  The viewfinder features a high-resolution OLED display (approximately 1,770,000 dots) for excellent color reproduction.  ND Filters, Gain, White Balance &#149; ND Filters: OFF, 1/4, 1/16, 1/64 ND filters built-in &#149; Gain Selector: Negative gain is added. Select from -3 dB to 24 dB gain for 3-position (L/M/H) allocation &#149; AWB Selector: Two-value (A/B) memory and presets (3200/5600/ VAR) can be selected &#149; ATW (auto-tracking white balance) function  LCD/EVF Displays That Assist Shooting &#149; Waveform and Vectorscope Display: WAVE (Waveform) and VECTOR (Vectorscope) can be easily displayed on a subscreen of the LCD monitor. The subscreen display position can be set to one of the four corners &#149; ZEBRA: Two zebra patterns are integrated, from 50% to 105% in 5% steps &#149; Marker (Y Level): The brightness level in the center of the screen is displayed in percentage &#149; Level Gauge: Horizontal or vertical tilting of the camcorder can be checked on the LCD and viewfinder &#149; A Safety Zone Marker and Center Marker can be displayed  3G-SDI for connecting to an External 1080/60p, 1080/50p Recorder The 3G-SDI output terminal (BNC connector, 5CFV) can be used to transmit FHD 1080/60p, 1080/50p signals through a coaxial cable over a distance of up to 100 m. Panasonic recorders equipped with SDI input can be linked to the Rec Start/Stop function of the AG-UX180.  TC Synchro Multi-Camera Recording Supported The TC PRESET IN/OUT terminal (BNC) allows synchronization of the initial value for the time code in multi-camera shooting. The camera number (0 to 16) can be added5 to the name of the recording folder to facilitate editing.

its reviews are great but I have never purchased it.

great reviews but have never purchased it,   will recomend product based on review

Best Camcorder

We got a few of these for our church to stream and shoot testimonial videos.  Quality cameras, easy to setup, and work very well with a mac mini OBS setup.

Great for streaming

I’ve been waiting for a camera like this. Versatile with many options. Footage is clear and sharp.

Great Camera

This is a great camera. I've owned it for almost a year and shoot videos for my own use at airshows and similar events. I have worked in the video production world as an engineer for 40 yeras so I am used to a variety of cameras and production gear. I must say that the video isn't as sharp as the video I shoot with my Nikon DSLR, but that may be due to lens issues.

Overall this Panasonic camera provides all the features I want in a package that is easy to hold and use in my situation. It is great outdoors in the sunlight, which cannot be said for cameras that do not have an eyepiece VF. Of the things it doesn't do well, and there are just a few quirks, they are very minor. I have shot several hundred hours of video (no 4K though) and it all looks great. Surpassed my expectations by a long shot. A very dependable camera that has worked flawlessly for me.

Two bad things: 
1. A weird stairstep pattern in the video when shooting 1080i (interlaced). It shows up in the sky or on large bright areas. This makes shooting interlaced unacceptable, but I can live with that.
2. No windscreen for the on-camera mics. The mics are really good quality for general ambient pickup, but unusable outdoors without a windscreen. I made one up out of an old furry screen, but Panasonic should make one as an option that will really fit the camera.

Great overall camera. Just two quirks.

...I spent a LOT of time reviewing many camcorders before making this purchase. My main use for this is Nature-Photography, to supplement my time-lapse rigs, but I needed a camcorder that could shoot 4K and had a long zoom. The choices narrowed down to the AG-UX180, but had to wait almost a month after ordering as they were out of stock...Everywhere!

...The wait was well worth it, as this is a true Beast of a machine, and can do just about anything I could hope to ask for, with easy to use manual controls, multiple user-buttons, and a vast array of controls and options. Plus, it just feels like it is built solid, yet responsive! I hope to use this camcorder for many years capturing the beauty and wonder of Nature to share with many viewers...

Beast of a Camcorder!

I traded in some older video camera equipment and upgraded to a new camera.  I was very pleased with the ease of service, shipping my old equipment, and getting a fast response and great quote back from Adorama.  MY entire process took less than a week to complete. I am 100% satisified.

 I am 100% satisified

We bought this camera to use at our church and so far it is what we expected.    Our only complaint is the power supply.  It feels cheap and the cable isn't long enough to reach from the camera to floor when the camera is on a tripod.  We are going to have to figure a way to mount the "wall wart" on the tripod to keep it from hanging from the camera.

Awesome so far!

I purchased the UX180 to replace my AC160A. I like the AC160A, but thought it was a good time to upgrade to something with a sharper image.

Originally I was evaluating the UX180 as a 4K camera, but it's better to consider it as an HD camera, and think of the 4K as icing on the cake.

The reason? First, there is some serious lag on the viewfinder and LCD when in 4K mode, because of the 4K processing. That can make it difficult to manually focus on a moving object because the results of what your hand is doing on the focus ring is shown to you about half a second later. It takes some getting used to. Same lag difficulties on iris adjustments. This processing lag is not nearly as bad in HD mode.
But the auto focus is pretty good if you’re into that sort of thing. I'm old school, all manual, all the time.

Secondly, regarding the 4K, it's good, but not GH4 good. Which is fine, I didn't expect it to be, but when you get used to a certain image quality, it's hard to downgrade. But again, it's not fair to compare the UX180 image to 4K cameras with bigger sensors. Compare it instead to cameras with the typical 3-small sensor setup, that's where it shines.

When shooting with the UX180 in HD mode, side by side with the AC160A, the UX180 is noticeably sharper.
And of course WAY sharper in 4K mode. Color science is almost identical. They match up very well.

In terms of sensitivity, they are about the same. The AC160A's lens opens up more than the F2.8 on the UX180, but the UX180 is cleaner, so you can turn up the gain more. The UX180 maintains a sharper image in low light, so it gets a slight win.

I love the wide angle on the UX180. Why has it taken this long to get a 24mm lens on a camcorder? It's fantastic!
The lens is great overall, great image quality throughout the range. The AC160A had strong vignetting on the telephoto end. None of that on the UX180.

Image stabilization is fantastic on the UX180, especially in HD mode. The great stabilization, coupled with the wide angle lens and the placement of the LCD, makes the UX180 one of, if not the best handheld cameras I've ever used. Very stable images. A pleasure to use.

The LCD has a nice sharp image, but is impossible to see outdoors.
The viewfinder is good, but it's not bright enough. If I could make it brighter, It'd be great.

Now, this gets me to one of my greatest disappointments with the UX180, the auto viewfinder shut-off.
I like having both the LCD and viewfinder on simultaneously. Can’t do it with this camera. I think it’s because it can’t process all the pixels to drive both at the same time.

There is a switch to lock the LCD on, or auto for when your eye approaches the viewfinder, it kicks on. I hate this. There is a delay to the process that slows me down, because I put my eye to the viewfinder and it takes half a second for the viewfinder to kick on (yes you can adjust the sensitivity of the sensor, it didn’t help my situation). Then I wait for my eye to adjust to the brightness of the image because my eye was staring into a black void, then wait while my eye focuses. The whole process adds like 2 seconds, which doesn’t sound like much, but it gets old really quick when you need to check the viewfinder fast.
The best solution I can hope for, via a firmware update, is to let the user lock the viewfinder on, like with the lcd.
…I see a bright external on camera monitor purchase in my future.

Other observations:

Losing the manual zoom has helped with the smoothness of the power zoom. Much improved over the abruptness of the AC160A and HMC150. Better stops and starts. Not broadcast quality level, but better. 

Highlights can sometimes look a little wonky, weird color shifts. Noticeable on highlight gradients (puffy cloud contours will take on weird blue hue-shifts, etc.)
I tried in vain to dial this out with the scene file adjustments, to no avail. I’ve just been spoiled by the Canon C-series highlight rolloff.

I like all of the recording options, something to cover every situation, AVCHD up to 60p 4K. Very versatile.

The 120fps slow motion is useless, bad image quality. The 4K 60p is where it’s at, use that for slo-mo.

Plenty of customization options to help you get the camera the way you want it. Very extensive.

Perfect size, not too small or too big. Good weight.

Battery attachment is deep, so going with the big bulky battery won’t cause it to stick out too far.

Don’t expect extreme shallow depth of field with this camera. Which is good, because chasing focus is not fun.
I would compare the depth of field characteristics resembling the look of a broadcast 2/3” camera with an F1.8 lens. Think of the look of Live News ENG.
If you punch in, you’ll have no trouble getting your background out of focus and helping your subject pop.

I haven’t gone too in depth with audio testing. I’ve shot one interview so far with it, and no issues popped up, sounded fine.

In summary, you get a lot of camera for the money. It’s a camera that I can recommend.

Worthy upgrade, good image quality, but some frustrations in design.

furtherSUPRISED !  I was as I was informed that I may not get it before Jan., got it on Dec. 22 in time for4 me to get it set up for Christmas recording. I was delighted at the Wide angle lens, it allowed me to be in the video rather that Panning to get the video that I wonted. The Telephoto also works fine, I gained a good deal of more "T" power which will be great for wild life recording.  I have downloaded the entire manual and read it from cover to cover. I have many adjustments to make before I have the camera set up  as I would like. I feel that I will be continually surprised as I get further in to the operation of the camera. IF there were more stars I would have selected them. Harold

Panasonic AG-UX180 4K Premium Professional Camcorder

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