Panasonic's AG-HMC40 does 1080p24 on something of a budget
![](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/KJ0LKbcjk.Rd51QGXsIXdQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0Mg--/https://s.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/wDZTY9CRikWM5He51fy5jA--~B/aD00MDE7dz02MDA7YXBwaWQ9eXRhY2h5b24-/https://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2009/04/panasonic-ag-hmc40-20090420-600.jpg)
Panasonic's latest camcorders have been well-liked by the masses, but haven't quite had enough features to appease those consumers with higher expectations -- or professionals on limited budgets. To captivate the eyes and ears of that prosumer market the company has announced the AG-HMC40, a 2.2 pound semi-pro cam that will do 1080i or 720p at 60 frames-per-second, but more important for many can manage a cinematic 1080p at 24 frames-per-second, all written to SDHC cards. With 10.6 megapixel stills and a 12x optical zoom on tap it sounds like a very well-rounded offering, and, while $3,195 may not fit into every budget, it should do well for modestly funded aspiring filmmakers when it ships in August -- just in time for capturing some back-to-school teen angst drama.