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Panasonic AG-AC90 professional camcorder: three CMOS sensors in a handheld package for $2,250
While filmakers have gone gaga over huge sensor'd video cameras, there's still a need for smaller chips and pro features -- to that end, Panasonic has just announced the AG-AC90 AVCCAM. Destined for event and corporate users, it features three smallish 1/4.7-inch CMOS sensors ("3MOS" in company-speak), a 12X zoom, native 1,920 x 1,080 at 60p, 60i, 30p and 24p, and a five-axis image stabilizer. As for video quality, there's a new "premium professional" recording mode with 28 Mbps throughput at 60p, on top of 24 Mbps and 17 Mbps modes. With two memory card slots, the camcorder supports Panasonic's proprietary UHS-1 cards, and fortunately works with SDXC and SDHC to boot. It's slated to arrive in "late fall 2012," according to the company, and will ring the register at $2,250. So, if the first thing that pops into your mind is not DOF, but zebras, timecode and XLR inputs, check the PR for all those specs.
Sony's HDR-FX1000 and HVR-Z5J HD camcorders head stateside
Tired of messing around with those HD novice-cams? Ready for the real-deal? Sure, neither of Sony's newest HDV units are up there at the professional level, but both the HDR-FX1000 and HVR-Z5J HD help to strike a happy balance with 24p scanning, tapeless recording capability through an optional CompactFlash adapter, advanced color settings, XLR inputs, timecode and a trio of Sony's ClearVid 1/3-inch CMOS sensor chips. Both units capture full 1,920 x 1,080 resolution, though it is squashed down to 1,440 x 1,080 when recorded to miniDV. Anywho, those envious of folks in Japan can finally smile -- the pair is headed to America this November for $3,200 and $5,000, respectively.
