NEWARK, NJ — Panasonic (www.panasonic.com/broadcast) has introduced the AG-AC30, a new handheld camcorder with a number of professional features, including a 20X optical zoom, wide-angle 29.5mm lens, LED light for low-light shooting, two-channel XLR audio inputs and simultaneous record or relay record with hot swap. With full HD (1080p) recording, the entry-level AC30 is well suited for shooting Web and corporate videos.
The effective area of the AC30’s 1/3.1-inch Back Side Illumination (BSI) sensor has been increased to achieve the high-image quality of 6.03M effective pixels, producing bright shots even in dark places. The sensor’s processing speed is advanced to approximately 1.5 times conventional speed, and a new noise reduction function reduces noise for crisp, vibrant FHD images. The built-in LED light features color conversion and diffusion filters and an average illumination of 300 lux at 3.3 feet (1 meter). With dual SD card slots and the capability to record on both cards simultaneously, the AC30’s relay auto switch functionality provides dependable back-up recording or the ability to switch from one card to the other for extended recording times. The AC30 records in AVCHD to 28Mbps and MP4/MOV to 50Mbps.
The AC30 offers a .24-inch, 1.55 million-dot electronic viewfinder, which can be tilted for added convenience. The versatile three-inch, slide-retractable LCD can serve as an HD monitor and menu-setting touch panel. The two-channel XLR audio inputs enable the use of professional, high-performance microphones for recording high-quality sound, including connection to mics requiring a +48V phantom power supply and to audio equipment with +4dB output. The camcorder is also equipped with an HDMI interface.
The AC30 weighs just over three pounds and will ship in August at a suggested list price under $1,800.