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/// HD Camcorder Comparison



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models compared on this page: Sony HVR-A1 and Panasonic AG-HMC40

display: 3 models per page sorted by score Best values highlighted
Model

Sony HVR-A1Panasonic AG-HMC40
Picture ?
Manufacturer Sony Information on Sony

Panasonic Information about Panasonic

Name HVR-A1AG-HMC40
European name ?HVR-A1EAG-HMC41E
US name ?HVR-A1UAG-HMC40
lowest US price 2149 $1599 $
On the market since October 2005 August 2009
Manufacturers URL link to Sonylink to Panasonic
Test preview

[ top ]Sony HVR-A1Panasonic AG-HMC40
slashCAM rating ?Satisfactory
not yet tested
test picture 1200 Lux
Test image 12 lux auto-mode
Video

[ top ]Sony HVR-A1Panasonic AG-HMC40
Video formats ? MiniDV
HDV
DVCAM
AVCHD
Recording Medium MiniDV/HDV-Cassette
SD Card
SDHC card
video resolutions EU ?HDV 1440 x 1080/50i
MiniDV 720 x 576/50i
DVCAM 720 x 576/50i
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/50i
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/25p
AVCHD 1280 x 720/50p
AVCHD 1280 x 720/25p
video resolutions US ?HDV 1440 x 1080/60i
MiniDV 720 x 480/60i
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/60i
AVCHD 1280 x 720/60p
AVCHD 1280 x 720/30p
AVCHD 1280 x 720/24p
Max Bitrate ?25 Mbit/s24 Mbit/s
Compression format ? DV
MPEG2
MPEG4
on-board memory ?  
Optics
Optics Manufacturer ?Carl Zeiss
 Leica
Optical Zoom ?10 x12 x
Wide Angle 16:9 ?41 mm41 mm
Filter diameter ?37 mm43 mm
Image Stabilization ?electronical
optical
ND Filter ?Yes
Yes
Exchangable optics ?No
No
Image Sensor
Number of sensors ?13
Size of image sensor ?1/3 inch1/4 inch
image sensor effective pixel count 16:9 ?1983000 Pixel 2510000 Pixel
Image Sensor Type ? CMOS
CMOS
Controls
White Balance ?auto
manual
presets
WB-Shift
auto
manual
presets
WB-Shift
Focus ?auto
manual
auto
manual
Minimum shutter time ?1/10.0001/2.000
Maximum shutter time ?1/31/2
Apperture control ?auto
manual
AE-Shift
auto
manual
Infrared recording ?No
No
Expanded Focus ?Yes
Yes
Peaking ?Yes
No
Signal Processing
Zebra ?70%
100%		50-105%
Histogram ?Yes
waveform
adjustable sharpness ?Yes
Yes
Adjustable color ?Yes
Yes
Cinegamma ?Yes
Yes
Black Strech ?No
No
Knee ?No
Yes
Colorbars ?Yes
Yes
Misc.
Shot Transition ?Yes
No
Custom Presets ?No
Yes
Set Time Code ?Yes
Yes
Configuration

Connections
[ top ]Sony HVR-A1Panasonic AG-HMC40
FBAS ?
synonymous: RCA, composite		 In
Out
YC ?
synonymous: S-Video		 In
Out
No
YUV ?
synonymous: Component Signal		 Out
Out
HDMI ?No
 Out
DV / HDV (FireWire) ?
synonymous: ILink / IEEE-1394		 In
Out
-
USB ?USB 1.1
USB 2.0
Microphone / Audio input ? XLR
Mini-jack
XLR optional
Headphones ?Mini-jack
Mini-jack
Lanc ?Yes
No
Time-code interface ?No
No
Genlock ?No
No
Accessory shoe ? AI
Standard
HD-SDI ?No
No
Misc.
Weight (without battery) 1020 g980 g
Weight (with battery) 1120 g1200 g
Battery type Sony NP-FM50
Panasonic VW-VBG260E
Battery capacity 1180 mAh 
Charger ?internal
internal
external
Remote control Yes
Yes
Size
Height 140 mm136 mm
Width 100 mm135 mm
Depth 190 mm304 mm
Relative Size ?2655
Viewfinder
Viewfinder available ?Yes
Yes
Color Viewfinder ?B/W and color
Color
Viewfinder format ?16:916:9
Viewfinder pixels ?252000 Pixel 113000 Pixel
Display
Display available ?Yes
Yes
Color display ?Color
Color
Display size 2,7 Inch2,7 Inch
Display format ?16:916:9
Display pixels ?123200 Pixel 230000 Pixel
Touch Screen ?Yes
Yes
External controls
Manual Zoom ?Rocker
Ring
Rocker
Manual Focus ? Ring
Menu
 Ring
Manual Aperture ?Wheel
Menu
Rocker
 Ring
Focus switcher ?Yes
Yes
ND Filter ?No
Yes
Exp Lock ?Yes
Yes
Gain ?No
No
White balance ?No
Yes
Push AF ?Yes
Yes
Audio Levels ?No
No
Custom Keys ?
synonymous: User buttons		13
Audio

[ top ]Sony HVR-A1Panasonic AG-HMC40
Audio Formats ?MiniDV: 2x48kHz 16bit PCM
MiniDV: 4x32kHz 12bit PCM
HDV: 2x48kHz 16bit MPEG 1
Dolby AC-3 Digital 2 channel 48 KHz
Microphone ?Stereo internal
external XLR
Stereo internal
Mini-jack external
Audio Control ?auto
manual
auto
manual
Audio levels ?Viewfinder
Screen
Viewfinder
Screen
Still

[ top ]Sony HVR-A1Panasonic AG-HMC40
Recording Medium ?Memory Stick Duo
SD Card
SDHC card
Medium included ?16 MB
No
Effective pixels ?2764800 Pixel 10600000 Pixel
Resolutions ?1920x1080
1440x1080
640x480		4224 × 2376 max
Standard ?JPEG Exif 2.2
JPEG Exif 2.2
Flash ?Yes
No
Misc.

[ top ]Sony HVR-A1Panasonic AG-HMC40
Specials  optional available XLR adapter
Product Shots

[ top ]Sony HVR-A1Panasonic AG-HMC40
View 1
 
View 2
 
Test results

Test pictures
[ top ]Sony HVR-A1Panasonic AG-HMC40
luminance resolution  
chrominance resolution  
lens distortion  
test small ISO image  
noise / internal microphone  
test picture 1200 Lux  
Test image 12 lux auto-mode ? 
Test image 12 lux optimized ? 
slashCAM rating
Lowlight ?Satisfactory 
Resolution ?Satisfactory 
Color performance ?Satisfactory 
subj.Picture impression ?Good 
Optical Zoom ?Sufficient 
Wide Angle ?Sufficient 
Configuration / image ?Good 
Configuration / sound ?Good 
Handling ?Satisfactory 
Portability ?Very good 
Photo function ?Sufficient 
Optics ?Good 
Dynamics ?Good 
Conclusion slashCAM
slashCAM rating ?Satisfactory
not yet tested
Total score ?
(maximal 570)		326 
Pros + good picture impression
+ portable
+ partly professionally equipped
 
Cons - color resolution only average
- DV-quality only average
 
Conclusion Like its consumer twin HC1 the Sony HVR-A1 has a very good brightness resolution, but tends sometimes to show color moirés on fine details.The color resolution is not on a HDV-level, though the CMOS sensor theoretically should have more reserves.The overall picture impression is good, partly due to the good dynamics behavior with little noise and few smear-effects.Color-wise the A1 is fairly neutral, almost somewhat low-key.The wide angle is very limited for indoors, but on the other hand there are only few lens errors.In low light situations the A1 loses color fast.Compared to the HC1 it is slightly better equipped in terms of sound and image.The handling remains only satisfactory due to the touch screen. 
More information

Reviews and Forums
[ top ]Sony HVR-A1Panasonic AG-HMC40
slashCAM Review
HVR-A1 Review
external reviews/tests www.dv.com
www.sundancemediagroup.com
provideocoalition.com
digitalcontentproducer.com
Forum posts Audio channel raise (XH A1 + Zoom H4n)
XH A1 - Recording directly to hard drive
For XH A1 do shoulder camera
XH A1 and Adobe Premiere Pro CS5 - Sound recording problem
XLR cable for XH A1 and setting with Rode NTG-1
XH A1 capture tapes with XL H1?
ABT A1 Aloha: You look at the video synonymous only to the woman?
XH A1 Anal / dv
XH A1 High Definition: Violent Noise despite presets
XH A1 Audio MONO MIC Jack?
Conclusion XH A1 vs VX2100E
Canon XH A1 for sale
XH A1 s.TV join? Help!
Beginner Question: Sony HVR A1E, JVC GY HM100 or Panasonic AG-HMC41EU?
Panasonic AG-HMC41EJU or JVC GY-HM100E
AG-HMC40 + MacBook Pro which import setting?
Panasonic AG-HMC40/HMC-41 in test
Panasonic AG-HMC40 in test
Panasonic AG-HMC41E AVCCAM camcorder from August
AG-HMC40 / 41, we dbilliger?
New AVCCAM professional under 3000 euros - Panasonic AG-HMC41E


Please consider that these data have been entered into this database by human beings.Also, the technical information provided by the manufacturers are at times contradictory, incomplete and sometimes even incorrect.Although we take great care checking all information, we can not gurantee for its correctness.Should you find this data to have some omission or error, please let us know! Mail:



update am 9.Februar 2012 - 10:20
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