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models compared on this page: Sony HDR-FX1 and Panasonic AG-HMC40

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Model

Sony HDR-FX1Panasonic AG-HMC40
Picture ?
Manufacturer Sony Information on Sony

Panasonic Information about Panasonic

Name HDR-FX1AG-HMC40
European name ?HDR-FX1AG-HMC41E
US name ?HDR-FX1AG-HMC40
lowest US price  1599 $
On the market since January 2005 August 2009
Manufacturers URL link to Sonylink to Panasonic
Test preview

[ top ]Sony HDR-FX1Panasonic AG-HMC40
slashCAM rating ?Good
not yet tested
test picture 1200 Lux
Test image 12 lux auto-mode
Video

[ top ]Sony HDR-FX1Panasonic AG-HMC40
Video formats ? MiniDV
HDV
AVCHD
Recording Medium MiniDV/HDV-Cassette
SD Card
SDHC card
video resolutions EU ?HDV 1440 x 1080/50i
MiniDV 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 ?12 x12 x
Wide Angle 16:9 ?32,5 mm41 mm
Filter diameter ?72 mm43 mm
Image Stabilization ?optical
optical
ND Filter ?2Yes
Exchangable optics ?No
No
Image Sensor
Number of sensors ?33
Size of image sensor ?1/3 inch1/4 inch
image sensor effective pixel count 16:9 ?1070000 Pixel 2510000 Pixel
Image Sensor Type ? CCD
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 ? Off
70-100%
50-105%
Histogram ?No
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 ?Yes
Yes
Set Time Code ?No
Yes
Configuration

Connections
[ top ]Sony HDR-FX1Panasonic AG-HMC40
FBAS ?
synonymous: RCA, composite
In
Out
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 ?No
USB 2.0
Microphone / Audio input ?Mini-jack
Mini-jack
XLR optional
Headphones ?3.5 mm mini-jack
Mini-jack
Lanc ?Yes
No
Time-code interface ?No
No
Genlock ?No
No
Accessory shoe ? Standard
Standard
HD-SDI ?No
No
Misc.
Weight (without battery) 1990 g980 g
Weight (with battery) 2178 g1200 g
Battery type Sony F570
Panasonic VW-VBG260E
Battery capacity 2200 mAh 
Charger ?internal
internal
external
Remote control Yes
Yes
Size
Height 139 mm136 mm
Width 182 mm135 mm
Depth 360 mm304 mm
Relative Size ?9155
Viewfinder
Viewfinder available ?Yes
Yes
Color Viewfinder ?Color
Color
Viewfinder format ?16:916:9
Viewfinder pixels ?252000 Pixel 113000 Pixel
Display
Display available ?Yes
Yes
Color display ?Color
Color
Display size 3,5 Inch2,7 Inch
Display format ?16:916:9
Display pixels ?250880 Pixel 230000 Pixel
Touch Screen ?No
Yes
External controls
Manual Zoom ?Rocker
Ring
Rocker
Manual Focus ? Ring
Menu
Ring
Manual Aperture ?Wheel
Ring
Focus switcher ?Yes
Yes
ND Filter ?Yes
Yes
Exp Lock ?Yes
Yes
Gain ?Yes
No
White balance ?Yes
Yes
Push AF ?Yes
Yes
Audio Levels ?Yes
No
Custom Keys ?
synonymous: User buttons
33
Audio

[ top ]Sony HDR-FX1Panasonic 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
Mini-jack external
Stereo internal
Mini-jack external
Audio Control ?auto
manual
auto
manual
Audio levels ?Viewfinder
Screen
Viewfinder
Screen
Still

[ top ]Sony HDR-FX1Panasonic AG-HMC40
Recording Medium ?No
SD Card
SDHC card
Medium included ?No
No
Effective pixels ? 10600000 Pixel
Resolutions ? 4224 × 2376 max
Standard ? JPEG Exif 2.2
Flash ?No
No
Misc.

[ top ]Sony HDR-FX1Panasonic AG-HMC40
Specials  optional available XLR adapter
Product Shots

[ top ]Sony HDR-FX1Panasonic AG-HMC40
View 1
 
View 2
 
Test results

Test pictures
[ top ]Sony HDR-FX1Panasonic 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 ?Good 
Resolution ?Satisfactory 
Color performance ?Satisfactory 
subj.Picture impression ?Very good 
Optical Zoom ?Sufficient 
Wide Angle ?Very good 
Configuration / image ?Very good 
Configuration / sound ?Good 
Handling ?Good 
Portability ?Satisfactory 
Photo function ?Poor 
Optics ?Good 
Dynamics ?Very good 
Conclusion slashCAM
slashCAM rating ?Good
not yet tested
Total score ?
(maximal 570)
374 
Pros + Very good image quality impression
+ Wide optics
+ handling well-conceived
+ Very well equipped
 
Cons - No full HDV-resolution
- DV-quality only average
 
Conclusion The Sony FX1 lacks CCDs with full HDV-resolution, which is visible at least in the horizontal resolution.Nevertheless, the subjective image impression is still very good due to the very good dynamic behavior with extremely little noise and the consistent color reproduction.Despite the comparatively large wide-angle, optical errors are within limits, only little distortion and chromatic aberrations can be detected.In low light situations the FX1 is just about good -- here too the low noise a plus point. 
More information

Reviews and Forums
[ top ]Sony HDR-FX1Panasonic AG-HMC40
slashCAM Review
HDR-FX1 Review
external reviews/tests www.camcorderinfo.com
www.hexus.net
www.camcorderinfo.com
www.hd-channel.com
provideocoalition.com
digitalcontentproducer.com
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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 23.Mai 2012 - 15:50
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