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models compared on this page: Panasonic AG-AC160 and Sony PMW-F3

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

Panasonic AG-AC160Sony PMW-F3
Picture ?
Manufacturer Panasonic Information about Panasonic

Sony Information on Sony

Name AG-AC160PMW-F3
European name ?AG-AC160PMW-F3K
US name ?AG-AC160PMW-F3K
lowest US price (4748) $ (24633) $
On the market since October 2011 July 2011
Manufacturers URL   
Test preview

[ top ]Panasonic AG-AC160Sony PMW-F3
slashCAM rating ?Very good
Very good
test picture 1200 Lux
Test image 12 lux auto-mode
Video

[ top ]Panasonic AG-AC160Sony PMW-F3
Video formats ? MiniDV
AVCHD
XDCAM EX
Recording Medium SD Card
SDHC card
SDXC card
SDHC card
video resolutions EU ?AVCHD 1920 x 1080/50i
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/25p
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/60i
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/24p
AVCHD 1280 x 720/60p
AVCHD 1280 x 720/50p
AVCHD 1280 x 720/30p
AVCHD 1280 x 720/25p
AVCHD 1280 x 720/24p
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/30p
XDCAM EX x1080/24p 1920, 25p, 30p, 50i, 60i
XDCAM EX 1280 x 720/24p, 25p, 30p, 50p, 60p
video resolutions US ? XDCAM EX x1080/24p 1920, 25p, 30p, 50i, 60i
XDCAM EX 1280 x 720/24p, 25p, 30p, 50p, 60p
Max Bitrate ?24 Mbit/s35 Mbit/s
Compression format ? DV
MPEG4
MPEG2
on-board memory ?  
Optics
Optics Manufacturer ?Panasonic
no
Optical Zoom ?21 x 
Wide Angle 16:9 ?28 mm 
Filter diameter ?72 mmPL-mount
mm
Image Stabilization ?optical
 
ND Filter ?32
Exchangable optics ?No
Yes
Image Sensor
Number of sensors ?31
Size of image sensor ?1/3 inch1/Super35 mm equivalent
inch
image sensor effective pixel count 16:9 ?2200000 Pixel 2000000 Pixel
Image Sensor Type ? CMOS
CMOS
Controls
White Balance ?auto
manual
presets
auto
manual
presets
WB-Shift
Focus ?auto
manual
manual
Minimum shutter time ?1/2.0001/2.000
Maximum shutter time ?1/61/32
Apperture control ?auto
manual
auto
manual
AE-Shift
Infrared recording ?  
Expanded Focus ?Yes
Yes
Peaking ?Yes
Yes
Signal Processing
Zebra ? Off
70%
100%
70-100%
70-100%
Histogram ?Yes
 
adjustable sharpness ?Yes
 
Adjustable color ?Yes
 
Cinegamma ?Yes
 
Black Strech ?Yes
 
Knee ?Yes
 
Colorbars ?Yes
 
Misc.
Shot Transition ?No
 
Custom Presets ?Yes
 
Set Time Code ?Yes
 
Configuration

Connections
[ top ]Panasonic AG-AC160Sony PMW-F3
FBAS ?
synonymous: RCA, composite		 Out
Out
YC ?
synonymous: S-Video		  
YUV ?
synonymous: Component Signal		  
HDMI ? Out
Out
DV / HDV (FireWire) ?
synonymous: ILink / IEEE-1394		 In
Out
Out
USB ?USB 2.0
USB 2.0
Microphone / Audio input ? XLR
 
Headphones ?3.5 mm mini-jack
Mini-jack
Lanc ?Yes
 
Time-code interface ?No
 In
Out
Genlock ?No
 In
Accessory shoe ? Standard
 
HD-SDI ? Out
Out
Misc.
Weight (without battery) 2400 g 
Weight (with battery)  2400 g
Battery type Panasonic CGA-E/625
 
Battery capacity 5800 mAh 
Charger ?external
 
Remote control Yes
 
Size
Height   
Width   
Depth   
Relative Size ?00
Viewfinder
Viewfinder available ?Yes
Yes
Color Viewfinder ?Color
Color
Viewfinder format ?  
Viewfinder pixels ?1226000 Pixel  
Display
Display available ?Yes
Yes
Color display ?Color
Color
Display size 3,4 Inch3,5 Inch
Display format ?16:916:9
Display pixels ?921000 Pixel 921600 Pixel
Touch Screen ?No
No
External controls
Manual Zoom ?Rocker
Ring
Rocker
Ring
Manual Focus ? Ring
Ring
Manual Aperture ? Ring
Ring
Focus switcher ?Yes
 
ND Filter ?Yes
Yes
Exp Lock ?  
Gain ?Yes
Yes
White balance ?Yes
Yes
Push AF ?Yes
 
Audio Levels ?Yes
Yes
Custom Keys ?
synonymous: User buttons		3 
Audio

[ top ]Panasonic AG-AC160Sony PMW-F3
Audio Formats ?Dolby AC-3 Digital 2 channel 48 KHz
2 channel PCM
 
Microphone ?external XLR
 
Audio Control ?auto
manual
 
Audio levels ?Viewfinder
Screen
 
Still

[ top ]Panasonic AG-AC160Sony PMW-F3
Recording Medium ?No
 
Medium included ?No
 
Effective pixels ?  
Resolutions ?  
Standard ?  
Flash ?  
Misc.

[ top ]Panasonic AG-AC160Sony PMW-F3
Specials   
Product Shots

[ top ]Panasonic AG-AC160Sony PMW-F3
View 1
 
View 2
 
Test results

Test pictures
[ top ]Panasonic AG-AC160Sony PMW-F3
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 Excellent
Resolution ? Excellent Excellent
Color performance ?Very goodVery good
subj.Picture impression ?Very goodVery good
Optical Zoom ?SatisfactoryPoor
Wide Angle ? Excellent Good
Configuration / image ? Excellent Excellent
Configuration / sound ? Excellent Excellent
Handling ?Very goodVery good
Portability ?SatisfactorySufficient
Photo function ?PoorPoor
Optics ?Very goodVery good
Dynamics ?Very goodVery good
Conclusion slashCAM
slashCAM rating ?Very good
Very good
Total score ?
(maximal 570)		465447
Pros + Good ergonomics
+ largest zoom range in its class (22x)
+ records on low price SD cards
+ overall concept is consistent
+ excellent image quality
+ Large sensor
+ Manual settings
Cons - SDI-out 8-bit only
- colored peaking could be stronger
- only 3 custom keys
 
Conclusion The Panasonic AG-AC160 is a fair alternative for those who neither need an AVC-Intra workflow or a multi-camera synchronization -- those extras are provided by the sister model AG-HPX250 only.The AG-AC160 focuses on the essential functional and ergonomic features of filming -- no gimmicks or undersized keys (apart from the audio buttons) distract from its main objective.Definitely a persuading operating philosophy.The highlights clearly are the immense zoom range and very well balanced overall concept.Panasonic has a broad experience with this kind of camcorder design and it shows.The Panasonic AG-AC160: an AVCHD camera with few weaknesses but many pro features which put the main focus on filming, and all this for a fair price tag of 3.990 Euro net - what more could you ask for?In spite of the CMOS chip the F3 is closer to the F35 than it seems at first glance: it supports dual link 4:4:4 RGB, S-Log, so with robust PL-recording and decent lenses the F3 might make a good B-camera at a cinema movie set.The 35 Mbs MPEG2 material on a SxS device functions in addition to the external recording capabilities almost as a kind of proxy.Sure, a higher quality internal recording would be nice, but as there are lots of inexpensive options for an external recording in these modular times it is not mandatory.The Sony PMW-F3 convinces with extremely good light sensitivity with very low noise even at higher gain levels.With an MSRP of around 24,000 Euro for the Sony PMW-F3K (approximately 16,000 Euro for the L-version without PL-lens kit), it is a very attractive entry in the S35 digital cinema class.
More information

Reviews and Forums
[ top ]Panasonic AG-AC160Sony PMW-F3
slashCAM Review
AG-AC160 Review
PMW-F3 Review
external reviews/tests provideocoalition.com
blog.abelcine.com
timurcivan.blogspot.fr
www.xdcam-user.com
johnbrawley.wordpress.com
www.fxguide.com
Forum posts  Sonykontert with F3 update gegenCanonC300 introduction
Canon EOS-C300 and SonyPMW F3 in Comparison
Confusion about SonyPMW F3 assessment of Alan Roberts for the BBC
And a teaser: SonyPMW F3 or tease me to death


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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