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/// HD Camcorder Comparison

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models compared on this page: Sony HVR-Z5 and Panasonic AG-HPX171

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

Sony HVR-Z5Panasonic AG-HPX171
Picture ?
Manufacturer Sony Information on Sony

Panasonic Information about Panasonic

Name HVR-Z5AG-HPX171
European name ?HVR-Z5EAG-HPX171E
US name ?HVR-Z5UAG-HPX-170
lowest US price 3339 $4325 $
On the market since December 2008 September 2008
Manufacturers URL link to Sonylink to Panasonic
Test preview

[ top ]Sony HVR-Z5Panasonic AG-HPX171
slashCAM rating ?Very good
Good
test picture 1200 Lux
Test image 12 lux auto-mode
Video

[ top ]Sony HVR-Z5Panasonic AG-HPX171
Video formats ? MiniDV
HDV
DVCAM
MiniDV
DVC PRO 25
DVC PRO 50
DVC PRO HD
Recording Medium MiniDV/HDV-Cassette
external flash memory
P2 card
video resolutions EU ?HDV 1440 x 1080/50i
MiniDV 720 x 576/50i
DVCAM 720 x 576/50i
HDV 1440 x 1080/60i
HDV 1440 x 1080/25p
HDV 1440 x 1080/24p
HDV 1440 x 1080/30p
MiniDV 720 x 576/50i
DVC PRO 25,576 / 50i
DVC PRO 50,576 / 50i
DVC PRO HD 720/25p
DVC PRO HD 720/50p
DVCPROHD 1080/25p
DVCPROHD 1080/50i
DVCPROHD 1080/24p
DVCPROHD 1080/30p
DVCPROHD 1080/60i
DVCPRO HD 720 24p - 60i
DVCPRO HD 24p 1080 - 60i
video resolutions US ?HDV 1440 x 1080/50i
HDV 1440 x 1080/60i
DVCAM 720 x 480/60i
HDV 1440 x 1080/25p
HDV 1440 x 1080/24p
HDV 1440 x 1080/30p
MiniDV 720 x 480/60i
720 MiniDV x480/24p
MiniDV 720 x 480/30p
MiniDV 720 x 576/50i
DVCPROHD 1080/24p
DVCPROHD 1080/30p
MiniDV 720 x 480/60i
720 MiniDV x480/24p
MiniDV 720 x 480/30p
DVCPRO HD 720 24p - 60i
DVCPRO HD 24p 1080 - 60i
Max Bitrate ?25 Mbit/s100 Mbit/s
Compression format ? DV
MPEG2
DV
DVC PRO HD-proprietary
on-board memory ?  
Optics
Optics Manufacturer ?Sony
Leica
Optical Zoom ?20 x13 x
Wide Angle 16:9 ?29,5 mm28 mm
Filter diameter ?72 mm72 mm
Image Stabilization ?optical
optical
ND Filter ?33
Exchangable optics ?No
No
Image Sensor
Number of sensors ?33
Size of image sensor ?1/3 inch1/3 inch
image sensor effective pixel count 16:9 ?1037000 Pixel 1100000 Pixel
Image Sensor Type ? CMOS
CCD
Controls
White Balance ?auto
manual
presets
WB-Shift
auto
manual
presets
Focus ?auto
manual
auto
manual
Minimum shutter time ?1/16.0001/2.000
Maximum shutter time ?1/41/24
Apperture control ?auto
manual
AE-Shift
auto
manual
AE-Shift
Infrared recording ?No
No
Expanded Focus ?Yes
Yes
Peaking ?Yes
Yes
Signal Processing
Zebra ?70-100%50-105%
Histogram ?Yes
Yes
adjustable sharpness ?Yes
Yes
Adjustable color ?Yes
Yes
Cinegamma ?Yes
Yes
Black Strech ?Yes
No
Knee ?Yes
Yes
Colorbars ?Yes
Yes
Misc.
Shot Transition ?Yes
No
Custom Presets ?Yes
Yes
Set Time Code ?Yes
Yes
Configuration

Connections
[ top ]Sony HVR-Z5Panasonic AG-HPX171
FBAS ?
synonymous: RCA, composite
Out
Out
YC ?
synonymous: S-Video
About Special Equipment
 
YUV ?
synonymous: Component Signal
Out
Out
HDMI ? Out
No
DV / HDV (FireWire) ?
synonymous: ILink / IEEE-1394
In
Out
In
Out
USB ?No
USB 2.0
Microphone / Audio input ? XLR
XLR
Headphones ?Mini-jack
3.5 mm mini-jack
Lanc ?Yes
No
Time-code interface ?No
No
Genlock ?No
No
Accessory shoe ? Standard
No
HD-SDI ?No
Out
Misc.
Weight (without battery) 2200 g1900 g
Weight (with battery) 2200 g2250 g
Battery type  Panasonic CGA-D54
Battery capacity  5400 mAh
Charger ?external
external
Remote control Yes
Yes
Size
Height 169 mm179 mm
Width 188 mm154 mm
Depth 451 mm397 mm
Relative Size ?143109
Viewfinder
Viewfinder available ?Yes
Yes
Color Viewfinder ?Color
Color
Viewfinder format ?16:916:9
Viewfinder pixels ?1226880 Pixel 235000 Pixel
Display
Display available ?Yes
Yes
Color display ?Color
Color
Display size 3,2 Inch3,5 Inch
Display format ?16:94:3
Display pixels ?921600 Pixel 210000 Pixel
Touch Screen ?No
No
External controls
Manual Zoom ?Rocker
Ring
Rocker
Ring
Manual Focus ? Ring
Ring
Manual Aperture ? Ring
button
Wheel
Focus switcher ?Yes
Yes
ND Filter ?Yes
Yes
Exp Lock ?Yes
 
Gain ?Yes
Yes
White balance ?Yes
Yes
Push AF ?Yes
Yes
Audio Levels ?Yes
Yes
Custom Keys ?
synonymous: User buttons
63
Audio

[ top ]Sony HVR-Z5Panasonic AG-HPX171
Audio Formats ?MiniDV: 2x48kHz 16bit PCM
MiniDV: 4x32kHz 12bit PCM
HDV: 2x48kHz 16bit MPEG 1
DVC PRO 4x48kHz 16bit PCM
Microphone ?external XLR
Stereo internal
external XLR
Audio Control ?auto
manual
manual
Audio levels ?Viewfinder
Screen
Screen
Still

[ top ]Sony HVR-Z5Panasonic AG-HPX171
Recording Medium ?Memory Stick Duo
 
Medium included ?No
 
Effective pixels ?1037000 Pixel  
Resolutions ?1440 x 810 
Standard ?JPEG Exif 2.2
 
Flash ?No
 
Misc.

[ top ]Sony HVR-Z5Panasonic AG-HPX171
Specials "Smooth Slow Record" slow motion mode: 6 seconds are recorded with 200 half frames/sec., resulting in a 4-fold slow motion.But the recording in without sound, in HDV resolution and in an inferior picture quality (interlaced not 25p).optional flash recorder for simulataneous recording on tape and flash.-the international modell is named AG-HPX170
In the 720p mode the frame rate can be changed in 20 steps from 12 to 50 fps (European model; international NTSC-model to 60fps)
Product Shots

[ top ]Sony HVR-Z5Panasonic AG-HPX171
View 1
View 2   
Test results

Test pictures
[ top ]Sony HVR-Z5Panasonic AG-HPX171
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 ?Very goodSatisfactory
Resolution ?GoodSatisfactory
Color performance ?Very goodGood
subj.Picture impression ?Very goodGood
Optical Zoom ?SatisfactorySatisfactory
Wide Angle ?Very good Excellent
Configuration / image ?Very goodVery good
Configuration / sound ?GoodVery good
Handling ?Very goodVery good
Portability ?SatisfactorySatisfactory
Photo function ?SufficientPoor
Optics ?GoodVery good
Dynamics ?Very goodVery good
Conclusion slashCAM
slashCAM rating ?Very good
Good
Total score ?
(maximal 570)
419395
Pros  Good wide angle
+ Professional controls
+ genuine 720/50p mode and a variable framerate
Cons  - low sharpness due to pixel shift
- P2 cards are more expensive than tape
- 4:3 display with low resolution
Conclusion  Panasonic´s AG-HPX171E scores with its handling and the Leica lens shows very little chromatic aberrations.Thanks to finally cheaper recording cards the AG-HPX171E can be seen as an allround-model suited for both documentary and fiction shooting.But pixel counting searchers for ultimate sharpness will be happier with other models, as will those who do not wish to invest in P2 cards. The resolution of the display is too low.
More information

Reviews and Forums
[ top ]Sony HVR-Z5Panasonic AG-HPX171
slashCAM Review
HVR-Z5 Review
AG-HPX171 Review
external reviews/tests   
Forum posts Why? Auto Sound of Z5 so low?
flickering horizontal line after logging of sony z5 1080i 25p material
Test: SonyHVR-Z5E: High Sharpness & Intelligence s.kleinen keys
Prices and data SonyHVR-Z5E
Opinions on the HPX171 and EX3
PANASONIC HPX171E and Magix Video
Ex1, HPX171 successor / opinions?


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 12.Februar 2012 - 06:23
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