Logo Logo

/// HD Camcorder Comparison



multiple selection by CTRL + left mouse button
lowest US price max
Manufacturer
On the market since
Video formats ?
Recording Medium ?
more filters
sorted by
models per page
Best values highlighted
view only tested models
diese Seite auf deutsch
 Jump to: Model | Test preview | Video | Configuration | Audio | Still | Misc. | Product Shots | Test results | More information |
2 models found [ Permalink for this page ]   

models compared on this page: Panasonic AG-HPX171 and Sony HVR-A1

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

Panasonic AG-HPX171Sony HVR-A1
Picture ?
Manufacturer Panasonic Information about Panasonic

Sony Information on Sony

Name AG-HPX171HVR-A1
European name ?AG-HPX171EHVR-A1E
US name ?AG-HPX-170HVR-A1U
lowest US price 4325 $2149 $
On the market since September 2008 October 2005
Manufacturers URL link to Panasoniclink to Sony
Test preview

[ top ]Panasonic AG-HPX171Sony HVR-A1
slashCAM rating ?Good
Satisfactory
test picture 1200 Lux
Test image 12 lux auto-mode
Video

[ top ]Panasonic AG-HPX171Sony HVR-A1
Video formats ? MiniDV
DVC PRO 25
DVC PRO 50
DVC PRO HD
 MiniDV
HDV
DVCAM
Recording Medium P2 card
MiniDV/HDV-Cassette
video resolutions EU ?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
HDV 1440 x 1080/50i
MiniDV 720 x 576/50i
DVCAM 720 x 576/50i
video resolutions US ?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
HDV 1440 x 1080/60i
MiniDV 720 x 480/60i
Max Bitrate ?100 Mbit/s25 Mbit/s
Compression format ? DV
DVC PRO HD-proprietary
 DV
MPEG2
on-board memory ?  
Optics
Optics Manufacturer ? Leica
Carl Zeiss
Optical Zoom ?13 x10 x
Wide Angle 16:9 ?28 mm41 mm
Filter diameter ?72 mm37 mm
Image Stabilization ?optical
electronical
ND Filter ?3Yes
Exchangable optics ?No
No
Image Sensor
Number of sensors ?31
Size of image sensor ?1/3 inch1/3 inch
image sensor effective pixel count 16:9 ?1100000 Pixel 1983000 Pixel
Image Sensor Type ? CCD
CMOS
Controls
White Balance ?auto
manual
presets
auto
manual
presets
WB-Shift
Focus ?auto
manual
auto
manual
Minimum shutter time ?1/2.0001/10.000
Maximum shutter time ?1/241/3
Apperture control ?auto
manual
AE-Shift
auto
manual
AE-Shift
Infrared recording ?No
No
Expanded Focus ?Yes
Yes
Peaking ?Yes
Yes
Signal Processing
Zebra ?50-105%70%
100%
Histogram ?Yes
Yes
adjustable sharpness ?Yes
Yes
Adjustable color ?Yes
Yes
Cinegamma ?Yes
Yes
Black Strech ?No
No
Knee ?Yes
No
Colorbars ?Yes
Yes
Misc.
Shot Transition ?No
Yes
Custom Presets ?Yes
No
Set Time Code ?Yes
Yes
Configuration

Connections
[ top ]Panasonic AG-HPX171Sony HVR-A1
FBAS ?
synonymous: RCA, composite		 Out
In
YC ?
synonymous: S-Video		  In
Out
YUV ?
synonymous: Component Signal		 Out
Out
HDMI ?No
No
DV / HDV (FireWire) ?
synonymous: ILink / IEEE-1394		 In
Out
In
Out
USB ?USB 2.0
USB 1.1
Microphone / Audio input ? XLR
XLR
Headphones ?3.5 mm mini-jack
Mini-jack
Lanc ?No
Yes
Time-code interface ?No
No
Genlock ?No
No
Accessory shoe ?No
 AI
HD-SDI ? Out
No
Misc.
Weight (without battery) 1900 g1020 g
Weight (with battery) 2250 g1120 g
Battery type Panasonic CGA-D54
Sony NP-FM50
Battery capacity 5400 mAh1180 mAh
Charger ?external
internal
Remote control Yes
Yes
Size
Height 179 mm140 mm
Width 154 mm100 mm
Depth 397 mm190 mm
Relative Size ?10926
Viewfinder
Viewfinder available ?Yes
Yes
Color Viewfinder ?Color
B/W and color
Viewfinder format ?16:916:9
Viewfinder pixels ?235000 Pixel 252000 Pixel
Display
Display available ?Yes
Yes
Color display ?Color
Color
Display size 3,5 Inch2,7 Inch
Display format ?4:316:9
Display pixels ?210000 Pixel 123200 Pixel
Touch Screen ?No
Yes
External controls
Manual Zoom ?Rocker
Ring
Rocker
Ring
Manual Focus ? Ring
Ring
Menu
Manual Aperture ?Wheel
Wheel
Menu
Rocker
Focus switcher ?Yes
Yes
ND Filter ?Yes
No
Exp Lock ? Yes
Gain ?Yes
No
White balance ?Yes
No
Push AF ?Yes
Yes
Audio Levels ?Yes
No
Custom Keys ?
synonymous: User buttons		31
Audio

[ top ]Panasonic AG-HPX171Sony HVR-A1
Audio Formats ?DVC PRO 4x48kHz 16bit PCM
MiniDV: 2x48kHz 16bit PCM
MiniDV: 4x32kHz 12bit PCM
HDV: 2x48kHz 16bit MPEG 1
Microphone ?Stereo internal
external XLR
Stereo internal
external XLR
Audio Control ?manual
auto
manual
Audio levels ?Screen
Viewfinder
Screen
Still

[ top ]Panasonic AG-HPX171Sony HVR-A1
Recording Medium ? Memory Stick Duo
Medium included ? 16 MB
Effective pixels ? 2764800 Pixel
Resolutions ? 1920x1080
1440x1080
640x480
Standard ? JPEG Exif 2.2
Flash ? Yes
Misc.

[ top ]Panasonic AG-HPX171Sony HVR-A1
Specials -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 ]Panasonic AG-HPX171Sony HVR-A1
View 1
View 2  
Test results

Test pictures
[ top ]Panasonic AG-HPX171Sony HVR-A1
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 ?SatisfactorySatisfactory
Resolution ?SatisfactorySatisfactory
Color performance ?GoodSatisfactory
subj.Picture impression ?GoodGood
Optical Zoom ?SatisfactorySufficient
Wide Angle ? Excellent Sufficient
Configuration / image ?Very goodGood
Configuration / sound ?Very goodGood
Handling ?Very goodSatisfactory
Portability ?SatisfactoryVery good
Photo function ?PoorSufficient
Optics ?Very goodGood
Dynamics ?Very goodGood
Conclusion slashCAM
slashCAM rating ?Good
Satisfactory
Total score ?
(maximal 570)		395326
Pros Good wide angle
+ Professional controls
+ genuine 720/50p mode and a variable framerate
+ good picture impression
+ portable
+ partly professionally equipped
Cons - low sharpness due to pixel shift
- P2 cards are more expensive than tape
- 4:3 display with low resolution
- color resolution only average
- DV-quality only average
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.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 ]Panasonic AG-HPX171Sony HVR-A1
slashCAM Review
AG-HPX171 Review
HVR-A1 Review
external reviews/tests  www.dv.com
www.sundancemediagroup.com
Forum posts Opinions on the HPX171 and EX3
PANASONIC HPX171E and Magix Video
Ex1, HPX171 successor / opinions?
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!


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
slashCAM ist ein Projekt der channelunit GmbH
*Datenschutzhinweis*