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models compared on this page: Sony HVR-Z1 and Panasonic AG-HMC40

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

Sony HVR-Z1Panasonic AG-HMC40
Picture ?
Manufacturer Sony Information on Sony

Panasonic Information about Panasonic

Name HVR-Z1AG-HMC40
European name ?HVR-Z1EAG-HMC41E
US name ?HVR-Z1UAG-HMC40
lowest US price 5295 $1599 $
On the market since April 2005 August 2009
Manufacturers URL link to Sonylink to Panasonic
Test preview

[ top ]Sony HVR-Z1Panasonic AG-HMC40
slashCAM rating ?Good
not yet tested
test picture 1200 Lux
Test image 12 lux auto-mode
Video

[ top ]Sony HVR-Z1Panasonic 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
HDV 1440 x 1080/60i
DVCAM 720 x 480/60i
MiniDV 720 x 576/60i
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 1080/50i
MiniDV 720 x 576/50i
DVCAM 720 x 576/50i
HDV 1440 x 1080/60i
DVCAM 720 x 480/60i
MiniDV 720 x 576/60i
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 ?70-100%50-105%
Histogram ?No
waveform
adjustable sharpness ?Yes
Yes
Adjustable color ?Yes
Yes
Cinegamma ?Yes
Yes
Black Strech ?Yes
No
Knee ?No
Yes
Colorbars ?Yes
Yes
Misc.
Shot Transition ?Yes
No
Custom Presets ?Yes
Yes
Set Time Code ?Yes
Yes
Configuration

Connections
[ top ]Sony HVR-Z1Panasonic 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 ? XLR
Mini-jack
XLR optional
Headphones ?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) 1995 g980 g
Weight (with battery) 2182 g1200 g
Battery type Sony F570
Panasonic VW-VBG260E
Battery capacity 2200 mAh 
Charger ?external
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 ?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 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		63
Audio

[ top ]Sony HVR-Z1Panasonic 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-Z1Panasonic 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 HVR-Z1Panasonic AG-HMC40
Specials  optional available XLR adapter
Product Shots

[ top ]Sony HVR-Z1Panasonic AG-HMC40
View 1
 
View 2
 
Test results

Test pictures
[ top ]Sony HVR-Z1Panasonic 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 ?Very good 
Handling ?Very good 
Portability ?Satisfactory 
Photo function ?Poor 
Optics ?Good 
Dynamics ?Very good 
Conclusion slashCAM
slashCAM rating ?Good
not yet tested
Total score ?
(maximal 570)		384 
Pros + Very good image quality impression
+ Wide optics
+ handling well-conceived
+ Very well equipped
+ Supports also formats with 60i
+ individually controllable audio channels
 
Cons - No full HDV-resolution
- DV-quality only average
 
Conclusion Just as the consumer version FX1 the Sony HVR-Z1 lacks CCDs with full HDV-resolution, which is noticeable at least in the horizontals.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 good, the low noise being a plus. 
More information

Reviews and Forums
[ top ]Sony HVR-Z1Panasonic AG-HMC40
slashCAM Review
HVR-Z1 Review
external reviews/tests digitalcontentproducer.com
www.digitalproducer.com
videosystems.com
videosystems.com
www.digitalproducer.com
provideocoalition.com
digitalcontentproducer.com
Forum posts either HVR Z1 or Canon 60D / 600D
SonyHVR-Z1E time to delete material in issue?
price for a used Z1 - which were as the average prices!
Migration of SonyPD170 on Z1 - big jump or rather Bleibenlassen!
sony hdr z1 / svideo to bnc adapter
Shoe Adapter for SonyFX1 / Z1 where?
Monitor Z1 connect
SonyHVR-Z1E / DVCAM quality
Search German manual for HVR-Z1E
clips for sony z1
SonyHVR Z1 or Canon XL H1?
SonyHVR-Z1E Picture shows only the coil to
Problem: SonyHVR-Z1E Firewire connection to PC
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 10.Februar 2012 - 17:55
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