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models compared on this page: Panasonic AG-AC160 and Sony HVR-Z1

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Model

Panasonic AG-AC160Sony HVR-Z1
Picture ?
Manufacturer Panasonic Information about Panasonic

Sony Information on Sony

Name AG-AC160HVR-Z1
European name ?AG-AC160HVR-Z1E
US name ?AG-AC160HVR-Z1U
lowest US price (4748) $5295 $
On the market since October 2011 April 2005
Manufacturers URL  link to Sony
Test preview

[ top ]Panasonic AG-AC160Sony HVR-Z1
slashCAM rating ?Very good
Good
test picture 1200 Lux
Test image 12 lux auto-mode
Video

[ top ]Panasonic AG-AC160Sony HVR-Z1
Video formats ? MiniDV
AVCHD
MiniDV
HDV
DVCAM
Recording Medium SD Card
SDHC card
SDXC card
MiniDV/HDV-Cassette
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
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
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
Max Bitrate ?24 Mbit/s25 Mbit/s
Compression format ? DV
MPEG4
DV
MPEG2
on-board memory ?  
Optics
Optics Manufacturer ?Panasonic
Carl Zeiss
Optical Zoom ?21 x12 x
Wide Angle 16:9 ?28 mm32,5 mm
Filter diameter ?72 mm72 mm
Image Stabilization ?optical
optical
ND Filter ?32
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 ?2200000 Pixel 1070000 Pixel
Image Sensor Type ? CMOS
CCD
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 ?1/61/3
Apperture control ?auto
manual
auto
manual
AE-Shift
Infrared recording ? No
Expanded Focus ?Yes
Yes
Peaking ?Yes
Yes
Signal Processing
Zebra ? Off
70%
100%
70-100%
70-100%
Histogram ?Yes
No
adjustable sharpness ?Yes
Yes
Adjustable color ?Yes
Yes
Cinegamma ?Yes
Yes
Black Strech ?Yes
Yes
Knee ?Yes
No
Colorbars ?Yes
Yes
Misc.
Shot Transition ?No
Yes
Custom Presets ?Yes
Yes
Set Time Code ?Yes
Yes
Configuration

Connections
[ top ]Panasonic AG-AC160Sony HVR-Z1
FBAS ?
synonymous: RCA, composite		 Out
In
Out
YC ?
synonymous: S-Video		  In
Out
YUV ?
synonymous: Component Signal		  Out
HDMI ? Out
No
DV / HDV (FireWire) ?
synonymous: ILink / IEEE-1394		 In
Out
In
Out
USB ?USB 2.0
No
Microphone / Audio input ? XLR
XLR
Headphones ?3.5 mm mini-jack
Mini-jack
Lanc ?Yes
Yes
Time-code interface ?No
No
Genlock ?No
No
Accessory shoe ? Standard
Standard
HD-SDI ? Out
No
Misc.
Weight (without battery) 2400 g1995 g
Weight (with battery)  2182 g
Battery type Panasonic CGA-E/625
Sony F570
Battery capacity 5800 mAh2200 mAh
Charger ?external
external
Remote control Yes
Yes
Size
Height  139 mm
Width  182 mm
Depth  360 mm
Relative Size ?091
Viewfinder
Viewfinder available ?Yes
Yes
Color Viewfinder ?Color
B/W and color
Viewfinder format ? 16:9
Viewfinder pixels ?1226000 Pixel 252000 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 250880 Pixel
Touch Screen ?No
No
External controls
Manual Zoom ?Rocker
Ring
Rocker
Ring
Manual Focus ? Ring
Ring
Menu
Manual Aperture ? Ring
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		36
Audio

[ top ]Panasonic AG-AC160Sony HVR-Z1
Audio Formats ?Dolby AC-3 Digital 2 channel 48 KHz
2 channel PCM
MiniDV: 2x48kHz 16bit PCM
MiniDV: 4x32kHz 12bit PCM
HDV: 2x48kHz 16bit MPEG 1
Microphone ?external XLR
Stereo internal
external XLR
Audio Control ?auto
manual
auto
manual
Audio levels ?Viewfinder
Screen
Viewfinder
Screen
Still

[ top ]Panasonic AG-AC160Sony HVR-Z1
Recording Medium ?No
No
Medium included ?No
No
Effective pixels ?  
Resolutions ?  
Standard ?  
Flash ? No
Misc.

[ top ]Panasonic AG-AC160Sony HVR-Z1
Specials   
Product Shots

[ top ]Panasonic AG-AC160Sony HVR-Z1
View 1
View 2
Test results

Test pictures
[ top ]Panasonic AG-AC160Sony HVR-Z1
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 ?GoodGood
Resolution ? Excellent Satisfactory
Color performance ?Very goodSatisfactory
subj.Picture impression ?Very goodVery good
Optical Zoom ?SatisfactorySufficient
Wide Angle ? Excellent Very good
Configuration / image ? Excellent Very good
Configuration / sound ? Excellent Very good
Handling ?Very goodVery good
Portability ?SatisfactorySatisfactory
Photo function ?PoorPoor
Optics ?Very goodGood
Dynamics ?Very goodVery good
Conclusion slashCAM
slashCAM rating ?Very good
Good
Total score ?
(maximal 570)		465384
Pros + Good ergonomics
+ largest zoom range in its class (22x)
+ records on low price SD cards
+ overall concept is consistent
+ Very good image quality impression
+ Wide optics
+ handling well-conceived
+ Very well equipped
+ Supports also formats with 60i
+ individually controllable audio channels
Cons - SDI-out 8-bit only
- colored peaking could be stronger
- only 3 custom keys
- No full HDV-resolution
- DV-quality only average
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?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 ]Panasonic AG-AC160Sony HVR-Z1
slashCAM Review
AG-AC160 Review
HVR-Z1 Review
external reviews/tests provideocoalition.com
blog.abelcine.com
digitalcontentproducer.com
www.digitalproducer.com
videosystems.com
videosystems.com
www.digitalproducer.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


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 24.Mai 2012 - 14:40
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