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Panasonic Announces Solid-State AG-HMC151 AVCHD 1080 Handheld Camcorder (12/5/2008)

Next-Generation, Affordable HD Handheld Offers SD Card Recording, Three 1/3-Inch CCDs, Enhanced Quality Recording Mode, 1080 and 720 with 24p

At the 2008 National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Show, Panasonic is debuting a powerful new camcorder in its AVCCAM professional line - the handheld AG-HMC151. Building on the phenomenal success of the highly popular DV tape-based SD AG-DVX100 camcorder, the affordable AG-HMC151 blends professional 1080 and 720 HD production capabilities and enhanced quality recording (average 21 Mbps/maximum 24 Mbps) with the simplicity and familiarity of an SD-card digital still camera workflow.

With an exciting range of professional-level features and a sleek, compact design, the AG-HMC151 can record hours of high-quality 1080 and 720 HD images onto solid-state SD and SDHC memory cards at lower bit rates than current HDV compression formats. The new model offers an enhanced quality mode, with 21 Mbps average (maximum 24 Mbps) recording that moves quality up even more.

The AG-HMC151 camcorder utilizes AVCHD, the industry's newest long GOP compression standard based on MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 high-profile encoding, the same as Blu-ray HD players. AVCHD provides a near doubling of bandwidth efficiency and improved video performance over older MPEG-2 compression used in HDV formats and SD DVD players. AVCHD high-definition recordings look clean and clear, even during fast motion, reducing the image degradation or dropout associated with HDV.

Highest Quality, Full HD Recording

Designed to be used in a variety of budget-conscious production applications, the AG-HMC151 records stunning HD in four recording modes: PH mode (average 21 Mbps/maximum 24 Mbps), HA mode (approximately 17 Mbps), HG mode (approximately 13 Mbps), and HE mode (approximately 6 Mbps). It captures full horizontal-resolution 1920x1080 images at its PH, HA, and HG recording modes. The camera can also be set to capture 1280x720 images at PH mode. At its 6 Mbps record mode, the camera captures 1440x1080 HD images for extended HD recording at its lowest bit rate. The AG-HMC151 supports a range of HD formats, including 1080/24p, 1080/60i, and 720/60p.

This mainstream production-level camera features native 16:9 progressive 1/3-inch 3-CCD imagers, enhanced by a high-performing digital signal processor with 14-bit A/D conversion and 19-bit processing. Its 13X Leica Dicomar zoom lens offers a 28mm (35mm equivalent) wide-angle setting (the widest in its class), a 72mm diameter, and a cam-driven manual zoom. The AG-HMC151 provides auto or manual operation of focus and iris, and automatic optical image stabilization (OIS) to ensure stable, smooth, and precise shooting. It also features a range of selectable gamma functions including Cine-like gamma, making it well-suited for cinema-like video production.

Extra-Long Record Times

With the AG-HMC151, videographers can capitalize on the cost advantages, reliability, and widespread availability of SD and SDHC memory cards. Using just a 32-GB SDHC card, users can record three hours of full-pixel 1920x1080 video and audio at PH mode, four hours at HA mode, and nearly five and a half hours at HG mode. In the HE mode, the camera can record up to 12 hours of 1440x1080 HD content - all on a single 32-GB SDHC card. Panasonic also offers a variety of other SD and SDHC card sizes - including 16GB, 8GB, 4GB, 2GB, and 1GB - with Class 6 performance.

Easy HD Playback on a Growing Number of Affordable Consumer Players
Content shot on the AG-HMC151 can be played back directly on a wide range of widescreen flat-panel displays, and on front- and rear-screen projectors directly from the camera. Unlike HDV tapes, SD cards with HD content can be inserted into and played back on a growing number of affordable playback devices including Blu-ray players (like Panasonic's DMP-BD30), the Sony PlayStation(r) 3, and some new Panasonic plasma displays, as well as computers with an SD card slot using applications that play AVCHD files. Through the use of NLE software, content can also be edited and rendered in various formats and delivered on a wide range of media. Currently, AVCHD is supported by more than 30 companies and implemented in numerous camcorders, NLE systems, and consumer HD playback devices.

Professionals can instantly transfer content from the AG-HMC151 camcorder to Mac(r) or PC computers with an SD/SDHC card reader or by connecting the camcorder directly to the computer via its USB 2.0 interface. Other standard interfaces on the camera include HDMI out, component out (mini D terminal), composite out, remote jacks for zoom, focus iris, and start/stop functions. The camera's 3.5-inch LCD monitor displays content in thumbnail images for quick viewing.

The AG-HMC151's professional audio connections include XLR 2-channel audio input (48V phantom power) with mic/line select, manual 2-channel audio-level VR, and RCA audio out jacks. The camera offers waveform monitor display and an array of recording functions including time/date stamp, prerecord, shot marker, index, time code/user bits, and metadata.

Panasonic's AVCCAM camcorder lineup brings the benefits of solid-state recording to budget-conscious professionals. Like digital still photography, recording onto SD/SDHC card offers a fast and simple file-based workflow with ultra-reliable performance and resistance to shock, vibration, and extreme temperatures and weather. SD and SDHC memory cards are inexpensive, widely available, and can be reused repeatedly. Because AVCHD records video as digital data files, content can be transferred and stored on affordable, high-capacity hard-disk drives (HDD) and optical storage media and as technology advances, be transferred to future storage media.

The AG-HMC151 will be available later this year at a price to be announced.

www.panasonic-broadcast.com

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